[ SHOWGSD-L ] Re: Our Future
- From: Zoa Rockenstein <zrockenstein@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: d_fritsche@xxxxxxxxxx, showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 20 Jul 2010 16:39:49 -0700 (PDT)
Thanks for taking the time to post this, Dave. I agree that this is a battle
that we must take seriously...and win.
Zoa
Dr. Zoa Rockenstein
www.riverrockshepherds.com
Home of: Ch. RiverRock's Hotel California (Callie), RiverRock's Straight From
The Heart (Sera),
RiverRock's Karlotta v. Kenlyn (Karla), and RiverRock's Heart of the Matter
(Luke)
________________________________
From: David Fritsche <d_fritsche@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Tue, July 20, 2010 3:29:40 PM
Subject: [ SHOWGSD-L ] Our Future
Someone recently stated on a discussion forum: (Paraphrase)
'We have serious problems in the GSDCA. My idea to overcome those problems
is to find the higher road by overlooking the petty infighting, and set our
vision on becoming what we were supposed to be for all of these years.... A
club that conscientiously represents the German Shepherd dog in every
possible
way, in all of its venues.'
I belong to several lists and discussion groups, so I read a lot and seldom
post, and when I do I seldom say anything serious or of import. But one of
the forums I am on is discussing the qualifications for our board of
directors and what our board should be doing for the club.
I think it is an excellent discussion, yet due to the nature of 'lists' I am
not at liberty to cross post or quote from one list to the others, but I can
certainly introduce the discussion and paraphrase.
We are coming up to election time and yes, there will be campaigning.
Inevitable! In my opinion, a good thing. In the opinion of many, a bad
thing. So be it.
I have been there, done my ad hoc analysis of our structures and
personalities, and would like to share some ideas that I think are important
to our future. Agree or disagree - it is OK. I will change my mind on some
by tomorrow anyway.
1. The function of the Board of GSDCA
I served on a board that was primarily agreeable, though not all agreed on
any one issue. We got along and there was, in general, a good show of mutual
respect. So I cannot fault the personalities or any one individual for any
shortcomings. What I would fault it the assumed function that we proceeded
on.
For the most part, the entire board function was consumed with the review of
committee reports. In the end, there was little time to consider other than
a brief history of our committees and no time to think of the future of any
one item, let alone the big picture of the club, the breed and the future.
Recommendations:
A. That we require committee reports further in advance of the meeting
and that if there is no action required, that the report not be read or
discussed. Further, some restructuring of committees might reduce the number
and make things more effective and efficient.
B. That the board set aside time, preferably first off, but at some
point, where time constrains to do encroach on it, to consider major issues
facing us and time to plan for our future. There is no 'Future Committee" so
this is the task of the entire board. It is far more important than anything
else we do, for unless we handle some pressing issues and chart a course
against the trends of the AKC Show dog in general, we are in danger of
extinction. The free fall of registrations we face, I believe, will find its
'bell curve' bottom, but for those clubs who do not adjust to it and plan
beyond it, there will be major consequences.
2. The form of the Board of the GSDCA
Not everyone will agree, and there are good arguments on both sides of this
one, but I think the board is too large and cumbersome. In order to
accommodate all members, a great deal of time is consumed with no greater
information or opinions presented. We have assimilated a almost 100 year
history of form and function and in our fast paced world of multiple issues,
instant communications and demanding, better informed constituents, it would
serve us better to rethink our structure.
Recommendations:
A. A nine member board, not necessarily one from each region, but
possibly one assigned to communicate with the regional clubs of that
assigned region.
B. The use of electronic meetings for more frequent meetings without
increased costs. Some issues should not wait three months for direction.
3. The representation on our Board of the GSDCA
We started as a gentlemen's and ladies society of conformation dogs. We
still are. While this is the forum that I personally enjoy, our GSD world
has changed and the working dog sports are growing while conformation is
decreasing. We have the option, right now, to adjust to being a conformation
only club of smaller proportions or of reading the handwriting on the wall
and attempting to work to better embrace what is happening.
There is tension between the GSDCA-WDA and the GSDCA. Having been on the
board through some of that time, I had to search to find out what the
problem is. It is not something that has a dominate issue in the GSDCA
board, in my opinion. We are hardly aware of it. But out there in the
GSDCA-WDA, the feeling is far more dominate and the tensions are far more
serious.
There are several reasons for this. The UScA has taken an active swipe at us
and AKC, becoming over the past several years a German Shepherd only club
and becoming a registry. They would love to replace AKC and the GSDCA in the
German Shepherd world. I do not see a merger any time soon (sarcasm
intended), but by recently restricting their people to their registry and
their approved judges, they are declaring war on the GSDCA-WDA and the
GSDCA.
This brings us to two options - let them continue to grow and eat up the
GSDCA-WDA, in affect divorcing ourselves from the working dog world, - or -
compete!
Recommendations:
A. Restate to the German Shepherd Dog world our intent to represent the
German Shepherd Dog in all of its activities and abilities.
B. Include on our board, representatives of all of the growing venues of
competition of our great breed, not just as a committee, a spokesperson from
a daughter event or club, but as fully included voices for our breed.
* OK, I just struck a match and created a fire storm. But listen,
conformation (my personal love) and all the other competitive venues are
headed in different direction. They (working dog sports, agility, herding,
etc.) are growing and our breed is being refocused. We either accept it and
embrace it or by inaction, become the focus of tensions and loose the
breadth of our breed.
C. WDA Relationships
The GSDCA-WDA is doing a good thing under terrible pressure from the working
dog world. They are reacting to the GSDCA as though we are the enemy. For
some of their leading personalities, we are that, but that doesn't have to
be. With the relaxing of the AKC restriction on the working dog sports, we
have a window of opportunity to make our mutual breed specific activities
work in concert. Frankly, I would love to see us merge in some way to
accommodate more activities at our regional shows under one umbrella. While
that may not be immediately possible, I would love to see committed steps
taken to see that we are one in heart for one breed and not in tensions over
what is, in fact, one breed. Let's make the breed first and the politics
subordinate to what is best for the breed.
Recommendations:
Recognize the challenge from UScA to be the sole representative of the
German Shepherd in both world recognition and in regional competition and
compete. Let's help the GSDCA-WDA solve their internal issues and win this
battle.
I have more to say, but this is too long for our list forums.
Dave
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POST is Copyrighted 2010. All material remains the property of the original
author and of GSD Communication, Inc. NO REPRODUCTIONS or FORWARDS of any kind
are permitted without prior permission of the original author AND of the
Showgsd-l Management. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
ALL PERSONS ARE ON NOTICE THAT THE FORWARDING, REPRODUCTION OR USE IN ANY
MANNER OF ANY MATERIAL WHICH APPEARS ON SHOWGSD-L WITHOUT THE EXPRESS
PERMISSION OF ALL PARTIES TO THE POST AND THE LIST MANAGEMENT IS EXPRESSLY
FORBIDDEN, AND IS A VIOLATION OF LAW. VIOLATORS OF THIS PROHIBITION WILL BE
PROSECUTED.
For assistance, please contact the List Management at admin@xxxxxxxxxxx
VISIT OUR WEBSITE - http://showgsd.org
NATIONAL BLOG - http://gsdnational.blogspot.com/
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