Only the BEST OF BREED winners in each breed (as described below*) advance to compete in the GROUP competitions.  Four placements are awarded in each group, but only the first-place winner advances to the BEST IN SHOW competition.  After completion of the Group judging, the BEST PUPPY in each Breed competes for BEST PUPPY IN GROUP.  Only one puppy is selected and advances to the BEST PUPPY IN SHOW  competition.  Finally, the seven group winners are brought into the ring where they compete for BEST IN SHOW, the highest award at a dog show.  Following this, the seven puppy group winners compete for BEST PUPPY IN SHOW.

*Males and females compete separately within their respective breeds, in six regular classes.  The following classes are offered, and are divided by sex:

Junior and Senior Puppy (for dogs between 6 months and 9 months and between 9 months and twelve months respectively)

Twelve to Eighteen Months (for dogs between 12 and 18 months of age)

Canadian Bred ( for dogs Bred in Canada)

Open (for any dog of the breed over 6 months)

After these classes are judged, all the dogs that won first place in a class compete again to see who is the best of the winning dogs.  Males and females are judged separately.  Only the best male (Winners Dog) and the best female(Winners Bitch) receive championship points.  The Winners Dog and Winners Bitch then compete with the champions for the Best of Breed award.  At the end of the Best of Breed Competition, three awards are usually given:

Best of Breed- the dog judged as the best in this particular Breed.

Best of Opposite Sex- the best dog that is the opposite sex to the Best of Breed winner.

Best of Winners- the dog judged as the better of the Winners Dog and Winners Bitch.

The Elora Gorge Kennel Club offers youngsters 4 to 18 years of age the opportunity to compete with others their own age on all three days.  Juniors are judged on how they present their dogs.  The quality of the dogs is NOT under consideration by the judge who only judges the skill of the handler.