While in Reno, I was told during a conversation that Schutzhund USA voted and that starting in 2004, alternate breeds will no longer be allowed at Nationals. Is this true and if so, does it affect anything other than Nationals? Assinine decision, if true.

The North American will still be open to All Breeds. However, I wonder about the Regionals. Since the Regionals, are now a qualification for the Nationals, will those trials be restricted to GSDs?

My understanding is that the Regionals will still be open to all, since the only requirment is scoring not placement at the Regionals to go the Nationals.

Pffft....
If that's true, I guess I won't need to mantain my USA membership anymore. :rolleyes:

Originally posted by Joseph Jones:
While in Reno, I was told during a conversation that Schutzhund USA voted and that starting in 2004, alternate breeds will no longer be allowed at Nationals. Is this true and if so, does it affect anything other than Nationals? Assinine decision, if true. An expected decision. It is a fact that USA is a GSD organization and has ties to the WUSV and SV it must maintain as such. The German Shepherd dog Ch. has been dropped because there are too many magor Ch. in USA for people to attend.
Other organizations have their Ch. Rotties, Mals, Dobe's etc.
USA still has the all breed North Americans (I understand there is a proposal to move the General Board meeting to that event to be sure all voices are heard) and don't forget, that USA has been the organization and machinery from which the AWDF has functioned.
I think all the nay saying about this simply ridiculous. I cannot believe that people don't understand that schutzhund is and has been a breed endeavor and that USA since its onset has been a GSD organization.
Regionals will be open to all as they have been.
Maybe the other breeds want to show in the seiger show also, that would fall right in line with wanting a GSD organization to support all breeds to the detriment of the sponsering breeds.

Well, the USA should then preclude other breeds from joining clubs, period. National dues are pidly squat. Club dues, and all the other $$'s that come out of our pockets for different things to support our clubs, our helpers, seminars, our trials, etc..are not. That would be the most fair thing to do. Just like you couldn't join the USRC and any other specific breed clubs. The part that is distasteful is that this will cause the appearance of the USA talking out of both sides of their mouth. Hey Mr. Jones, love your money, especially the tax relief money you contributed, but about your dog, welll..... we passed this rule ....

If the USA wants to be a breed club, it should promote it that way. I have no problem with that. But it should not discriminate against its members. I'm not saying that I have standing to whine about not being able to attend Nationals, because chances are I won't be there, unless I buy a just add water dog. Who Knows for sure. But, looking at the competitors at Nationals this year and in the past, it seems to me that some quality people are going to be lost.

Just curious, what was the policy argument behind the decision?

It is ONE championship breed show! ONE. There are still other championship events - the HOT Championship and the North American Championship. Those are still open to all breeds. With over 200 local clubs there is plenty of opportunity for the alternate breeds to train and trial. At most, this change will affect - what??? a dozen people, 2 dozen in the whole entire United States??????? I have seen Dobes, Rotts and Mals and "mixes" at every club I have been to, they will continue to train and trial. Why shouldn't the USCA have a breed specific National event?

Are GSDs entered in the Dobe Nationals? The Rott Nationals? Is there a Mal National?

Hell,
i handled a mali at the 94 ch. and I'm all for this. There has been too many Championships for a small organization to sponser well. It is time to pare it down to two biggies. It is such an insignificant thing in regards to the so called alternate breeds. There is the mal organizations nationals, the AWDF Ch., the North Americans. Just look, it would have effected no one on the podium this year. The dues for USA a not much in comparison to what it takes to do such competetive levels. If you're committed to doing high level competition with your breed the USA Nationals ain't it. It is the WUSV, the FCI Ch., The Belgian Shepherd Ch., etc. Going to these hasn't changed in the least. The perception that the USA Nationals was the brass ring of sport competition needs to get a reality check. If you do not get into the GSD that's fine. Except for the ONE TRIAL you're included. There was also the ONE TRIAL before...the German Shepherd Championship.
If you train at a USA club and trial at every other trial available what have you lost? In fact the Mal people participating at the USA nationals didn't care. they are fully aware of their breeds exclusive trials worldwide. This "I'm being picked on because I don't have a GSD" just doesn't wash.
When was the last time you saw a Rott at the Bundesseigerprufung?

I don't necessarily think anyone is being picked on. I just think it inequitable to have a glass ceiling in place which keeps good, dedicated (to their dog, clubs, and organization) people from having the opportunity to trial at nationals who otherwise would have earned a spot but for what is at the other end of their leash. If you think that's okay, fine by me. I just don't see it that way as a matter of principle. If the opportunity was never available, nothing lost, but becasue it was and then taken away, that is where my problem resides.

And to answer Lee's rhetorical question, off of the top of my head, it probably would have affected at least 8 or 9 people(maybe more) this year, but I can't specifically rememeber how many.

 Quote:

Originally posted by Kevin Sheldahl:

When was the last time you saw a Rott at the Bundesseigerprufung?

Roland won it with a Rott years back, and my friend Oliver finished 12th this year with a Rottie. However, I do agree with your overall point. No big deal, if you want to bang heads with the top GSD teams there is the North American. I don't know about the AWDF thing, I have my doubt's about that event being around much longer. Even so the North American is a great event for the "alternate Breeds".