Show Rules

1.RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DONKEY CLASSES

The following five basic Breed In-Hand Showing Classes are suggested to cover the whole range of sex and age groups and to provide the maximum appeal to exhibitors.

(A) STALLION 4 years old and over

(B) GELDING 4 years old and over

(D) COLT or GELDING 2/3 years old

(E) FILLY 2/3 years old

(F) COLT, FILLY OR GELDING yearling If there are insufficient entries, Classes (A) and (B) may be amalgamated; and Classes (D), (E) and (F) may be amalgamated, although it is suggested that youngstock should be split into Colts & Geldings and Fillies.

CHAMPIONSHIP

For the 1st and 2nd prize winners from each of the above classes. The Championship should follow immediately after these classes. A foal is only eligible for a Foal Championship. The DBS Secretary will be pleased to assist shows if they wish to consider additional classes. It is of great help in obtaining maximum entries if each exhibit is eligible for at least two classes and the classes listed on following page are recommended for consideration.

(1) BEST CONDITIONED AND TURNED OUT any age/sex; it is suggested this is the first class of the day; to be judged 75[ERROR - UNABLE TO LOAD CONTROL : '' The file '/Views/UserControls/.ascx' does not exist.] turnout; conformation must not be taken into account

(2) DRIVING CLASSES (see Rule 5(n) )

(a) OPEN DRIVING may be divided into : (i) PRIVATE and (ii) EXERCISE/TRADE

(b) BEST WHIP this class should be judged entirely on the ability to drive correctly in the traditional manner to any safe vehicle, whether traditional, exercise or trade

(d) LONG REINING

(e) RIDE & DRIVE

(f) WORKING DONKEY this class is for turnouts that would not be considered eligible for Private Driving or Exercise/Trade Vehicle classes; donkeys should be either carrying a load or in draught, ie carrying panniers/pack saddle, pulling log, sleigh, flatcart, tipcart etc, driven from the ground; donkeys should be properly loaded commensurate with the activity they are demonstrating and should show suitability for that task

(3) YOUNG HANDLER (see Rule 5(m) )

(4) RIDDEN DONKEY on or off leading rein; rider minimum age 3 years see Rule 5(l)

(5) PET DONKEY no restriction on number of donkeys owned; this class to be judged entirely on the suitability of the donkey as a family pet and not as a Handy Donkey; conformation shall not in any circumstances be taken into account

(6) MATCHING PAIRS two handlers; to be judged on similarity of type, colour, conformation and movement; foals not eligible

(7) NEWCOMERS for novice exhibitors; handlers not to have won in an Open Class up to closing date of entry; to be judged 75[ERROR - UNABLE TO LOAD CONTROL : '' The file '/Views/UserControls/.ascx' does not exist.] donkey

(8) VETERAN for donkeys of 20 years and over

(9) HANDY DONKEY timed obstacle course (further details from DBS Secretary) Where space permits, gymkhana games may also be staged 2.

DONKEY BREED SOCIETY SPECIAL ROSETTES

The DBS is pleased to offer, free to affiliated shows, its own special rosettes for award to the exhibit placed highest in the following classes, providing the donkey is owned by a member of the Donkey Breed Society.

(a) Best Gelding green/white (in a class with entire males)

(b) Best Foal pink/white

(d) Best Two Year Old pale blue/white (in a class of mixed age youngstock

(e) Best Novice black/gold (in Breed classes excluding foals; in Driving classes; in Young Rider and Young Handler classes; to highest placed competitor not to have won a 1st prize up to date of show in similar classes)

(f) Best Traditional Vehicle brown/white (in Open Driving and Private Driving)

(g) Best Exercise Vehicle brown/white (in Open Driving and Exercise Vehicle class)

(h) Best Trade Vehicle gold/white

(i) Long Reining gold/yellow

The following rosettes are awarded to the highest placed Donkey Breed Society members, but are not awarded in Novice classes:

(j) Driving Accolade blue/gold (when seven or more competitors forward; card will be supplied to show to be returned by competitor to claim rosette)

(k) Junior Whip purple/white

(l) Young Rider purple/white

(m) Young Handler* purple/white * Where there is no Young Handlers class, the Young Handler rosette may be awarded to the highest placed Young Handler in the Mares class or mixed Mares & Geldings

3. STEWARDS

If shows have difficulty finding suitable stewards with experience of donkeys, the DBS Secretary will be pleased to help by suggesting local members.

4. FACILITIES

(a) Ring. The minimum size of the in-hand ring should be approximately 35x25 metres and a roped off collecting ring is most desirable as a safety factor. Donkey classes are always very popular with the public and warrant a ring in an accessible and visible part of the showground. The ring for the Driving Classes should be larger, if possible an ideal size is 80x40 metres.

(b) Box Parking. The ideal position is in close proximity to the ring. IMPORTANT NOTES FOR SHOW SECRETARIES Show Secretaries of DBS affiliated shows must send to the DBS Secretary: (i) extracts of the draft schedule relevant to the donkey classes prior to printing so that the wording and conditions can be checked (ii) a final copy of the printed schedule so that the requisite DBS special rosettes may be despatched in good time for the show (iii) results of the donkey classes together with relevant catalogue extract within 21 days of the show.

DONKEY BREED SOCIETY

5. RULES FOR SHOWING

(a) No person may deliberately enter or show a donkey under a Judge who is known to have either owned, bred, leased, sold, produced or prepared that donkey. No donkey should be entered or shown under a judge who currently owns or leases that animal; or owned or leased the sire at the time of covering. The breeder is the mare owner.In the case of leased donkeys, DBS Certificates and Awards will only be presented to donkeys that are leased from fully paid up members of the Donkey Breed Society.This rule only applies to Breed and Driving classes.

(b) Entering one donkey and exhibiting another is not permitted.

(c) Donkeys entered in the following classes (more fully described under Recommendations for Donkey Classes) must be four years old or over:

(A) Stallion (in-hand);

(B) Gelding (in-hand);

(2) Driving Classes;

(4) Ridden Donkey;

(5) Pet Donkey.

(d) No nomination entries are permitted.

(e) Once a Judge has commenced judging a class, a donkey may not be led, ridden or driven in or out of the ring without the permission of the Judge.

(f) A Judge will ask a competitor to leave the ring if either they or their donkey act in an improper manner.

(g) Whips/canes carried in the show ring to be no longer than 30" (75cms) overall (not applicable to Driving classes).

(h) DBS members must carry their DBS membership cards at all times when showing for production on request in order to receive DBS rosettes.

(i) Stallions and entire colts must be properly dressed in bridle and bit with the leading rein correctly attached to the bit. No person under the age of 18 may handle an entire donkey (foals excepted). No entire male donkey is allowed to compete in any children's classes (except Driving;see Rule 5(n)(i) ).

(j) Mare with own foal at foot Class: superficial blemishes of a non-hereditary character do not necessarily bar the mare from being awarded a prize in such a class.

(k) There shall be no objection to a foal under six months of age being exhibited without its dam providing that the dam is present on the showground, but this rule shall not apply to an orphan or bottle-fed foal supported by an appropriate letter from the veterinary surgeon.

(l) Ridden Classes: Donkeys entered must be four years old or over and must have a correctly fitting bridle and saddle. All riders must wear an approved (PAS015) correctly fitting hard hat to conform to the current BSI standards. Riders in Leading Rein classes: minimum age 3 years. In Leading Rein Classes, donkeys to be led by a competent adult (18 years and over)and leading reins should be attached to the noseband.

Both the following weight and height restrictions shall apply to each category:

Donkeys: Riders:

Up to 10.2hh(105cms)not over 8stone(50kgs) + 4'0"(120cms)

10.2-11.0hh(105-110cms)not over 8stone(50kgs) + 4'6"(135cms)

11.0-12.0hh(110-120cms)not over 9stone(57kgs) + 5'0"(150cms)

12.0-14.0hh(120-140cms)not over 10stone(63kgs)+5'6"(165cms)

over 14hh(140cms) no restrictions

(m) Young Handlers Classes: To be judged on the ability of the Young Handler and not on the conformation of the donkey. A Young Handler is one who has not attained his/her 16th birthday on the day of the show. Young Handler minimum age: 3 years.

(n) Driving Classes: Donkeys entered must be four years old or over.

(i) When a person of 17 years of age or under is driving a stallion an experienced adult Whip (18 years or over) must be in the vehicle at all times. An adult with a leading rein must be in the ring throughout the class when Junior Whips (15 years and under) are competing.

(ii) In an Exercise Vehicle class judging will be on the performance of the donkey and provided the vehicle and harness fit correctly and are clean and safe, they will not be considered in the judging. If this class is combined with Private Driving, the whole will be judged as an Exercise Vehicle class.

(iii) Private Driving or Trade Vehicle classes will be judged 75[ERROR - UNABLE TO LOAD CONTROL : '' The file '/Views/UserControls/.ascx' does not exist.] presentation to include vehicle, harness and overall appearance including turnout of Whip.

(o) For shows holding a Driving Championship, two classes must be held from Open Driving, Private Driving, Exercise/Trade Vehicle, Best Whip, and the 1st and 2nd prize winners from each class to parade in the ring wearing the appropriate rosettes they have already won.

(p) All Show Champion Driving Donkeys at DBS affiliated shows automatically qualify for the appropriate championship at the DBS Annual Supreme Championship Show providing they are owned by a fully paid up member of the DBS. Where the Champion Driving Donkey has previously qualified, no other donkey will be eligible.

(q) In Hand Championship Procedure: The 1st and 2nd prize winners from classes

(A) Stallion,

(B) Gelding,

(D) 2/3 Year Old Colt/Gelding,

(E) 2/3 Year Old Filly and

(F) Yearling (defined under Recommendations for Donkey Classes) are required to parade in the ring in order of class and wearing the appropriate rosettes they have already won.

(r) A foal is only eligible for a Foal Championship.

(s)All Show Champion In Hand Donkeys at DBS affiliated shows automatically qualify for the appropriate championship at the DBS Annual Supreme Championship Show providing they are owned by a fully paid up member of the DBS. A Donkey may win more than one In Hand Show Championship but will qualify only once for the DBS Supreme Championship Show. Where the Champion Donkey has previously qualified, the Reserve Champion Donkey will be deemed the Qualifier. Show Champion Certificates will be presented at the Society's Annual General Meeting.

(t)DBS Champion In Hand Donkey Qualifiers and DBS Champion Driving Donkey Qualifiers will only be awarded at shows carrying DBS Champion Donkey Qualifier status and where the Judge is appointed from the main panel of approved Judges for the current year. Any donkey may win a DBS Champion Donkey Qualifier but if the owner of the donkey is not a member of the DBS, he/she is not eligible to receive the DBS Certificate.

The Council of the Donkey Breed Society reserves the right to take action against persons found contravening these Rules

6. DEFINITIONS

(a) A NOVICE DONKEY is one that has never won a First Prize in an In-Hand Breed class (excluding Foal classes) or any Novice In-Hand Breed Class at any show up to the closing date of entry. A NOVICE DONKEY will not lose its Novice status if it is the only competitor forward in the class.

(b) A NOVICE DRIVING DONKEY is one that has never won a Driving class or any Novice Driving classes at any show up to the closing date of entry. However Novice Driving status may be retained until the end of the season in which it was lost. Novice status does not apply to multiple turnouts.

(d) A JUNIOR is one who has not attained his/her 16th birthday.

(e) A NEWCOMER is a handler who has not won in an Open Class up to closing date of entry.

(f) A DBS CHAMPION DONKEY is one who has won four DBS Champion Qualifiers under four different Judges: at two of those shows there must be at least 12 donkeys exhibited in the breed classes on the day. There is no time limit for qualifying for this award. DBS Champion Donkey Certificates and Awards will be presented at the Society's Annual General Meeting.

(g) DRIVING VEHICLES: A TRADITIONAL VEHICLE is one of traditional profile and identifiable type to resemble the design of a carriage builder before early 20th century. The vehicle may be made from modern materials but must have traditional style springing and carriage lamps if appropriate. AN EXERCISE VEHICLE is one that does not meet these criteria.

RULES FOR JUDGING

(a) DBS Panel of Judges. Affiliated shows must appoint their Judges from the DBS Judges Panel. It is advisable to book Judges early. Invitations should be made in writing enclosing a copy of the schedule.

(b) DBS Champion Donkey Qualifiers (In-Hand and Driving). The Judge/Judges at these shows must be appointed from the Main DBS Panel of Judges (also from BDS and BHDTA panels in the case of Driving Classes).

(c) Limitations. A Judge should not judge at more than three shows in any one year (except in an emergency) and should not judge at more than two shows in close proximity to each other in the same year. A Judge must not judge at more than two Champion Donkey Qualifiers in any one year; these shows must be geographically opposed. Furthermore, no Judge should be invited to judge donkey classes at the same show for at least two consecutive years.

(d) No Judge may judge a donkey that they have knowingly owned, bred, leased, sold, produced or prepared at any time. They may not judge a donkey by a stallion they are currently standing at stud or were standing at the time that donkey was conceived. Where a donkey is leased, the legal owner remains the owner in title for the duration of the lease. This rule only applies to Breed and Driving classes.

(e) Trainee Judges. The Society operates a training scheme for Judges and it would be much appreciated if shows would, on occasions after a request in advance, kindly agree to a Trainee Judge accompanying their invited Judge in order to gain ring experience. The Trainee Judge is to wear a 'Trainee' badge provided by the DBS Secretary. Trainee Judges may not judge the Championships at any DBS Champion Donkey Qualifier shows and must leave the ring during this judging.

(f) 'B' list Judges may not judge at DBS Champion Donkey Qualifier status shows.

(g) Junior Judging: A member, having been a Junior Member and reached the age of 19 and having achieved all Junior Tests up to and including Gold standard, may judge Junior Classes under an 'A' Panel Judge up to the age of 22 when he/she may undertake training for In-Hand and/or Driving Classes (in the case of Driving Classes having also passed the Driving Proficiency Test).

The Donkey Breed Society