AKC Virtual Top Dog Challenge Official Rules
All federal, state, local and municipal laws and regulations will apply. Void where prohibited. By participating, entrants agree to abide by and be bound by these Official Rules. Internet access, video camera and email address required.
1. Eligibility: Individuals over eighteen (18) years of age who exhibit a dog that is an AKC-recognized breed or Miscellaneous class breed that is at least six (6) months of age. The dog does not need to be registered with the AKC.
2. Sponsor: The American Kennel Club, Inc., 101 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10178.
3. Agreement to Official Rules and Policies: By participating, entrants agree to abide by and be bound by these Official Rules. The decisions of the Sponsor are final and binding in all respects. Winning a prize is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements set forth herein.
4. Contest Period: Entries open September 28, 2020 at 12pm (noon) ET and are limited to 100 dogs per breed on a first come first serve basis. Entries close on October 12, 2020 at 12pm (noon) ET. Video entries must be submitted by October 14, 2020 at 12pm (noon) ET. Breed judging will take place Friday, October 16th, 2020 beginning at 12pm (noon) ET through Monday, October 19th, 2020 at 6pm ET, with breed winners announced on Wednesday, October 21st, 2020. Group judging will begin on Wednesday, October 21st, 2020 at 12pm (noon) ET and conclude on Friday, October 23rd, 2020 at 12pm (noon) ET. Group winners will be announced on Monday, October 26th, 2020. Best in Show judging will begin on Monday, October 26th, 2020 and conclude at 12pm (noon) ET on Tuesday, October 27th, 2020. Best in Show will be announced on Wednesday, October 28th, 2020.
5. How to Enter:
a. You must enter at AKC Shop and complete all the required information, create your video and upload your video to https://clippero.com. Participants enter into one of two classes in the appropriate breed: Puppy (at least 6 and under 12 months), or Adult (Open) (any entry including CH of record), Separate classes for dogs and bitches.
b. Requirements for entry:
i. Create your Video Entry. The Video Entry must include the following: 1) Dog in stack from the front, rear and side views; 2) Display of appropriate oral exam for the breed (front, front/sides, front/sides/open, front/open); 3) View of dog gaiting (moving) down and back in a straight line and from the side; 4) Dog presented in a free-stack; AND 5) View of dog moving in profile around in a circle.
ii. Complete and pay for your entry into the AKC Virtual Top Dog Challenge at AKC Shop. You must complete and pay for each entry individually.
iii. After you have received your payment receipt from AKC Shop, go to https://clippero.com and type the breed you are entering into the challenge into the search box.
iv. Find the correct American Kennel Club Virtual Top Dog Challenge class by age/sex/breed for your entry on the search results page and click “Enter Challenge.”
v. Follow the instructions on Clippero.com to create an account if you have not already done so. Do not use your full name as your account name.
vi. Click “Add Entry” to select and upload your video.
vii. In the “Name Your Entry” field, enter your Order Number from your entry payment receipt. If you do not enter an accurate Order Number, your entry will not judged and the video will be removed from Clippero.
viii. Click “Submit” to complete your video entry submission.
c. By entering the AKC Virtual Top Dog Challenge, entrants warrant and represent that they are the owners of the video submitted and have obtained all permissions necessary for Sponsor to display, post, publish or use the video submitted as set forth in these Official Rules and in promotional materials relating thereto including, but not limited to, permission from all persons and owners of dogs depicted in the photo submitted and from any owner or holder of any dog, property, copyrights, trademarks or other rights in materials or other items depicted in the photo submitted.
6. License to Use Entries: By entering the AKC Virtual Top Dog Challenge, all entrants grant an irrevocable, unconditional, perpetual, worldwide, transferable, fully-paid, royalty-free, non-exclusive right and license to Sponsor and its affiliates, related entities and service providers to use, reproduce, store, copy, transmit, publish, post, broadcast, distribute, display and create derivative works of and/or otherwise use (without limitation as to when or to the number of times used) each element of an entrants’ entry (including, but not limited to, the video submitted) in connection with the AKC Virtual Top Dog Challenge, the promotion of the AKC Virtual Top Dog Challenge, and in any other manner at the discretion of Sponsor in any media now or hereafter known including, but not limited to, on Sponsor’s Web pages, social media pages and other digital media, newsletters, third party sites, print materials, television and other broadcast media, for marketing and/or advertising. Entrant waives intellectual property rights, privacy/publicity rights or other legal or moral rights that might preclude Sponsor’s use of any element of the entry, and agrees not to sue or assert any claim against the Sponsor for the use of any element of the entry. Display or publication of any photo on Sponsor’s Web site does not indicate the entrant will be selected as a winner. Sponsor will not be required to pay any consideration or seek any additional approval in connection with use of an entry.
7. Winner Determination: Each dog will be judged based on the uploaded video and against the AKC breed standard for its breed. You must follow all the Instructions and Eligibility requirements in order for your dog to be judged. Failure to comply with the Official Rules will result in your entry being disqualified. All judging will be performed by an AKC approved conformation judge. Participants are entered into one of two classes in the appropriate breed: Puppy (at least 6 and under 12 months), or Open (any entry including CH of record), Separate classes for dogs and bitches. Each class is judged individually and placed 1st-4th, 1st place from each class (up to 4) is then judged to determine Best of Breed (“BOB”), Best Puppy selected from the 1st place winners from the dog & bitch puppy classes, Each BOB advances to the Group competition, Each Best Puppy advances to the Puppy Group, Groups (regular & puppy) are judged and placed 1st-4th, Group Winners advance to Best in Show (“BIS”) (regular & puppy), BIS & Reserve BIS selected from each competition, and Puppies could potentially compete in both groups/BIS (if awarded BOB in its breed).
8. Prizes: There will be one (1) First Place prize of US$100 for each Adult (Open) and Puppy Group winner including Miscellaneous; one (1) Best in Show prize of US$200 for the Adult (Open); and one (1) Best Puppy prize of US$200. Prize winners are responsible for all taxes and fees, if any, associated with prize receipt. No AKC points will be awarded.
9. Prize Winner Notification:The potential prize winners will be notified by email at the addresses provided on the entry form. If the potential prize winners cannot be contacted within five (5) days after the date of the first attempt to contact him/her or the prize is returned as undeliverable, the potential prize winner forfeits the prize and Sponsor reserves the right to award the prize to another entrant. The potential prize winners must continue to comply with all terms and conditions of these Official Rules and winning is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements. The prizes will be fulfilled approximately 8-10 weeks after the conclusion of the AKC Virtual Top Dog Challenge. All Results will be posted on AKC.org and Clippero.com.
10. General Conditions: By entering the AKC Virtual Top Dog Challenge, you agree to abide by the rules and regulations of the AKC in effect at the time of the event, and any additional published rules and regulations and any decision made in accord with them. The decisions of the Sponsor are final and binding in all respects. You agree that Sponsor has the right to refuse to allow your entry as Sponsor deems sufficient. You certify that you are (we are) the actual legal owner(s) of the dog, whose name and information you have entered. You certify and represent that the dog entered is not a hazard to persons or other dogs. You understand that you are participating in this AKC Virtual Top Dog Challenge at your own risk. Sponsor reserves the right to cancel, suspend and/or modify the AKC Virtual Top Dog Challenge, or any part of it, if any fraud, technical failures, human error or any other factor impairs the integrity or proper functioning of the AKC Virtual Top Dog Challenge, as determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion. Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual it finds to be tampering with the entry process or the operation of the AKC Virtual Top Dog Challenge or to be acting in violation of the Official Rules of this or any other AKC Virtual Top Dog Challenge or in an inappropriate, unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner. Any attempt by any person to deliberately undermine the legitimate operation of the AKC Virtual Top Dog Challenge may be a violation of criminal and civil law, and, should such an attempt be made, Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages from any such person to the fullest extent permitted by law. Sponsor’s failure to enforce any term of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision.
11. Release and Limitation of Liability: By participating in the AKC Virtual Top Dog Challenge, entrants agree to release and hold the Sponsor and Clippero and their respective related companies, parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, and their respective agents and agencies, promotional partners, and their respective officers, directors, employees and agents (collectively, the “Released Parties”) from and against any claim or cause of action arising out of participation in the AKC Virtual Top Dog Challenge or use of the prize, including, but not limited to: (a) unauthorized human intervention in the Contest; (b) technical errors related to computers, servers, providers, or telephone or network lines; (c) printing errors; (d) errors in the administration of the AKC Virtual Top Dog Challenge; (e) late, lost, stolen, illegible, inaccurate, delayed, misdirected or undeliverable, posts, email, mail; or (f) injury or damage to persons or property which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from entrant’s participation in the AKC Virtual Top Dog Challenge. Entrants further agree that in any cause of action, the Released Parties’ liability will be limited to the cost of entering and participating in the AKC Virtual Top Dog Challenge and in no event shall the Released Parties be liable for attorney’s fees. Entrants waive the right to claim any damages whatsoever, including, but not limited to, punitive, consequential, direct, or indirect damages.
12. Dispute: Any dispute arising out of, connected with or relating to the AKC Virtual Top Dog Challenge entry form and/or this AKC Virtual Top Dog Challenge, including the breach, termination or validity thereof, shall be finally resolved by arbitration in accordance with the International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution (“CPR”) rules for administered arbitration of international disputes, as supplemented and modified by the CPR Fast Track Rules for Administered Arbitration of International Disputes (collectively the “Rules”), by a sole arbitrator. The applicable Rules shall be those in effect as of the date that the demand for arbitration is made. The arbitral tribunal, and not the court, shall have primary responsibility to hear and determine challenges to the jurisdiction of the arbitral tribunal. Subject to any extension granted under rule 4.5 of the rules, the arbitration shall be conducted in accordance with a procedural timetable providing for the delivery of an award as provided in the Rules. Judgment upon the award rendered by the arbitrator may be entered by any court having jurisdiction thereof. The seat of the arbitration shall be the City, County and State of New York in the United States of America. However, prior to arbitration all applicable AKC bylaws, rules, regulations and procedures must first be followed as set forth in the AKC Charter and Bylaws, rules, regulations, published policies and guidelines. The laws of the State of New York of the United States of America (excluding any that would mandate the use of another jurisdiction’s laws) shall govern this Official AKC Virtual Top Dog Challenge Entry Form and/or this AKC Virtual Top Dog Challenge. Any ancillary enforcement action arising out of or relating to the Official AKC Virtual Top Dog Challenge Entry Form and/or this AKC Virtual Top Dog Challenge shall be brought exclusively in the state or federal courts located in the City, County and State of New York of the United States of America.
13. Collection and Use of Personal Information: By entering the event, entrant agrees to AKC’s collection, use and disclosure of entrants’ personal information as described in AKC’s Privacy Statement; and entrants agree that personal data submitted with an entry, including but not limited to name, mailing address, phone number and email address may be collected, processed, shared, disclosed, stored, maintained and otherwise used by AKC for the purposes of conducting and administering the event; for marketing purposes by the AKC, its affiliates, clients, assignees and licensees; and for any other purpose outlined in these Official Rules.