Grand Challenge?

[Yaffle]

Can someone explain to me what the duplicate class of Grand Challenge is? I was just doing my Alcester show entries when I noticed it!

[Holly]

The Grand Challenge is basically the Harry Hamster Exhibitor of the year competition - each time you win a class you get points which are added up over the year and the scores from the best six shows for each exhibitor are used as your final score.

[Spuds Mum]

Do you enter this Julie? I never have done, but I guess with it being a new year, i may be ought to think about it?

[Bunsey]

well i've never entered it, but m name appeared number 14 on the list at the end of last year!
I could start entering it, but i didn't enter at bradford, where i won a class, so technically, wouldn't that one count? :?

[Spuds Mum]

unless you actually entered it, I dont think it should count Bunsey as its an optional 'dupicate'. Otherwise everyone who had a place last year would have been shown?
Strange if you appeared and have never before entered the duplicate class for grand challenge? Most peculiar.

[souffle]

You get one point for every straight class you win at any show provided you are a member of a club. On top of that you get 6 points for winning Grand Challenge, 4 for 2nd, 2 for 3rd and 1 for 4th. It is worth entering if you think you have a chance. There are no Harry hamster points for the duplicate classes except Grand Challenge and Junior. Best in Show is usually the winner of Grand Challenge also however you have to have actually entered Grand Challenge to win it so in theory you could win BIS but not grand challenge. It is detailed in the AGM stuff in one of the journals and I think it is also in the handbook you get when you join.
Bunsey you will get one point for the Harry Hamster awards for winning the straight class at Bradford

[Spuds Mum]

ohhhh brain will not compute!! *burning smell* think you will have to explain in person Souff - either that or I'll come back to this post when Im less tired! :shock: :D

[Bunsey]

i think i get it. you automatically get a point in Harry ham for every straight class you win. then there's grand challenge, where if you win, you get 6 points and this is usually BIS unless the BIS didn't enter GC.

So, when i won BIS at Lymm with paddy i got 1 point in the harry ham, but IF i'd entered GC i would've got 6 points on TOP of that... AND, that time when i would've won BIS but Tristar's chinese got a + point, i may have scored 2nd in GC and got 4 points! so really, that might have put me into the certificates! how sad :cry:

I don't think there's much point entering GC this year though cos Paddy's getting older and there are other younger hams scoring higher than him now.

edit: just checked and i would've been placed 8th if i'd entered G.C. and got 10 more points.

[souffle]

You've got it Bunsey!
Large hamsteries like Tristar can gain at lot of points at a single show by winning a lot of the straight classes plus Grand Challange. If it comes to a draw the number of 1sts and 2nds in Grand Challange are counted to make the split between places. If there is no split then it is counted as equal.!

[Yaffle]

aaaaaah I see! I'd heard of the Harry Hamster points but wasn't really sure! Is that what they're presenting at the Alcester show then? The schedule mentions something about Exhibitor of the Year?

[souffle]

Yes Yaffle that is it. There are tropies from 1st to 3rd and certificates up to 10th and same for juniors.