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Does anyone show with this club? I show in AKC and UKC but am interested in finding out some more information about ICKC. I have been reading on the website but would love to hear from anyone involved about more specific details. Is it like UKC where you can finish a championship without ever competing with dogs in your breed? What are the major similarities/differences between AKC and UKC & ICKC? Thanks!

I haven't shown in ICKC yet, but I plan to this summer as there is a show very close to me.

From what I understand, CHs can be completed in a weekend and without breed competition, like UKC, and you also get a written critique, but I have heard those are very vague.

I'm interested to see what others have to say as well!

If you are referring to IABCA shows, they are very low key, friendly shows. No professional handlers and the dogs are judged against the breed standard in order to gain a "leg" towards their championship. The dog is also judged to BOB in order to advance to the group but that doesn't change the single leg they have already earned. No 'majors" are required. The bonus is that you get a written critique from the judge before you leave the ring from their individual judging. Normally you can show to 2 judges each day so you can conceivably finish your Bronze level championship in the first weekend. Have fun and good luck.

I think IABCA and ICKC are different. I know with the ICKC show I'm planning to go to, there are 4 shows each on Saturday and Sunday for a total of 8 shows. You also have to have 15 points with 2 'majors' but points are also earned through group placements similarly to UKC.
Someone else also told me I'll have to start Callie in the Champions class since she is an AKC Champion.

Yes they are different. I did notice that there are 4 ICKC shows each day. Astoria please let me know what else you know about ICKC. I didn't realize we would have to start in the champion class. Will have to read more about the classes. How do we go about registering dogs? Do we need a number and such like AKC & UKC. I'm very confused but would love to give it a try lol! Thanks!

Tizzy I'm open to more info on IABCA shows as well!

I show actively with ICKC! In fact, I do almost every show in PA and NJ! I can't really compare it to UKC since I've only ever shown UKC once, but I can compare it to AKC.

In ICKC, there are two kinds of championships: intercontinental and international.

In order to get an intercontinental championship, your dog must score "very good" or "excellent" five times on the score sheets that they use. You can finish an intercontinental championship in a weekend, and you do not need breed competition. The dog is judge solely on merit alone and how it individually fits the standard.

International titles are similar to an AKC CH title (15 points/2 majors). You must score majors and points in order to complete them, but you can also score points/majors from the groups and best in show ring (up to 5 points per show). In theory you can also finish in a weekend, but I've never seen it happen due to the relatively small show size. I suppose it's possible with the number of shows each weekend, though, if you take your points out of a particularly large group (companion group is large, working group is very small).

There are also different "levels" of titles, like grand, supreme grand, master supreme, etc, unlike AKC.

Overall, I HIGHLY recommend ICKC. It's fabulous. I show boxers and tibetan spaniels, along with whatever anyone else asks me to show. If you have multiple breeds, John and Stacy (the people who run ICKC and act as stewards in addition to doing everything else) will usually shuffle the groups and rings if you have a conflict. They also readily answer questions and explain things. It's honestly one of the best show experiences I have ever had. My dogs love the relaxed atmosphere, it's super family friendly, and because the judges are so relaxed and friendly they're super soft with the dogs. It's great experience for either young puppies or dogs that need socialization.

Plus, the ribbons are GORGEOUS. Absolutely huge rosettes that are colorful and so, so pretty. My Ellie took a Best in Show last year and her ribbon is like, four plus feet long and since the show was themed the Hawaiian Classic the ribbon is turquoise (like ocean water) and baby pink and white (like tropical flowers). It also has floral ribbon with a pretty pink hibiscus flower print on the big rosette section. The ribbons alone are worth it!


EDIT: Also, there's no "registration" for ICKC. You have to provide photocopies of your dog's registration from a reputable registry (you can bring the photocopy with you to the first show you plan on entering, since you can enter the day of the show, or you can pre-enter and just bring it with you), but there is no charge. Basically I was like, "I should try this ICKC thing," and so I joined the club for free (I believe you have to be a member to enter), and then pre-entered my dogs online and brought a copy of their AKC registration papers and pedigree with me. I'm not sure if they actually needed the pedigree or not, but I did provide it.

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Last edited by Phlossy on 1/16/2015 10:38:17 PM

I don't know anything else about ICKC! But I'm hoping to learn!
Thanks for the description!
So since my girl is finished, I will compete in the Champions class and work towards the merit title I assume?

None of my dogs are finished with AKC, so I'm not 100% sure, but I believe what will happen is that you'll exhibit in the champions class (like any other finished champion). You can earn your intercontinental that way, but I believe you may already be awarded your international CH because your dog is an AKC CH, and you start working towards your international grand. I may be wrong on that, but I believe that's how it works.

I see they aren't available on the west coast?

Thank you so much for all of the info! Sounds like a fun place to show which is what I always enjoy about UKC as well. The ribbons sound beautiful! I'm looking forward to hopefully attending one of the upcoming shows to see what it's like. It does sound like finished AKC champions should enter the best of breed competition. Guess I can send them a quick e-mail to double check the correct class before I enter any shows.

Another question I had is about grooming. Do they not allow products and such like UKC? Or do people groom their dogs like in AKC? Do you need to enter all 8 shows for the weekend or can you just enter 1 day? Thanks!!

Grooming products are allowed like AKC, but I don't see grooming to the extent that is normally done. I believe it's because most of the shows are outdoors and there's no electricity at those shows. I know for the boxers I just groom them before we leave (bath, nails, shaved) and I may occasionally put some chalk on them if they have a stain. For the tibetan spaniels we bathe them the day before and then fluff them up with product and a brush before they go in the ring. Pretty much the bare minimum.

Depending on your breed, you might do a bit more grooming I suppose. I like to think of it is "halfway between AKC and UKC" as far as grooming. Some grooming, but not to the extent of AKC.

You can enter one show or all of the shows. Usually I choose to enter all of the shows on a given day (usually 4 shows), but you can also enter just one show if you want to. Since all four Best in Shows are done at the very end of the show, you may as well enter all of the shows on a given day, but you can choose to only do one day of showing.

**be prepared: they no longer are serving lunch, so you'll have to bring your own lunch and drinks.


Also, nope... no west coast shows that I saw. I think the furthest west they go is Arizona. They're looking to expand, but since it's so pricey for John & Stacey to run (and they don't have any other staff), they pretty much only go where there's a demand for shows. There's a big demand in PA & NJ, so that's where most of their shows are. You can email them and inquire about shows in other areas, though. They may be planning something that I'm not aware of.

I have a breed that is heavily groomed in AKC with chalk and hairspray. I do enjoy that in UKC we can just bathe and blow dry and not worry about all the product! For ICKC I want to make sure my dogs will look like the rest and not be under or over groomed. But they are fine with any and all kinds of products? Do they expect products to be used? Do people usually groom a lot at the show grounds? Thanks for answering my questions. Just trying to get a feel for everything before I go.

The most grooming that I've seen done at an ICKC show is long haired companion breeds (like bolonkas and biewers) get a good brushing and maybe some kind of spray on their coats, nothing hardcore.

I would say groom your dog how you would like to have them groomed to go out and see people. You want them to be a good representation of the breed and well groomed, but maybe you don't want to go completely overboard like you would for AKC? If that makes sense? As a friend of mine put it when I asked her about grooming requirements for ICKC, she said, "...more than UKC but not as much as AKC."

What breed do you have?

Ok thanks that makes sense. So I'm assuming most people don't really use chalk? Hairspray helps the hair stay in place since that's usually the problem I have in UKC, the hair flies everywhere. But judges don't mind since they want the dogs natural. I just didn't know if the judges want natural in ICKC. AKC is always so heavily overdone as far as grooming.

Most of the judges (if not all) that I have shown under at ICKC are also AKC judges, usually all-breed. I don't see anyone using chalk except on obvious stains, but I definitely see people using hairspray. I think you would be okay.