Level 3Experienced
Understanding foreign results: decoding them without mistakes
The answer
You pick up your result and find a string of letters: EXC, CAC, RCC, BOW… A lovely memento, but what has your dog actually just won?
To understand it, read the result in several stages: the dog's assessment, its placing, the certificates obtained and the competitions won. Not all systems use these four elements in the same way.
Here are three tips per level to help you see clearly.
Beginner: understanding what is written
- Separate the grade from the placing
In the FCI system, “Excellent” is a grade. The number that goes with it shows the place in the class.
So “Excellent 2” means second in its class with the grade Excellent. It does not mean second in the whole show!
Before reading the rest, therefore, identify the class and sex concerned.
- Learn a few useful words
Here is a short glossary for results written in English:
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Excellent | Excellent |
| Very Good | Very Good |
| Good | Good |
| Very Promising | Very Promising |
| BOB — Best of Breed | Best of Breed |
| BOS — Best of Opposite Sex | Best of the sex opposite to Best of Breed |
| BIS — Best in Show | Best in Show |
The grades above belong in particular to the FCI system. The terms BOB, BOS and BIS are also found in other systems, including the AKC.
Don't necessarily look for an “Excellent” on every British or American result: they don't automatically work the way FCI shows do.
- Identify how far the win goes
First in class, best of breed and best in show are different stages.
At the AKC, a best of breed can go on to group judging, then the group winner to Best in Show.
Quick habit: always ask yourself “best among which dogs?”. This question prevents a lot of confusion.
Intermediate: understanding certificates
- Don't turn a first place into a certificate
At an FCI international show, a “1st Excellent” does not automatically guarantee the CACIB. The certificate is subject to additional quality conditions.
Read the placing line and the awards line separately. If the certificate doesn't appear, ask the secretariat for clarification rather than deducing it.
- Identify the system behind the letters
| System | Term | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| FCI | CAC | National certificate, according to the rules of the national kennel organisation |
| FCI | CACIB | Certificate linked to the international beauty championship |
| United Kingdom | CC | Challenge Certificate |
| United Kingdom | RCC | Reserve Challenge Certificate |
| AKC | WD / WB | Winners Dog / Winners Bitch |
| AKC | BOW | Best of Winners |
At the AKC, Best of Winners decides between Winners Dog and Winners Bitch. It is not the same result as Best of Breed. These terms are not a list of equivalents: each system keeps its own rules.
- Read “reserve” precisely
A British RCC is a reserve for the CC, not automatically a second place in the class. The regulations state the level of quality expected for it to be awarded.
Take the same care with a CACIB reserve: keep its exact title. Don't announce the main certificate until any conversion has been officially confirmed.
Advanced: using results correctly
- At the AKC, check the points actually earned
A win doesn't always earn the same number of points.
The calculation depends in particular on the applicable scale, the breed, the sex and the number of dogs actually competing. The AKC guide explains how to count these points.
So don't rely solely on the number of dogs entered in the catalogue. Check the show's result and scale.
- Distinguish the day's award from the validated title
A CACIB put forward by the judge remains subject to validation by the FCI.
Likewise, winning a certificate doesn't necessarily mean all the conditions of a championship are met. Before adding “Champion” to your dog's name, check the requirements and procedure for the title concerned.
A great day can be a step towards the title: it already deserves to be celebrated!
- Keep the original result and an explanation in your own language
In your records, note the date, the show, the judge, the class, the grade if any, the placing and the exact awards.
Also keep the original document. To share the result, accompany the abbreviations with a clear wording: “first in class, then best of breed”, for example.
That makes it easier to read without changing the scope of the award.
The habit to remember
Read each line before summing up the day. A placing, a certificate and a title tell different stories.
And if an abbreviation remains a mystery, check the official key to the results or contact the secretariat. A few letters can hide a really fine award… better to name it correctly!
The rules cited apply to the systems indicated. The advice on classifying and presenting results consists of practical recommendations.