Views From A Delegate Continued FROM page 62
Best Junior Handler, the second place winner from the class that the Junior was awarded Best Junior Handler is to return to the ring to compete for Reserve Best Junior Handler with the remaining Junior Handlers who place first in each of the regular Junior Showmanship Classes. This is the way that the Winners and Reserve Winners are selected at confirmation shows. The committee discussed this and decided to keep the amendment as presented by the committee to judge the Reserve Best Junior the same way that Best in Show is judged. That decision to retain as is will be sent back to the staff with that recommendation. At the Forum in the afternoon Carmen Battaglia PHD presented a wonderful Powerpoint on Juniors before 2000. In 1929 a juniors’ Program was started to introduce new generations to the sport of dogs, which gave the Junior an opportunity to measure his/her skills. That was followed in 1931 by the Children’s Handling Class. A survey was completed by 1351 juniors. In that survey 78% started in novice class. Of that number 86% remained in Juniors. Girls consisted of 85% while Boys made up the remaining 15% of the entries. Why Juniors became involved in Juniors 47% the Juniors stated they did it when they saw others do it. Family members were a great support for 50.04 of the Juniors with not necessarily the parents giving the support but a friend or grandparents. Of these children that participated in the Juniors Program 37% of them completed a 4-year college degree….while 23% completed their GED or graduated from High School. Of these Juniors 75% became dog breeders or exhibitors with 41% exhibiting in obedience and 90% in breed. Of this number 44% finished 334 dogs and 45% bred 249 dogs. If you wish to view the Powerpoint please go to breedingbetterdogs.com/ article.
66 Dog News
JUNE DELEGATE MEETING
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t the coordinating committee meeting after the Forum Dr. Garvin stated that the judge’s approval improvement project will be presented to the Board at the June meeting being held after the Delegate meeting. Dennis Sprung stated that the December AKC Invitational will go on in Orlando in December and most likely it will also be held there in 2015. Dennis has met with Proctor and Gamble and Mars and those talks are going well. Three executive field representatives were hired in 2013. Entries have been flat the last 5 months with all breed shows down 3%. Companion event entries have grown with agility up 2.8%. Obedience was down 1% with rally down 7.5% and tracking down 6%. Doug Lungren stated that the new rally/ obedience manual is being worked on. At the Delegate Meeting the following day Chris Walker/VP-Marketing and Communications presented, in his wonderful accent, a Powerpoint which stated that 73% of the public use social media. There is an AKC Facebook page that people can visit and like. Social media is a great way to get your club and your breed out to the public. Chris’s department is asking those who need help with any of the social media to contact him or his office and they are very willing to help. Dennis Sprung presented a wonderful tribute to Dr. Bill Newman (Mr. Mastiff) and the many contributions he has given to the success of the AKC and the dog fancy. Alan Kalter presented his Chairman’s report that stated we already have begun to get a fan base with Facebook. HSUS is at 1.6% and ASPCA is at 4%. The AKC’s rate is an astounding 30%. The actual number of true fans is 535,000-higher than any of those he mentioned by a multiple. In fact, AKC has 16 times more true fans than HSUS. Peter Farnsworth, CFO, gave the state of the finances for AKC from January to April, 2014. The financials are not as good as last year. There was a decline in litter registrations of a $1 million decrease
while dog registrations are aligned with the first four months of 2013. As of April there is a 0% drop in dog registrations. There is $108 million in investments on the balance sheet with $70 million in pension and $14 million ear marked for future use. Doug Lundgren stated that the AKC is celebrating the 20th year of AKC Agility. Agility started at Crufts in 1978 with the KC of England adopting it in 1980. In 1986 the USDAA was started. In 1993 there was the beginning of the AKC Advisory committee on Agility. In 1994 the first AKC Agility Trial with one class with three levels of difficulty was held in Houston, TX. In 1996 the first National Agility championship was held in Tulsa, OK. And in the same year we sent the first AKC team to the World Agility Trials. There have also been added three additional classes with the preferred class to accommodate all breeds and handlers. In 1999 the MACH title was introduced. There are now 9 agility organizations in the USA. This is the 2nd sport to exceed 11 million entries in a year. There were 1650 dogs competing in the Agility National Championship in PA. Bob McKowen was the person who organized and conducted the first AKC Agility Event in August 1994. Bob McKowen is still alive and a Delegate. A plaque was given to Bob at the meeting to honor and recognize him for all of his contribution to the sport of agility. He received a standing ovation. It was a good meeting with my only disappointment the defeat of the proposal to allow more professions into the Delegate Body. Clubs should have the opportunity to nominate any of their membership as a Delegate regardless of what profession he or she is involved. Maybe in a future time the Delegate body will allow one or some of these professions and that will follow in the steps of the first woman allowed to be seated as a Delegate. Then and only then will we be inclusive instead of exclusive.