Performance Class Definitions

CAVALIER KING CHARLES SPANIEL CLUB, USA, DEFINITION OF CLASSES

The term "Dog" applies to both sexes unless otherwise specified.
As of 10/1/23

PERFORMANCE

As of 1/1/21
(Dogs must be 5 months or older.)

OBEDIENCE

As of 1/1/18

OFFICIAL OBEDIENCE CLASSES
(Qualifying scores may earn legs toward obedience titles.)

Utility B: Dogs holding a CCDX or CUD.

Utility A: Dogs holding a CCDX and not holding a CUD title.

Open B: Dogs holding a CCD, CCDX or CUD.

Open A: Dogs holding a CCD and not holding a CCDX title.

Novice B: Dogs not holding the CCD, shown by a handler who has completed an obedience title with a Cavalier or a dog of any other breed in any country in which the breed is recognized. A CCD dog may continue to compete in this class until it receives a qualifying score in an Open Class or until it has received one (1) High In Trial award prior to the closing date of the trial. This one (1) High in Trial award is in addition to any obtained before or during the 60 day period after receiving the CCD title.

Novice A: Dogs not holding the CCD, shown by a handler who has not completed an obedience title with a Cavalier or a dog of any other breed in any country in which the breed is recognized.. The handler must be the owner or a member of the owner’s immediate family and may enter more than one dog in this class. No dog may be entered in both Novice A and Novice B at any trial.

OPTIONAL TITLING CLASSES
(Qualifying scores may earn legs toward obedience titles.)

Preferred Utility: Dogs that have completed a CCDX or CPCDX title. A Cavalier may continue to compete in this class indefinitely.

Preferred Open: Dogs that have completed the CCD or CPCD or higher Regular or Preferred titles. A Cavalier may continue to compete in this class indefinitely.

Preferred Novice: Dogs that have not earned a qualifying score in any of the CKCSC-USA Open, Preferred Open, Graduate Novice, or Graduate Open classes.

Graduate Open: Dogs that have not earned a CGO.

Graduate Novice: Dogs that have not earned a CGN.

Beginner Novice B: Dogs that have not earned any obedience title OR who have earned a CBN, CCD, and/or CPCD title, but no other additional CKCSC-USA obedience titles or any obedience titles higher than novice in any country in which the breed is recognized. Owners may enter more than one dog in this class. No dog may be entered in both Beginner Novice A and Beginner Novice B at any trial.

Beginner Novice A: Dogs not holding a CBN title, shown by a handler who has not completed an obedience title with a Cavalier or a dog of any other breed in any country in which the breed is recognized. The handler must be the owner or a member of the owner’s immediate family and may enter more than one dog in this class. No dog may be entered in both Beginner Novice A and Beginner Novice B at any trial.

UNOFFICIAL OBEDIENCE CLASSES
(Qualifying scores do not earn legs toward obedience titles.)

Sub-novice: Dogs may compete in Sub-Novice until the third leg of the CCD is earned. All Novice exercises on lead: Heel (including the figure 8), Stand for Examination, Recall, Sit-Stay and Down-Stay.

Versatility: This class is for dogs that are capable of performing the Open and Utility exercises.

Brace: Two Cavaliers to perform the Novice exercises in unison. The dogs need not be in the same ownership or the same color, but must be handled by only one handler. Dogs may be shown unattached or coupled, the coupling device to be not less than 6 inches overall length. Whichever method is used, it must be continued throughout all exercises. Either or both dogs in a brace may be entered in another class(es) at the same trial.

Veteran Cavaliers 7 years and older to perform the Novice exercises.

OFFICIAL OBEDIENCE TRIAL FINAL AND OPTIONAL AWARDS

AWARDS

All official and optional titling classes are judged, then the unofficial obedience classes. Final Awards are awarded first, followed by the Optional Awards.

FINAL AWARDS (Must be offered at every Obedience Trial.)

To be awarded upon conclusion of the judging for the eligible classes.

Obedience High In Trial (OHIT) is awarded to the highest qualifying exhibitor of the Novice A, Novice B, Open A, Open B, Utility A, and Utility B classes. If there is a tie score, a run-off beween the exhibitors with the highest score will be performed. Each exhibitor will perform an off-leash heel pattern. The Judge will score the performance and award the Obedience High In Trial to the exhibitor with the best performance.

OPTIONAL AWARDS (If the host club offers these awards, they must be listed in the premium.)

Individual Highest Scoring Class Award is awarded to the highest qualifying exhibitor in the specified class.

Obedience High Combined is awarded to the exhibitor with the highest combined qualifying scores from the Open B and Utility classes.

RALLY

As of 10/1/23

OFFICIAL RALLY CLASSES
(Qualifying scores earn legs toward rally titles.)

Rally Choice: Any Cavalier. Dogs may compete in the class indefinitely and earn the Rally Choice (CRC) title multiple times.

Rally Master: Dogs holding the CRE title.

Rally Excellent B: Dogs holding the CRA title. A dog completing the Rally Excellent (CRE) title may continue to complete in this class indefinitely.

Rally Excellent A: Dogs holding the CRA title, but not a Rally Excellent title in any registry or a Companion Dog obedience title (or higher) in any registry. No dog may be entered in both Excellent A and Excellent B at a trial.

Rally Advanced B: Dogs holding the CRN title. A dog completing the Rally Advanced (CRA) title may continue to compete in this class indefinitely.

Rally Advanced A: Dogs holding the CRN title, but not a Rally Advanced title in any registry or a Companion Dog obedience title (or higher) in any registry. No dog may be entered in both Advanced A and Advanced B at a trial.

Rally Intermediate: Dogs holding the CRN title but not the CRA title. A dog may compete in the Intermediate and Advanced or Novice B class at the same trial.

Rally Novice B: Any dog may compete in this class until a qualifying score in the Rally Advanced Class is earned.

Rally Novice A: Dogs not holding a Companion Dog obedience (or higher) in any registry or any Rally title in any registry, shown by a handler who has not completed a Companion Dog obedience title (or higher) in any registry or any Rally title with a Cavalier or a dog of any other breed in any country in which the breed is recognized. After a dog earns the Rally Novice (CRN) title, it may continue to compete in this class for 60 days. The handler must be the owner or member of the owner’s immediate family and may enter one or more dogs in this class. No dog may be entered in both Novice A and Novice B at any trial.

RALLY TRIAL FINAL AND OPTIONAL AWARDS

AWARDS

To be awarded upon conclusion of the judging for the eligible classes.

FINAL AWARDS (Must be offered at every Rally Trial.)

Rally High In Trial (RHIT) is awarded to the highest qualifying exhibitor of the Novice A, Novice B, Intermediate, Advanced A, Advanced B, Excellent A, Excellent B, and Masters classes. If there is a tie score from the same class level, time is used for a tie breaker. If there is a tie score among class levels, a run-off among the exhibitors with the high score will be performed. The run-off will have a minimum of 5 rally stations at the lowest level of the exhibitors competing in the run-off. The Judge will score the performance and award the Rally High In Trial to the exhibitor with the best performance.

OPTIONAL AWARDS (If the host club offers these awards, they must be listed in the premium.)

Individual Highest Scoring Class Award is awarded to the highest qualifying exhibitor in the specified class.

Rally High Combined is awarded to the exhibitor with the highest combined score from the Rally Advanced B and Rally Excellent B classes.

Rally High Triple Q is awarded to the exhibitor with the highest combined scores from the Rally Advanced B, Rally Excellent B and Master Classes.

TRICK DOG

As of 1/1/18

OFFICIAL TRICK DOG CLASSES
(Approved skill earn legs toward trick dog titles.)

Novice: Dogs to perform 10 skills from the Novice trick list.

Intermediate: Dogs holding the CTKN title to perform 10 skills from the Intermediate trick list.

Advanced: Dogs holding the CTKI title to perform 5 skills from the Advanced trick list.

Performer: Dogs holding the CTKA title to perform a routine with at least 10 tricks previously learned

AGILITY

As of 1/1/18
(Dogs must be 12 months or older.
The term AKC refers to the American Kennel Club.)

REGULAR CLASSES

Regular classes will be offered for any Cavalier jumping in its required height division according to AKC regulations. At trials held on consecutive days, a Cavalier entered in at least one Regular class may not be entered in any Preferred class.

REGULAR STANDARD CLASSES

Novice A: Dogs not holding any agility title in any registry, shown by a handler who has not completed any agility title with a Cavalier or a dog of any other breed in any country in which the breed is recognized.

Novice B: Any dog not holding a CNA may compete in this class.

Open: Any dog not holding a COA title.

Excellent: Any dog not holding a CAX title.

Master: Dogs holding a CAX title or an AKC AX title.

REGULAR JUMPER CLASSES

Novice B: Any dog not holding a CNAJ may compete in this class.

Open: Any dog not holding a COAJ title.

Excellent: Any dog not holding a CAXJ title.

Master: Dogs holding a CAXJ title or an AKC AXJ title.

PREFERRED CLASSES

Preferred classes will be offered for any Cavaliers jumping one height division lower than its required height division according to AKC regulations. At trials held on consecutive days, a Cavalier entered in at least one Preferred class may not be entered in any Regular class. An additional 5 seconds will be added to the standard course time for all preferred classes.

PREFERRED STANDARD CLASSES

Novice B: Any dog not holding a CNAP may compete in this class.

Open: Any dog not holding a COAP title.

Excellent: Any dog not holding a CAXP title.

Master: Dogs holding a CAX, CAXP, AKC AX or AKC AXP title.

PREFERRED JUMPER CLASSES

Novice B: Any dog not holding a CNJP may compete in this class.

Open: Any dog not holding a COJP title.

Excellent: Any dog not holding a C-AJP title.

Master: Dogs holding a CAXJ, CAJP, AKC AXJ or AKC AJP title.

SCENT WORK

As of 9/1/22

OFFICIAL SCENT WORK CLASSES
(Qualifying scores earn legs toward Scent Work titles.)

Novice A: Open to dogs who have not completed any title for that particular element, who have not completed a comparable title with another organization, and whose handlers are neither Scent Work judges, nor have ever worked as a professional detection dog handler.

Novice B: Open to all dogs.

Advanced: Dogs who have earned the Novice title for that element.

Excellent: Dogs who have earned the Advanced title for that element.

Master: Dogs who have earned the Excellent title for that element.

OFFICIAL SCENT WORK ELEMENTS

Container
Interior
Exterior
Buried
Handler Discrimination
Container Elite
Interior Elite
Exterior Elite
Handler Discrimination Elite

SCENT WORK TRIAL FINAL AWARDS

AWARDS

To be awarded upon conclusion of the judging for the eligible classes.

FINAL AWARDS

Scent Work High In Trial (SWHIT) is available when two or more elements are offered for the trial. High In Trial will be awarded to the highest qualifying team at each level. A team must enter and qualify in all elements offered at that level to be eligible to compete for High In Trial. High In Trial awards will be recorded with the show results.