February 27, 2008

To: All AKC Delegates

AKC has announced its intention to become another “Entry Service” initially taking online entries for Agility for their own event and then for all Agility events. The Dog Show Superintendents Association (DSSA) further believes it will be only a small step from AKC taking any and all event entries.

The DSSA has strongly opposed this action from the beginning, as we believe the AKC should concentrate on registrations and other issues within their mission statement. They set the rules, regulations and policies that govern shows as well as establish the fees the clubs must pay to hold these shows. This latest action is a large step towards the mechanics of running shows, which has always been the club’s responsibility to perform or hire out.

It is our understanding that one reason for establishing an entry service is to answer complaints the AKC has received for years with regards to accepting and processing Agility entries. If true, they have spent multiple hours and dollars establishing this business instead of enforcing existing rules and regulations. The only other reason we perceive for starting this business is to increase their revenue. As you know, they have increased their income from your shows by dramatic proportions this year with new applications fees and event service fees -- all of this without Delegate approval. During the past four years, we have had ongoing correspondence with the AKC regarding this issue. Please see the first attachment to understand why we oppose this action.

We are not anti-AKC or AKC approved events. Please see additional attachment for issues addressed by the DSSA since our inception.

We are asking for your help. The Dog Show Superintendents Association strongly recommends that the AKC Delegates exert their influence (up to and including a possible change to the Rules) to encourage the AKC Board not to enter into the “Entry Service business.” Let Professional Superintendents and Clubs continue to do the jobs as they have been for more than a century.

Attachment 1: WHY WE OPPOSE AKC TAKING ENTRIES:

AKC has announced its intention to only take Agility entries and further discuss conformation entries with the DSSA. We believe this will set a precedent and have never agreed from an ethical standpoint. Furthermore, once AKC begins taking Agility entries, it will only be a small step from taking any and all event entries.

In addition to being a huge ethical concern, we see this as a conflict of interest between the AKC, Clubs, and Licensed Professional Superintendents. The AKC controls clubs and superintendents with rules, licensing fees, adjudication and fines and it presents a very real conflict of interest to compete directly with Clubs and Professional Superintendents by taking any type of event entry. We will now have the regulatory body as a direct competitor.

It has taken each of us many years and countless dollars to develop our online systems and the market is currently serviced by many capable entities. Over the years numerous superintending organizations and services have come and gone but in the long run free enterprise facilitates the fulfillment of market needs. AKC has spent many dollars developing a system where there are entities currently servicing the Agility community.

Show entries are the responsibility of show giving clubs. These clubs either assign someone to handle them in the capacity of an Event Secretary or they hire a reputable Licensed Superintendent. AKC governs the terms (closing date, time, receipt of fees, etc.) by which legal entries can be received. Because of this, it is our opinion that AKC can create a dilemma by accepting any type of show entry for a club.

AKC’s involvement with online entries will present unfair competition and predatory pricing which will drive current free market initiatives out of business. The AKC is in a position to manipulate the rules and policies and effectively end up with a monopoly. This would be a restraint to normal trade in the superintending business. We believe AKC’s accepting and/or processing any type of event entry other than those for the AKC’s own events is not consistent with their role as a registration and governing body.

The superintending business is price competitive among the licensed organizations. A free market exists and most superintendents depend upon the revenue generated from online entries in order to hold down direct costs to show giving clubs. Direct competition from an AKC online entry system will only serve to reduce these revenues and ultimately increase the prices superintendents must charge clubs resulting in clubs having to raise costs to the exhibitors.

The AKC has already implemented and recently raised the event service fee to $3.00 without a Rule change, in addition to the $.50 recording fee, with a mechanism for future increases. Show entries are not increasing. What impact will further cost increases do to the market and your club’s profitability?

The Association supports AKC’s efforts to resolve their financial and registration difficulties through more efficient operations within their realm of responsibility as a registry and governing body. Superintendents would rather be a part of the solution (example: the idea of electronic submission of results came from a superintending organization) in helping AKC reduce some of its operating costs.

There are other ideas that will increase revenue to the AKC without causing the upheaval that a morally wrong concept would create. We have also suggested ideas to increase entries at shows which, in turn, would increase revenues to your club and ultimately to AKC through event and recording fees. This type of cooperative effort would take very little time or money on AKC’s part. We would be happy to discuss these ideas with any Delegate or Club. We would rather work together with AKC to generate truly “new” revenues instead of competing for existing sources of funds in the market.

Attachment 2: DSSA’s Ongoing Projects

1. At its inception the DSSA membership agreed that, in the event of a catastrophe, all other members would step up to help the affected organization fulfill its obligations to its clubs.
2. Each year the DSSA holds an Annual Meeting and invites the AKC as well as other entities to participate in discussions with the goal of bettering the sport.
3. Ken Sleeper initiated the “New Exhibitor Briefing” which has been adopted by AKC.
4. The Dog Show Superintendents developed the “New Exhibitor Orientation Brochure” that is currently under consideration for publication by AKC.
5. The McNulty Superintending Organization has contributed to both the Canine Health Foundation and Take the Lead
6. MB-F is a Millenium Member of the Canine Health Foundation and contributed funds since its inception and has also collected over $33,000 in donations through their Star Dogs program. They also have a scholarship program at NC State Veterinary College.
7. The Onofrio Superintending Organization has contributed to the Canine Health Foundation and has also contributed heavily to Take the Lead.
8. MB-F’s Bobby Christiansen will be running a 100-mile marathon benefiting Take the Lead with sponsorships donating funds for each mile he runs.
9. The Onofrio Superintendent Organization heavily promotes “Junior Showmanship.”
10. Superintendents have also been involved with the AKC Educational Matches on several different levels.
11. Superintendents also brought the idea of mentors and an Owner-Handler class to AKC as a result of a cooperative survey done by the DSSA and AKC.
12. Individual organizations as well as the DSSA have brought many Rules, Rules changes and/or clarifications into existence for the betterment of the sport.