Futurity/Maturity

Are you breeding a litter this year? Then this is for you!

While familiar to the horse world and at a national level in other breeds, a breeders-showcase “Futurity” event in Basenjis is unique to the Evergreen Basenji Club specialty held annually in July or August, at Run Wild Dog Sports & Training Center (f.k.a. Argus Ranch) in Auburn, WA. These events are open to everyone, but require some pre-planning and dedication, just like breeding quality dogs.

Futurity and Maturity competitions have been a tradition at the annual EBC Specialty Show since 1976. Similar to a sweepstakes, winners of the events and placements in the various stakes are awarded cash prizes based on a portion of the nomination, enrollment, and entry fees collected.

Futurity features puppies born between 6 and 18 months prior to the event and is broken into “divisions” of dogs or bitches of similar age. To be eligible to enter the Futurity, the breeder must nominate the bitch before (or within 30 days after) the whelping date and must nominate the puppy within the 3 months following its birth. As special recognition to the effort and commitment of breeders, the “Norm and Mae Wallace Award” presented to the Breeder of Best in Futurity is a one-of-a-kind piece of art, commissioned each year, featuring a dam and her brood. It is presented at the EBC banquet after the specialty.

Maturity is open to all dogs and bitches that competed in the previous year’s Futurity and has only two divisions, one for dogs and the other for bitches. It allows people to see how the puppies have matured into young adults since their appearance the year before. The “Don Murphie” Award, a one-of-a-kind piece of artwork featuring a young adult basenji is presented to the Best in Maturity winner. The artwork is commissioned each year and is presented at the EBC banquet after the specialty.

Evergreen Basenji Club’s specialties are held each year on AKC weekend #31 (normally the first weekend of August). On the same weekend, Western Washington Hound Association will hold 2 Hound group specialties. All 4 shows will be at Run Wild in Auburn, WA, the same site as the 2013 & 2023 BCOA National Specialties. Premium lists will be posted at the BaRay Events site.

EBC invites everyone to nominate your bitches so your puppies can compete in the next Futurity competition.

Futurity Chair Contact: futurity@evergreenbasenjiclub.org