NORTHERN COUNTIES SHETLAND SHEEPDOG CLUB

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THE  RULES  OF  THE  NORTHERN  COUNTIES SHETLAND  SHEEPDOG  CLUB

 

NAME  AND  OBJECT

1.              The name of the Club shall be The Northern Counties Shetland Sheepdog Club, its object being:-

a)         To promote the breed of pedigree Shetland Sheepdogs. 

b)         To adopt and publish the description of the type as specified by the Kennel Club and agreed to by the British Clubs, namely, The English Shetland Sheepdog Club, The Shetland Sheepdog Club, The Scottish Shetland Sheepdog Club and to urge the adoption of this type on Breeders, Judges, Dog Show Committees, etc.

c)         To hold Breed Shows, under Kennel Club Rules and to adopt such other means as may be deemed advisable for the encouragement of the Breed.

d)         To do all in its power to protect and advance the interests of the Breed.

ESTABLISHMENT  AND  CONSTITUTION

2.              The Club will make a list of members and their addresses available for inspection if so requested by the members of the Club or by the Kennel Club.

3.              Election of Members shall be vested solely in the General Committee and shall be by ballot, six members to form a quorum.

HONORARY VICE-PRESIDENTS

4.              Members of the club who have rendered most valuable services shall be eligible for election as Honorary Vice-Presidents and, they shall remain honorary members of the Club.  The number of such Honorary Vice-Presidents shall be limited to six and will have no voting rights at committee meetings.

MANAGEMENT

5.              The Club shall consist of Patrons, President, Vice-President, Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Honorary Secretary, Show Secretary, Honorary Treasurer and a General Committee of twelve members.  The Chairman and Vice-Chairman shall be ex-officio members of the General Committee.

6.              Officials of the Club are to be elected every three years at the Annual General Meeting and will retire in rotation, the most junior official being the first to retire and can be re-elected if so desired by the Club.  The General Committee shall retire annually, but will be eligible for re-election.  At least six members of the General Committee must be resident in the counties of Northumberland and Durham.

 

ELECTION OF COMMITTEE

7.              All Club members shall be asked to put forward any names they may wish to suggest for election to the General Committee, but prior to this they must obtain in writing the consent of the nominated person, and Committee Members shall be vote for by a postal vote by all members of the Club.

8.              No member shall be eligible for election who is an official of another club devoted to the same breed.

VOTING RIGHTS

9.              Each member shall be entitled to one vote immediately upon acceptance of membership.

            Proxy votes are not allowed.

Voting shall be by secret ballot/show of hands/as decided by the majority at the meeting.

NOTE : Where Joint Memberships are accepted, specify the voting rights of the individuals e.g. one vote per person.  Where Junior Memberships are accepted, specify:

a)       Age limit (18)

b)       Voting right (none)

SUBSCRIPTION  AND  ENTRANCE  FEE

10.           The annual subscription and entrance fee shall be determined at the Annual General Meeting and notified to the Kennel Club.  The annual subscription shall consist of Joint Membership, Single Membership, O.A.P. Membership and a Junior Membership to the age of eighteen (18) on the 1st January.

11.           All subscriptions will be due on the 1st January to the Honorary Treasurer.  If any member fails to pay his or her subscription by 1st March the General Committee shall have the power to erase his or her name from the list of members.  If however, the Committee shall subsequently receive a satisfactory explanation, the member, at the discretion of the Committee will be reinstated.

12.           Members elected after 31st March shall not be liable for their subscription for the current year, but if they are to compete for any prizes offer by the Club between 31st October and 1st January, it will be necessary for them to pay their subscriptions in advance for the next year.  Failure to pay this subscription in this period will mean they are not eligible to compete for any prizes offer by the Club.

13.           The Secretary is empowered to make a levy should an emergency require, but this levy should only be  sanctioned by the General Committee through the Treasurer.

POWER  OF  THE  GENERAL  COMMITTEE

14.           The Committee shall have the power to co-opt any member to the Committee should an emergency arise.

15.           The property and management of the Club shall be vested in the General Committee jointly, who shall have the power at the time to call a General Meeting of the Club, to arbitrate in disputed matters, to elect members as aforesaid, to vote prizes or subscriptions to any show, to appoint sub-committees and to carry out the general business of the Club.

EXPULSION  OF  MEMBERS

16.           Any member who shall be suspended under Kennel Club rule A42j(4) and/or disqualified under Kennel Club Rule A42j(8) shall ipso facto cease to be a member of the Club for the duration of the suspension and/or disqualification.

If the conduct of any member shall, in the opinion of the Committee of the Club be injurious or likely to be injurious to the character or interest of the Club the Committee of the Club may, at a meeting, the notice convening which includes as an object the consideration of the conduct of the member, determine that a Special General Meeting of the Club shall be called for the purpose of passing a resolution to expel him/her.

Notice of the Special General Meeting shall be sent to the accused Member, giving particulars of the complaint and advising the place, date and hour of the Meeting that he/she may attend and offer an explanation.  If at the Meeting, a resolution to expel is passed by a two-thirds majority of the Members present and voting, his/her name shall forthwith be erased from the list of members of the Club except that he/she may, within two calendar months from the date of such Meeting, appeal to the Kennel Club upon and subject to such condition as the Kennel Club may impose.

17.           Any member who has been expelled shall forfeit any claims upon the Club.

18.           The General Committee shall have the power to deal wit any question which may arise and is not provided for the by the Rules.

19.           The Kennel Club shall be acknowledged as the final Court of Appeal in all matter of dispute.

20.           The General Committee shall have the power to form a Special Section to cater for the needs of the Club in a specified area in the Northern Counties.  An Area Representative will be nominated by the Special Section and this person, if necessary, will be asked to attend the General Committee Meetings in order to put forward the views of the Shetland Sheepdog owners in that area.  A sum will be paid to this Area Representative to defray the cost of coming to and from Committee Meetings should the General Committee ask that person to attend for a specific purpose.  The Area Representative will be able to put forward the Sections’ views to various matters, but will not be eligible to cast a vote.

COMMITTEE  MEETINGS

21.           A General Committee Meeting to be held every three months to attend to the affairs of the Club.

22.           A quorum for a meeting of the General Committee shall be six.  The Honorary Secretary, in conjunction  with the Chairman shall have the power to summon a General Meeting or a Sub-Committee Meeting by  giving seven days notice.

23.           It shall be competent for the Honorary Secretary to transact business by post when possible.  If a majority of replies to any question is in favour, such business shall have the sanction of the Committee.

24.           The trophies to be awarded at any Show shall be decided by the Committee.

 

FINANCIAL YEAR

25.           The Financial Year of the Club shall be from 1st January to 31st December.

ANNUAL  RETURNS  TO  THE  KENNEL  CLUB

        26.       The Officers acknowledge that during the month of January each year, Maintenance of Title fee will be forwarded to the Kennel Club by the Secretary for continuance of Registration and that by 31st July each year, other returns, as stipulated by the Kennel Club Regulations for the Maintenance of Title of Societies and Breed Councils and the Affiliation of Agricultural Societies and Municipal Authorities be forwarded to the Kennel Club.

 The Officers also acknowledge their duty to inform the Kennel Club of any changes in Secretary of the Club which may occur during the course of the year.

EXTRAORDINARY  GENERAL  MEETING

        27.       The Honorary Secretary shall be bound to call an Extraordinary General Meeting at any time should he or she be required to do so, in writing, by not less than nine members and the General Committee shall have power of calling an Extraordinary General Meeting whenever they think it desirable.  Any resolution passed either at the Annual General Meeting or at an Extraordinary Meeting can only be altered or rescinded at a subsequent General Meeting, due notice having been given to the Members.  The quorum for each of the last named meeting shall be nine.

METHOD  OF  CONDUCTING  BUSINESS

28.       At every meeting whether General or of the Committees, the minutes of the previous meeting shall be read and confirmed.  At least fourteen days notice shall be sent, seven days notice for Committee Meetings, together with an Agenda of business to be transacted.  No business other than that contained in the Agenda shall be gone into at any General Meeting with the exception of matters of routine.  The Chairman, if present, shall preside at every meeting.  In his absence the Vice-Chairman shall take his place and, in his absence the members shall elect a Chairman who shall have a casting vote in the event of a tie taking place and whose ruling on any point shall be binding on the meeting.

EXPENSES

29.           The General Committee shall have power to deal with all expenses incurred on behalf of the Club.  No expense shall be incurred by the Secretary, Treasurer or Committee beyond the funds of the Club.

JUDGES

30.           The Secretary shall keep an updated list of Judges willing to officiate.

If more than five years elapse without a Judge seeking an Open or Championship Show, it will be necessary to seek re-election to the list.

The Club will produce a list of Judges each year which must be submitted to the Kennel Club as part of the Club’s Annual Returns.  The purpose of Judges’ Lists is to indicate to interested parties those persons the Club would support at differing levels of judging.  Membership of the Club must not be prerequisite of inclusion in the lists.  Judges’ Lists should be divided into parts namely, A1, A2, A3, B and C List and must indicate the date of which the list will expire.  On expiry a new list must be compiled.

‘A1’ List

For persons who have previously been approved by the Kennel Club to award CCs in the breed and have completed their first appointment.  To have the support of the Northern Counties Shetland Sheepdog Club.

‘A2’ List

For persons who fulfill the requirements for the A3 list and who have been assessed in accordance with Kennel Club requirements and accepted by the Kennel Club for inclusion on an A2 list and have the support of the Northern Counties Shetland Sheepdog Club.

‘A3'  (Breed Specialists)

For persons whom the Northern Counties Shetland Sheepdog Club would support to award CCs in the breed, but who as yet, have not been approved by the Kennel Club to award CCs in the breed.

                    To have a minimum of 7 years judging experience in the breed and have the support of the Northern Counties Shetland Sheepdog Club.

To have judged one Breed Club Open Show.

To have judged a minimum of 100 classes of Shetland Sheepdogs and to have judged a minimum of 350 Shetland Sheepdogs at Open Shows or Championship shows without CC’s, with an adequate geographical spread.

To have attended a seminar given by a Kennel Club Accredited Trainer, and passed the relevant examination on Kennel Club Regulations and Judging Procedures (KC Policy as of 01/07/2001)

To have attended a seminar given by a Kennel Club Accredited Trainer on Confirmation and Movement. (KC Policy as of 01/07/2001).

To have attended a Confirmation and Movement ‘Hands On’ Assessment conducted by a Kennel Club Accredited Trainer and passed the assessment. (KC Policy as of 01/07/2005).

To have attended at least one Breed specific seminar run in accordance with the relevant Kennel Club Code of Best Practice and passed an examination and/or assessment where applicable. (KC Policy as of 01/07/2001).

To have bred and/or owned a minimum of 3 dogs when they obtained their first entry in the Kennel Club Stud Book (Save in exceptional circumstances).

To have stewarded at 12 shows.

‘A3’ (Non Specialists)

For persons whom the Northern Counties Shetland Sheepdog Club would support to award CCs in the breed, but who as yet, have not been approved by the Kennel Club to award CCs in the breed.

To have a minimum of 7 years judging experience in any one breed (to include 5 years in Shetland Sheepdogs) and have the support of the Northern Counties Shetland Sheepdog Club.

To have judged one Breed Club Open Show.

To have judged a minimum of 200 classes of Shetland Sheepdogs and to have judged a minimum of 400 Shetland Sheepdogs at Open Shows or Championship Shows without CC’s, with an adequate geographical spread.

                    To have awarded CCs in at least one other breed.

To have attended a seminar given by a Kennel Club Accredited Trainer, and passed the relevant examination on Kennel Club Regulations and Judging Procedures (KC Policy as of 01/07/2001).

To have attended at least one breed specific judging seminar run in accordance with the relevant Kennel Club Code of Best Practice and passed an examination and/or assessment where applicable. (KC Policy as of 01/07/2001).

To have attended a seminar given by a Kennel Club Accredited Trainer on Confirmation and Movement (KC Policy as of 01/07/2001).

To have attended a Confirmation and Movement ‘Hands On’ Assessment conducted by a Kennel Club Accredited Trainer and passed the assessment. (KC Policy as of 01/07/2005).

To have bred and/or owned a minimum of 3 dogs of any breed when they obtained their first entry in the Kennel Club Stud Book (save in exceptional circumstances).

To have stewarded at 12 shows.

‘B’ List (Breed Specialists)

Persons to have 5 years experience owning and exhibiting Shetland Sheepdogs and have the support of the Northern Counties Shetland Sheepdog Club.

                    To have judged 30 classes of Shetland Sheepdogs and to have judged 80 Shetland Sheepdogs at Open Shows or Championship Shows without CC’s, with an adequate geographical spread.

To have attended at least one breed specific judging seminar.

‘B’ List (Non Specialists)

Persons to have 5 years judging experience in Shetland Sheepdogs and have the support of the Northern Counties Shetland Sheepdog Club.

To have judged 50 classes of Shetland Sheepdogs and to have judged 130 Shetland Sheepdogs at Open Shows or Championship Shows without CC’s, with an adequate geographical spread.

To have attended at least one breed specific judging seminar. ]

    ‘C’ List (Breed Specialists)

For aspirant judges who have shown an interest in the breed and have the support of the Northern Counties Shetland Sheepdog Club.

    ‘C’ List (Non Specialists)

For aspirant judges who have shown an interest in the breed and have the support of the Northern Counties Shetland Sheepdog Club.

A Notice should be sent to members asking for nominations which should be returned to the Club Secretary with the nominee’s signature and current judging C.V.  The Judges’ Sub-Committee may then examine all the applicants and if, in their opinion, some of them are not suitable for the Judge’s List, they will have the power to withdraw such nominations.  The remaining nominations will then be placed before the Judges’ Sub-Committee and in order to be successful must secure at least 75% of the Judges’ Sub-Committee votes.  New judges must express willingness to stand for election and their statements to this effect must accompany the nomination.

DISSOLUTION  OF  THE  CLUB

31.           In the event of the Club winding up, all monies to be divided among the members, all trophies, challenge cups etc., the property of the Club, which have not been won outright at the time of dissolution shall be returned to the donors, their heirs, executors or assignees.

BANKING  ACCOUNT

32.           A banking account shall be opened in the name of the Club, into which all revenue shall be paid and, from which withdrawals will only be made on the signatures of two or more Officers, one of whom shall be the Treasurer and Secretary.  The signatories must not be from the same household, partnership or family.

 

CLUB  RULES

 

33.           The Kennel Club must be informed of any alterations to the Rules of the Club, and any such alterations must not be brought into practice until the Kennel Club has given its approval.

 

RESIGNATION  OF  MEMBERS

34.           Any member may withdraw from the Club at any time by giving written notice to the Honorary Secretary, provided always that each member shall be liable for his subscription for the current year in which he gives notice, and shall have no further claim upon resignation taken place, on any of the property or funds belonging to the Club.

Members who are not up to date with subscriptions are not eligible for the Club’s trophies, or for other benefits which are normally enjoyed by fully paid up members.

AFFILIATION

35.           The Club shall not join any Federation of Societies or Clubs other than those with Kennel Club approval.

JUNIOR  MEMBERS

36.           Junior Members should not have any power to vote on Club matters.  A Junior Member is under 18 years of age.

COMMITTEE  RE-ELECTION

37.           The names of the Committee Members should automatically be put forward by the Club Secretary for re-election unless a letter of resignation is received by the Secretary.  This list will be added to by the names of new nominations for voting.  Committee Members not attending 50% (half) of the Committee Meetings held in the year, shall automatically cease to be members of the Committee.  They may however, be re-nominated at the discretion of the Committee providing a satisfactory explanation for their absence is submitted.

SECTIONS

38.           Sections can be formed in areas where there is a strong following of Club Members, but permission to form a Section must be given by the General Committee. 

39.           Such Sections must have a Chairman and Secretary/Treasurer, one of whom is either an ex-offico member of the General Committee, viz: Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer or Show Secretary, or a General Committee Member.  A Section Secretary/Treasurer must be appointed and a Committee of at least five must be appointed to deal with the general business of the Section.

40.           The Annual General Meeting of the Section must be held within one month of the Club’s Annual General Meeting.  The Annual Accounts must be produced at the Section A.G.M.

41.           The Section Committee Meeting must be held at least every three months and copies of the Minutes of such meetings should be sent to the Club Secretary within fourteen (14) days.  Notice of all Section Committee Meetings must be sent to ex-officio members of the General Committee seven (7) days prior to the date of the meeting.  Such persons can attend but are unable to vote unless they are acting as Chairman.

42.           The Club shall appoint a Club Show Secretary to deal specifically with all matters appertaining to Shows.  Such a person will be an ex-officio member of the General Committee and as such will be elected for a term of three years.

43.           No person, whilst an undischarged bankrupt, may serve on the Committee of, or hold any other office or appointment within the Northern Counties Shetland Sheepdog Club.

NORTHERN  COUNTIES  SHETLAND  SHEEPDOG  CLUB