Agility Dog Association of Australia Ltd

From the ADAA Chair ... December 2009

Please accept my, and the Board’s, best wishes for the festive season. We trust that you, and your family (both two and four-legged), will be safe and enjoy at least a few days of rest and relaxation before the New Year arrives. I hope the man with the red hat and coat, towed along by his reindeer, drops in and delivers some well deserved gifts.

ADAA’s Annual General Meeting was held at the WAAG competition and I would like to congratulate Tony Redwood upon his appointment to the Board (General Representative). I would also like to congratulate Marion Allen, Nicola Read and Penny Mead for their re-appointment to the Board as Qld Representative, NSW Representative and General Representative respectively. Thanks to other Board members who are continuing their term – Steve Drinkwater, Jeanette Durante, Natalie Kirkwood and Alison Muddle. The Directors’ report is available for your perusal however the highlights of the financial year were successful completion of the 2nd Dogmania, two major events held at Macksville (including two rounds of the IFCS World Agility Championships selection plus the World Dog Games Try-Outs in June) and ADAA’s first competition in Western Australia (with more to come in 2009 and 2010). Congratulations to all members involved in the World Dog Games (refer separate report and my Chair report for October/November which have more details) and to our members in Western Australia, especially those who have stepped up to undertake Judges’ Training.

Thank you to all members who continue to support the Australian Team travelling to the IFCS World Agility Championships (WAC) to be held in the UK in May 2010, whether that be through purchasing merchandise (such as our wonderful 2010 Agility calendar) or by contributing to/participating in the various events that are being organised. Of course not everyone can, or wants, to be a part of the Australian Team. What is really heartening to see is the growing list of supporters who are considering travelling to the UK to be a part of the event. If you haven’t already done so, and you are considering travelling to the WAC, please drop me an email as we are currently working on travel arrangements for the team and will also receive advance notice of things like Spectator and Gala dinner tickets (which will only be available in limited quantities).

As the year comes to a conclusion I would like to take this opportunity to thank ADAA’s affiliated club members/executive and instructors. It takes a huge amount of time, work and effort to run clubs, support members and to keep your training going. It is really appreciated, especially as a number of clubs have experienced a variety of problems with their grounds/facilities during the past 12 months (some ongoing). We wish you well in your negotiations to secure the right facilities and support for your club and hope that you have a prosperous and enjoyable 2010.

For those who think they might be suffering withdrawal symptoms from Agility competitions over the Christmas/New Year’s break, SunCoast FunDogs are running a weekend at Bundaberg Dog Sports training grounds. I’m sure it will be a weekend of fun, great food and great company.

With the temperature increases please keep an eye on your dogs and watch for signs of heat stress – safety is the most important thing. This especially applies to exercise in association with eating and drinking, as well as not leaving your dog in a hot environment such as your motor vehicle. And don’t forget that it is imperative that dogs are safely restrained within your vehicle while it is moving.

May you enjoy your training with your dog and achieve your goals.

Cathy Slot
ADAA Chair

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