The Labrador Breed Council

Minutes of the general meeting of THE LABRADOR BREED COUNCIL Held in the board room of The Kennel Club, After the annual general meeting on Wednesday 27th April 2005.

The members present were as for the Annual General Meeting with Mrs M Brown in the chair:

1. To approve the minutes of the General Meeting of the Labrador Breed Council held after the Annual General Meeting on 27th April 2005. On the proposition of the Kent, Surrey & Sussex Labrador Club, seconded by Three Ridings Labrador Club these Minutes were taken as read and approved unanimously.

2. Matters Arising: West of England asked about the checklist for judge’s criteria, this was discussed later in the meeting.

3. Breed Council Liaison Council Representatives Report: Included with these minutes is a copy of this report.

4. Report on the Handling the Media seminar: Mr Allen gave a brief resume of his feelings after attending the seminar, and after some discussion it was proposed by Kent, Surrey & Sussex Labrador Club and seconded by Three Ridings Labrador Club and carried, that the Kennel Club be informed that it was the wish of the Breed Council that Mr Allen be the contact for anything involving Labradors concerning the Media.

5. To present the results of the vote on nominations for joining the Breed Council: The Chairman reminded the meeting that last year it was agreed that only applicant fulfilling the criteria for the A3 list would be considered. All clubs were asked to look carefully at each application coming before them. It was also highlighted that the responsibility lay with each individual club to be certain that the applicant had fulfilled the required criteria before submitting an application.

The outcome of the lengthy discussion was that: All clubs would be asked to look carefully at each application coming before them. The responsibility lies with each individual club to be certain that the applicant has fulfilled the required criteria before submitting an application.

Unfortunately, a number of applications were received where the minimum criteria had not been fulfilled and it was agreed these would be returned to the nominating Breed Clubs.

The question of whether applicants for our A3 Judging List fully understood the requirements of this list was again raised. A proposed sub committee to look solely at our criteria questionnaire was not supported by the majority of the breed clubs The meeting did support the suggestion that Anthony Allen, Margaret Brown and Frank Whitbread look at ways we could perhaps make it more "user friendly" This would include the checklist of the required criteria - It was hoped that this would be used as a reminder to each applicant that all the necessary requirements must be met before submitting their application.

Judging Lists starting 1st June 2006:

To A3 Breed Specialist list: Mrs J Woodall 12F – 1A votes approved Mrs J Walters. 9F – 4A votes approved Mrs C A P Whitfield 7F – 6A votes approved Mrs M Woods 3F – 4A votes not approved

To A3 Non-Breed Specialist list: Dr R W James 8F – 4A votes approved

6. Health Sub-Committee Report: Mrs Braddon gave a brief report on the meeting held earlier in the day, with Dr Sampson, a copy of the minutes are included.

7. Labrador Club of Scotland: Proposed that the Health Sub Committee appear as and agenda item. This was agreed

8. North West Labrador Club Wanted to know other breed clubs feelings on senior people in the breed condoning large-scale commercial breeders. After a short discussion it was decided that it was not an item to be discussed at the Breed Council.

9. Cotswold & Wyevern Labrador Club: 1. Proposed that the KC. be asked review their requirement that a breed specialist judge from overseas must qualify to judge at Championship level in their own country before they can judge a Breed Club Open Show in the U.K. (K.C. Rule F(1) 21 b(ii) )

This was not agreed It was discussed that the Kennel Club requirement was unlikely to be changed. It was further discussed that the Breed Council could amend its B list criteria so that judges resident overseas could apply to be included on the B list using experience gained overseas, as currently overseas judging appointments are not accepted as part of the qualifying criteria. As an amendment to achieve this change to the B list criteria for overseas judges was a later proposal under item 11-judging list, discussion was deferred until that point. 2. In the Judges Development Programme run by the National Gundog Association, on behalf of the Kennel Club, the pass mark is set at 50% and the credit mark is set at 75%. It is proposed that the pass mark should be increased to 66% and the credit should be set at 85%

Explanation To attend a JDP session the individual must award CCs in at least 3 breeds within the Gundog Group or have been approved to judge another group and previously awarded CCs in 2 breeds in the host group. A person with credit can be exempt from the Kennel Club requirement to be included on a Breed Council/Club B List in order to judge 5 breed classes or more in the case of Labradors. Furthermore with the level set at 50% for a pass, could mean that a person does not know the other 50%. We should be looking to maintain a high standard in the judges that are approved by this programme and not lowering the standards just to increase the number of people on the A3 and high list.

This was agreed There was concern expressed that the number of judges who had passed the National Gundog Assessment who did not meet the Breed Council criteria at this stage and could be passed to award CC's without any reference to the Breed Council regarding competency assessments. It was agreed that the minimum pass criteria for this seminar should be in line with the advanced breed specific seminar.

10. Kent, Surrey & Sussex Labrador Club: In the Judges Development Programme, run by the National Gundog Association, on behalf of the Kennel Club, the pass mark is set at 50% and the credit mark is set at 75%. It is proposed that the pass mark should be increased to 66% and the credit should be set at 85%. Item discussed as above

11. Yellow Labrador Club: 1. Assessment of Judges The Yellow Labrador Club proposed that where possible potential A3 list judges, are assessed when completing their breed club open show(s) as to their capability to potentially award challenge certificates.

It was proposed that: . These assessments follow the existing Kennel Club format currently being used for first time championship show judges but expand on the questionnaire. . That the relevant Breed Club Secretary's would approach no more that three qualified judges to submit assessments for the appointment. . These assessments should be forwarded to the Breed Council Secretary by the assessor(s). . The assessment will be used as part of the decision making process when Breed Clubs consider applications to either the A3 list or to award challenge certificates. . That the combined results of the assessments will only be presented. This will be in three categories: Pass, Fail or request further assessment. . Any CC qualified judge whose name appears on the Breed Council A1 list can be asked by the relevant Breed Club Secretary to submit to the Breed Council Secretary a completed assessment. - As this is an informal assessment assessors can enter exhibits at the relevant show but wherever possible this would be discouraged.

This was agreed TRLRC and EALRC commented that they already had assessment systems in place and agreed to forward their existing assessment forms. It was requested that newly qualified judges should not be assessors. It was recognized that this may not be possible at all breed club open shows but should be undertaken wherever possible. A small working group to be chaired by Margaret Brown would draw up the assessment criteria. Assessment criteria and system to be agreed and circulated by the end of 2006 for implementation in 2007.

2. Judging lists The Yellow Labrador Club proposed the following action plan to increase the number of judges on the B list and make the C list more accessible:

. Reduce the criteria for entry to the B list from 30 classes to: "Judges who have judged the breed for a minimum of four years, completed at least 20 breed classes from at least five appointments and to have judged a minimum of 100 dogs, with a proportion of venues being beyond the mean geographical area." This was not agreed Members felt that the current criteria was the minimum standard for entry on to the B list and should be retained as at present.

. To permit judges who are resident outside the UK to apply for inclusion on the B list to include completed judging appointments gained overseas as part of their qualifying experience. This was agreed On the suggestion of the BC Secretary it was agreed that Margaret Brown, Pat Gill, Frank Whitbred and Anthony Allen form a working group to develop criteria. That the list criteria be circulated to member clubs by the autumn. The proposal to be voted on and if agreed be implemented for submission to the 2007 judging lists.

. Annually amalgamate all existing Breed Club C lists and publish one central Breed Council C list. This was agreed. Concern however was raised that we currently do not have a common Breed Council C list. It was further noted that the LRCW had been asked to amend their C list criteria to reduce the entry criteria. It was therefore concluded that the working group remit should be extended to include drawing up the proposal for Breed Council C list criteria. . Conduct a full audit of all current listed judges to ascertain if they still wish to be included on the B list. This was agreed - Anthony Allen to organize

. Publicize both the B list and the C list by means of direct mailings to club secretaries and by the creation of a Breed Council website from which they can be downloaded. This was agreed. It was agreed that Anthony Allen and Fiona Braddon would produce a website to be published in the autumn.

. Consider giving judges the capability of publishing their judging CV on line to allow societies to consider judges experience in detail, especially the number of dogs they have judged. This was not agreed as Members felt that publishing CV's online could encourage self publication by some judges.

12. Roll of Honour List: It was agreed that Mrs M B Cairns be included.

13. Judges who awarded Challenge Certificates for the first time in 2005:

To A1 Breed Specialist List: Mr M J O'Donoghue Mr J Verrees

To A1 Non-Breed Specialist List: Mr J S Thirlwell. Mrs B Taylor

Unsuccessful: Mrs K Luomanen Mrs S Bell Mrs M Taylor Mrs P Razera-Brulin

14. Date and venue of next meeting: The Kennel Club. Thursday 19th April 2007

It was agreed that this should be held at the Kennel Club and left to the Secretary to liaise with Mrs Wetherall for a date. The Secretary agreed the agenda would be out for the 31st March 2007.

There being no further business the meeting closed at 5-05pm. Included in with minutes:- 1: Copy of delegates travelling expenses for 19th April 2006. 2: Copy of Kennel Club Breed Liaison Council Report. 3: Copy of Health Committee Minutes

Roll of Honour List to date:- Mr T Pryce-Beddows Mrs M B Cairns Mrs M H Clayton Mr A Greenhalgh Mrs E Greenhalgh Mrs D Johnson Mr A D Kelley Mrs M Kinsella Mrs E B Lamming Mrs M Y Pauling Mrs K Rowlands Mrs M Woolley

It was felt that the best place for the Roll of Honour List to be published was in Club Year Books.

Please note:- . All items for the agenda must be with the Secretary by the end of January 2007, Any names for the A judging lists with 15 copies of the properly filled in questionnaire . Also names to be included on the B list with their questionnaire. . Secretaries make sure that all names for Judging Lists have fulfilled all the criteria . Will all clubs please keep sending their up to date club information for distribution on Discover Dogs stand at Crufts to: Mr & Mrs J D Jackson, 24 Mount Pleasant, Emley, Huddersfield, West Yorks, HD8 9RY.