WPA Groom is excited to bring this competitive experience to the grooming community. Visit our WPA Groom Facebook Group to browse photos, get inspiration, and jump in with your own submissions. Please enjoy the contest photos and for return here for the WPA Groom winner galleries!

WPA Groom is an online grooming contest powered by the WPA365 Virtual Pet Community. Groomers may submit their best work ($25 entry fee per submission) to be showcased on the WPA Groom Facebook Group. Judges will examine your grooming via photo submissions. You may enter as either a Pro (Professional) or Am (Amateur) competitor, in 6 different classes, with hundreds of breeds eligible. Who will be crowned the new WPA Groom Champion? Enter here and return to WPA Groom to view the awards show with prizes and guest commentary from industry legends and influencers.

Contest Open and Close Dates
The contest will open on January 8, 2021 at 8am EST
The contest will close on February 24, 2021 at 6pm EST

WPA Groom Contest Rules

Open to any entry from anywhere in the world with a $25 contest entry fee.

Contestants agree that all photos submitted will become the property of WPA and awards will be presented during a WPA Groom Facebook Event.

You may enter the WPA Groom contest with a dog or cat that was previously groomed in an outside contest, as long as the work and the photos were done in January or February 2021.

Divisions/Eligibility Requirements

Contestants must select a division: Pro or Am

Pro: Open to any groomer living anywhere in the world including retired groomers, judges, current or former GroomTeam members.

Am:  Open to any groomer living anywhere in the world, who has:

• Never been named to any country’s GroomTeam
• Never judged a National or International GroomTeam contest
• Never won a National or International Best in Show at a GroomTeam Sanctioned event
• Never been awarded a National or International Best in Show at any dog show or any grooming competition – includes American Kennel Club (AKC), United Kennel Club (UKC) and Fédération Internationale Cynologique (F.C.I.) events
• Never been awarded a Best in Show/Best All-Around at a live grooming contest or dog show

Categories/Classes

*See below for the eligible breed listings
1. Gun Dog Coat
2. Poodles
3. Scissored Coat
4. Handstripped Coat
5. Salon Styled
6. Creative Coat Design

Contest Photos
You must submit all of your photos to the WPA Groom Facebook Group. Your entry photos submitted must be of new a groom and not previously used in any other contest. Include with your entry post; dog’s breed, your class, division Pro or Am, your name, country, and if you are entering Am have ever competed in any live or virtual grooming contest before?

Submit 2 before photos: front & side profile
Submit 6 after photos: front, rear, right side, left side, top, & face/expression.

No collage photos, no watermarks, the groomer may be in the photo but make sure your clothing is NOT a similar color to the dog. The dog should be on a hard surface so feet can be easily seen.

Find a clean, plain, solid background color that your dog will stand out in. You want a contrasting background color free of junk or distracting objects. For black dogs, backdrops colors that are good are red, green, and yellow. That can help you get a better photo and make dark coats pop.

Avoid bright overhead lighting and avoid lighting from a window behind the dog. Controlled lighting from the front of the dog is best. If the inside is not an option for a photo, you may take it outside in the shade with a clean backdrop. Also, cloudy days can make for a great photo.

Individual Class Rules

Gun Dog, Poodle, Scissored and Handstripped, Salon Styled General Contest Rules

These rules apply to ALL classes. See each class below for individual class rules.

Your entry photos submitted must be of new a groom and not previously used in any other contest.

Your entry must have sufficient coat growth to make a distinctive transformation in the dog’s appearance.

All dogs must be groomed according to their breed standard as presented in the conformation show ring. Execution of the correct breed profile will be considered together with technical execution to create an overall impression in the final work. Correct breed profile execution with high technical skills is the goal which all competitors should strive toward. The only exception is for Poodles and dogs entered in Salon Styled as noted below in their individual class rules.

All dogs should have sanitary and pads shaved, nails trimmed, ears cleaned, prepped/clean, and dry before the before the photo is taken. Show topknots may be pre-­banded, including hair extensions in the before photos, but coat should be free of product.

For the finished groom, chalk products, hairspray, and finishing sprays are only permissible as presented in the conformation show ring.

Poodles can be styled as presented in the conformation show ring or pet trims, provided they respect the breed profile as set forth by the standard. Do not shave feet or face in the before photo. Both feet and face must be shaved in the after photo. Small mustache or goatee are permitted. Scissored face styles such as Bichon or scissored type faces are prohibited.

Poodles: acceptable breeds – all sizes, natural colors or purebred Poodles.

Salon Styles

Acceptable Breeds/Styles:  Any dog of mixed parentage or any purebred dog distinctly NOT styled to breed profile. Examples of acceptable styles include, but are not limited to: trending styles such as Asian Fusion, the Poodlington, unique pet styles, breed trims created on alternative mixed or purebred dogs, and not limited to over-groomed/pet styles on any breed not reflecting correct breed profile.  May use 2 bows for tie-ups, small amounts of color (no more than 10% on dog) may be added with chalk, blow pens or markers.  For Poodle styles, do not shave feet or face in the before photo. Both feet and face must be shaved in the after photo. Show topknots may be pre-­banded, including hair extensions in the before photo, however spray up products are prohibited in the before photo.

Creative Coat Design

Acceptable Breeds/Styles: Any purebred or mixed breed dog or cat can be used.

The Creative Styling Contest is an exhibition of combined technical and creative skills utilized while grooming dogs and cats. The winning Creative Coat Design will demonstrate a high level of technical skills combined with creative and beautiful coat design. Beauty, symmetry, and uniqueness will be considered in the winning design.

• All products used must be safe and non-toxic to the pet and stylist; Glue must be water-soluble.
• Lifting of the dog’s natural coat color is prohibited.
• Placement of large and/or heavy objects on the pet is prohibited.
• Restricting the dog’s movement of legs or tail is prohibited.

Winners will be determined by:

• Originality and creativity of the Coat Design
• Quality of styling techniques
• Sharpness and precision of clipper lines
• Sharpness and/or blending of color
• Quality of scissor finish
• Difficulty level of the finished groom

Prizes – We will have prizes for the top winner in each class and division

We are offering a “first-timer prize” to the top 6 Am winners in each class. To qualify as a first-timer you must not have ever competed in any live or virtual grooming contest before.

Judges:

Gun Dog Coat – Jennifer Lee and Shannon Tupes
Poodle – Jennifer Lee and Shannon Tupes
Scissored Coat – Jennifer Lee and Shannon Tupes
Handstripped Coat –  Jennifer Lee and Shannon Tupes
Salon Styled- Jennifer Lee and Shannon Tupes
Creative Coat Design-  Angela Kumpe