USCA Statement on AWDF Exit
EMail from USCA President Jim Alloway to the membership concerning the exit from the AWDF:
Glossary
AWDF's BOI (Christopher Smith, Monty Ellison, Amanda Hoskinson, Mike O'Donnell) supported by the AWDF Executive Board (Anne Camper, Annetta Cheek, Lisa Freeny, Annie Wildmoser, Carol Karchnak, Ivan Balabanov, Ted Hartman) has made the unfortunate decision to expel USCA from AWDF membership. The primary factors that lead to the expulsion were:
USCA (allegedly) knowingly working to damage the AWDF by requiring membership in another (defunct competing) organization to avoid non-member fees.
USCA's pattern, dating back to 2009, of behavior that disregards AWDF agreements.
USCA's desire, dating back to 2014, to control the AWDF championship and replace it with a championship controlled by USCA.
It is regrettable that this has happened. Every action by me and/or USCA was done with the sole intent of making a trial experience better and safer for our dogs and more deserving of "championship" recognition for our members. Any allegation or suggestion that USCA wanted to harm breeds or events in this country are not true.
AWDF offers erroneous opinion as to the motivating factors behind any efforts to create a competing organization. As I've stated many times, the new organization was singularly focused on a single, world-class, safe championship to benefit dogs and competitors. There was never any intent to compete with anything else that the AWDF provides. If it ultimately led to AWDF fortifying and improving their championship, that would be great as well. However, I had little faith that there would be any improvement until the new organization had formed, for the following reasons.
AWDF had not taken complaints seriously enough about the poor quality of their championship.
This culminated in a horrible experience for many competitors and even endangered dogs' health.
AWDF, following their awareness of the existence of a "competing" organization (AWDC), did not file BOI charges, but instead, negotiated for a joint championship. Only later were BOI charges filed. USCA in our response to the BOI charges felt very strongly that the members of the AWDF were biased against USCA and would not be fair and impartial. We stand by those beliefs.
The reality is that this affects less than 1% of USCA's membership. For those members that wish to compete at the AWDF championship to earn a spot on the FCI team, USCA is working on solutions that will not burden those members financially and still allow USCA to support those members should they make the FCI team.
Moving forward:
AWDF will continue to recognize USCA titles given by USCA judges until January 1, 2019.
USCA members will be allowed to enter other AWDF member club trials until June 30, 2019.
USCA's executive board will be discussing more thoroughly in the weeks to come. I promise to keep the membership officially informed at every milestone as we navigate this situation. USCA provides the best product and services to working dog enthusiasts in the United States and this situation will not change that.
Thank you, Jim Alloway United Schutzhund Clubs of America September 12, 2018 Glossary of Organizations and Abreviations