Costa Rica

Reported by Vanessa Rosales (Roselane's)
Photo for this section of:
(black/tan dog)
Am.Can.Col.Ecu.Int.Ch.Memoir-'n-Braewood's Mariachi,
pictured in 1994.
Bred by Anita B. Roberts
(silver dog)
Am.CR.Guat.Salv.CA.Lat.Int.(FCI)Ch.Charlot's Bourbon Bay,
pictured in 2001
Bred by Charlotte Kirton
Owner/handler: Vanessa Rosales, Costa Rica

Located in Central America, with Nicaragua to the North, Panama to the South, the Pacific Ocean to the West and the Caribbean to the East, this small republic of less than 4 million people has a long-time tradition of democracy and peace.

The Asociación Canófila Costarricense (ACC, the Costa Rican Kennel Club) was founded in 1977 and was the first formal Kennel Club established in Central America. The ACC is a federated member of the Federation Cynologique International (FCI) and, since May 2000, became the only Central America registry recognized by the American Kennel Club.

A Costa Rican born litter must be inspected at 8 weeks of age by one of the licensed ACC inspectors and tattooed or micro chipped to be eligible for registration. There are no limited registrations. Inspectors verify if any of the disqualifying faults according to FCI standards is present in any of the puppies. This is the only time that a dog or bitch is checked by ACC. There are no health registries or requirements for breeding any dog/bitch, as far as he/she has an ACC registration number. Imported dogs or bitches are registered when they come to the country, and owners of such have to submit a copy of a 3-generation pedigree issued by the official kennel club of the country of birth.

The ACC organizes different types of dog shows, either directly or through its member all-breed Local Clubs ("Filiales") and Breed Clubs. There are four Local Clubs and two Breed Clubs: Asociación Ovejero Alemán (ASOVAL, the German Shepherd Club), which is the most prestigious, and Asociación Costarricense del Rottweiler (the Rottweiler Kennel Club). There have been others, such as the Boxer Club and the Cocker (American and English) Club, now inactive, and there are a few others in process of obtaining the necessary recognition from ACC.

Basically, there are four different types of dog shows: the Regional show, the National show, the International show and the Specialty show. Any group, frequently for fund-raising activities, can organize Regional shows. Local Clubs are allowed to organize Regional and National shows. Breed Clubs organize Specialty shows, by themselves or as a part of a National or International event. ACC organizes National and International shows. Licensed judges from many countries are invited to judge along with Costa Rican own FCI licensed judges (4 of them). Most of the invited judges come from Mexico and nearby countries, some from the US, and a few from Canada and the rest of the world.

All shows are judged under FCI rules and regulations, using breed classifications and group definitions as required by FCI. Therefore, there are 10 Groups. There are four Group Placements. The 10 winners of Group First compete together for the Best in Show award, Reserve Best in Show, 3rd in Best in Show and 4th in Best in Show. If any of the Group winners was born in Costa Rica, he/she competes for the Best Costa Rican Bred in Show, unless a Costa Rican born dog/bitch wins the BIS or any of the other BIS placements. If this is the case, the winner of the higher placement receives automatically the Best Costa Rican Bred in Show. At International shows, there is a similar award for the visiting dogs, the Best Visitor in Show. There are finals for Puppy Class A at National shows, along with Puppy Class B and Puppy Class C finals at International shows, in which all the best puppies of each breed compete together and not classified into groups.

To compete at any show, dogs and bitches of each breed are divided into classes depending on age: 3 to 6 months, or Puppy Class A (puppies of this age do not compete for championship points); 6 to 9 months, or Puppy Class B; 9 to 12 months, or Puppy Class C; 12 to15 months, the "Youth Class"; 15 months and up, the Open Class, and the Champion Class. To participate in the Champion class, a dog or bitch has to be a Costa Rican Champion with a title certification issued by ACC after he/she completed the required conditions.

To obtain a championship point, a dog (or bitch) has to be older than 6 months. Winners of each class compete together for one point, awarded to the Winners Dog and to the Winners Bitch. These two compete with all dogs entered in the Champion Class for the Best of Breed and Best of Opposite Sex Awards. All participants receive a Grade Card, in which the judge marks his opinion on the quality of the dog/bitch shown, by checking a box corresponding to one of these categories: Excellent, Very Good, Good and Fair. To receive a point, the dog/bitch has to receive at least a Grade Card with a "Very Good" mark on it. It is important to comment that a judge may withheld points if he/she considers none of the participants deserves not even a "Very Good".

A dog or a bitch has to earn six championship points, under six different judges, to become a Costa Rican Champion. One of the points has to be obtained when the dog/bitch is older than 15 months of age. In some breeds, especially the working and some of the herding breeds (FCI Groups II and I), the dogs and bitches have to pass a temperament test in order to be acknowledged as Costa Rican Champions. If the dog/bitch obtains a qualifying score, he/she can wear the letters "T.T." after the registered name. Visiting dogs, at the International shows, have to win 2 points and one CACIB (at least) to obtain the Costa Rican Championship.

At Regional shows, no championship points are awarded. One point for each sex is offered at each National show. One CACIB for each sex, point towards the International FCI Championship, is offered at each International show. Normally there are 4 International shows each year, two in a weekend of April or May (the "Summer International") and two in November (the "Winter International"). CACIBs are awarded only to dogs/bitches that receive "Excellent", in accordance to FCI regulations.

Usually at the International shows, along with the CACIB, one point for each sex for the Latin American Championship is offered following the same rules. This Championship is endorsed by the FCI and issued by the Sociedad para el Intercambio de la Canofilia Latinoamericana (SICALAM), headquartered in Argentina. A dog/bitch has to earn 5 points under 5 different judges to become a Latin American Champion.

Costa Rica was a member of the Central American Federation until 1999, and then, at the Winter International show, one point for the Central American Championship was presented at International events for each sex. A dog/bitch has to win 4 points to become a Central American Champion. This championship is still offered at International shows in Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua.

Cockers are judged in separated varieties: ASCOB, Black and Particolor, at Regional and National shows. The 3 Best of Variety winners participate in the Group VIII finals. When the CACIB is in competition, at International shows, the 3 Variety winners participate together and Best of Breed and Best of Opposite are chosen. Only the Best of Breed participates in the Group VIII finals.

There are 6 or more National shows each year, either organized by ACC or by the Local Clubs. Normally, there are 6 German Shepherd Specialty Shows held, a FCI Group II (extended AKC Working Group) Specialty and 1 or 2 Rottweiler Specialties.

There is a national ranking each year, named the "Perro del Año". Special regulations establish the number of qualifying points, which depends roughly on ranks of defeated dogs and bitches at breed, group and BIS competition. At the end of the year, the dog/bitch with more points becomes the "Perro del Año", or Dog of the Year. Following the same procedure, there are also winners for each of the 10 groups and a winner of the Best Costa Rican Dog of the Year award.

Also, you can check this additional Brief Cocker History in Costa Rica