The Bull Terrier Club Major Trophies

 

The Trophy Show

For most Bull Terrier fanciers throughout the world, the highlight of the year is The Bull Terrier Club Trophy Show, where The Bull Terrier Club’s most important competitions of the year, the Major Trophies, are competed for.

 

The Regent Trophy
This trophy is not handed out to winners but is displayed and retained by the The Bull Terrier Club.

This event has now been in existence for well over 60 years, increasing in popularity and has in recent years become a two-day event. It is held in a centrally located Hotel, with the Trophy competitions held on one day and an open show held on the other. A banquet is held in the evening of the first day allowing the opportunity for fanciers worldwide to meet socially and discuss their favourite topic – The Bull Terrier. Judging of the Trophies is undertaken by a panel of selected judges, from throughout the world, the only criteria being that they are “the best judges available”.

Entry to the Trophies themselves is by invitation only – a team of selectors, appointed by The Bull Terrier Club Committee, scour the country in an effort to select the cream of Bull Terriers exhibited at Championship shows throughout the previous year. This means that simply to be invited is an honour in itself, confirming to the breeders and owners that they have one of the very best Bull Terriers in the country. Selecting the best animals is only half the job. The Bull Terrier Club Committee are committed to ensuring the consistency and fairness of the judging of the Major Trophies. Indeed the rules of the trophies state that the committee must select ‘The Best Judges available’. Whilst this is obviously subjective the Committee follow a number of stringent rules and guidelines to ensure that the spirit of the competition is upheld and that not only is justice done, it is seen to be done. Some of the rules and guidelines employed are as follows;

• Selected Judges should be on the Bull Terrier Club’s Lists

• They should not be selected to judge the competition in successive years

• Preferably not more than one member of a family or partnership should judge or Referee at the same Trophy Show

• A judge should not be selected if they are the owner or joint owner of any invited animal

• The judge may not be invited if they have been a selector in that same year

• The selected judges should preferably not have judged after the 30th September of the previous year that the trophies are held.

 

No member of the Bull Terrier Club Committee who owns or has bred a selected competitor are allowed to nominate a Judge or Referee for that year’s competition.

In the case of an emergency on the day, a stand in judge needs to be employed, The Officers of the committee will take into account the above guidelines

The club holds an Open show on the day prior to The Trophy Show. This show is open to all and provides an opportunity for breeders and exhibitors to show the world their stock. With the change in quarantine laws, more and more dogs from overseas are also taking the opportunity to attend this event.

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REGENT TROPHY - Awarded to (in the judges opinion) The Best Bull Terrier dog or bitch, first shown at a Championship Show in the United Kingdom where challenge certificates are on offer to the breed or any equivalent award that counts towards the title of ‘Champion’ in any other country,  during the previous year, which means that animals can compete only once in their life. Not less than 10 dogs are selected, of which at least 4 must be dogs and 6 must be bitches. A reserve dog and reserve bitch is also selected, in the event that any invited animals are unable to take part. The winners’ prize is a valuable and much coveted Royal Nymphenberg porcelain replica of the Trophy. Only fully paid up members of The Bull Terrier Club will be eligible to receive the Royal Nymphenberg Trophy to keep.

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ORMANDY JUG - Any dog or bitch shown the previous year at a Championship Show in the United Kingdom where challenge certificates are on offer to the breed or any equivalent award that counts towards the title of 'Champion' are eligible for selection. This includes dogs shown in previous years. A dog or bitch can appear in the Jugs more than once, though it is unusual and it has not been common practice for an animal to be invited more than twice. 10 Bitches and 8 Dogs are invited plus a first and Second reserve of each sex. The winner of each Jug is presented with an engraved Crystal Goblet, a certificate and plaque, and every competitor whether successful or not receives a permanent memento of the day.