Show Rules

Show Pens (Main Show Only) Syrian exhibits shall be shown in a standard show pen (only one animal per pen) of the following specifications: – –The show pen shall be made of 0.375″(9mm) plywood with 0.25″(6mm) ply ends and with 14 gauge wire front and fittings and edged with thin metal. – The external measurements of the pen shall be 8″(203mm) long, 6″(152mm) high and 6″(152mm) deep. The wooden top shall extend only 2.5″(64mm) from the back, and the wooden front shall rise only 1.75″(45mm) from the bottom; both top and front pieces being edged with tin. – The wire front shall be braced by four crossbars punched 0.375″(9mm) centre to centre, across the top 1.75 “(45mm) from the top and shall be bent through a right angle on 0.5″(12mm) radius midway between the two middle crossbars. The wire front shall be hinged 0.25″(4mm) from the top edge of the wooden front piece with a wire fastener in the centre of the top crossbar. – A semicircular handle, 2.5″(64mm) in diameter, shall be fitted to the wooden top of the pen and held by two wire eyelets, fixed 2″(51mm) from the back and 2.75″(75mm) from the sides. A prize card holder, 1.5″(38mm) long tapering from 0.125″(3mm) wide at the top closed end, to approx. 0.5″(12mm) wide at the open end, shall be fixed to the wooden top of the pen, with the open end in line with the handle eyelets, and driven into the wooden top midway between the right hand handle eyelet and the right hand side of the pen. All wire ends inside the pen shall be cut off or flattened flush with the interior surfaces. – The wire front, including the attached fastener and the whole of the interior of the pen shall be painted with non- poisonous white gloss paint, and the fittings and the whole of the exterior shall be painted with gloss black paint. Campbells, Winter White and Chinese exhibits shall be shown in a standard show pen (each pen must only contain animals of the same species, up to a maximum of two animals) of the following specifications: – – The show pen shall be made of 0.375″(9mm) waterproof plywood front, and top, and 0.25″(6mm) waterproof plywood sides, base and back with 16 gauge 0.5″(12mm) x 1″(25mm) welded mesh front and 16 gauge fittings. – The external measurements shall be 8″(203mm) long, 5″(119mm) high and 6″(152mm) deep, with the front sloping backwards from a point 1.5″(38mm) above the front of the base to a point 2.125″(53mm) forward of the back. The angled corners being curved to 1″(25mm) diameter. The wooden front shall rise only 1.125″(28mm) and the wooden top extend only 1.875″(47mm) from the back. – The weldmesh front is 7″(178mm) x 5″(119mm) and hinged 0.2″(5mm) above the centre of the top of the wooden front with a wire fastener in the centre of the top 0.875″(23mm) from the top front edge. – A semicircular handle, 2.5″(64mm) in diameter, shall be fitted to the wooden top of the pen and held by two wire eyelets, fixed 1.625″(42mm) from the back and 2.75″(70mm) from the sides. All wire ends inside the pen shall be cut off and flattened flush with the interior surface. – The pen shall be finished inside and outside with varnish to give a mahogany finish. Exhibits – No person may touch an exhibit, show pen or box at the show without the consent of the owner except the judge(s) and the show secretary and his or her appointed stewards. – No exhibitor or official may handle or indicate his or her exhibits during, except with the judge’s permission. – The floor of the show pen shall be covered with clean sawdust, shavings, as white as possible, excepting longhaired exhibits, which must be shown on wood based cat litter. All bedding and conspicuous foodstuffs shall be removed from each show pen immediately prior to judging, and placed in the owner’s box for the return journey, and that one piece of fruit or vegetable must be placed by the owner in each show pen before benching the animal. A dog biscuit, supplied by the club will be placed in each show pen prior to benching (this rule does not apply to Pet Section entries). – No identification marks shall be visible on any part of the show pen, except for the official label stuck on the top of the pen in the back left hand corner bearing the pen number and the number of the classes entered, and a 2″(51mm) x 1″(25mm) label which may be stuck underneath the pen bearing the owner’s name and address. Hire pens are to be made easily distinguishable by an “H”, 3”(75mm) high marked in white on the back of the pen (this rule does not apply to Pet Section entries). – Should an exhibitor/breeder knowingly have stock with any contagious infection, disease or sickness, they shall not enter or sell any stock at a show held under NHC rules. – The Judge’s hands, (and judging grid, if used), shall be disinfected with a suitable antiviral preparation provided by the National Hamster Council. This shall occur between each individual show pen. Judges must consult the guidelines issued by the Standards Committee, available to all club and NHC judges from the Chairman of that Committee on request. – Wherever the organising club has authority to implement the rule, there shall be NO SMOKING in vicinity of hamsters i.e. in same room as the hamsters are benched and/or judged etc. – The judge(s) alone shall be responsible for the disqualification or reclassification of any exhibit. – Any exhibit disqualified as suffering from a disease which the judge(s) believe(s) to be contagious, or through evidence of parasitic infestation, shall immediately be replaced in the owner’s box and placed away from the other exhibits and boxes. If the owner is present, he or she must remove the diseased hamster from the show. Any other hamsters/animals brought by that exhibitor to the show will be checked for signs of disease and/or parasitic infestation by competent person(s) other than the exhibitor. Once an exhibitor’s hamsters have been checked, if more than one hamster is found to have a suspected infectious disease or infestation, all of that exhibitor’s hamsters must be removed from the venue. This includes any on the sales table or the Pet Class. All of those exhibitor’s susceptible animals, plus any that may have been in close proximity prior to the show, must also be removed. The Show Secretary’s decision is final. – The decision of the judge(s) in all matters concerning the placing of exhibits or the interpretation of the NHC exhibition standards at the show at which they are officiating shall be final. – A person may not exhibit in any class where the Judge is: (a) the person (b) a member of the person’s household (c) in partnership (whether formal or informal) with the person. – The judge(s) shall not be informed of the owner of any exhibit until judging is complete. 