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2008.04.10 -
ACE Awards 2008 - Deadline 6/30/08
Has your Border Collie performed an extraordinary act that benefited you
or the community? The AKC Award of Canine Excellence (ACE) is currently
accepting nominations for this type of service.
http://www.akc.org/news/ace/nominate.cfm
The American Kennel Club is
accepting nominations for its 2008 Awards of Canine Excellence (ACE). To
qualify, the purebred dog must be AKC registered or registerable, and have
performed some exemplary act, whether large or seemingly small that has
significantly benefited a community or individual. One award will be given
in each of the following five categories: Law Enforcement, Search and
Rescue, Therapy, Service, and Companion Dog. When appropriate, dogs
earning honorable mention will be cited.
Each of the five honorees
will receive a cash award of $1,000 and an engraved sterling silver
medallion, which they will receive at a special presentation ceremony at
the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship in Long Beach, California in
December 2006. In addition, the names of the five recipients will be
engraved on the ACE Awards plaque that is on permanent display in the AKC
Headquarters in New York City. Dogs receiving honorable mention will be
awarded an engraved bronze medallion. All entrants will receive an AKC ACE
Certificate of Recognition in acknowledgement of their nomination.
Anyone can nominate a dog.
The owner of the dog is permitted to submit the nomination for his/her own
dog. All submissions for The American Kennel Club Awards for Canine
Excellence for the year 2008 must include the following:
A non-returnable, clear, color photograph of the dog - no scans please.
A 500-word-or-less description of how the dog has demonstrated excellence.
Dog's call name, registered name if applicable, breed, age and sex.
Owner's/Nominator's name(s), address and phone number. E-mail address if
available.
Deadline for applications is June 30, 2008
Nomination Form - Submit all
information to: Ronald N. Rella - ACE Awards 2008, The American Kennel
Club, 260 Madison Avenue, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10016
2008.03.19
- American Kennel Club Seeks Entries From Across the Nation for the 9th
Annual Awards for Canine Excellence (Deadline 6/30/08)
Is Your Dog Among the Country's Bravest,
Boldest and Best Companions?
New York, NY - Is your canine the kind that always lifts your spirits when
you're feeling blue? Do you know a dog that helps the sick feel better?
Heard of a pooch who played a role in a dramatic rescue? If so, what
better way to pay tribute to a deserving dog than by nominating him for an
American Kennel Club Award for Canine Excellence (ACE)?
An American Kennel Club (AKC) ACE award is a
national honor, given to only five dogs each year who have performed an
exemplary act or series of acts, whether large or seemingly small, that
have significantly benefited a community or individual. One award is given
in the following five categories: law enforcement, search and rescue,
therapy, service, and exemplary companion dog. Honorable Mentions will be
awarded to outstanding entries in each category.
In addition to the prestige of being chosen from
hundreds of entries, each of the five honorees receives a cash award of
$1,000, an engraved sterling silver collar medallion and an
all-expenses-paid trip for dog and owner to Long Beach, Calif., to be
honored at the seventh annual AKC/Eukanuba National Championship in
December 2008. The engraved names of the five recipients will also be
added to the ACE plaque that is on permanent display in the AKC's Library
in New York City. Dogs receiving honorable mention will be awarded an
engraved bronze medallion. All entrants will receive an AKC ACE
Certificate of Recognition in acknowledgement of their nomination.
Anyone, including the dog owner or handler, may
submit a nomination. Submissions for the American Kennel Club Awards for
Canine Excellence for 2008 must include:
* A non-returnable, original photograph of the dog. Hi-resolution
electronic photos (300dpi and at least 5x7 inches or, 72dpi at least 20x30
inches) are permissible but not scans.
* A 500-word-or-less description of how the dog has demonstrated
excellence.
* Dog's call name, registered name if applicable, breed, age and sex.
* Owner/Nominator name(s), address, phone number. E-mail address if
available.
*Please note that to be considered, dogs must be an AKC recognized breed.
Nominations will be accepted until June 30, 2008 and
should be sent to: Ronald N. Rella: ACE Awards 2008, AKC 260 Madison
Av, 4th Floor, New York NY 10016
For more information about the AKC ACE awards, to
download a nomination form or to view last year's honorees visit
http://www.akc.org/news/ace/index.cfm
2008.01.22 - Futurity Committee
Needs Breeders' Help!
I am currently working on creating a Futurity competition for the BCSA and
am looking for both Breeders as well as non-Breeders in both Conformation
and Herding to help me in creating this exciting competition for our
breed! If you would be interested in just sharing your thought with me on
areas of this competition as I work on them,
please contact me directly and let me know! You will not be required
to do any work, just to answer my questions on certain areas where I would
like to have more input from the BCSA members. Thanks! ~
April Bruce, Futurity Chair
2008.01.14
- SOD & SOD-X AWARDS: Frequently Asked Questions about the SOD & SOD-X
Awards & USBCHA Trial Support (Posted till 3/31/08)
In the last few weeks, several
questions have been raised about BCSA’s Stockdog Of Distinction (SOD) and
SOD-Excellent awards; as well as on BCSA’s support of some
USBCHA-sanctioned open field trials. A few members have contacted the BCSA
board to express concern over or disagreement with these policies, and we
are aware that there has been recent conversation on some email discussion
lists about this topic.
Here we attempt to address some of
the concerns raised, and dispel some myths that are being propagated. If
you have other questions not addressed here, or would like to offer the
BCSA board your opinion on the subject, you can use the
BCSA Suggestion Box or email our
Corresponding
Secretary, Terri Clingerman, directly. The BCSA board always welcomes
membership input, and considers and replies to all correspondences.
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When was the Stockdog Of Distinction (SOD) Award
Developed?
This award was first proposed to the board in 2005, suggested by the
chair of our Herding Committee, Claudia Frank, as a way to recognize
dogs that have shown excellence in herding. The board approved the award
concept at their September, 2005 meeting. Denise Teal offered to chair
the project.
The following March, the description and wording were
ready for roll-out, but the award still needed a moniker. A description
of the award was posted on our website, and a BCSA_ANNOUNCE email sent
out requesting suggestions for a name. Megan Quigley’s suggestion of
Stockdog of Distinction was chosen, and in April 2006 another
BCSA_ANNOUNCE message was sent letting the membership know. The website
description of the award was finalized at that time, and still notes
that the award was approved in 2005.
When was the SOD-X Award developed?
After we had five winners of the SOD award, it seemed time to raise the
bar, and identify a higher level of the award to encourage people to
strive to greater achievements in competition. Late in 2007, Claudia
proposed that the SOD-X Award be added, and the board approved it in
January, with the defining feature that the winner earns even more
points at Open trials.
What is the purpose of the SOD and SOD-X Award?
Because one of BCSA’s primary missions is to preserve the working
heritage of our breed, the SOD award system is intended to highlight
excellence in this area. It is meant to inspire BCSA members get out and
compete in herding trials, which are a good metric to compare your
breeding stock with that developed by other breeders. For many
centuries, dog breeders have used shows and trials as a means for
evaluating breeding stock and sharing knowledge.
Why does the SOD award require placement in Open
classes at ISDS-style trials?
It was important that one component of the award be to require that a
dog is proven in the open field, versus only competing in arena trials.
The Border Collie is a highly developed working dog for this particular
purpose, and the skill and instinct required to control livestock in a
large area without the benefit of a fence line is very different from
working in a small farm arena. Though AKC offers such style of work in
the B course, AKC B courses are still relatively few and far between,
and very small in scale as compared to ISDS-style trials. So, they are
still not the best test of good Border Collie-style work. Thus, it was
felt that to declare a dog truly a “Stockdog of Distinction”, it must
prove its mettle in the traditional forum in which Border Collies have
been tested for more than 100 years, the ISDS-style trial.
Do the SOD and SOD-X awards require that
recipients compete in USBCHA trials?
No. There are many ISDS-style trials held around the country that are
not USBCHA sanctioned. The award did originally specify USBCHA
sanctioning, but when questioned by a member, the board changed it to
just describe open field work at an ISDS-style trial. That was the
original intent of the award, was to put focus on open field work,
versus arena work, since open field work is the primary purpose for
which our breed was developed. Whether a trial is sanctioned, and by
whom, is irrelevant to the intent of the award.
I’m concerned that BCSA is “promoting” USBCHA by
encouraging members to compete in ISDS-style trials, when some prominent
USBCHA members have expressed “anti-AKC” sentiments. Should BCSA be
supporting an organization that does not offer reciprocal support back
to us?
It is true that some USBCHA members are not supportive of our
organization and do not feel that we share the same goals. But we beg to
differ, we feel that the goals of both organizations are the same—to
preserve and protect our breed, and to inspire Border Collie breeders to
continue to develop excellence in the field, and sound, healthy,
well-constructed dogs. And, not all USBCHA members and competitors are
in disagreement with our club. So, it’s not fair to stigmatize an entire
organization’s membership based upon a few outspoken individuals, and
declare that we won’t cooperate with any of them.
I notice that BCSA sometimes gives money to
support USBCHA trials, such as the Kentucky Bluegrass and the National
Sheepdog Finals. Why do we give money to an organization that sometimes
speaks against AKC?
Our club has, for many years, felt it important to financially support
open field trials. We feel that their continued accessibility is
imperative in providing a forum for comparing breeding stock and
preserving our breed’s working ability. Our club gives several grants
each year to help fund AKC B course trials, and our board has always
been willing to consider other requests for funding of non-AKC trials as
well, if they feature open field work. It doesn’t matter who sanctions
the trial, or if it’s sanctioned by anybody at all. If the trial
features open field work, it is good for our breed and aligned with our
club’s mission to promote working heritage, so we would like to support
as many such trials as we can.
And, we feel it’s important to promote peaceful
relations amongst all Border Collie owners. Sometimes humble kindness is
the first step towards truce. And we feel it’s imperative to discourage
the us-and-them mentality, instead we should focus on our common goals
and love for the breed and its heritage. The organizers of trials who
have accepted our donations have always been gracious and appreciative
of the gift, and harbor no ill will towards BCSA. And it’s important to
note, BCSA has never given money directly to USBCHA, it has only offered
financial support of actual trials.
I notice that in 2007, BCSA donated money to the
newly founded Border Collie Health Foundation (BCHF) to sponsor Bill
Berhow in the USBCHA Finals. I’m concerned about funding a particular
person, and wonder why this decision was made.
BCSA has supported the National Sheepdog Finals for several years, again
because we feel it is a competition which is pivotal in the preservation
and continued development of our breed. With trial sponsorship, a free
catalog ad is awarded. This year, we felt it would be useful for the new
BCHF to benefit from the advertising, to raise awareness of their
budding organization, so we gave the sponsorship money to them to spend.
Their board chose to sponsor Bill Berhow, who is a
member of their board. It’s important to keep in mind that this money
isn’t “given” to Bill, it’s used to help fund the trial. A competitor
sponsorship means that the sponsor’s name is read each time the
competitor steps to the handler’s post. This was important to them, both
to have additional exposure to the BCHF’s name, as well as raise
awareness that Bill is involved with the BCHF, since he is a respected
member of the working dog community. It’s important to the BCHF’s future
success that they gain buy-in from all Border Collie fanciers, not just
those from one organization or another.
I’ve heard that USBCHA does not allow AKC approved
Herding Judges to preside over their sanctioned trials. Is this true?
No. USBCHA does not allow AKC approved Herding judges to preside over
their Finals competitions. But all other USBCHA-sanctioned trials have
no restriction, and some of our AKC judges are well-respected USBCHA
judges and frequently preside over non-AKC trials. We actually feel this
is very important, because the AKC Herding Program is still very new,
and relies heavily upon expertise brought by judges from other venues
that have been around much longer. So, we value judges who are approved
by more than one organization and the experience they bring.
If BCSA thinks that ISDS-style trials are the best
way to test a Border Collie’s working ability, why doesn’t BCSA just
offer these trials ourselves?
We would love to, and maybe someday we will achieve that goal. But,
right now, we are limited in resources—both financial and volunteer; and
we have many goals besides just this one. So, for now, the wide
availability of ISDS-style trials hosted by different local
organizations is the most practical way for us to encourage people to
test their dogs in a forum most geared towards Border Collie-style
herding.
I’ve heard that you have to be a USBCHA member to
compete in their trials, or that your dog must be ABCA-registered to
compete in USBCHA trials. Is this true?
No. For people attempting to qualify for the National Finals, they must
be USBCHA members to have their points tallied. But all other USBCHA and
other ISDS-style trials are open to any person and any breed of dog, and
the dog does not have to be registered with any organization at all.
It’s important to also remember that USBCHA and ABCA are two distinct
organizations, the former sanctions trials, and the latter is a
registry. The ABCA has been much more outspoken about AKC issues than
the USBCHA, which concerns itself mostly with the administration of
trial sanctioning and Finals qualification.
I’ve heard that BCSA members everywhere are “up in
arms” over the SOD award and our club’s assistance to USBCHA-sponsored
trials. What is the BCSA board doing about this?
Actually, though the SOD award was announced to the membership over two
years ago, January of 2008 was when we received our first feedback about
it from the membership. And, we have been sponsoring USBCHA trials since
2003, and have never gotten any negative comments about that either,
until now. All board decisions are recorded in the minutes, and
published to all members via Borderlines, our website and BCSA_ANNOUNCE.
So, membership could hardly claim lack of awareness of these programs or
decisions, and has had opportunity all this time to comment to the board
on them, but never has.
Since we are an AKC Parent
Club, is it a problem that we include non-AKC titles and achievements in
the SOD program? Is this allowed?
Actually, we’ve been recognizing achievements in non-AKC venues for
many years. Our Versatility Program recognizes titles from United Kennel
Club (obedience), USDAA (agility), NADAC (agility), North American Flyball Association, AHBA (herding),
ASCA (herding) and USBCHA. Many AKC parent clubs recognize achievements
outside of the bounds of AKC events and titles, for example, many of the
breeds that do “water work” have no AKC venue in which to display their
talents, so they ALL cite external programs for their performance
recognition awards. And, many of the “field” breeds highlight
accomplishments in other venues as well, even breeds where there may be
some political contention between AKC and the other venues. So, this is
not a new precedent for us, or other AKC Parent Clubs.
That said, comments are always
welcome, and though it’s not clear why this has suddenly become a cause
for concern after several years, we do seriously consider all input from
the membership. All members are encouraged to give feedback to the board
and to respectfully disagree with decisions made—that is what democracy is
all about!
Many of the day-to-day decisions we
make are on tough issues, subjective and controversial subjects where the
“right” answer isn’t always clear. We do our best to use our own personal
judgment in every vote we cast, and we often don’t agree even amongst
ourselves! And, we’re only human; sometimes we make mistakes and poor
decisions, or are lacking information at the time a decision is made. But
we do try to make corrections to the course when we feel we were off base,
and we work hard to be open to criticism. And, other times, members
complain to us, but once they hear our rationale and the “full story” they
reverse their stance and express agreement with the decision. It is hoped
that this FAQ will at leas clarify our reasoning, even if we don’t all
agree on every point.
As of January 11, 2008, the board
has received four comments expressing disagreement with the SOD award and
USBCHA trial sponsorship. This represents less than 1% of our membership
base; but we do take it seriously when people take the time to write to
us, because not everybody does. In fact, we often wish more of our members
would express opinions, so we know you care and are actively engaged in
driving the direction of our Parent Club! We will continue to monitor this
subject, discussion, and input related to it and will weigh it when future
decisions are made.
NEWS RELEASE: World-Famous Scientists Donate Services to The Rabies
Challenge Fund Charitable Trust.
http://www.rabieschallengefund.org/
2007-12-03 - Special
"Gazette" Deal from AKC
For those who don't need the "Events Calendar"
pages, one year of the Gazette magazine section is only $19.95. That's
$6.00 off the regular everyday price. To receive a year of both the
Gazette and the "Events" pages, the courtesy rate is just $25.95. That's
also a $6.00 saving.
To order, call the subscription center at 1-800-533-
7323 and mention the promo code "CLUB." Tell the operator if you prefer
just Gazette or the Gazette plus "Events Calendar". Club members who
already subscribe to the Gazette can also take advantage of this discount
by renewing now and extending their current subscription.
According to publisher John Woods, "over the past
year, the Gazette has been getting more and more positive feedback from
the fancy. Now I want to get the word out - if you haven't seen it in a
while, it's time to take another look at the AKC Gazette. Our award
winning team of writers and editors supply news, insights, and analysis
with a credibility that you don't always get with other dog media, print
or digital."
2007-11-04 - EIC Study
Amy Chandler is a graduate student
at the University of Tennessee who is interested in studying Exercise
Induced Collapse (EIC) in our breed. She would like people who have had
dogs collapse from this condition (which looks a lot like heat stroke, but
is theorized not to be) to fill out her brief survey to help guide her
research. Feel free to contact her with questions about the condition if
you'd like more information, you can e-mail Amy at
achandl2@mac.com or
achandl2@utk.edu. Mail your
completed survey to Amy Chandler-109 McCord 2640 Morgan Circle
Drive-Knoxville, TN 37996.
EIC Survey
.
Click for the free Adobe Reader needed to open PDF
files.
Thanks in advance for helping her
with her project, and hopefully helping us all learn more about the
incidence of this condition in our breed!
2007-06-18 - AKC Medallions for BBE Breed Championships and
Performance/Companion Dog Events Championships
Information on the
medallions can be found on the website under the Conformation FAQs at
http://www.akc.org/events/conformation/faqs.cfm under the second
question, "What is BBE?"
Beginning May 1, 1996, the
AKC began awarding special medallions to breeder-owners who place
championships on their dogs and to members of the fancy who have made a
long-term contribution to the sport of purebred dogs.
A medallion will be awarded
automatically to the breeder-owner of each dog that becomes a champion,
when all points were accumulated as a result of participation in the
Bred-by-Exhibitor class; and the breeder-owner of each dog that becomes a
field, amateur field, herding, lure coursing or obedience trial champion,
when all points were accumulated with the dog owned or co-owned by the
breeder of record. Only one medallion will be awarded for either a field
or amateur field championship, but not for both.
2007-06-05 -
AKC Introduces On-Line Record Keeping (Free,
Web-based Service Helps Breeders Manage Dog and Litter Records)
New York, NY - The American Kennel Club® is
pleased to announce that Online Record Keeping, a new service for breeders
of AKC® registered litters and dogs, is now available. Any breeder with a
My AKC account now has access to this free service, which provides a
centralized area to manage and maintain dog and litter records online.
"We are pleased to offer breeders of AKC
dogs this new complimentary online feature to help them manage their dog
and litter information," said David Roberts, Assistant Vice President of
Registration and Customer Service. "Breeders can access their personalized
breeding, ownership, and registration records from any computer with
internet access at any time. This service is only the beginning of a
variety of online features planned for the future."
With the new Online Record Keeping service,
breeders can record mating and birth information for litters and view
official AKC litter registration information including dog registration
status for all puppies in a litter. There is also a handy address book
function that gives breeders an easy place to store contact information
for co-owners and puppy buyers. And the AKC's secure, password protected
breeder record service keeps your information secure and private.
In addition to being able to record and
view information, breeders can also quickly print AKC Dog Ownership,
Breeding, and Litter records. If the breeder completes the necessary
fields in the record-keeping system, all of the information required for
AKC record-keeping rules and regulations will be pre-populated on these
forms.
This new service also allows a breeder to
record sale and ownership information for the puppies and to manage puppy
records by adding notes about breeding and whelping.
For those breeders that have already taken advantage of online dog
registration to record sale and new ownership information for their
puppies, this information has been moved to the Online Record Keeping
section of My AKC for easier access.
If you have an authenticated My AKC account
(or want to start one - just go to the home page on the upper right hand
box and start the quick process), maintaining your dog and litter records
online is just a click away.
Follow these easy steps to get started:
1. Login to your My AKC account.
2. Sign up for Online Record Keeping services from the main page.
3. Go to the My Dogs and Litters section.
4. Click Breeder Records to view, create and maintain breeder records,
view AKC litter and puppy registration information, and manage puppy
records.
For more information go to:
http://www.akc.org/services/breeder_records.cfm
2007-05 -
PURINA PARENT
CLUB PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM - The PPCP Program is an alliance
between Purina and National Parent Breed Clubs to help promote
canine health and well-being. The PPCP Program helps National
Parent Breed Clubs earn important funds for canine health
studies, education efforts and/or rescue through the
participation of its members in Purina® Pro Club®. Purina® Pro
Club®. BCSA club members who own/care for five or more
dogs, or breed one litter of puppies per year, and live in the
U.S., qualify for Pro Club® membership. To enroll, you may call
Purina toll-free at 1-877-PRO-CLUB, or visit their
website.
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