All-American Contest

2017 Brown Swiss All-American Contest Rules

The All-American Program recognizes the outstanding animals exhibited at state and national shows during the current calendar year.

Classes for the 2017 contest include: Spring Heifer Calves, Winter Heifer Calves, Fall Heifer Calves, Summer Yearling Heifers, Spring Yearling Heifers, Winter Yearling Heifers, Fall Yearling Heifers, Yearlings in Milk, Junior-Two-Year Olds, Senior-Two-Year Olds, Junior-Three-Year Olds, Senior Three-Year-Olds, Four-Year-Olds, Five-Year-Olds, Aged Cows and Component Merit Cows. Group classes included in the program are Junior Best Three Females, Senior Best Three Females, and Produce of Dam.

ELIGIBILITY
To be eligible for entry in the All-American contest, the animals must meet the following qualifications:
1. Place 1st through 6th place at a National Show or place 1st or 2nd at any other shows designated as qualifying shows by the National Show Committee and Board of Directors (qualifying shows listed on the right column of this page).
2. Must be shown at a qualifying show within the U.S.

PICTURES
It shall be the responsibility of the exhibitor to secure and supply one color photo of each animal being entered in the All-American Contest along with the entry blank. NOTE: The photos can be electronic or hard copy 5 x 7 color prints, unretouched, including no background change. The current PDCA show ring code of ethics rules pertaining to grooming and preparation must be followed. Photos can be attached electronically to online entry form or emailed to ljohnson@brownswissusa.com  by December 1!

Pictures must be made during the current year and show the animals in the same stage of growth and/or lactation as when she qualified in the show ring.

For competition in the group classes, an individual picture of each animal in the group must be submitted. The pictures must be of the animals which are shown when the group qualified for entry. If substitutions are made in a group from one show to the next, different entries must be made for each qualifying combination. Partnership bred animals, outside the family, cannot be used in the Best Three Females classes.

Hard copy photos and entry forms must be sent to the Brown Swiss Association together. The only exceptions will be pictures sent directly from the photographer to the Brown Swiss Association office separate from the entry. This must be designated by the owner at time of photo at the show!

ENTRIES
Entries must include the following information listed using an official entry blank, available in the Brown Swiss Bulletin and on the BSCBA website. One picture for each class entry and a $20 fee per entry. An application is available on the Brown Swiss Association website and will be published in the October issue of the Brown Swiss Bulletin.
1. Name, registration and birthdate of animal   2. Class  3. Date photo was taken  4. Name and address of owner and breeder  5. All placings at qualifying shows during the current year, including udder placings  6. Best 305-day production record for cows and current record in progress should also be included.
Each All-American entry must be accompanied by a $20 entry fee made out to the Brown Swiss Association. All photos and entries must be postmarked on or before December 1 and E-mail entries to ljohnson@brownswissusa.com must be received by midnight December 1.

Information on all entry blanks is checked at the National Office for accuracy. Each entry along with photo is sent to the Nominating Committee which will consist of the National Show judges who will rank each nomination.  These will be their official and final votes for the contest as well.  Ballots will be tallied and nominated animals determined.

Breeders with nominated animals will be notified and be invoiced $80 for each nominated entry which must be paid within two weeks of the invoice  in order for the animal to continue in the contest.

The additional judges include all those who are on the Brown Swiss Association Approved Judges List and who served as judge at any of the qualifying shows. These judges will receive a judging packet containing a ballot and the nomination booklet, or they may request the information by e-mail for judging.  Judges with any interest, either monetary or relational to entries and/or nominees should refrain from voting in those classes.  The ballots will be tallied and total points published in the Bulletin.

PUBLICATION
Nominations and winners, when published in the Bulletin, will include pictures accompanied by the names of the animals, breeders, owners, placings and production information.

All winning entries have the option of having an All-American photo plaque for an additional $40 fee (payable to BSCBA).

If entry rules are not followed by entrant, the animal or group entered can be disqualified.