Futurity Standing Rules – Effective March 1st, 2020

 Futurity is an event held in conjunction with the National Specialty. It is similar to a puppy sweepstakes except the nomination process is open only to breeders and co-breeders, all of which must be members in good standing with the American Bullmastiff Association (ABA). The Futurity puppy owner(s) and/or co-owner(s) must also be members in good standing with the ABA by the date of the applicable National Specialty OR be published applicants for membership in the ABA Newsletter prior to the sixth month birthday of the nominated puppy. Futurity entries must be handled by the owner, co-owner, a member of the owner or co-owner’s family, the breeder, or an amateur handler. Professional handlers, as defined by the Association, are permitted to handle Futurity entries only if they are the owner/co-owner, or the breeder/co-breeder of the Futurity entry provided they are also an ABA member in good standing.

 The purpose of the Futurity event is to encourage and reward Bullmastiff breeders. By carefully planning one’s breeding program, a breeder is given the opportunity to show, in competition, the quality of animal he or she produces and to be financially rewarded for his or her efforts.

Futurity guidelines are as follows:

1. Nomination

A.Litters whelped on or after March 1, 2020 and on or before February 28, 2021 are eligible for nomination. The exception would be a leap year, when nominations must be submitted prior to February 29th. The Litter Nomination must be postmarked or electronically received prior to the litter being whelped. To nominate a litter, the Litter Nomination Form or ABA Website Litter Nomination Form must be completed in full, signed by the breeder and/or co-breeder and sent to the Futurity Chair by postal mail or email. A check or money order, payable to the ABA for $50, must be sent to the Futurity Chair and must be postmarked prior to the litter being whelped. It is also permissible to pay the $50 litter nomination fee via PayPal at abafuturity@gmail.com and must be received prior to the litter being whelped. Foreign registered dogs may sire or whelp an eligible litter providing the breeder and co-breeder are ABA members in good standing. With dual sired litters, the sire must be identified no later than the puppy’s six-month birthday.

NOTE: ABA National Specialty dates are subject to change. In the event that a litter is eligible for two (2) National Futurity entries (current year and/or following year), the breeder of the litter must select which National Specialty they would like to enter on the Litter Nomination Form at the time of submission. All decisions are final. The litter will only be eligible for one (1) Futurity entry at a National Specialty. If a puppy is past its’ 18-month birthday at a National Specialty due to the National Specialty being held later in the fall, that puppy will still be eligible for Futurity competition and will be entered in the 18 month and over class as specified in the premium list.

B.For individual puppy nominations, the Individual Puppy Nomination Form, Less Than 3 Months or ABA Website Individual Puppy Nomination Less Than 3 Months Form must be completed in full and mailed/postmarked or emailed to the Futurity Chair prior to the puppy(s) reaching 3 months of age. If the AKC Litter Registration Number or the AKC Registration Number is not available, there must be documentation as to why and when it will be submitted. The Registration Number must be received by the Futurity Chair immediately upon receipt, and no later than thirty (30) days prior to the puppy’s 6-month birthday. A check or money order, payable to the ABA for $15 for each individual nominated puppy, must be sent to the Futurity Chair and must be postmarked prior to the puppy(s) reaching 3 months of age. It is also permissible to pay the $15 individual nominated puppy fee(s) via PayPal at abafuturity@gmail.com and must be received prior to the puppy(s) reaching 3 months of age. The decision to continue an individual puppy’s nomination is that of the breeder and/or co- breeder of record.

C.The last step in the Futurity nomination process is to submit, per individual puppy, the Individual Puppy Nomination Form, Less Than 6-Months or ABA Website Individual Puppy Nomination Less Than 6-Months Form. Either submission must be completed in full and mailed/postmarked or emailed to the Futurity Chair prior to the puppy(s) reaching 6 months of age. A nomination received without an AKC Registration Number will not be accepted. A check or money order, payable to the ABA for $10 for each individual nominated puppy, must be sent to the Futurity Chair and must be postmarked prior to the puppy(s) reaching 6 months of age. It is also permissible to pay the $10 individual nominated puppy fee(s) via PayPal at abafuturity@gmail.com and must be received prior to the puppy(s) reaching 6 months of age.

Note: The Futurity guidelines and link to forms will be included in two newsletters per year by the Futurity Chair. Additional copies are available from the Futurity Chair, at each National Specialty and on the ABA website. The Futurity Chair will accept faxed or electronically transmitted copies of the nomination forms. Check or money order for faxed entry(s) or electronically transmitted copies must be postmarked by the required, applicable due date of each nomination, otherwise the entry(s) will be considered null and void.

The responsibility of meeting all deadlines is (are) the breeder or co-breeder of record and not the puppy owner(s) or the Futurity Chair. No reminders of any kind will be sent.

2. Processing

 Upon receipt of a nomination form, the Futurity Chair will review the form for completeness. If any issues arise, the Futurity Chair will notify the breeder or co-breeder of record immediately. The Futurity Chair will send the nominating breeder or co-breeder an acknowledgement of the nomination received. The Futurity Chair will forward checks received to the Treasurer within 30 days. Breeders and co-breeders of record are encouraged to keep and maintain copies of the nomination form(s), checks and acknowledgements for their personal records.

3. Exhibition

 Divided by sex and by age. The classes are as follows:

• 6 to 9 months;
• 9 to 12 months;
• 12 to 15 months;
• 15 to 18 months;
• 18 months and over (when applicable)

The winner of these classes will then compete for Best Bitch in Futurity and Best Dog in Futurity.

4. Winnings

 The Futurity funds will be split as follows:

• Forty-five percent (45%) will be divided among the 10 first place winners in each age group.
• Twenty percent (20%) will be given to both the Best Bitch in Futurity and Best Dog in Futurity.
• Fifteen percent (15%) will be retained by the ABA to cover reasonable Futurity expenses including those incurred from superintendent and/or administrative fees.

Given the unusual occasion that the 15% holdback from the accumulated annual Futurity funds is not adequate to cover “reasonable expenses” directly associated with the Futurity, the Board may approve an additional amount to be withheld. The additional amount would be withdrawn from the accumulated annual funds before the winnings are allocated.

If there is no entry in a class, then those funds shall be allocated pro rata amongst the remaining classes and to Best Bitch in Futurity and Best Dog in Futurity. These funds will not be allocated to the ABA holdback.

 All winnings go to the breeder and/or co-breeder of record.

The Futurity Chair will remain indifferent and impartial to any differences over winnings between breeder and/or co-breeder and the owner.

5. Fees

The breeder and/or co-breeder are solely responsible for the payment of any nominating fees without exception. All fees paid are non-refundable regardless of the circumstances. Overpayment at any nomination level will not be granted a refund unless it exceeds $20.00. Nomination fees are not transferable from one litter to another, nor from one Bullmastiff to another. If the dam of the litter nominated is not pregnant or the fees are postmarked after the date of whelp/birth, the entry will be considered null and void.

6. Futurity Entries

 The Futurity class is considered a second entry in addition to a regular class for the National Specialty. Under the “Additional Class” section of the entry form, enter “Futurity” along with the proper age category. A dog may not be shown in a non-regular class without entry in a regular class. The entry fee for Futurity is paid from annual Futurity funds so no fee is required from the breeder/owner to the National Specialty superintendent. Therefore, no additional entry fee for Futurity is required.

The Futurity Chair will be responsible for verifying an accurate listing of dogs entered for each class and will crosscheck with the superintendent a listing of eligible puppies prior to the publication of the National Specialty catalog. The superintendent will be directed to provide the registrant the information regarding any entrant ineligibility. If the entrant protests the discrepancy, the entrant shall notify the Futurity Chair within 48 hours of receipt of the notification of the discrepancy. The Futurity Chair will refer to the ABA board for a ruling on the discrepancy. This ruling will be considered final.

7. Judges

Judges are to be nominated and elected by the ABA membership. The qualifications are: must have owned Bullmastiffs for at least ten (10) years, have bred four (4) Bullmastiff litters and bred ten (10) Bullmastiff champions. Judges expenses will be covered as defined in the National Specialty Standing Rules. (LAW 05/07)

INDIVIDUAL PUPPY NOMINATION FORM (Less than 3 months)

INDIVIDUAL PUPPY NOMINATION FORM (Less than 6 months)

LITTER NOMINATION FORM