Damon Rules

Damon Rules were created in reference of a dog named Damon used in grooming competition at the Adelaide Royal Show on 10 Sept 2022 where a judge was allowed to help and awarded Best In Show award to a competing dog that is owned by that judge. The professional groomers are dismayed by such conduct and unconscionable award and wanted a more tangible reminder to promote higher judging standards and ethics across the grooming competitions.

Under Damon rules (DR),

1) No person shall enter the show if the judge owns the competing dog and shall not enter under that judge within twelve (12) months prior to the show.

2) A judge who has prepared or privately provided or bred the competing dog to a person in the class that they are judging must not adjudicate.

3) No person shall enter under a judge if the judge has groomed the competing dog within six (6) months prior to the show.

3.1) No person shall take any grooming products or tools belonging to the judge in the ring at which the judge is officiating.

4) No person of a Judge’s Immediate family or household including a person who resides at the same address or a judge's partner, shall enter the show.

5) No person shall enter under a judge if that person has accommodated that judge or been accommodated by that judge in the period of twelve (12) months prior to the show or intends to accommodate the Judge within 72 hours after the show.

6) No person shall enter under a judge if that person was trained by that Judge i.e. Instructor/Student/Apprentice and/or has participated in a private or semi-private training (less than five attendees) with that Judge at any time during a period of twelve (12) months prior to the show

7) No person shall enter under a judge if that person has a vested business relationship with the judge including that of consultant, sub-contractor, or leasing within twelve (12) months prior to the show.

8.0) No person shall enter under a judge if that person has the same current Sponsorship or Brand Ambassador as that judge.

8.1) AGS and Show Manager do not allow their own sponsored groomer to enter.

9) A judge must request that the person be withdrawn from competition if the judge has a conflict of interest with the competing dog/the groomer for example employer or employee relationships, financial considerations, separate interest in a Grooming School or Salon, handled or co-owned a dog with the judge. This is not a definitive list of examples.

10) A person shall not enter under a judge with whom you travel to shows with. "Travels to shows" would also include those with whom one shares a hotel room or regularly dine/park/set up together at dog or grooming shows.

Promotion Activity

A person shall not display inside or in view of the judging ring :

16.1) Wearing badges, clothing, jacket or other garments with visible sponsorship, ambassador or anything which indicates or might indicate they are a member of Groom Team of certain Company, Brand or Country.

16.2) It is not allowed to wear clothes advertising a salon, kennel name or grooming products in the ring.

16.3) Any cards, ribbons, rosettes or trophies except those won at the show.

16.4) Any advertising matters

This rule does not apply to :

General mechandisers where any person would able to purchase from an open market
After the completion of the General specials.

Conduct of Contestant

17.1) Any contestant offering information to the Judge that is designed to influence the Judge for example by revealing the grooming’s previous merits the judge has the right to terminate the judging of said contestant. The judge cannot continue the judging due to inappropriate information from the contestant and such conduct is to be reported to the Show Manager.

17.2) Any contestant causing annoyance or loud comments on a decision of a judge or behaving in an unsportsmanlike manner in the precincts of the show will result in disqualification and will be asked to leave the show.

17.3) Any person using social media to make a comment, he/she must not make a comment that is or could be perceived to be so disrespectful and discourtesy towards other contestants, our judges, and all staff members that the comments constitute bullying or harassment.

Breaches of rules

Any breaches of DR rules No 01 - 11 will result in immediate disqualification from the show. This disqualification is at the sole discretion of the Show promoter / Show Manager.

The DA Canine Committee reserves the right to take further disciplinary action for breaches of DR 16 - 17 including banning that person from future events.

Modifications of rules

The DA Canine Committee reserves the right to modify these rules at any time. It is the responsibility of each exhibitor to check this page for rules modifications