I am providing an update to my earlier Blog Post titled, "Sad to See" which discussed the issue of far too many AKC all-breed conformation dog shows and the impact it is having on long-established all-breed kennel clubs. Now, the AKC has lowered the barriers for even more dog shows which, by the way, generates more entry revenue for the AKC. If many of you were not aware, every Premium List includes the following verbiage: "Including $3.00 AKC event service fee per entry & $.50 AKC recording fee first entry only."
During the July 2016 BOD Meeting, the AKC Directors approved a modification to the Limited Number of Events Policy which revises the road mileage or distance between show sites. Specifically, to balance with the existing policy of 75 straight-line miles between territories the optional criteria for isolated status will now be reduced from 100 miles to 75 miles. This change will provide additional clubs the opportunity to apply for isolated status which means, even more, dog shows!
What determines club isolation? Here is AKC's definition: "Geographically isolated clubs are determined by there being no AKC club within 75 straight-line miles between territories unless the clubs show site is greater than 75 driving miles from the nearest show site" -- (Their definition and not mine)
As a result and by AKC's calculations, verbatim: "In an analysis of potential shows sites, it was determined that 47 sites/clubs may be allowed to hold additional shows at their show sites by decreasing the driving mile threshold to 75. (This includes 21 clubs currently considered isolated in the continental US). When compared to the 100-mile driving distance this is an increase from 9 to 26 additional potential isolated sites.
Wow, just 75 miles creates isolationism for an AKC purebred dog event. I am amazed -- it is no wonder that we are envisioning tumbleweeds at the show circuits that I already discussed in my Sad to See blog post! As an influential encore, Judges are not allowed to judge the same Breed, Group, and Best in Show assignment within a 200-mile straight line distance of one another, yet, we have AKC all-breed shows only 75 miles distant and to boot, anything over that is considered a remote territory!
What a farce! No one can complain to me about having to drive hours to get to a dog show since I have lived in the Adirondack mountain resort of Lake Placid, New York for approximately 32 years. The nearest kennel club association is either Montreal, Quebec that is two hours distant or the Glens Falls Kennel Club. The latter is an hour and a half distant at a minimum -- depending on the season and good weather -- because we have to come down and out from the mountains which can be treacherous in the winter and painfully slow in the warmer months due to the tourists. However, even then, this is not to reach a conformation dog show event. Member kennel clubs are permitted to hold two shows annually, and as so many kennel clubs have done in recent decades, almost all in the Eastern region of upstate New York have clustered together to make ends meet, and the location of choice is the Eastern Exposition Center in West Springfield, MA. As a result, the usual distance for me to drive so that I can exhibit my hounds in the United States is 3 hours and forty minutes or 222 miles each way.
Despite the hardships that I endure in exhibiting my hounds, even I believe there are too many all-breed conformation events! Pray tell, why? I enter an event at a typical cost of $32.00 per entry -- often taking two to make it worth my while -- and the breed judging attracted low or minimal entries. Therefore, only one point is available in either sex. My familiar scenario is that the scheduled ring time judging is 8:30 AM and the show is nearly four hours away so I must pack up and drive down the day before and pay for a hotel room. All this for just one point and when I arrive at the show ring; the competition is absent because it was not worth their time. You can substitute 2 points for the one point -- it does not make a difference as it frequently happens for two points as it does for one point. Now, do this time and time again and you might just begin to get an inkling of what I have experienced for decades now. As I am fond of saying, "Welcome to my world." In my opinion, the system and sport are broken.
The facts are, according to AKC, it has over 600 independent member clubs who send delegates to AKC meetings to vote on rule changes and policy issues, and over 4,500 licensed and sanctioned clubs who conduct AKC-approved events. Still, why do we need more shows to bankrupt the previously fiscally sound kennel clubs or to steal more volunteers, and members away from once esteemed associations that fanciers once felt privileged to belong? The answer, is that we do not but, if not then why is this happening? Is it all about the money?