Page 243 - ShowSight - January 2020

Lines From Linda
BY LINDA AYERS TURNER KNORR
CANDID CANDIDATES - PART TWO
DELEGATES SEEK SEA
time to contemplate the future of our American Kennel Club. Five AKC Delegates are vying for three positions on our AKC Board of Directors. The election will take place at the Delegates’ Meeting on March 10. Those elected will be guiding the direction of our sport. Take time to learn about their vision
and let your kennel club AKC Delegate know how you would like for them to vote.
In last month’s issue the candidates responded to one question. I wrote that Karolynne McAteer did not respond. That was my fault as she never received my multiple requests. There was a discrepancy in her email address and the messages never kicked back. My sin- cere apologies to my friend Karolynne McAteer.
CARL C. ASHBY
1. The AKC has long advocated for the value of the purpose-bred dog. However, the competi- tive nature of the AKC’s traditional sports encour- ages owners to specialize to succeed. What can be done to encourage breed- ers and owners to embrace all of the characteristics of the purpose-bred dog?
The wonderful thing about purpose bred dogs is their versatility. If an own- er wishes they can choose where they participate in AKC events. The Achiever Dog Program, which the current Board discontin- ued in April of 2019, was intended to encourage people to try other AKC events. The idea was to build interest/participation in those events, create reve- nue opportunities for event giving Clubs, and further demonstrate the versatil- ity of purpose bred dogs. We need to reconsider the
CLASS OF 2024
Three Candidates Will Be Elected From This Group
Carl C. Ashby
United States Kerry Blue Club of America
Jeffery Ball
Ramapo. Kennel Club
Dr. Carmen L. Battaglia
German Shepherd Dog Club of America
Dr. Michael Knight Texas Kennel Club
Karolynne M. McAteer Irish Setter Club of America
decision to discontinue the Achiever Dog Program as it is one of the best demonstrations of the value of the purpose bred dog.
Another was we can demonstrate the versatility is by increased marketing of our events. This can take at least two forms:
• For dogs that are active in a single AKC event encourage them to try new events when it is apparent they are no longer partici- pating or earned a title. We can easily track these dogs through registration numbers. Our goal is to keep them active
in events.
• For newly registered dogs immediately start to encourage
them to engage in our events and local Clubs. For training clubs willing to participate include a dollars off certificate to encourage them to train their puppy possibly leading to event participation.
Purpose-bred dogs make the best family companions...period. It is on all of us to make sure we promote this to the dog owning public and it starts with AKC.
2. Do you feel that AKC’s traditional sports are consistent with the interests of the younger generation of dog owners? If not, what can be done to attract the younger generation to engage with AKC?
It’s not clear to me that our events are not relevant to millen- nials and Generation Z but the way they are currently configured creates issues for them to become engaged. My personal concern is the “legacy” sports as they form the foundation of AKC’s Mission.
Consider some of the attributes of todays under 40 population: • Time starved families with often two breadwinners make them
very selective on how they spend leisure time.
• Family demands have increase due to extensive activities for
children on weekends.
• A generation that expects “unearned” recognition and, if suc-
cess doesn’t come, they move to something else.
TS ON THE AKC BOARD OF DIRECTORS
s we begin the New Year it is an exciting
CLASS OF 2021
Dr. Thomas M. Davies Springfield Kennel Club Unopposed
ShowSight Magazine, January 2020 • 235