Clarification on WDA members participating in USA events? - Page 4

Is USCA membership growing? Is WDA membership growing? Can anyone provide individual membership data pre-2009 vis-a-vis post 2009?  Because individuals can hold multi-club membership, growth in  the number of clubs does not portray accurate membership stregnth.  Some posts have stated USCA membership has grown because of JA.  However, no numbers were provided to validate that claim.  I was a loyal member of USCA for 29 years until this year when my renewal check was returned because I would not sign the "loyalty clause" because it violates a military oath of office which I am obliged to honor. I know there are some USCA mmbers to pay lip service to the loyalty clause or ignore it outright. To quote an old military adage, "Civilians have a different definition of the term, "Honor". Since I have been a member of the SV for 30 years, I feel no pressure to join WDA or rejoin USCA.  I trust USCA leadership will address the U.S. Constitution issue soon.

DB,

USA has addressed the issue and the SV agrees USA can exclude members of other organizations as they themselves have done. They cannot exclude WUSV members from shows or trials,,,, breed surveys, yes.

Don't expect the bylaws to change. It wouldn't do any good anyway. The damage has been done, there are ways around it, USA is basically satisfied with the outcome of their decision. Basically they are doing OK and don't need those that left.

I know a few that just sent the money in and didn't check the box. Their check was cashed. Not sure who's policing the membership.

No one has published numbers. The USA party line has been some marginal number of lost members. People I've talked to say different. You can do the math and form your own opinion. 2010 budget for membership was X. There was a 33% increase in dues the following year and the total membership budget remained the same from one year to another. How many members were lost the following year? Those were the projections.

Thanks Dog 1 for your input.  You're absolutely right.  The By-laws won't change and people will continue to ignore what they don't like and give a wink to whatever makes the elite empire builders happy. The SV will continue to pull the strings and the puppets will continue to jerk. Each organization will claim to be "The Savior of the Breed".  But the AKC is the Big Kahuna of American dogdom and the SV will continue to be their dance partner. As noble as USCA hopes to be, I have the feeling that deep down the SV wishes it didn't exist.

OK, so according to USA office, they will not recognize or certify WDA scorebooks, period. OnlyAWDF or DVG. Theresa

USA not certifying WDA scorebooks is old news. There is a new scorebook out there for WDA members. Check with USA about the new GSDCA-WDA scorebooks. There is a difference. Ask USA if they certify the GSDCA books and ask if you have one and want to trial can the results be entered in these books.

Randy, Apparetly they are not eager to volunteer any information that might imply they are will to acknowledge the WDA in any way. They conversation went like this- What do I have to do as a non USA member to participate in a USA event? Them- you need to talk to the host club. Me- I did, they weren't sure, and told me to ask you. Ok let me ask you this, as a WDA member, what can I do? What is the rule? Them- you must have a scorebook certified by USA. USA does not recognize the WDA scorebook. Me- Alright, can you give me an example of what you would accept? Them- AWDF or DVG Alright, thank you. Screw it. This is ridiculous. It will be less painful to drive 12 hours. Theresa

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Oops, My bad.

Looks like the initial process didn't pan out. The new GSDCA scorebooks were supposed to bring the two organizations together through the WUSV affiliation. The thought was if the GSDCA and USA have a reciprocal agreement through the WUSV, this affiliation can transcend through to the scorebooks. USA could certify the GSDCA scorebook, get their fee, and we're all happy again. There can be scorebooks issued by each organization that the other accepts.

This arrangement works for entry. You can enter the trial. You just can't use the scorebook from the organization that you are a member of that allows you to enter the event and you can't get a scorebook from the organization holding the event.  All the legal manuvering has created a set of conditions that were supposed to work, but the details fall short of allowing it to work.

The scorebooks are GSDCA-WDA scorebooks. They are the same as WDA scorebooks essentially in the eyes of USA. Would USA recognize strictly GSDCA scorebooks? Maybe so, but the GSDCA isn't going to start that process.

You can join DVG and get a DVG scorebook. You could co own the dog and have each partner a member in each organization. You can drive 12 hours to the WDA trial. This is the fallout from the JA. You have to go to extremes to participate and the local organization doesn't get your support.

This is where the breed is falling apart in this country. Not everyone is willing to go to the measures it takes to get a dog ready and then take a 4 day weekend and drive 12 hours to do the trial on a strange field. The clubs suffer too. There's a USA club somewhere that will not get your entry. For every person like you who is willing to go through with your plans, how many are there that will not/cannot? How can we expect the community to grow when we put such obstacles before them?

This is another example of why it is desirable to be able to participate in both organizations events and support both organizations. Enthusiasts need to have a chioce. The organizations change from year to year. It wasn't that long ago WDA had it's share of problems, USA just ecliped theirs by creating one bigger. It will as it always has go back and forth. Stay tuned.

VKGSDs,

I've had good luck sending my x-rays through the WDA, I really like dealing with Joy Schultz for one thing. It just seems like USA was always much slower with paperwork. Just my two cents :)

Barbie

I agree 100%, Randy!

Nia, entries are down everywhere. Clubs are hurting, fewer and fewer of them can afford to fly in SV judges, which, to my knowledge, you NEED to obtain a breed survey under and SV judge. Correct me if I am wrong, anyone. Trials and breed surveys are becoming fewer and further between. The difference now, and when I titled my old girl 8 years ago, is astronomical. Several clubs I showed at over the years have since completely folded or just slowly died off. As our country suffers, so does our sport.

It would be easier on every breeder who titles their own dogs (you know, those of us who can't or won't spend money on paper titles!), if we had the option of entering every trial in our area. This is not pimping or taking advantage. While it may sting to give your entry fee to an organization you don't agree with, at the end of the day, you just want your dog titled so you can uphold the breeding system that you believe in, the one both of these organizations believe in. You would think they would work together to support the people in this country who want to train, promote, title and breed a better dog! Isn't that the reason these organizations claim to exist?

If our country were in a great economical position, if clubs were springing up everywhere and our sport was booming, a stance such as the one UScA has taken may not hurt that much. But when local clubs can barely afford to operate and hold trials/shows, it is a poorly, poorly timed decision. If the JA remains intact as this recession continues, I predict many breeders giving up on the whole mess and breeding more untitled dogs because there just aren't enough opportunites to trial/survey. It is already happening. Please don't mistake me, I'm not pinning it completely on the JA, but it is NOT helping.

If these organizations really want to uphold a working standard and support breeders that do the same, they need to put on their big boy pants, set aside the egos, the politics, the grudges, and find a way to unite these clubs. Until then, their mission statements are only bluster to me.