FOCUS GROUP - BULLETIN 5
(published with permission)

Dear Breeders, Exhibitors and Working Discipline Enthusiasts,

The New Zealand Kennel Club (NZKC) has been an Associate Member of the FCI for a number of years, yet has never been pressurised to adopt FCI breed standards. In an attempt to gain a better understanding of the current situation in the ‘Land of the Long White Cloud’ and its relationship with the FCI, we elicited the views of Mrs. Lesley Chalmers, President of the New Zealand Kennel Club (NZKC).

Mrs. Chalmers shared her views openly and honestly and gave the Focus Group permission to quote from her letter. She responded to us as follows:

“NZKC has been an associate member of FCI for an ion. They have never pushed us for full membership (probably because they know what they would be told). Full membership is as useless to us as it is to you! We can't hold their jolly shows because of our isolation and this was something Australia discovered the expensive way too. They held CACIB shows (2) for two years and all it achieved was that the shows made a loss because of all the dough they had to pay the FCI. And that's how long Australia's full membership lasted! They reverted back to Associate! What the hell is the good of CACIB shows if there are none anywhere else in the area? NZ has never had one.

In a nutshell, FCI knows that they either have us on our terms or they don't have us at all. I actually don't think they worry about associate members! Your biggest problem is that you are a full member!!! Bad move!

Our breed standards are just that - OUR breed standards. If we are recognising a new breed it is almost invariably based on "country of origin", but if there is a breed club and it puts up a good argument why it shouldn't be country of origin, then the Breed Standards Committee will consider the argument on its merit.

On your question about the recognition of export pedigrees… We recognise export pedigrees of countries whose controlling body WE recognise (eg: a few years ago South Korea had two pretenders for the crown of controlling body and we had to make a decision about which one we would recognise). By and large, if we have had no dealings with a controlling body previously, then we will be guided by information from The Kennel Club (UK) - as we were with the South Korean clubs. I could be wrong here (and for certain I would have to go into my archives but I don't have time), but I think we acknowledged the one that the FCI didn't! (Strangely they acknowledged the one with all the money!)

Honestly, I think the burning question you guys have to ask is "what benefits does full membership give to us". The simple answer is b........ all!”

The Focus Group thanks Mrs. Chalmers for her frank observations and the kind permission to share them with the distribution list.

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Yours sincerely,

Focus Group