can someone explain the diff classes?

I have been reading a few posts and there seem to be many different classes. I obviously understand the best bitch/dog in breed and then the best group and BIS.

It is all the other classes such as puppy/yearling/veteran/limit...etc etc.....

anyone who feels like writing an essay on it plaese feel free.....

Im sure someone will come along and explaine it well but I will just briefly add, some shows have the basic classes, eg
Vet
Puppy
Novice
PG
Graduate
Limit
Open

but some which have huge entrys, have far more such as the ones below along with the above classes
Min Puppy
special yearling
Mid limit
special begginers

x

Under the UK system, up to 2 years old it's based on age, (up to and including Special yearling) then after that it's based on the amount won, apart from Veteran which is over 7 (over 8 under FCI)
FCI is all age based until your dog is a Champion then it has a separate class, so Open tends to get bigger and bigger as all dogs over 2 years old that are not made up go in there. However, class descriptions are not all the same, eg there's no Limit or Post Graduate classes.

Thanks that makes sense.....so what is a limit class?

Limit -
"For dogs which have not become show champions under the Kennel Club regulations or under the rules of any governing body recognised by the Kennel Club or won 7 or more First Prizes in all at Championship shows in Limit and Open Classes confined to the breed, whether restricted or not at Shows where Challenge Certificates were offered for the Breed"

Thanks Gill, all is becoming clearer........how are your gorgeous duo doing?

Blimey it is a lot more complicated than running around the ring isn't it?!!
They all did so well though and there were so many lovely doggies.

Makes sense now, Skyes won his limit class at crufts in 2005 but never had a clue what it ment.

Usually if you get hold of a schedule they have definitions of the classes that they have at that show in there. Most are the same for all shows but one or two like special beginner vary according to the type of show.

To be basic; the classes for dogs up to 2 years are Minor Puppy, Puppy, Junior & Yearling - the classes for dogs over 7 years are veteran.

All the rest are based on the amount of winning you have done and although you can enter any class if you are under qualified you may not enter if you are over qualified.

Some shows have classes that are prefixed with the word 'special' these are classes that organisers have devised and you have to check the schedule to see the entry requirements.

Some breeds have classes for the different types or colours within that breed.