2017 Nov Dec

Getting Down to Business
From the President
Hello! You will be reading this after the close of the 2017 ASCA
Nationals. If you were able to attend, it is my hope that you carried
home some happy memories of our 60 th anniversary celebration!
Since this is the November/December issue, I thought it would
be appropriate to look back at the past year. Here are the Strategic
Plan goals which were accomplished in 2017:
• Establish Judge’s Education Committee to investigate
electronic options for offering ongoing judge education for all
programs – This committee was established in July.
• Create uniform ASCA Finals rules – The Board passed a
uniform budget for rosettes and awards. Uniform specifications
for Finals rosettes were established. The Business Office will
now handle the ordering of the Finals rosettes.
• Investigate a permanent site or a set of rotating sites for
Nationals – The Board voted to establish four permanent
rotating sites – Bryan, Texas; Greeley, Colorado; Conyers,
Georgia; and a West Coast site TBD.
• Recognize volunteers and affiliates who dedicated a certain
number of hours to ASCA; create an annual recognition
program – The Board voted to annually recognize ALL
volunteers through a slideshow to be shown at Nationals. The
recognition is called “We Are ASCA,” and the first slideshow
was shown at the 2017 ASCA Nationals.
• Goal 4, Objective 1: Manage current club financial assets in
an optimal manner for future Club expansion – According
to our accountant, we are in the best financial health in the
history of our club.
In addition, in an effort to support Goal 2: Culture: Promote
an Atmosphere of Good Sportsmanship, Volunteerism, and
Responsibility for the Breed and Breed Image, the Board passed
the Conflict Resolution Protocol, which replaced the old Dispute
Rules. The focus of the protocol is on resolving conflicts as they
arise, not waiting to air grievances after the fact. With regard to
Goal 5: Provide Optimal Member Service, we saw the debut of
new online services, available through our beautiful new website.
The Board also completed two goals which were part of the 2016
Strategic Plan: the establishment of ASCA’s Dock Jumping program
and the establishment of the Introduction to ASCA’s Stockdog
Program event, which support Goal 1, Objective 3: Provide
innovative programs showcasing the breed and providing expanded
opportunities for competition. The Committees all ensured the
success of ASCA through their focus on Goal 1: Provide Quality
Programs to Showcase the Versatility and Working Ability of the
Australian Shepherd. The Board appreciates the hard work of
ASCA’s Committees! Goal 1 would not be possible without their
dedication.
I think one of the most exciting things the Board did this
year was to begin the broadcast of our monthly Board Meetings.
These meeting themselves are not exciting, but this step toward
transparency is a long time coming. The first meeting to be recorded
was the September 14 meeting. Kalla is now recording the meetings
and then posting the recordings on ASCA’s YouTube account.
Live broadcasts would be best, but we still have some logistics to
work out to make that possible, but the recorded meetings is a very
positive step. I hope you agree!
Working for the success of ASCA and the breed we love!!
~ Laura Gibson
To the Editor
Many won’t do out-of-sights or train for utility, going no
further than a CD. ASCA has the growing-in-popularity ODX
class/no out-of-sights. Judges I have shown to have loved the ODX
DOEs (Directed Open Exercises); this includes some AKC judges.
ASCA took over two years to develop the ODX DOEs with input
on difficulty and necessity.
Experienced dogs have flunked DOEs in trials. Executing
correctly requires training. My present dog is titled in both CDX
(my 5 th ) and ODX (my 1 st ). The ODX is a great prerequisite for
utility directed exercises plus taking commands while working
away from the handler.
I have witnessed and heard of dogs injured by other dogs on
the out of sights, a few even killed or maimed. Stays have their
place in a dog’s life, and most of us will continue to teach these,
using them safely and applicably.
~ Anne Shope, Lifetime Member
NEXT DEADLINE –
January-February 2018 issue: November 15, 2017
Publication Date: January 1, 2018
Theme: Juniors and Merit Program results
Cover: National Finals Best Junior Handler
Cynthia Moorhead, Editor, Aussie Times
2639 Windermere Woods Dr. • Bloomington, IN 47401
Tel. (812) 336-1714/(812) 327-7692
e-mail cynthia@parchmentfarm.com
Office Report
Current number of full members: 5548
Current number of service members: 4399
Number of litters registered from
7/15/2017 till 9/15/2017: 425
Number of dogs registered from
7/15/2017 till 9/15/2017: 870
AUSSIE TIMES November-December 2017 11