[PyrNet-L] AOM - Award of Merit

[Kshoffman <Kshoffman@aol.com>]

Lene,

AOM stands for Award of Merit.  The judge may issue a certain number to
competitors in the best of breed ring, based on the size of the total entry.
I think it's something like 1 AOM per 10 dogs entered, but I'm not exactly
sure.  Could someone give the correct ratio?  It allows the judge, especially
at big specialty shows, to give credit and recognition to dogs he/she deemed
exceptional in addition to the Best of Breed and Best Opposite winners.    I
believe that any dog/bitch who competed in the best of breed ring (including
winners dog & bitch and veteran dog & bitch) are eligible.  I know at a recent
specialty of one of my other breeds, the judge gave an AOM to the the Winners
Dog, Reserve Winners Dog, Winners Bitch and Reserve Winners Bitch, which I
found quite unusual.  So perhaps, the rules on how they are to be awarded
varies from breed club to breed club.

NOTE:  Coincidentally, in the National Specialty cited above (different
breed), both the Winners Dog and Winners Bitch were already finished champions
at the time of the National and both were shown in Bred by Exhibitor class,
making them ineligible and their wins will be rescinded.  (Finished champions
may be shown in Open Class, but not Bred by)   Therefore, the points will be
awarded to RWD and RWB.  Perhaps the judge new this and that is why RWD and
RWB received the AOM's?????   I don't know but it seemed a little odd to me.

Kelley Hoffman
BasqueLaine
kshoffman@aol.com