As you may have already heard, on October 12, the AWDF delivered a memo to USCA President Jim Alloway expelling USCA from the AWDF. This decision was the result of a charge brought forward after USCA decided to implement a policy of charging non-USCA members an extra $100 unless they belonged to an organization that was in direct competition with the AWDF – the American Working Dog Council. The charge outlined a series of actions that USCA took to undermine the AWDF by creating this competing organization, including approaching the FCI with their idea. The charge was upheld by the AWDF’s Board of Inquiry and their recommendation was expulsion. After extensive discussion and deliberation by the executive board, the BOI’s recommendation for expulsion was upheld and these points of implementation were communicated to USCA and AWDF member club delegates:
1. As of October 12, 2018, USCA is immediately suspended from voting privileges within the AWDF.
2. As of October 12, 2018, USCA delegates or other USCA representatives are immediately suspended from participating in all AWDF meetings.
3. As of October 12, 2018, USCA will immediately cease selling or distributing scorebooks that contain reference to, or the logo of, the AWDF.
4. As of October 12, 2018, USCA will remove reference to the AWDF on their website or any other marketing or correspondence information.
5. USCA will inform their members and member clubs that the AWDF will continue to recognize titles earned at USCA club trials officiated by USCA judges until January 1, 2019.
6. Effective January 1, 2019, USCA membership in the AWDF is fully revoked, and all privileges associated with that membership are terminated.
7. Excluding the AWDF IPO and FH Championships where membership in an AWDF club is required, AWDF clubs will allow USCA members to enter AWDF club trials with their current USCA membership and with USCA scorebooks (issued before the date of this memo) until June 30, 2019.
8. The AWDF will Immediately notify the FCI regarding the expulsion of USCA from the AWDF.
The leadership of the AWDF wishes to communicate to all of you that this decision was not taken lightly and that we were thinking of the impact on each of you as competitors. There will be a conference call with each of your organization’s AWDF delegates this week so they are best prepared to adapt to this decision and answer your questions.
– Anne Camper
There are some questions we anticipate that you will have can answer now:
I am a USCA member, what does this mean for me and my dog if we want to trial next year?
We assume that USCA will continue to hold trials as usual but they will need to verify this. If you earn any title at a USCA trial after January 1, the title will not be FCI recognized. Additionally, if you earn a title at a USCA club trial after January 1, it will need to be repeated at a FCI recognized trial/AWDF trial before you can trial for your IGP 2 title at a trial offered by an AWDF member club.
I am not a USCA member, but the clubs I trial with often are, what does this mean for me and my dog if we want to trial next year?
USCA will need to address how they will handle entries from members of other organizations. However, as described above, any titles earned at a USCA club trial will not be recognized by the AWDF or the FCI.
I own a German Shepherd, how will I be represented in AWDF or have my titles FCI recognized?
You would need to join another AWDF member club and trial in those organizations.
I want to qualify for the FCI World Championship, what do I need to be aware of?
Only members of an AWDF member club are eligible for the FCI World Championship because the qualifier (the AWDF Championship) requires membership in an AWDF member club.
Will titles earned at a USCA club prior to January 1, 2019 still be FCI recognized?
Yes.
If you have more questions, please contact your AWDF member club leadership so they can provide guidance.