The AKC approved the BCSA to hold licensed trials. We are currently waiting for word that the specialty events will be licensed.
BOARD DECISIONS:
o Susan Witte is doing the logo design for the specialty.
o Border Collie Rescue Organization (BCRO) has been added to the AKC web page as the BCSA?s designated rescue group, with a link to their home page.
o Dr Robert Tainsh has agreed to chair the health committee. He has also agreed to serve as our delegate to the AKC Health conference, this year in St. Louis in November. Nancy Keller, Kathy Freeman, and Maureen Setter will be on the committee.
Charge for the Health Committee:
- Review current health concerns of the breed and report to the
membership.
- Conduct a health survey (AKC version or some other version).
- Establish procedures and review protocols/proposals for support
of health related projects/research.
The goals of the committee should be:
- The study of all health issues that affect the Border Collie.
High priority should go to genetic problems that are more likely to affect
the breed than other conditions,
particularly those that are severe or lethal. Breeders should have
access to information how the condition might be inherited, and what they
should do if such roblems show up in their own lines.
- Open registry of genetic defects. We should have a registry
available to breeders so they can publicly report problems that have occurred
in their lines so that other breeders will know these problems exist. BCSA
should promote the attitude among breeders that participation in the open
registry program is necessary and desirable for the long-term welfare of
the breed. If possible genetic counseling should be available.
- We need to set up lists of dogs with genetic defects
similar to the one the Border Collie Club of New South Wales has for CL.
Sires and dams of affected dogs should be published; known carriers need
to be designated as such. The mode of inheritance for each problem needs
to be carefully detailed so that it can be easily understood.
- The committee needs to establish parameters for its own goals,
methodology, and ethics.
o Richard Whorton and Sharon Ferguson are working on the project for keeping the AKC stud books open for a longer period of time.
o The BCSA will sponsor a show for a "supported entry" in years when
there is no National Specialty planned and hold our annual meeting there
for that year. Any show choosen must have at least two and preferably
three activities (ie, conformation, obedience and agility) to be eligible
for consideration. If herding is not offered, we will also consider
sponsoring a herding trial at a separate location. The choice of
show/trial to support will be made from applications submitted by local
Border Collie groups, with preference being given to BCSA affiliates.
o Richard Whorton has revised the membership application to include more information on new members, such as how many dogs they have, how long they have had Border Collies, and what they do with their dogs. Ronni DeLay will keep a database of this information.
o The following committee charges have been developed:
1. Judges Education - conduct breed judge education seminars,
develop educational materials that illustrate correct evaluation of BC
conformation (video, photo, booklets, etc.).
2. Standard Committee - Revise the breed standard, present standard
to the members for approval and work with the AKC for approval of the standard.
Work with the judges education committee to implement the standard.
3. Herding committee - foster and promote BC herding activities,
develop BC herding instinct test for the BCSA, provide means for evaluating
herding instinct (approve evaluators, certify dogs by video).
4. Health committee - see above. The Health committee could
coordinate its activities with the education committee to develop ways
to get information to our membership, the BC community and the general
public.
5. Education/public education committee - develop literature
and education programs that help the public understand what a Border Collie
is, what it means to own a BC and promote BC rescue. Work with outside
organizations to provide information on Border Collies, the BCSA, and the
AKC (books, pamphlets etc). It would be nice to have a breeders guide,
buyers guide and puppy owners guide.
6. Stud Book - work to keep the stud books open, work to increase
the number of Border Collies registered with the AKC.
7. Affiliate committee - work with local groups to get affiliates
organized, consider requests from affiliates for sponsorship of local events,
act as a liason between the BCSA and local clubs.
8. Ethics committee.
SPECIALTY:
o Specialty t-shirt sales - Mary Whorton has agreed to handle this.
o We had originally planed to have mugs with are logo as gifts for those attending the banquet. Kim has decided (with support from the Board) that we should not do this because: 1. They want camera ready art or they will charge us a artist fee and they refuse to accept any type of copies of our original. 2. If people bail out, we will be stuck with a bill for these mugs.
o Committee chairs will receive the following as thank you gifts:
1. Free Registration
2. Paid Banquet
3. Free T-shirt
4. Certificate of Thank You presented at the Banquet
5. Paid lunch the day(s) of their event(s)
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
o Richard said we need a Education committee with a public education person that we can identify to the AKC.
o Richard Whorton suggested the possibility of having two levels of membership. To become a full member, people would be required to volunteer in some capacity for the club. Ronni thought this would require us to change our bylaws, and might be a problem with the AKC.
o The title for conformation Champion with a herding title will be determined by the herding committee.
o Richard suggested that the education committee should put together some information for the AKC to distribute when they send people their registrations.
o Helen Phillips suggested that we develop a herding standard for the breed, including various such as temperament and trainability, working style, etc.
CORRESPONDENCE
Letter from the AKC:
AKC SUPPORTS EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES
New York, New York -- July 9, 1997 -- The Board or Directors of The
American Kennel Club supports quality educational activities. It is the
intention of the Board to include and not exclude any AKC affiliated organization
in this endeavor. Therefore, the American Kennel Club encourages
any national/regional AKC affiliated organization that wishes to provide
significant educational programs to submit an application for assistance.
All applications should be sent to the President
of The American Kennel Club.
NEW MEMBERS
13 new member packets were sent out.
Respectfully submitted
April Quist
8/1/97