Agility Dog Association of Australia Ltd

From the ADAA Chair ... February 08

Some exciting news is that ADAA will be holding the inaugural Dogmania 2008 – Canine Sport Carnival, from 3 to 5 May, at the South Pine Sports Association Complex. Dogmania will incorporate Agility, Canine Disc, Short Course 3 Sheep Trial, IPO Dogsport and Dances with Dogs. This year’s event is being hosted by PADS (Pine Agility Dog Sports Club Inc.) at their training facility, so a huge thanks to them and also to Damian Noud for taking on the task of promotion. Damian has set up a fabulous website to provide updates and information. The Dogmania Agility schedule is available now (early entries close 31 March 2008). If you like this initiative, then make sure you enter (or volunteer to help out). Also, how about your group (perhaps in conjunction with one or two other groups in your area) considering organising Dogmania next year so that the event can rotate to a different location each year?

Each year, at the first Board Meeting following the Annual General Meeting, your Board of Directors is charged with electing an Executive. They are:

Chair - Cathy Slot
Vice Chair - Jeanette Durante
Secretary - Alison Muddle
Treasurer - Natalie Kirkwood

The fifth member of the Executive is Steve Drinkwater, Director Judging. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Lisa Ruberry for her significant contribution to the ADAA Board, especially as ADAA Secretary. Lisa has decided to step down from the Board due to increasing family commitments. You may also recall the recent Members Notice regarding a Casual Vacancy on the Board. I would like to congratulate Penny Mead on her appointment to the Board in accordance with clause 31(d) of the Article of Association.

The Board of Directors recently reviewed the Agility Regulations (8th Edition 1 July 2006) and concluded that a limited number of changes (mainly Administrative) only would be made. Therefore the 8.1 Edition of the Agility Regulations will be implemented with an effective date of 1 April 2008. An amendment summary page has been created listing the changes, and it is strongly recommended that members read this prior to participating in competitions on or after 1 April 2008.

The ADAA Board of Directors recently obtained advice regarding ADAA’s Refund Policy and has updated the Policy to ensure that its application is clear. Members are advised that no payments will be accepted unless they are accompanied by an acknowledgement that the applicant/member has read and accepted ADAA’s Refund Policy. Therefore would you please ensure that you destroy any old forms as these do not include the acknowledgement and cannot be accepted (so as to avoid any disputes).

It just seems that over the last couple of months of last year and early this year, we have seen the passing of a number of ADAA’s foundation Agility dogs. Perhaps it’s just that ADAA has passed its 13th birthday and our dogs are getting older in the tooth, although some are still going strong like Natalie Kirkwood’s Nitro (nearly 12 years of age years and only recently transferred to Regular) and Skye (nearly 13 years). To our members who have lost a dog, my sympathies to you. For those of you with older dogs in your household, treasure the moments.

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

Cathy Slot
ADAA Chair

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