MUSINGS ON WESTMINSTER DOG SHOW | TheDogPress.com http://www.thedogpress.com/musings-on-Westminster-Dog-Sh... Search TheDogPress TheDogPlace April 10, 2015 HEADlines Unaligned News For The Dog Show Fancy Columns by Dog Club News Dog Food Section Side Effects Dog Show Events Advertising Top Dog Writers Breed, KC, Registry Recalls & Ratings on the Dog Fancy and ShowShots Rates Musings On Westminster Handy Links To Dog Show Dog Club Registries Am. Dog Breeders Assoc American Kennel Club The Westminster Kennel Club crowning of Am. Rare Breed Assoc. Australian National KC “America’s Dog” in a shameless mockery of Canadian Kennel Club The Japan Kennel Club impartial judging by a sexist dog club is Kennel Club (England) National Canine Assoc. disturbing. United Kennel Club April 2015 | TheDogPress.com Lisa Dube Forman, Guest Columnist You could go to AKC.org to If you read the dog show periodicals or engage in social media then you read Board Minutes and the are aware that, currently, our dog society’s disposition can best be AKC Chairman's report but we described as noxious and jaded. Having exchanged views with many make it easy to find AKC Board long serving hobbyists, these adjectives reasonably summarize the dog Reports as far back as 2005 for Insiders; 3 clicks and you're community’s pervading mood of and for anything pertaining to the there, 4Compiled Board American Kennel Club. Minutes & Chairman's Report There appears to be no end to the negative commentary on our passionate pursuits, such as the judging approval process, quality of judge's selections and disproportionate group competition. They include matters like the point system and the all-out Gets you to otherwise crazed race for the Top Ten; the AKC Board of Directors reputation; a inaccessible information noted lack of enforcement against violators and wrongdoers, and what "be in the know" seems to be the exceedingly questionable future of the sport. It is small wonder that enthusiasts and hobbyists are protesting vociferously these days but they would object even more if they were to realize an important fact about the WKC. 1 of 4 4/10/15, 7:13 AM MUSINGS ON WESTMINSTER DOG SHOW | TheDogPress.com http://www.thedogpress.com/musings-on-Westminster-Dog-Sh... This august Westminster Kennel Club Board or Show Committee does not include women. Females are not allowed to be members of what the WKC calls “America’s Dog Show.” How ironic that this revered institution claims such lofty, patriotic status while simultaneously denying our sport’s gender majority — women — membership in their club. Profound statistics from the 2002 Delegates Meeting Minutes reveal that 75 percent of AKC breeders and 72 percent of puppy buyers are women. Long ago, the American Kennel Club established that breeders, ergo women, are the backbone of the sport, but women are not welcome as members of several kennel clubs — only their hard earned cash. In fact, Westminster Kennel Club is not the only kennel club in the United States that does not allow women members. The 2005 Delegate Meeting Minutes revealed there were 10 AKC member clubs that do not permit female membership. How can such an affront towards women, our sport’s nucleus group, Smokey Valley Kennel London Fog (Son of Sh. Shepherd continue unchallenged? How has the media missed the fact that such Legend) World Famous French sexist organizations are celebrated annually? Bulldogs/Mini. Aust. Shepherds 2012F WKC professes to crown “America’s Dog” just so long as American women who comprise 50.8 percent of the population “know their place.” The Westminster Kennel Club is a gilded cage enclosing their male membership within the comfortable confines of antiquated conventions. Purposefully an Old Boys Club, they celebrate and preserve their gender bias practices. Insofar as women, well, women are only necessary and welcome when the club needs exhibitor participation. Got a Nose For News? Send your report - if published you Each time I watch this celebrated dog show my mind returns to the win a $100.00 certificate good on TheDogPress or ‘behind the scenes’ sex inequality. Unfairness or bias does not appear to TheDogPlace and you are be limited to the organization’s constituency roll. A particular incident automatically qualified for the took place during WKC breed judging that reinforces the dog show News Report/Journalists Award community’s prevailing, cynical state of mind. No wonder fanciers are $300.00 CASH to the winner of disgusted, throwing their hands up in exasperation. Do they believe no TheDogPress.com 2014 News one notices actions of impropriety? Report / Journalists Award Click to Submit Your Report The ethical transgression transpired when a Judge presided over a Best of Breed assignment that included a dog this judge had very recently used at stud. The litter sired by this entry reportedly was whelped already. Destroying any sense of impartiality, the judge proceeded to award that stud dog Best of Breed over the competition. Even more, the 2 of 4 4/10/15, 7:13 AM MUSINGS ON WESTMINSTER DOG SHOW | TheDogPress.com http://www.thedogpress.com/musings-on-Westminster-Dog-Sh... judge then awarded Select Dog to yet another dog they previously used at stud! The basis of sportsmanlike competition is to adjudicate with Science & neutrality, ethics, honesty, and common sense. Instead, this incident Advisory Board exposes a lack of common decency and disregard for the Rules, Policies and Guidelines for dog show judges. (SAAB) The responsibility for entering dogs that are ineligible or could create a conflict of interest lies with the exhibitors, so says the AKC Rules & ~ Who We Are ~ Policies Handbook for Conformation Judges. In fact, the Handbook states that awards won may be canceled, and exhibitors with repeat violations may receive reprimands or fines. The Mission A conflict of interest exists when a judge is influenced by any relationship or factor other than the merit of the dogs. Situations such as this require a judge to excuse an exhibitor for cause, even if known only to them and they were obligated to recognize that a conflict of interest existed. One such memorable example occurred when AKC Judge Peter Green excused a handler from WKC Group Judging for this very reason. The dog had won Best Of his Breed and was justly entitled to enter the Terrier Group but this celebrated judge was duty-bound to adjudicate in a neutral manner, demonstrating fairness and generosity towards the other exhibitors and that he did. Many exhibitors find examples of sexual inequality or breaches of judging fairness and rules unsurprising, due to widespread desensitization and weariness. A number of seasoned fanciers suggested that the AKC might deliberately overlook the situation because pitifully, there is a lack of faith in AKC propriety. In truth, Old Boy's Clubs still exist today in what AKC coins a “family sport” and unabashed examples of indecorum abound. However, they are not benign as they have a perceptible influence on a sizable portion of enthusiasts who are notably disaffected. The “appearance of Sunnybrooks Coton de Tulear impropriety” in both judging and dog club sexism may be the greatest Since 1992, our dogs are in our laps influential factor in the future health of AKC dog competitions. and hearts. Health tested, guaranteed, shown world-wide.1301 Dog Club News - No Margins. No Limits. No Kidding. Who Judges AKC Westminster Kennel Dogs? Club Coverage WKC Dog Reports on Show has the glitz, as much glamour and competition of speculation about the Westminster Dog quality and style of Shows judging as other sports. http://www.thedogpress.com/musings-on-Westminster-Dog-Show_Forman-150401.asp 3 of 4 4/10/15, 7:13 AM MUSINGS ON WESTMINSTER DOG SHOW | TheDogPress.com http://www.thedogpress.com/musings-on-Westminster-Dog-Sh... Explore TheDogPlace.org for authoritative free DogCare information. 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