AKC Revises Driving Distance for Dog Shows

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?

Sad to See

Last weekend, I attended a dog show cluster that used to be called "The Adirondack Circuit, The Place to Be," which is a well-known East Coast group of five back-to-back shows held in Ballston Spa, New York during August. Wednesday through Sunday, these shows have provided an opportunity for exhibitors to "park and plant it" for as long as I can remember and in years past attracted large entries. I have not exhibited at this circuit since 2009, but oh boy, what a surprise it was for me when I arrived. I entered one day out of the five being a Saturday and it was, as I alluded to, something of a shock for me and my friend.

This circuit used to attract scores of entries and with it came the vendors and great food. In fact, I recall one vendor whom I believe used to come from Massachusetts and they had delicious sandwiches on the freshest bakery rolls available -- the owner once informed me that they picked up the rolls on the way to the show. One had to wait in a long line just to get their food. Alternatively, there was also a favorite Greek food truck which had the most pleasant and refreshing food options such tzatziki, gyros, and the like. I cannot remember if they were one and the same but no matter because they are all gone now. We walked over to the vendor area and just turned around in an empty circle where once, years before, there were at least one to two isles of merchants. All gone -- no more food vendors except the solitary fairground stand and the smoothie Flip Bar. Gone are the dog bed vendors who used to have large assortments of dog beds as well as the numerous show dog supply vendors. Save for just three small, economical set-ups -- two show dog supply merchants with a small assortment of leads, bowls, and toys, and then another who was selling grooming tables.

It was sad to see and as I said earlier, very surprised. It was similar to looking sentimentally at a structure that held many memories for you, and now, it is rundown, forlorn and dilapidated. Perhaps I sound melodramatic but looking around at this circuit, on a Saturday to be precise, and not just a busy workday excuse like Wednesday or Thursday; my friend and I just felt pity, as it seemed so empty. There was a sundry of rings set-up, but nothing near the number I recall and it appeared that several rings had been taken down already. However, again this was a Saturday, the busiest day for any circuit and as far as I could ascertain, they were not taken down but were just empty spaces. In today's day & age, with all-breed kennel club shows losing entries like a fractured dam losing water, at least this Saturday show still had a respectable *859 entries with 804 present and competing. It goes without saying that I commend the volunteers who turn up, time after time, to host this conformation dog show but it must be a bittersweet experience.

A woman was walking her dog, and we stopped to ask her what happened -- where were all the retailers and food options as there were in yesteryear? She sighed and said, "This is what it is now, all that you remember are gone." There was just emptiness; how somber.

The stranger offered that it is an expensive hobby and after the financial crash in 2008, many people did not return to the sport. Though the points she made were valid, I feel that the most influential factor today is that there are far too many all-breed kennel club dog shows. Indeed, there exists a gluttony of all-breed kennel club shows to the detriment of the sport and exhibitors. How so? Well, harmful because old-established kennel clubs are dissolving. Not just because of low entries, but also because of a lack of membership. With so many kennel clubs vying for fanciers membership and volunteerism, some of the once stalwart kennel clubs have few members remaining, with many who are, I am sorry to point out, elderly. One example is Pennsylvania's Chester Valley Kennel Club which is in the process of dissolution. They simply did not have enough members where once this was an esteemed all-breed kennel club. We will see much more of these in the future. How do the vast number of all breed shows hurt exhibitors? Easy, the more shows, the fewer the entries. The fewer the entries, the fewer the breed points and or Major Wins. Many people today cannot afford to, or have the time to enter a dog show every weekend, every other week or every month. So, the far too many assemblages of clubs divide exhibitors attention, attendance, and money. This affects the number of dogs in competition and any possible points accrued towards their championship.

Take for example the dog show circuit I discussed above which ran from August 10 - 14, 2016, with five back-to-back all-breed kennel club shows located in Ballston Spa, New York. Just four days later, beginning Thursday, August 18 - 21, 2016, four back-to-back all-breed kennel club shows are being held in Apalachin, New York. The distance between these two clusters is only 158 miles or 2 hours and change, all highway. Let's go the other direction where six days later, on August 20-21, 2016, two back-to-back all-breed kennel club shows are being held in Marlborough, Massachusetts at a distance of only 175 miles from Ballston Spa, NY, or about 2 hours and 45 minutes distant, all highways. These above shows represent just a minority in what most likely is happening in the most populous areas all around our country. People are kidding themselves if they do not believe that the abundance of these all-breed kennel club dog shows is not affecting entries.

Consider that an AKC judge is not approved to judge the same breed, Group or Best in Show if it falls within 200 straight-line miles and or within 30 days of another assignment. So, why then are we allowed to have all-breed kennel club dog shows located within a 200-mile marker week after week? Exhibitors are going to pick and choose and as a result, down go the entries, and our hard earned money with them. How many times have you entered a show and there was just one, maybe two points and then once you are there, the other competitor is absent having said to heck with this. There went your $32.00 and more --depending on your drive time -- and if you had to get up at 4:00 AM to make an 8:00 AM ring time. It certainly gets old fast, especially when this happens time after time. Then after awhile you just say, "No more."

*UPDATE and Correction:

The Stats should read "664 Total Dogs Present and Competing out of 859 total entries." The previously cited and incorrect stats were taken from the AKC website three days after the show and obviously do not coincide with the Superintendant's records.