ANKC Ltd has a National Breed Standards Group (NBSCG) formed with committee members from different States. They have appointed Marie Merchant (SA) as the Chair and the committee is made up with Geoff Love (SA), Peter Frost (VIC), Frank Waring (WA), Ian Rasmussen (QLD) and Jim Black (VIC).
The brief of this committee is to overview and manage the breed standards used by ANKC Ltd. We use standards from either the country of development, the Kennel Club (UK), American Kennel Club (AKC) or the FCI. It must be pointed out that the majority of standards are not owned by Australia but by the country of origin or their governing body.
As some breed standards differ slightly from organization to organization, the committee will consider which of the standards is most suitable for the Australian dog world. Should the majority of our breeders/owners feel that one standard is more suitable than the one being used, it is possible after a long and involved process involving all of the people in that breed to change the standard being used by one organization to another. As an example, this allows ANKC Ltd to change from an AKC standard to an FCI or an FCI to a Kennel Club (UK) standard, but it does not allow for the content of any standard to be changed in any way.
The important thing that members must realise is that a standard cannot be altered as they are the property of those organizations. However it is possible to change the standard in its entirety to another version, providing it has the support of a large majority of owners in Australia.
As mentioned previously ANKC Ltd does not own a majority of the breed standards, so we are not able to make a change to a standard. Only the country or organisation that owns a standard may make changes and if they do so, then once they notify ANKC Ltd, those changes will flow onto the breed standard that we use in Australia.
From time to time the NBSCG receives a request from a member or a breed club to change a breed standard, please be aware that we are not able to make any change to the actual standard we can only make a choice between the standards from those organizations.
Marie Merchant
Chairperson ANKC Ltd
Breed Standards Coordination Group
December 2014
ANKC Ltd is seeking information from all Member Bodies and National Breed Councils into the scheduling of eye diseases where Breed Clubs/National Breed Councils believe the disease is incorrectly scheduled, the reasons why and where they think it should be scheduled and why.
This is to allow for any concerns ANKC Ltd has with ACES to be addressed with the Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) at a later date.
Please forward submissions to the ANKC Ltd Administrator at email address: administrator@ankc.org.au by no later than COB 27 February 2015.
Tracey Barry Administrator
August 2014
The ANKC Ltd Board has endorsed a recommendation from the National Breed Standards Coordination Group for the Tatra Shepherd Dog to be moved from Group 6 (Utility) to Group 5 (Working Dog).
As ANKC Ltd has adopted the FCI Standard for this Breed it was agreed the Breed should be exhibited in a similar Group as that designated by FCI.
The effective date for this change will be 1 January 2015 to allow sufficient time for Judges, Clubs and Exhibitors to be advised.
Tracey Barry Administrator July 2014
The ANKC Ltd Retrieving & Field Trial Hall of Fame pays homage to those PERSONS and DOGS that have made outstanding and significant contributions to the sports of Retrieving or Field Trials.
As Convenor of the ANKC Ltd Retrieving & Field Trial Hall of Fame Election Panel, it is with pleasure that I announce the inductees for 2013.
PROMINENT PERSONS I advise that MR STEPHEN HALL of Victoria has been recognised.
DISTINGUISHED DOGS NTL. RT CH (04 07) GR. RT. CH. Adderslot Crackers Triga CM owned by Mr. R & Mrs. S Whitechurch
Inductees in the category of Prominent Persons are acknowledged as being exceptional people who have made an outstanding contribution to the sport over an extended period of time.
Inductees in the category of Outstanding Gundogs are recognized for their outstanding achievements in the disciplines of Retrieving or Field Trials. The Election Panel congratulates the new inductees for 2013.
T STEVENS
Convenor
At the ANKC Ltd Board Meeting held in Melbourne on 21st October 2012 the Directors considered issues surrounding a number of Irish Wolfhounds that were descended from what had been identified as an unknown sire. The proceedings were held in Camera.
A unanimous Resolution to recognise and register the progeny of the dogs in question on the ANKC Ltd Database has resulted in unprecedented commentary in the Canine and Social Media, in recognition of which the Directors have agreed that the decision should be made public.
The decision was: ANKC Ltd has resolved to admit the affected dogs to the ANKC Ltd register after taking into account the following:
• Having taken all possible steps to establish the genetic history of affected dogs;
• Noting that sufficient numbers of affected progeny have been exhibited and awarded as Irish Wolfhounds by both ANKC Ltd and International Judges;
• Conscious of the need to balance the integrity of the Register with the interest of owners who purchased affected dogs as ANKC Ltd pedigreed Irish Wolfhounds;
• Noting the time that has elapsed since the litters by the unknown sire were whelped.
It is also pointed out that ANKC Ltd has previously re-registered imported dogs which have blank spaces in their pedigrees certified by recognised overseas controlling authorities and in respect of some breeds which are trying to introduce specific genes into a breed where it is known that a cross mating took place as few as four generations previously.
ANKC Ltd will continue to monitor the situation.
Hugh Gent OAM
President
March 2013
