About the New Online Competition System

IJA has designed the most innovative online education system in the industry with the new online competitions with certifications with in-depth evaluations of the trim styles by coat types. 

 

International Scoring System

Bathers, groomers, and stylists can compete in the live dog and model dog online competitions with certifications to receive scores and ratings based on the International scoring system established in 1999 by Vivian and John Nash, co-founders of IJA. 

 

Certification by Coat Types 

Competitors receive their critiques from the elite panel of IJA judges who oversee the online evaluations designed to teach, train and test bathers, groomers, and stylists worldwide. 

 

• Entries are first evaluated and scored by the panel of IJA judges.

• After the evaluations, the entries are registered to the correct competition and competition class.

• After entries are registered, the IJA  judges discuss and place competitors based on a panel system of judging.

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Competitors Compete as Individual Competitor and as Team Member Competitor

• Individual

• Team

 

Competitors Compete in One or All Team Competitions

• State Team

• Country Team

• Salon Team

• Best Friends Team

• Corporate Team

• No Boundaries

 

Competitors Compete in Live Dog and Model Dog Competitions

• Live Dog Competitions

• Model Dog Competitions

 

Competitors Compete in One or All of the Competitions 

1. Live Dog Purebreed Competition for all coat types.

2. Live Dog Freestyle Competition for all coat types. 

3. Live Dog Creative Competition

4. Model Dog Creative Competition

5. Model Dog Purebreed Competition 

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Four Championship Online Events in Competition Year

IJA will conduct four major championship competitions a year to award finalists for the IJA Virtual World Grooming Competition Top Dog Awards. The competitions will be offered quarterly to give competitors time to train and prepare their competition dogs.

 

Finalist for Best in the World IJA Virtual Top Dog Awards

Best in class and best in show winners at the Four Major Virtual World Grooming Competitions are finalists for Best Individuals in Show and the Best Teams in Show in the world. The VWGC winners are recognized at the new IJA Virtual Top Dog Awards.

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INDIVIDUAL AND TEAM COMPETITIONS

Online Competitions Designed for Individuals and Teams with Live Dogs and Model Dogs

IJA will conduct competitions for live dogs and model dogs at the four major championship events for individual competitors and teams to showcase their skills and knowledge using the new system. 

 

• Live Dog Purebreed Competition

• Live Dog Freestyle Competition

• Live Dog Creative Competition

 

• Model Dog Purebreed Competition

• Model Dog Creative Competition

• Model Dog Creative Head - (Individual ONLY)

 

To register for a class, the competitor must submit 7 photos and pay the entry fee. ​

1. Before Side

2. After Right Side

3. After Left Side

4. After Top

5. After Front

6. After Rear

7. Final Presentation (stacked, side view with a competitor in photo)

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Entry

The six photo series of the styled competition dog.

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Competitor

The individual who completes the grooming and styling of the competition dog.

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Entry Certified

The competitor certifies they groomed and styled the competition dog with no assistance from other professionals. 

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Entry Dated

The entry is dated each time it is registered for a competition with IJA for competition year. 

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Evaluation

The evaluation is completed on the dog and referenced. 

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Same Dog - New Date - Revised or New Trim

The same dog (entry) can be trimmed at different times in the competition year and submitted. Each time the entry is submitted, the competitor is asked if this entry has been submitted previously. If it is a new submission, the entry will receive an up-to-date evaluation for the competitor to compare to make it the ultimate learning experience.   

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Multiple Submissions

• The competitor can submit the entry as an individual.

• The competitor can submit the entry for a team.

• Each entry requires 7 photos and an entry fee. 

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Previous Entries

• Entries from previous IJA online competitions permitted.

• Entries from previous online competitions that are not IJA are permitted. 

The exception to the Rule: Competitors can submit entries in the 2020 introduction and the 2021 competitions.

 

INDIVIDUAL ENTRY 

Competitors, the sky is the limit! You have the choice to compete in one or all of the competitions and as many classes as you would like at every Major Competition Event conducted four times a year. Best in class and Best in Show are finalists for the Best in the World!

 

The first competition will be conducted in December 2020 to introduce the system to competitors to give them the opportunity to perfect their skills with online evaluations from the IJA panel of judges. This is the perfect time to test your technical, profile, and presentation skills against your peers to prepare for next year to bring home the gold in the 2021 competition year as the show’s best individual competitor of the year award. 

 

Line up your competition dogs and submit your entries now to receive your first evaluations from the elite panel of IJA Judges. 

 

TEAM ENTRY 

The competition system is designed for fellow groomers to team up and compete against each other to establish a fun, competitive, and educational atmosphere with critiques and suggestions on the evaluations from our elite panel of IJA Judges. 

 

Listed below are the first series of team events presented in 2020 and the additional team events that will be added in the 2021 competition year. IJA will also offer special team events throughout the year. 

 

• State Team

• Country Team

• No Boundaries

• Best Friends Team

• Salon Team

• Rescue Me Team

 

State Teams Register with IJA

State Team Captains register with IJA for the new online-only competitions. The first competition in December 2020 allows teams to submit their entry and receive their evaluations from the IJA Evaluation and Scoring Team. 

 

The registration fee for a team is $100. The state team application and registration process are required annually. The state team captain oversees their team until they turn the team over to a new captain. State captains can recruit groomers in their state to compete online to receive an evaluation level and rank to see if they qualify for their team. Onsite state team captains may also be online state tam captains with many of the same team members. 

 

Finding Dogs for Team Members

Competitors can use mixed breeds to achieve the required trim styles. For example, a mix with similar characteristics of a setter can be used in the Sporting Coat Type Class. State team captains can help each other find the dogs to complete the required trim styles.

 

Poodle Trims

There are four options for the Poodle Class to encourage competitors to take the challenge to be a Poodle Specialist by completing the array of different trim styles. Teams have the opportunity to achieve the best team and the best all-around team in Poodle Trim Styles!

 

Finding and Qualifying Team Members

The system will be introduced in 2020 to give team captains time to prepare for the 2021 competition year. Captains can encourage competitors to submit entries to see how they rank and participate in the group. All entries receive a trim style by coat type evaluation. The new system helps captains create all-around teams using the required trim style list for the recent online competitions. 

 

Number of Team Members

The numbers and types of trim styles and competition dogs are required to make the ultimate competition team. The number of members required is designed to create the 2021 competition dream team.