2017 July August

Committee Reports
The following Committee Reports are published as received (bold indicates receipt) and approved:
Agility, Conformation, DNA, Education, Hall of Fame, History,
Juniors, Legislative, Most Versatile Aussie, Obedience, Rally, Stockdog, Strategic Planning, and Tracking
Agility Committee
Judy Boone, Committee Chair, daydreamaussies@msn.com; report
submitted by Jan Niblock, Member of the Agility Committee
The Committee is working on the judge’s education program
as stated in the March/April issue and have come up with some
good ideas. Any suggestions about issues to be included in the
program are welcome, please send them to the Committee Chair,
Judy Boone, daydreamaussies@msn.com.
The Agility Committee would like to thank outgoing members,
Emma Sandfiord and Betty Jaco for all of their hard work on the
committee. Also, we want to welcome new members, Wendy
Richmond and Sharon Farkas. We still need some members from
Region 3 and Region 7, as there is no one from those Regions to
give the Committee valuable input. Regions 1 and 4 could also
use another member if interested. Please send letter of intent and
résumé to the Executive Secretary.
DNA Committee
Gina Larson, Committee Chair, windmillaussies@outlook.com
Greetings from the DNA committee. I would like to thank our
outgoing chair, Trish Alexander, for all her hard work. Huge
welcome to our new members, Peter Hellmeister, Robbie Norman,
Carol Gerkin, and Cathy Kenny.
Our multiple-sired litter motion was passed by the ASCA BOD
and is now in effect. Look for upcoming articles as to why this
motion was necessary and when and why the use of the extended
marker set is necessary.
This year our committee will be working on educational
materials. Please let us know if there is a specific area that you, as
members, would like to see covered.
As always, please feel free to contact the committee with any
issues, questions or suggestions you may have.
History Committee
Sunday Miles, Committee Chair, countrywoods@voyager.net
Things are much the same within our little committee. The
BOB has approved our selection for this year’s Lifetime
Achievement Award recipient. I would love to be the first to
congratulate Victoria Mistretta as this years award recipient. Vicki
has long served ASCA, the Breed and the Aussie community with
her talents, knowledge, and wisdom. Look for more on her in the
write-up for the next issue.
ASCA is ever evolving, new programs in the works, a new
election looming and plans by a hard working bunch to put on
another great Texas Nationals ... I hope to share it with many of
you!
Juniors Committee
Andrea Bair, Committee Chair, juncasjimpop@yahoo.com
We are working on some major things. I am most excited for
the 500 Club Tier Program that is currently set to be voted on by
the ASCA BOD. This will give those who would like to take on
more of a challenge the opportunity to do so while not taking away
the current rules for those who aren’t in a position to travel as much.
The Junior Committee wants to add the other programs to the 500
Club as well. We could really use some help from those who are
Juniors currently competing or have competed in stock and agility
to help get those going. Stock, agility, obedience, and rally Juniors...
this means you can soon earn jackets, too!
Also, I would like to thank Bryn Elliott and Svenja Hagedorn
for renewing your membership this year to the committee. Heidi
Mobley has unfortunately moved to the new ASCA Dock Jumping
Committee and is busy developing that program. We wish her the
best of luck.
Congratulations to all the ASCA Juniors who have worked so
hard for this year and are preparing to start the new point year in
June.
Legislative Committee
Susan Beals, Affiliate Representative, www.cailleachaussies.com
Last year we worked on getting information up on the newly
designed webpage (it is great by the way!!) to help members in any
legislative fights. There is, a page on “How To Contact Your
Representatives,” which we will be updating it in the next few
weeks with all the links and suggestions that have sprouted up in
the last few months to make political activism easier.
We also worked on position statements and talking points for
some typical anti-animal legislation that pops up at the state and
local levels all the time – mandatory spay, neuter; docking,
cropping, and dewclaws; and tethering. Check them out – position
statements, talking points, and links to supporting information.
There will be more coming. We are working on statements on retail
pet sales, breed specific legislation, and dogs in cars among others.
In other news, New Jersey’s Governor Christie conditionally
vetoed Senate Bill 3041. This was a particularly onerous antibreeder
bill. In response to concerns and suggestions from NAIA
(National Animal Interest Alliance), PIJAC (Pet Industry Joint
Advisory Council), and AKC, in addition to a multitude of
individual citizens, Governor Christie sent it back to the NJ senate
with all of the changes suggested by those organizations. The fight
is not over yet, though. With a conditional veto, the governor can
dictate changes he would like to see made to a bill that has been
passed by the legislature. The senate can let the bill die, incorporate
the changes and send it back, or override the veto. The bill’s sponsor
has sworn to fight to override the veto. NJ residents should contact
their state senators and urge them to support Governor Christie’s
veto of SB3041.
In Texas there is an anti-tethering bill working its way through
the legislature. SB 1090 (Companion Bill to HB 1156) “relating to
the unlawful restraint of a dog; creating an offense,” is a Texas
Humane Legislation Network (THLN) bill, and is their second
attempt to pass it. Texas Penal Code Section 42.092 (“Cruelty to
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