Onsite IJA State Team Information

A and B Divisions (Live and Model Dogs)

• Division A State Team Members compete in Regional and National Competitions.

• Division B State Team Members compete in the Qualifying Competition.

• Division B State Team Members are the Back-Up Team for Division A-Team.

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 Team Members Live Dogs

• Pure Breed and Free Style Competitions

  • Division A: 4 Team Members

  • Division B: 4 Team Members

 Team Members Live Dogs

• Creative Styling Competitions

  • Division A: 1 Team Members

  • Division B: 1 Team Members

 Team Members Model Dogs

• Pure Breed Competitions

  • Division A: 1 Team Member

  • Division B: 1 Team Member

 Team Members Model Dog

• Creative Styling Competitions

  • Division A: 1 Team Members

  • Division B: 1 Team Members

State Team Captain Qualifications

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State Team Captain Qualifications

The state team captain oversees all-state team members. The captain must be a leader and great team player with excellent organization, negotiation, and communication skills to assist their team in bringing home the gold in State, Regional, and National Competitions.

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State Team Co-Captain Qualifications

The state team co-captain assists the team captain with the numerous and various responsibilities and tasks required by the state team captain to move the team in a progressive manner during the competition year. 

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Position: How to Submit: State Team Captain

Future state team captains and co-captains submit your registrations now to IJA for this once in a lifetime opportunity to be a great leader in your state and in our industry. Time to take your team to the top. 

Approval Process: How Does It Work?

IJA allows one team per state. The team must register each competition year by the state team captain.  The IJA team must first confirm the state is open and that it does not have an active team. If the state team is available, the IJA Team reviews the registration to confirm all required information is complete and the registration fee is paid. After procedures are complete the state team is approved with a state team captain and co-captain. 

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State Team Captain and Co-Captain Responsibilities

Study - Know - Understand

All-state team captains and co-captains must study and understand all about IJA events, rules, policies, and procedures relating to the state - regional - national, and international competition series. Yes, we have to get it right when we are the leaders of the pack!

Organize - Participate - Events

State team captains and co-captains organize and participate in events with other state team captains and competitors to prepare state teams for Regionals and Nationals. 

Secure and Supply Competition Dogs

Great competition dogs result in wins when it comes to live dog competitions. To be the best you must have the best competition dogs for your team! Captains must work directly with team members, breeders, competitors, and other state team captains to secure competition dogs for all state team members.

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Search and Find and Secure Sponsorship

The state team captains secure and promote local and state sponsorships to assist with overall expenses connected with competing on the national stage. Captains also play a huge role in promoting events to encourage and secure industry sponsorship.

Secure and Maintain Accurate Team Member Information

State Team Captains are responsible to secure all required information from state team members to complete team processing procedures.

Collect Required Deposits and Fees

State Team Captains are responsible to secure all deposits and fees from team members required for all competitors.

Team Expenses - National Events

The state team captain must secure sponsorship to pay for the logo, banner, and uniforms. 

​Venue Qualification Competitions
The facility to conduct the qualification competitions can be a grooming salon, grooming school, boarding, and daycare center, or a facility designed to accommodate the bathing, drying, and styling of the competition dogs.  

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Securing Dogs for Competition Team
The IJA State Team Team Captain assists in securing competition dogs for their state team members to create a successful team. 

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State Team Member Qualifications

QUALIFICATIONS for State Team

Level 2 Master or Higher Rating

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Pre-Qualification for State Team

2020 state team members pre-qualify for their 2021 state team. State team members confirm participation with your state team captain. 

Previous Ranking in IJA Shows

IJA Competitors who have achieved a Level 2 Master Rank or Higher in 2016, 2017, and 2018 qualify to participate on their state team in 2019 at regionals and nationals. Contact your state captain. If you do not have a state team contact us at to form your team. 

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Seasoned Competitors

Seasoned competitors who are interested in qualifying can attend a championship training with the qualifying competitions or attend a pet expo with the qualifying competitions. If you do not have a state team contact us at to form your team. 

​Level 1 Competitors - Continue Your Steps to Success

For competitors in Level 1 continue to attend competitions in the IJA Competition Ring or in the salon at our championship training events to achieve the next level. 

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Requirements

A resident of State Required

The IJA Competitor must be a resident of the state for 3 months and must be able to show proof of residency.

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Required Ranking

The IJA Competitor must achieve a Level 2 Master Rank or Higher in a specific Coat Type Category.

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How to Qualify

How to Qualify to Compete in State Competitions

IJA has created policies and procedures to qualify individual competitors to create the best when it comes to state teams to participate in regional and national competitions. The IJA State Team Members are our superstars who set standards today in our competition arenas for our team members of tomorrow to follow.​​

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Qualifying One or More Coat Types

The IJA competitor has the opportunity to qualify for their state team in one or in all coat type categories.

For example, The IJA competitor can achieve a Level 3 Expert Rank or Higher in the Curly Coat Type and Level 2 in a Wire Coat Type.

Pure Breed Competition Classes

Pure Breed or Mixed Breed can be used to create the Pure Breed Conformation Trim Style.

Competition dogs must have the correct coat type for class.

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Multitude of Coat Types

Example: Golden Retriever

Pure Breed or Mixed breed trimmed in a Golden Retriever conformation trim style ready to go into the conformation ring.

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Sporting Coat Types

Example: Cocker Spaniel

Pure Breed or Mixed breed trimmed in a Cocker Spaniel conformation trim style ready to go into the conformation ring.

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Wire Coat Types

Example: West Highland Terrier

Pure Breed or Mixed breed trimmed in a West Highland Terrier conformation trim style ready to go into the conformation ring.

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Curly Coat Types

Example: Bichon Frise

Pure Breed or Mixed breed trimmed in a Bichon Frise conformation trim style ready to go into the conformation ring.

Specialty Class: Poodles - Toy - Miniature - Standard

Conformation Trim Styles and Free Style Trims

Free Style Competition Classes - NO PURE BREED TRIMS ALLOWED​

This class is reserved for unique trims such as the fox, the lion, and the panda trim styles. Mix and match trim style components. Just no conformation trims styles!

Example: Pomeranian trimmed in a Lion Trim Style or a Panda Trim.​

Mixed and Pure Breeds in conformation trims are judged in conformation trim class.

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Where to Qualify

Championship Training Workshops for Qualifying Competitions with Education and Certifications

IJA conducts Championship Training Workshop and Competitions for onsite hands-on training to prepare and qualify competitors for their individual state teams.

Suggested for the beginner with novice skills to be evaluated and scored.​ 

Championship Training Workshops and Competitions are conducted at local salons and schools by our IJA Judges and Level 4 Specialists. We bring this event to you!

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Championship Training Workshop with Competition Locations and Dates

Contact Us Now to Set Up Training in Your Salon

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Qualifying Competitions: Certifications with Educations IJA Shows at the Pet Expos

Suggested for the individual who has competed before in conformation or in grooming competitions.

Suggested for the novice to be evaluated and scored and placed in a level to determine his or her path to take with IJA.

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IJA conducts qualifying events with all competitions for competitors to receive an evaluation, score, rank, and title to be eligible for a state team.  IJA ranking and scoring are utilized. Judges use the international scoring system established and maintained by IJA Judges since 1998.

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Listed below are the current location and dates. 

IJA SHOW at the Maryland Pet Expo - January

IJA SHOW at the Virginia Pet Expo - February

IJA SHOW at the Columbus Pet Expo - March

IJA SHOW at the Mardi Gras Pet Expo - May

IJA SHOW at the Pittsburgh Pet Expo - November