All-American Contest
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 contest include: Spring Heifer Calves, Winter Heifer Calves, Fall Heifer Calves, Summer Yearling Heifers, Spring Yearling Heifers, Winter Yearling Heifers, Fall Yearling Heifers, Yearling in Milk, Summer Junior Two Year Olds, 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. Group classes included in the program are Junior Best Three Females, Best Three Females, and Produce of Dam.
ELIGIBILITY
To participate in the All American Program, all owners of the animal must be either Junior or Adult Members of the national Brown Swiss Association.
To be eligible for entry in the All American contest, the animal must have been shown during the calendar year in compliance with the PDCA Show Ring Code of Ethics at a U.S. show designated as a qualifying show by the National Show Committee and Board of Directors. (See List of Qualifying Shows on this page.)
PICTURES
It shall be the responsibility of the exhibitor to secure and supply one electronic professional color photo of each animal being entered in the All-American Contest along with the entry blank. NOTE: The professional photos must be electronic 5 x 7 color files with a minimum resolution of 300 PPI. The current PDCA Show Ring Code of Ethics rules pertaining to grooming and preparation must be followed.
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 electronic individual professional color 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.
ENTRIES
Entries must use an official entry form with all requested information completed and a $50 fee per entry (forms available in the September and October issues of the Brown Swiss Bulletin and on the BSCBA website). One electronic professional color picture for each class entry should be e-mailed to rsmithling@brownswissusa.com and can be sent direct from the photographer.
- Name, registration and birthdate of animal
- Class
- Date photo was taken
- Name and address of owner, exhibitor, and breeder
- List All placings at qualifying shows during the current year, including udder placings
- 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 $50 entry fee made out to the Brown Swiss Association. Entries must be postmarked or e-mailed on or before November 15. All photos should be sent to the national office or e-mailed to rsmithling@brownswissusa.com and must be received by midnight November 15.
NOMINATION
Information on all entry blanks is checked at the National Office for accuracy. Each entry along with photo is sent to the Nominating Committee. Each judge will nominate entries in each class and forward his ballot to the national office. Ballots will be tallied and nominated animals determined.
Breeders with nominated animals will be notified and be invoiced $150 for each nominated entry which must be paid within two weeks of the invoice in order for the animal to continue in the contest.
JUDGING AND PUBLICATION
The 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. The judges will receive a judging packet containing a ballot, the entries, and the animals' photos. 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. Nominations and winners, when published in the Bulletin, will include pictures accompanied by the names of the animals, breeders, and owners, as well as placings and production information.
All winning entries have the option of receiving an All-American photo plaque for an additional $50 fee (payable to BSCBA).
If entry rules are not followed by entrant, the animal or group entered can be disqualified. Any animal found in violation of the PDCA Show Ring Code of Ethics will be removed from the All-American contest and her national show winnings stricken from the performance pedigree.
All photos should be emailed to rsmithling@brownswissusa.com and entries are to be emailed or mailed to the Brown Swiss Cattle Breeders' Association, ATTN: Robin Smithling, 800 Pleasant Street, Beloit, WI 53511 and must be postmarked or emailed by November 15!!