Entering or Judging a GSD Event NOT recognised by the Kennel Club (UK) - Page 1

Entering or Judging a GSD Event NOT recognised by the Kennel Club (UK)

It appears there are some GSD exhibitors and Judges who are seriously concerned about this issue.
They are concerned that they and their dog(s) may subsequently be disciplined by the Kennel Club which could lead to them being banned from exhibiting or Judging at Kennel Club Shows, and their dogs progeny being refused KC registration.

I have received several emails and phone calls from people expressing such concerns. I also am informed this was a topic of conversations at last weekends GSD Championship Show.

These concerns are very serious, simply because they could jeopardise the prospects of us taking "our breeds future in our hands" especially when our GSD breed organises GSD Shows and Events, without the Kennel Clubs permission and therefore without the Kennel Clubs recognition.

I am convinced that the Kennel Club could NOT take any disciplinary action against any such person or dog in the above circumstances. However I have written to the GSD Partnership and made them aware of these serious concerns and asked them to obtain answers and assurances in time for the GSD Breed Club Members conference and the GSD Judges meeting they are planning to hold in the coming months.

David Payne

Hi David,
I can understand some exhibitors concerns , But what could the Kennel Club do!

Would they refuse your entry into KC shows!  If the breed organized there own shows and awards surly this would not matter.
Would they refuse to let us register the puppies on there registrations!  I think not they would lose to much income.
Would they take away the breeds CC! they have already threatened to do this, also if the breed was running there own shows and awards this would not make a difference.

I'm sure there are other things they could think of to do to the breed, but nothing comes to mind.
Please remember the KC chairman has made his views very clear.

Please note I do not have the knowledge of the KC that a lot of breeders have and am just expressing a personal opinion

Being banned by the Kennel Cub would effectively stop a breeder seling show or breeding stock for export because the dogs would not be eligible for registration in other countries.

Margaret N-J

Any well organized event that allows me to exhibit my animals correctly with attraction would have my entry licensed by KC or not

Dave Middleton

KC Rule 42 - "Disciplinary Powers Of the General Committee" and its appendixes is what is being referred to here and is apparently what is causing some concern, especially such appendixes as Rule 42 j (4 & 8) which read:-

42 j - The General Committee shall have power to impose any one or more of the following penalties on the offender:
         4) To disqualify him from exhibition at, taking part in, attending and / or having any connection with any event
              licensed by the Club...................."
          8) To disqualify him from any event licensed by the Club.

However, what needs to be understood when reading any Rule, especially Rule 42 is that ALL its appendixes, of which I can assure you there are many, are relevant ONLY within the context of the underlying reason for Disciplinary rulings in the first place which in this (as in most cases) are defined at the beginning of the rule, for example :-

42 a - The General Committee shall have power to establish a system of disciplinary proceedings for dealing with complaints which have been made in respect of any of the following:-
       1) Any act or conduct which in the opinion of the General Committee is discreditable or prejudicial to the interests
           of the canine world and relates to or is connected with;


What must be remembered is that the KC have no power or jurisdiction over a persons Human Rights or Freedom of Speech. The KC does not own a Monopoly on dog shows or dog judges and as monopolies are against the law in the UK, should the KC even attempt to act like a Monopoly would constitute an illegal act. However, non of that is particulary relevant here because on reading Rule 42,  it is the underlying reasons for disciplinary action which are relevant i.e.; - "Any act of conduct ....... discreditable or prejudicial to the interests of the canine world...." with the emphasis on the words "DISCREDITABLE or PREJUDICIAL".

The fact the GSD Community would want to run its own Shows and have its own registration system based on a Mandatory Health Screening System can, under any circumstances, be deemed as Discreditable or Prejudicial to the interests of the canine world. For any of us to attend, enter or judge at a show based on the same system and run in the same way as we have been running our British Sieger Show. Furthermore the fact we have been running these Sieger Events, with KC Approval, for the past 5yrs has in itself set a Precedent, so the KC cannot suddenly decide the same type of shows (just because we did not requests their permission to run them) are suddently Discreditable or Prejudicial.

CONCLUSION - Should we wish to run our own registration system and shows, providing we do so in the same manner as those we have been running for the past 5yrs. The KC has NO POWERS under the LAW or even under their own RULE 42 to take ANY DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS against any of us for attending, exhibiting or judging at these events.

Best Regards
Sue B

ps - pencil I know this might be difficult for the likes of you to understand, but please try to keep up!!

Will not the rules for conformation events be the same as unlicensed obedience events:
Unlicensed Obedience Shows.
Notwithstanding the provisions of these Regulations, certain events
which are not licensed by The Kennel Club may from time to time be
recognised by the General Committee of The Kennel Club.
The General Committee shall have power to grant permission for
Kennel Club registered dogs to be entered for such events. A judge,
exhibitor or promoter will not be prejudiced by participation in these
special unlicensed events.
Maybe there is a way around it, if someone organisises an event then everyone intending to enter applies for permission, if they refuse then that can be made public which would not show the KC in good light! Just a thought

The whole world of dogs have a variety of non KC shows they can enter.  Agility, Flyball, White&Long Coat GSDs, and of course Schutzhund all have events which are not KC licensed or approved.  The sky did not fall in on them, and participants can happily compete in both KC and non-KC events without any repercussions from the KC.