2005 NADKC Annual Meeting

Riverwoods, IL USA

by Nancy Schneider, Editor

The 2005 NADKC Annual Meeting was held at Riverwoods Kennel in Illinois. It was modestly attended with just over 60 participants, two of which were international members. Officially beginning on Friday, with a Derby Test, and concluding on Sunday, with a Board of Directors Meeting, the weekend of April 22-24, 2005 was jam-packed with a myriad of activities for all, from start to finish.

The Derby Test held on Friday, April 22, 2005, was well-attended, and two judging groups were necessary to evaluate the performances of all of the young dugs entered. Some excellent dog-work was seen and commented on by the judges, with all but one of the pups entered achieving a Prize I.

Following the Derby a no-host social and catered Italian dinner were held back at the Kennel. At the dinner, the Derby prizes were awarded, and the first of two 50/50 raffles was held. With the mixture of good cocktails, good food, good company, and some singing of rather questionable quality (!), an excellent time was had by all who stuck around until the party finally broke up around 11:00 p.m. The decorations and atmosphere were exceptional, and the annual meeting got off to a great start.

Saturday morning began with a full catered breakfast at the kennel, prior to the General Membership Meeting. The General Meeting ran remarkably smoothly this year, and the agenda was adhered to almost to the letter. Notable items included Dr. English's agreement to fill the HD Coordinator position, a potential increase in the HD fees, an update on the Artificial Insemination Procedures and Requirements from Germany, the need for a more autonomous approach in the Regions for testing, a review of the non-member testing requirements and fee schedule, an update on the progress and status of the NADKC eNews, and a reminder of the 2005 NADKC elections. Additionally, a discussion about formal "job descriptions" for both elected and appointed positions, a solicitation of opinions on an official club policy regarding the use of NADKC officer and position titles by members in non-club emails and chat room/forum discussions, a review of the club’s financial status, and discussions regarding stipends and reimbursement for executive board members and handlers of dogs requiring testing when a test in their region(s) are financially impractical, were held.

Once the General Membership meeting was adjourned, everyone congregated outdoors for the Zuchtschau. The judges consisted of Herman Josef Schomakers, Herb Hasemann, and John Petros. In spite of the blustery weather, the dogs shown looked really good, and the coveted "V" conformation rating was awarded to one male and one female, with the remainder of the entrants obtaining "SG" ratings. Following the Zuchtschau, everyone agreed to a change in venue for the stud dog review, and the six males were paraded, viewed, and lauded indoors. Commentary regarding each male's accomplishments and the pro's and con's that each could potentially contribute to any breedings were provided by President Rob Engelking. The programs for the stud dog review were especially nice and were the product of Rick Hartle's efforts.

Saturday evening brought the annual banquet, which was held this year at Bob Chinn’s Crab House. The food was simply phenomenal, and no one should have had any excuse to leave hungry! Willy Engelking graciously and generously donated the cost of everyone's dinner, netting a substantial donation to our club. Following dinner, a number of awards were presented to deserving breeders, handlers, and contributing members of our club. Two new awards were unveiled to begin this year, which were sponsored by international members Hermann-Josef Schomakers of Germany and Gines Gangelhof of the Netherlands. After the conclusion of the awards ceremonies, the bidding was opened at the annual fundraiser auction. Some lovely items were contributed this year, including items from our friends at Orvis® and Purina®, a number of DK throws, pillows and wall hangings, a ceramic DK doll dressed in a camouflage hunting outfit, and a number of other decorative pieces. Upwards of $4000 for the club was raised as a result of the bidding generosity and competitive natures of our members!

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Although some were more reluctant to arise Sunday morning for the Board of Directors meeting than others (!), a quorum was easily assembled, with nine out of eleven members present. The two absent Board members were Dr. Gayla Salvati and Matt Oaks. An open-to-the-membership session of the Board Meeting was held first, at which a number of agenda items were discussed and voted on, most of which had been previously discussed at the General Meeting on Saturday.

A proposed by-law change was approved, which served merely to clarify the procedures utilized by the Nominating Committee during the annual elections. It was decided that a change to the by-laws regarding a specific policy for use of position and/or title in chat-rooms, forums, and non-club emails was unnecessary if the policy was included in the job positions for each elected and appointed official, and due to an existing mechanism in the by-laws which could be utilized to enforce the policy if violated. It was determined also, that the Director of Testing Position, recently vacated by Vanita Skinner, will not be re-filled at this time. Instead, the Vice-President will now serve as a clearing house for the test paperwork which will now be generated by the individual regions. Following the adjournment of the open session of the Board of Directors, a closed session was then held to discuss other club business.

Special thanks and a hearty round of applause should go to Rob and Willy Engelking and their family and staff for serving as hosts to our club’s members during the 2005 NADKC Annual Meeting. The facilities, food, fellowship, festivities and functions were outstanding, as always, and were greatly appreciated by all. Additional commendations to Upper Mid-West Members Steve and Erin Kosmicki, who served as the planners and coordinators for all the weekend events. They both did a superb job of organizing and supervising every aspect, down to the smallest detail. Further thanks go to numerous other members who volunteered behind the scenes to contribute assistance wherever it was needed. Kudos to all for a job well-done, and until Next Year—Horrido and Waidmannsheil!

Nancy Schneider, Editor NADKC eNews