Purpose of the Obedience Finals
The ASCA Obedience Finals are designed to showcase ASCA’s finest obedience dogs to the fancy by those breeders, owners and handlers who take pride in their contribution to the Australian Shepherd breed.
Conducting the Obedience Finals
Finals are held in conjunction with the annual ASCA National Specialty. Only those dogs that qualify and are invited may compete. Complete Obedience Finals rules are found in the ASCA Obedience Rules and Regulations.
Division Details
Teams qualify in the Novice, Open CDX, Open ODX, Utility, or Super Dog division. They may only compete in one division (with the exception of the 2 Open level classes) and this must be the highest division for which they are eligible. B class (mixed) orders are used for all Open CDX, Open ODX, and Utility classes. Within each division other than Super Dog, each dog shall have 2 runs, one under each judge. Novice group stays take place first thing in the morning before the individual exercises in each ring, with scores being awarded separately for the sit stay and the down stay. The Super Dog competition will consist of 1 run of Utility B, 1 run of Open B omitting CDX Command Discrimination and Stand Stay – Get Your Leash Exercises and ODX Directed Open Exercises, and 2 runs of the Super Dog mixed orders.
Running Order of the Entrants
The Obedience Show Finals Chair determines the exhibitor run order by drawing numbers. Dogs will not run in their order of ranking. The Obedience show Finals Chair will post the exhibitor run order ringside at least one 1 hour before the start of the Finals. Each judge will use the same exhibitor running order.
Qualifying for the Finals
The qualifying year shall run from June 1 to May 31 of the following year. The top 10 dogs from each class division are invited to compete. Dogs on the alternate lists for each class division (those ranked lower than the top 10) will be invited, in order of ranking, to compete in Finals, should dogs in the top 10 not be able to compete. A maximum of 10 dogs per class division will compete.
Novice
The dog’s top three qualifying scores from Novice A and/or Novice B during the present qualifying year will be averaged.
Companion Dog Excellent
The dog’s top three qualifying scores from CDX A and/or CDX B during the present qualifying year will be averaged. Dogs can compete in CDX B indefinitely and thus are eligible for Top Ten CDX Finals standings indefinitely.
Open Dog Excellent
The dog’s top three qualifying scores from ODX A and/or from ODX B during the present qualifying year will be averaged. Dogs can compete in ODX B indefinitely and thus are eligible for Top Ten ODX Finals standings indefinitely.
Utility
The dog’s top three qualifying scores from Utility A and/or from Utility B during the present qualifying year will be averaged. Dogs can compete in Utility B indefinitely and thus are eligible for Top Ten Utility Finals standings indefinitely.
Super Dog
Dogs must qualify in Open B CDX and Utility B or Open B ODX and Utility B at the same trial. If qualifying via the CDX class, a dog must have already earned a CDX and a UD. If qualifying via the ODX class, a dog must have already earned an ODX and a UD. The dog’s top three combined qualifying scores from CDX B and Utility B and/or from ODX B and Utility B during the present qualifying year will be averaged and added. There will be one Super Dog Finals regardless of whether dogs qualify via the CDX or the ODX class. There will be no Command Discrimination or Stand Stay – Get Your Leash Exercises or Directed Open Exercises in Super Dog Finals. Dogs are eligible for Top Ten Super Dog finals standings indefinitely.