AKC At It Again

[Buckshot101]

I would bet Steve Fielder has everything to do with why AKC will accpet judges from UKC and PKC coonhound events.

AKC burned bridges with coon hunters years ago. They are still trying to build a new program. That is one of the reasons they offered free coonhound registration during all of 2005. They needed to intice coon hunters to come back aboard.

AKC's coon hunting division is to small to not accept UKC and PKC coonhound event judges. If they did, then the AKC coonhound division would sink fast as they are the little man compared to both UKC and PKC in coonhound events.

This could effect ACHA - American Coon Hunters Association (which had a falling out with AKC) and NKC coonhound events.

It is another way for AKC to try and corner the market. They are making judges choose sides.

LOL, if they made UKC or PKC judges choose sides, AKC knows they would be without judges.

[Bev]

Drew, kinda off-topic, but are you coming to Autumn Oaks this summer?

[Buckshot101]

Bev, probably not. Oaks is usually the same weekend as the Coon Dog Cemetery Celebration.

I am gonna try to make the ACHA Nationals in IN and the UKC World in TN.

You know how it is, with a family with young kids and busy schedules, it is difficult to make alot of out of town trips throughout the year.

[CHAD_PLUNKETT]

I havent been happy with AKC for a while now. Each day I get closer to not registering my dogs with them.

Well this is one AKC judge that decides to go with the ARHA and UKC!!!!!!!!!!

[houndsound]

UKC is the only registry I use. They do a nice job with their papers for a reasonable price and have proved to be pro hunting and seem to be more interested in pleasing the customer then AKC. I've bought two dogs in the last few years that had AKC papers, I threw them away and UKC'd them. For now AKC papers are better for selling beagle puppies, but I think in the next 5-10 years that will change and be more like it is with coon hounds.

AKC is a good registry, just not for me.

dk

[Aaron Bartlett]

This clears things up a little.



Albert Fulton wrote:
Steve it may be that I do not understand. Are you saying that AKC judges will be able to judge UKC beagle events ? I do not hold a card in either but I would like to see qualified people be able to do both.


Albert, the policy only affects people like me that work for registries. It doesn't affect anyone else. For instance, there are folks that work at competing registries that have been judging AKC events. The board felt that presented a conflict of interest.

It does not affect anyone that wants to go out and take the necessary steps to become a judge with AKC. They can be judges in any other organization and it doesn't matter. Unless you work for a registry, you won't be affected.


I work for AKC. I can't judge AKC events. If other registries want to adopt similar policies, I won't be able to judge for them either. Simple.

Todd Kellam works for UKC. He can't judge AKC events.

Joe Dokes does not work for any registry. As long as he passes the requirements, he can judge for as many registries as he pleases.

That's about as plainly as I know how to explain it to you.
_________________
AKC Coonhound Events
Fun!
Feasible!
Fair!

[Buckshot101]

I read Steve's reply but his reply doesn't jive with what AKC's release says.

The release is stating different aspects of being a judge.

The press release mentions 2 different things concerning AKC judge.

The first one states:

No AKC judge may have a significant interest in a dog registry or dog event-giving organization deemed by the AKC Board to be in competition with the American Kennel Club. Significant interest would include, but not be limited to ownership of, employment by, a directorship in, and holding office in.

The second one states:

Any AKC-approved judge, who shall judge a purebred dog event in the U.S. not in accordance with the rules of AKC, which apply to such purebred dog events without the express permission of the AKC, may be disciplined even to the extent of having his or her AKC judging approval revoked.

An AKC-approved judge may judge breeds that are not AKC registrable and/or that they have not been approved for by AKC at non-AKC events. The AKC Board has also given permission for the judging of certain other events based upon the following criteria:

1. AKC has no comparable events in place.
2. While AKC has a program in place, AKC judges have officiated at events under the aegis of the other organization for years before the AKC program was initiated.
3. The type of event is not or would not be perceived as being contrary to the best interest of AKC and the sport of purebred dogs.
4. The event is a breed or type of breed-specific performance activity

It then list the events held by the following organizations meet the above criteria.

Events held by the following organizations meet the above criteria, and AKC-approved judges may continue to judge them:

* American Sighthound Field Association Coursing Events
* American Working Terrier Association Earthdog Events
* American Herding Breed Association Events
* North American Versatility Dog Association Pointing Breed Hunting Tests
* American Field Pointing Breed Field Trials
* United Kennel Club Coonhound Events
* Professional Kennel Club Coonhound Events
* Any of the various organizations sponsoring Agility Trials

It does not mention ACHA or NKC coonhound events.

Any AKC-approved judge, who shall judge a purebred dog event in the U.S.
not in accordance with the rules of AKC, which apply to such purebred
dog events without the express permission of the AKC, may be disciplined
even to the extent of having his or her AKC judging approval revoked.

What part of this talks about employees?????

[warddog]

I think the very first sentence, "No AKC judge may have a significant interest in a dog registry or dog event-giving organization", is where the employee comes into effect. An interest in the registry would mean that a person has a right, title or legal share of that registry. I work for the USDA and these eithics and conduct things are a never ending battle especially when it comes to having an appearance that their could be a conflict of interest. As USDA food inspectors we are not allowed to buy, sell products or even have relationships with the industry and even it's employees that we regulate. The appearance of a conflict can arise from many different perspectives and can come from many different avenues and so the agency has strict rules on many things that MAY have an impact on our impartial judgement. I think the bottom line is folks not being even allowed to put themselves in a comprimising situation whether intentional or not. An employee does have an interest in the organization as that is where they put the meat on their families table and thus could play a role in some sort of inpropriety to butter more bread. I have no connection to any registry but that I only register my dogs with them so I have no idea of the politics of such. I'm merely trying to explain how I see what has been explained. An average non-registry employed person judging trials would NOT work for or hold any specific interest in any registry where they themselves could have any impact on policy that could have a financial bearing on that or any other registry and in my opinion would not be in a conflict of interest situation. Just my take on this.

[TOUCHSTONE]

UKC is growing from every angle. They are the largest performance dog registry and promote the total dog view. For many years the AKC program broke down the beagle breed by seperating show dogs from hunt dogs. Today you would be hard pressed to find a top quallity show dog that could be competitive in the hunt or the other way around. Now that the family oriented and fair all-breed shows are growing at a rappid rate and the hunts are growing at a rapid rate AKC will attempt to hinder this growth. They might as well be standing at the bottom of Niagara Falls with a Dixie cup trying to throw the water back over top. UKC will continue to promote form and function in the beagle breed. Nothing AKC does will stop the effort to see the beagle breed reach its full potential. It is unfortunate to the individuals who will have to decide which side of the fence is more beneficial to our breed and the SPORT of pure-bred dogs. This AKC policy is only a beginning. They have made it clear that they are a buisness driven by the allmighty dollar. Hope those who must make a decision on where they stand consider the future of pure-bred dogs. If so the policy will backfire and AKC will likely change its stand. Dan M

[Aaron Bartlett]

I think the very first sentence, "No AKC judge may have a significant interest in a dog registry or dog event-giving organization", is where the employee comes into effect.

Although the whole thing is pretty fuzzy to me, I will agree with Warddog. I dont know why these lawyers that write these things can write them in English so us common folk can understand them.
I sent AKC a email directly asking them to explain the policy. I will be interested to see what I get back from them.
If the intent of this policy is to make judges choose sides I think its a big mistake. I hope what Steve posted is the extent of the whole thing.

[Bev]

Most policies are intentionally written open-ended to allow the entity an "out", or a "reinterpretation" depending on the kind of feedback they get.

[warddog]

Bev, is absolutely right as even the Code of Federal Regulations (the law)has a lot of grey areas which are open to interpretation. The reasoning behind it IS so that one shoe don't fit all. Take the Federal Code for Ethics of the Executive Branch for instance and what you see happening in congress would get me and any other employee at the bottom of the food chain terminated for even thinking of such things let alone do them. Yes, just the mear thought of sharing a cigar in a Federal office with a plant employee would have gotten me bounced out right quickly although I really see no harm, no foul in it but my wife's perception was quite different than mine.

[blunder]

here is the latest Copied from another list

Following, please find an AKC press release about a new Judging Conflict
of Interest Policy. Regards,
AKC Communications
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: May 12, 2006

AKC ADOPTS JUDGING CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY
New York, NY - The American Kennel Club(r) Board of Directors has
adopted a new Judging Conflict of Interest Policy, effective January 1,
2007. AKC(r) believes that it has the best judges in the world and
expends millions of dollars a year to administer its judging approval
system to ensure that quality remains high.

"AKC judging approval confers a certain status on an individual and with
such status comes an enormous responsibility to both AKC and the Sport
as governed by AKC," said President and CEO Dennis B. Sprung.
The policy states, with some notable exceptions, that AKC approved
judges should be focused on judging and supporting AKC events. Approved
judges should not have a significant interest in another registry that
is in direct conflict with AKC or be judging for another event-giving
organization to the possible detriment of events held by AKC member and
licensed clubs.
The complete policy is as follows:
JUDGING CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY

No AKC judge may have a significant interest in a dog registry or dog
event-giving organization deemed by the AKC Board to be in competition
with the American Kennel Club. Significant interest would include, but
not be limited to ownership of, employment by, a directorship in, and
holding office in.

Any AKC-approved judge, who shall judge a purebred dog event in the U.S.
not in accordance with the rules of AKC, which apply to such purebred
dog events without the express permission of the AKC, may be disciplined
even to the extent of having his or her AKC judging approval revoked.

An AKC-approved judge may judge breeds that are not AKC registrable
and/or that they have not been approved for by AKC at non-AKC events.
The AKC Board has also given permission for the judging of certain other
events based upon the following criteria:

1. AKC has no comparable events in place.

2. While AKC has a program in place, AKC judges have officiated
at events under the aegis of the other organization for years before the
AKC program was initiated.

3. The type of event is not or would not be perceived as being
contrary to the best interest of AKC and the sport of purebred dogs.

4. The event is a breed or type of breed-specific performance
activity.

No AKC approval is needed to judge versatility or performance activities
developed by AKC Parent Clubs and sponsored by such clubs.

Events held by the following organizations meet the above criteria, and
AKC-approved judges may continue to judge them:

* American Sighthound Field Association Coursing Events

* American Working Terrier Association Earthdog Events

* American Herding Breed Association Events

* North American Versatility Dog Association Pointing Breed
Hunting Tests

* American Field Pointing Breed Field Trials

* United Kennel Club Coonhound Events

* Professional Kennel Club Coonhound Events

* Any of the various organizations sponsoring Agility Trials

Other activities may be added to this list at the discretion of the AKC
Board.

Jim Crowley sent that out as an e-mail to a lot of us. and to other mesage boards.
Jim use to be an AKC performance event rep, and now is an AKC Delagate.
There are still a lot of unanswered questions that will take some time to sort out, but it sure looks like someone got a burr under their sadle.
Might be time for a new BOD at AKC.

tom

[buckridge]

AKC is thinking about starting to reg. mixed breed dogs....yes their reg. is down, so in order to help their bottom line, it has been talked about ... we may have our first beagapoodle in the near future reg. with AKC

[mybeagles]

Im afraid too many of us just need something to complain about. You can count on 1 hand the amount of us on here that judge AKC trials. Of the few that do, how many plan on holding a prominant position with one of the other registries? Dont get me wrong, the new "rules" seem repulsive but I think they were directed at such a small group the rest of us wont be effected.
As someone that has judged in the different registries, I am going to sleep fine doing what Ive done in the past......If someone tells me I cant judge for AKC anymore..........good luck to them finding someone who can. Until that time I will enjoy my dogs, compete or judge in a trial when its convienient, and let AKC worry about how they can squeeze an extra dollar or two out of me