Futurity and Maturity
The Futurity is the BREEDERS CUP for the breeders of the West Highland White Terrier. It is a venue for breeders to showcase his or her puppies from 6 months of age until 18 months, to display the puppies to other breeders and be proud of what you are producing.
Entering a Futurity displays the years of hard work and dedication as a breeder of the West Highland White Terrier and to the ultimate betterment of the breed itself and to the mission of breeding the perfect Westie! Breeders who enter the Futurity Stakes show confidence in their breeding programs, their breeding knowledge and the quality of their dogs.
Entering the Futurity and Maturity Stakes
The process for breeders and nomination begins either while the bitch is in whelp or during the first 60 days of the puppies life. This is why the Futurity is so important and so prestigious.
The WHWTCA requires that all puppies entered each year into the Futurity must be litter nominated BEFORE the puppies are born or BEFORE 60 days of age. The nominating price differs, as does the risk and anticipation. The price for nominating a litter before whelp is $25 and the price for nominating the litter after whelp BUT BEFORE 60 days old is $50.
The next step during this process is to nominate the individual puppies from the litter PRIOR to them becoming 6 months of age. Not all pups need to be nominated; only the puppies deemed special from the nominated litter. The fee is $25.00 per puppy.
Late enrollments will be charged a late fee, to be determined.
The age range for the classes has been updated for simplicity. The classes are identical now to Sweepstakes. The 6–9-month-old puppy is Junior Puppy, 9-12 month old puppy is Puppy, 12-15 month old puppy is Intermediate, and 15-18 month old puppy is Senior Puppy. Essentially, it is the same categories as Sweepstakes.
HAVE YOU REGISTERED YOUR LITTER??
This is the event that lets us show our pride in our breeding programs and gives others the opportunity to see our results. Show your pride and enter your litters. Last year many members forgot to register their litters and missed the opportunity to participate in this very special event!!
Register Now!
It is never too soon to be planning ahead and remembering this important part of our annual specialty!
- Litter Nomination Form (pdf format)
- Litter Confirmation and Individual Enrollment Form (pdf format)
Futurity Stakes
There is a Best in Futurity and a Best of Opposite Futurity. As in all dog shows, there is a cost for the entry that is Superintendent-based, which is spelled out on the premium list for the show. Champions may be entered, unlike the Sweepstakes. The puppy must be entered by the breeder AND be a member of the WHWTCA or a Regional Club; however, the pup may be shown by the owner if he/she is a member of the WHWTCA or a Regional Club and in good standing with the AKC. No Professional Handlers are allowed, unless he/she is the breeder or owner of record and a member of WHWTCA or a Regional Club and in good standing with the AKC.
The stakes are high in Futurity. The monies that are accumulated in the entries are considerable and is distributed to the class winners and to the Best and Opposite in Futurity. This award is both a reward of high privilege and honor.
It is noted that bitches may be bred to multiple sires. The process remains the same; however the initial nomination must list BOTH possible sires, with BOTH AKC numbers. Once the puppy is entered individually, the Futurity entry must be include sire’s name, AKC number and DNA number.
Other Procedures
- It will be the sole responsibility of each breeder or owner to notify the Futurity Chairperson of a change in ownership of any eligible Westie prior to deadlines.
- The individuals selected to judge the annual Futurity will also judge the Maturity of the same year.
- A judge of the current year’s Futurity, because he/she may have been selected as judge after he/she enrolled a litter, may not show his/her enrollment. However, his/her previous enrollment may be shown the following year in Maturity.
- Classes will be divided by sex.
- Placements will be 1st through 4th, the dog classes, followed by bitch classes.
- The classes are Puppy 6-9, Intermediate puppy 9-12, Junior puppy 12-15, Senior puppy 15- 18.
- The top dog and top bitch will compete for Best in Maturity and Best of Opposite in Maturity.
- There is a Best in Futurity and a Best of Opposite Futurity.
The monies paid to the Futurity process through enrollments are divided amongst class winners according to placement, with a majority of the monies going to the Best of Futurity and Opposite of Futurity. The more enrollments and entries there are, the larger the prize money pool.
The Judge will be paid the same as the Sweepstakes Judge, determined by the Board of Directors.
The Superintendent
As in all dog shows, there is a cost for the entry that is superintendent-based. This is spelled out on the premium list for the show for deadlines. The pups are entered through the superintendent, just as you would for Sweepstakes. But note there is deadline for submitting the individual enrollments to the superintendent.
Maturity Stakes
The WHWTCA offers a Maturity class, as well as the Futurity. The Maturity is for Westies that were entered and eligible to be shown in the previous year’s Futurity. A Maturity Class provides the opportunity to see how last year’s puppies matured. Westies shown in the Maturity may or may not be champions. If a puppy was entered the previous year in the Futurity, but not shown, it remains eligible for the Maturity class. Of course, puppies entered in the Futurity need not be entered in the following year's Maturity; it is purely discretionary.
We encourage all breeders to enter. The Futurity/Maturity Stakes is scheduled back-to-back with Sweepstakes! Make a day of it, and showcase your pups and your breeding program! Submit your entries through the superintendent (Rau), as you would with any dog being entered in a show.
