MASCUSA Futurity Program

The purpose of the Futurity competition is to encourage the breeding of the best possible Miniature American Shepherd and to reward the breeders for their efforts. For this reason, the competition is designed to recognize and reward the MAS breeder. The breeder is the one that does health testing, chooses the sire, nominates the bitch before whelping, raises the litter, and supports the owners and individual puppies.

The Futurity competition will be held in conjunction with each Miniature American Shepherd Club of the USA's National Specialty. Should the MASCUSA National Specialty show not be held within the time limits applying to the Futurity Rules, the Board of Directors shall decide the disposition of the monies accrued toward the Futurity competition.

The Futurity competition is open ONLY to breeders who are current members (including associate and junior members) in good standing with the Miniature American Shepherd Club of the USA (MASCUSA). Breeders must remain in good standing with MASCUSA and with AKC throughout the Futurity process or their nomination(s) and Futurity eligibility as well as any entry fees will be forfeited.

The Futurity competition is entered by first nominating the litter and then by nominating the individual puppy. The get from the nominated litter are eligible to compete in the first Futurity competition held on or after the date they reach six months of age, and only in this competition.

The bitch whose litter is nominated must be owned or leased), in whole or in part by a MASCUSA member. Thus, if a bitch is co-owned or leased by two people, at least one of them must be a MASCUSA member. The MASCUSA member is the only person who may nominate the litter. This membership requirement does not apply to the owners of the puppies from the nominated litter.

Nominations

The nomination of the bitch's litter must be made after she is bred, but before the whelping date. The litter nomination form must be accompanied by a nomination fee of $50.

The nomination of each individual puppy must be made after it is whelped, but before it is four months old. The $50 ($25 for owners who are current MASCUSA members) nomination fee for each individual puppy is paid when the puppy is nominated. There will also be a small entry fee paid to the Nationals show secretary for this competition upon entering the Nationals competition.

A late nomination will be accepted for an individual puppy after four months old up until their fifth month birthday with a $250 late fee in addition to the $50 ($25) nomination fee. No individual puppy nominations will be accepted after a puppy is five months old.

These fees are subject to review and change by the MASCUSA board as necessary.

The Futurity litter nomination must be made on an official Futurity nomination entry form. Litter nominations may be made by completing the official form and submitting it together with the copies of any health testing by mail or by emailing it to the Futurity Chairman or designated person. In the case of multi sired litters, each Dam/Sire combination must be individually nominated and the corresponding fee paid. All litter nomination(s) must be made PRIOR to the whelping of the litter. The determination date for timely nominations shall be the date the nomination form was submitted via email or the postmark on the envelope. The submission date must be dated no later than midnight the day prior to the whelping of the litter. The breeder who submits the nomination shall be supplied with an emailed confirmation that the submission was received.

The nomination of a litter qualifies any individual puppy(s) or all puppies from that nominated litter to be entered in the Futurity competition, regardless of the ownership of the individual puppy when entered or shown. If the breeder wishes to nominate all puppies in the litter individually, this may be done at any time after the litter is whelped but before the puppies are four months old (or five months old with the late nomination fee added).

Litter nomination and individual puppy nomination fees, including any late fees may be submitted to MASCUSA via PayPal or via a mailed check or money order. Litter and/or individual puppy nominations are not refundable for any reason.

The Miniature American Shepherd nominated for the Futurity competition must be entered in one of the regular classes or performance events at the MASCUSA National Specialty show. When completing the entry form for the National show, the fact that the MAS is to be shown in the Futurity must be indicated as an extra class in the appropriate space provided on the show secretary's entry form.

No MAS will be eligible to compete in the Futurity which does not meet the following requirements:

1. Be from a litter which was properly and timely nominated.
2. Have been individually nominated before it reached the age of four months (five months with late fee), and
3. Be properly entered in one of the regular or performance classes of the MASCUSA National Specialty.

Any breeder who, having nominated a litter, fails to remain an active member in good standing in the MASCUSA, by passing away, having lapsed dues, by suspension or expulsion, and who has not been reinstated 30 days prior to the Futurity shall lose all rights to receive any monetary award from their dog(s) placing in the Futurity. However, properly nominated dogs whose ownership was transferred to another individual prior to the breeder's loss of membership will have their litter nomination accepted as valid. Those individual puppies will be considered as eligible for nomination, entry, judging, placements and ribbons provided all subsequent fees are paid to date. Any monetary award will be donated to one of MASCUSA's special funds with the fund to be picked by the dog's owner/handler.

Futurity Classes and Awards

Puppies are only eligible to be shown in one Futurity; the first Futurity at which they are at least 6 months of age.

Futurity Classes will be divided according to age and sex as follows:

• Dogs 6-9 months
• Dogs 9-12 months
• Dogs 12-15 months
• Dogs 15-18 months
• Bitches 6-9 months
• Bitches 9-12 months
• Bitches 12-15 months
• Bitches 15-18 months

The winner of each class will compete for Best In Futurity and Best Opposite Sex in Futurity.

In the event that the date of the MASCUSA National show is longer than 12 months apart, the age limit shall be increased and the nominees affected shall be eligible for competition in the 15-18 Month classes or as needed.

Prize Money – 35% of entry & nomination fees will be retained by the Futurity for expenses. 35% of the remainder will be given to the Best In Futurity winner and 30% of the remainder will be given to the Best of Opposite Sex Futurity winner.

Prize money shall be awarded only to the one breeder that initially nominates the litter. If an owner or exhibitor of the winning dog is not the breeder, and the breeder is not present, a check will be mailed directly to the breeder. It is then a private decision between the breeder and owner(s) to decide possession or division of any awards or cash prizes presented to the breeder for any wins.

Health Testing

MASCUSA strongly recommends that both the Dam and the Sire of the nominated puppy have all health testing/clearances prior to the breeding. At this time, health testing and/or clearances of the Dam and Sire are not required to be able to nominate the litter, but all CHIC numbers, health testing and/or clearances (or lack thereof) will be listed in the Futurity section of the Nationals Catalog. Please submit copies of all health testing with the litter nomination form (MASCUSA cannot be responsible for original certificates). If no health testing is submitted with the litter nomination form, the catalog listing will show the dam/sire as "no testing submitted."

Health testing and clearances that the MASCUSA recommends are OFA for Hip Dysplasia, yearly CAER eye exam, and DNA testing for prcd-PRA, MDR1, HSF4 and NAD. Optional but recommended health testing is OFA for Elbow Dysplasia, Patellar Luxation and Dentition plus DNA testing for CEA, DM, CDDY/CDPA, CRM1 and HU.

 

Judge Selection

The Futurity Judge will be selected by the Futurity committee in conjunction with the National Show Chair(s). Judge preference will be given (when possible) to a MASCUSA member. Breeders will be allowed to submit names of AKC judges and/or breeder judges as suggestions for the Futurity on the litter nomination form. Breeders who submit late litter nominations forfeit their right to submit judge name suggestions.

MAS/Aussie breeders and AKC licensed judges eligibility:

• 10 years MAS or Australian Shepherd breed involvement
• Breeder of at least 3 AKC registered Litters
• Breeder of at least 5 AKC Champions
• Has not judged at Nationals in the last 5 years

If the Futurity Committee is unable to secure a judge that meets the eligibility requirements above they may offer the judging assignment to an AKC judge approved to judge MAS.

Any person chosen to judge a Futurity, who has nominated a litter(s) for the same Futurity, or who has a member of his/her household or an immediate family member with a nominated litter(s), automatically voids the competition of that litter(s) in that same Futurity. A judge may not be listed as an owner or a breeder of a futurity entrant or the owner of the entrant's sire. Any person impacted by being the judge, household or family member of the judge, owner/breeder of the Futurity entrant or by being the owner of the entrant's sire may request a refund of their nomination/entry fees by sending a written request to the Futurity committee.

Additional Futurity judging requirements per AKC:

• Judge must be in good standing with AKC to judge sweepstakes and/or futurities
• Judge may not judge a sweepstakes/futurity prior to assignment in regular classes of the same breed on the same weekend/cluster
• Entries count toward the daily 175 limit
• May exhibit the same day he/she judges
• Judge, members of the same household, and any dogs they own may not compete in Futurity
• MASCUSA may impose exhibiting restrictions as a condition of contract

Approved by the MASCUSA Board of Directors September 3, 2025.