INTRODUCTION
    The purpose of the Futurity Stake is to encourage the breeding of the best possible Dalmatian and to reward the breeders for their efforts. For this reason, the Stakes are weighted in favor of the breeder, who is the one that chooses the sire, nominates the bitch before whelping, raises the litter, and often even pays the entry fees for the individual puppies as well.

    However, recognition must also be given to the sire of the litter for his genetic contribution, and to the role of the owners of the individual Dalmatian in developing it to its greatest inherited potential. The quality of the individual animal will be the result of the combined efforts of these three. The division of the Stakes is designed to reflect this.

DESCRIPTION
    The Futurity Stake shall be held in conjunction with each Dalmatian Club of America Specialty. Should the DCA Specialty not be held within the time limits applying to the Futurity Rules, the Board of Governors shall decide the disposition of the monies accrued toward the Futurity Stake.

    The bitch whose litter is nominated must be owned (or leased) in whole or in part by a DCA member. Thus, if a bitch is co-owned or leased by two people, at least one of them must be a DCA member. This requirement does not apply to the owners of the puppies from the nominated litter. To receive monetary awards from this Futurity Stake, the owner of the sire of a nominated litter must also be a DCA member.

NOMINATION DATES
    The nomination of the bitch’s litter must be made after she is bred, but BEFORE THE WHELPING DATE. The nomination of each individual puppy must be made after it is whelped, but BEFORE IT IS FOUR MONTHS OLD.

FEES
    The nomination for the litter must be accompanied by a fee of $20. The nomination for the puppy, or puppies, must be accompanied by a fee of $5 for each one.

PROCEDURE FOR NOMINATION LITTERS
    Any active DCA member in good standing may nominate a litter for the Futurity. The nomination must be made on an official Futurity nomination entry form, which can be obtained by writing to the Futurity Chairman. Said litter nomination must be made PRIOR to the whelping of the litter. The determination date for timely nominations shall be the postmark on the envelope, which must be dated no later than midnight the day prior to the whelping of the litter. The bitch must be owned or leased, in whole or in part, by the active member. The breeder shall be supplied with a confirmation of nomination of the litter. A form shall be provided to the breeder for the purpose of notifying the Futurity Chairman of the whelping date, number and sex division in the litter nominated. This form must be returned within one month of the whelping date.

    The nomination of a litter qualifies any of the litter for entry in the Futurity Stake, regardless of the ownership of the individual puppy when entered or shown. All nominations must be made BEFORE the puppy to be shown in the Futurity reaches FOUR MONTHS of age. The determining date of the nomination shall be the postmark on the envelope containing the nomination. This postmark must be dated no later than midnight the day prior to the day the puppy reaches the age of four months. If the breeder wishes to nominate all puppies in the litter individually, this may be done at any time after the day the litter is whelped but before it is four months old. In such cases, fees for all puppies in the litter must be paid, and at the same time the Futurity Chairman must be supplied with the following:

1. Whelping date
   
2. Sex and color of each puppy, and
   
3. AKC number if received.

If this information has not been received by the Futurity Chairman at least one month prior to the date of the Futurity, the Dalmatian in question shall be disqualified. The same rule shall apply to the change of a Dalmatian’s name if such occurs at the time of registration.

ELIGIBILITY
    The Dalmatian MUST be entered in one of the regular classes at the DCA Specialty show. When completing the entry form for the DCA Specialty, the fact that the Dalmatian is to be shown in the Futurity MUST BE INDICATED AS AN EXTRA CLASS in the appropriate space provided on the entry form. The entry fee for the Futurity class is an additional fee of $10. This fee should be included with the regular entry fee for the class at the Specialty.

    No Dalmatian will be eligible to compete in the Futurity which does not meet the following requirements:

1. Be from a litter which was properly and timely nominated.
   
2. Have been individually nominated before it reached the age of four months, and
   
3. Be properly entered in one of the regular classes of the DCA Specialty.

NON-MEMBERS
    Persons who are not a member of the DCA who wish to nominate litters for the Futurity may submit an application for membership with the nomination form for the litter’s nomination. In the event that the application for membership is accepted by the DCA, the nomination will be dated as valid according to the date received. If the application for membership in the DCA is not accepted, the deposit for dues will be refunded and the nomination of the litter will be null and void. The nomination fee will also be refunded. THIS IS THE ONLY CASE WHERE THE NOMINATION FEE WILL BE REFUNDED. The Board of Governors of the DCA shall decide any dispute that should arise pursuant to this Futurity Stake at its earliest convenience.

LAPSING OF DUES
    Any member who, having nominated a litter, fails to remain an active member in good standing in the DCA, by lapsing of dues or by suspension or expulsion, and has not been reinstated 30 days prior to the Futurity shall lose all rights in the Futurity. Dalmatians nominated by the lapsed or suspended individual but transferred to the ownership of another individual PRIOR to said lapse of dues, suspension or expulsion may be shown as eligible. Monetary awards will be made in such instances ONLY to the owner of the individual Dalmatian and/or owner of the sire pursuant to Futurity prize rules.

DEATH
    If a member shall nominate a litter and subsequently die before the Futurity, the nomination shall be valid and the puppies will be considered as eligible for nomination, entry and judging, provided all subsequent fees are paid to date.

WINNERS CHART

    In this stake there will be 35 cash wins, the three individuals (the breeder, the owner, and the owner of the sire at the time of nomination) partaking of these awards, for a total of 72 monetary awards, won by 32 different Dalmatians.

MONETARY AWARDS

1. Ten percent shall be deducted from the total nomination and entry fee purse to be used for Futurity expenses. This will be known as the General Expense Fund. This Fund shall be used to cover all expenses incurred by the Futurity Stake, i.e. judges, printing, mailing, etc. Since the administrative and judging expense will vary from year to year, an excess in any given year shall be carried for use in future years.
   
2. Twenty-five percent shall be deducted from the total nomination and entry fee purse to be awarded as follows: 10% to the Best in Futurity, 5% to the Best Senior in Futurity, and 5% to the Best Junior in Futurity. The 10% Best in Futurity award will be divided: 50% to the recorded breeder of the winner and 50% to the recorded owner of the winner. The 5% awarded to Best Junior and Best Senior in Futurity is to be divided: 50% to the recorded breeder, 30% to the recorded owner and 20% to the owner of the sire or owner of the frozen semen at the time of mating, for each winner.
   
3. The remaining 65 percent of the total purse shall be divided according to the percent of the total entry represented by the number of dogs entered in each class, i.e., total futurity entry = 100, entry in 6-9 bitches =10; therefore 10/100=10%, thus 10% of the remaining purse is awarded in the 6-9 bitch class.
   
4. Ribbons shall be awarded through fourth place in each class. Rosettes shall be given to the Best in Futurity, Best Senior and Best Junior entry. The cost for each to be covered from the General Expense Fund. Trophies may be given but the Futurity Stake funds will not be utilized for this purpose. Trophy solicitations for the Futurity Stake shall be the responsibility of the Trophy Chairman for each DCA Specialty.
   
5. Monetary awards which are provided for but cannot be given, whatever the reason, shall be applied to the total Futurity Stake for the following year.

SELECTION OF JUDGES
    It shall be the prerogative of the owners of the nominated dams to nominate the Futurity Stake judge. Upon notification by the Futurity Chairman, at a time to be six months, more or less, prior to the Futurity Stake, the owner of each nominated dam may nominate ONE person for the Futurity Stake judge.

    Each eligible breeder shall thereafter, one month, more or less, from the deadline for nominations, receive a ballot listing all persons nominated as set forth above. Each eligible breeder shall vote for FIVE candidates listed in order of preference, i.e., first, second, third, etc.

    The candidate receiving the highest total number of points (a vote of first choice receiving 5 points, second receiving 4 points, etc.) in the votes cast shall then be declared the Futurity Stake judge for that particular year. In the event the number of dogs entered requires a second judge, the candidate receiving the second highest total number of points shall judge the bitch classes only. When the ballots for selection of a judge are tallied and a tie for first place has resulted, the Futurity Chairman shall determine who will be the judge for that particular Futurity.

    During the nominating and voting period, the Futurity Chairman will not disclose names of Futurity breeders. No voting information will be disclosed until all voting is closed, in accordance with a specified deadline date. At that time, participants will be notified of the voting outcome.

    Ballots which are incomplete, incorrect, unsigned or exceed the deadline date will be considered invalid.

    Persons nominated as the Futurity Stake judge do not necessarily have to be an AKC licensed Dalmatian judge, but must be in good standing with AKC and DCA.

    Any person(s) elected to judge a Futurity Stake, who has nominated a litter(s) for the same Futurity Stake, or who has an *immediate member of his/her family with a nominated litter(s), automatically voids the competition of that litter(s) in that same Futurity Stake. Any monies paid by the person(s) to the Futurity are not refundable.

    Any futurity nominated puppy who by virtue of its placement in the futurity could result in a monetary prize to the judge would be ineligible for competition at that futurity. A refund of all nomination fees for the ineligible dam and puppies will be made due to the conflict of interest. Nominators must apply to the DCA Futurity Chairman for this refund prior to the close of entries. This ruling will become effective for the 1991 Futurity.

FUTURITY STAKE EXAMPLE

Total Futurity Stake = $1000

• 10% = $100 – General Expense Fund

• 25% = $250 – Three Best Awards
  • $150 to Best in Futurity
    • $75 to Breeder
      
    • $75 to Owner
    
    
  • $50 to Best Senior in Futurity
    
    • $25 to Breeder
      
    • b. $15 to Owner
      
    • c. $10 to Owner of Sire
    
    
  • 3. $50 to Best Junior in Futurity
    
    • a. $25 to Breeder
      
    • b. $15 to Owner
      
    • c. $10 to Owner of Sire

  • C. 65% = $650

If you have any questions, please contact:

Steve Nielsen
17075 South Holcomb Road
Oregon City, OR 97045
Email:  DCAFUT@ccwebster.net