QUESTION:    Isn't it the same as a Sweepstakes?

ANSWER: 
No. A sweepstakes is for any dog eligible to compete on the day of the show. There's no prior nomination required. A sweepstakes covers a time period counting from the show date. A Futurity covers the same time period each year even if the date of competition changes.

If a puppy is too old on the day of the Sweepstakes to compete in the class, it cannot be entered. But in a Futurity, the puppy may be more than 18 months old on Futurity day and still be able to compete if it was born during the Futurity year.