Minutes of the Annual General Meeting of The International Union for Leonberger Dogs.
Held on the 29th September 2007 Hotel Kirchner, Leonberg, Germany.
Member Clubs represented
Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Spain , Sweden, Switzerland, USA.
Ireland (Observer status).
Not Represented
Slovak Republic and New Zealand.
The Chairman for the Meeting was the Union’s vice-president dr. Guido Perosino..
Minutes were taken by the Union’s secretary Hein Sibrijns.
Introduction
Guido Perosino opened the meeting at 10.15 am and welcomed those present. He presented the apologies of the Union’s president, Mr. Zerle, who for personal reasons, could not preside at this meeting. Mr Zerle had expressed his good wishes for a productive meeting.
Dr Perosino noted with pleasure the many representatives present from member countries.
Hein Sibrijns asked if everybody understood English and when it was confirmed that everyone present did, he proposed that the meeting would be held as much as possible in the English language.
Guido Perosino introduced the new presidents of member clubs (elected in their country after the last meeting of the Union) who were all present as representatives of their country:
Mr. Willi Güllix from Germany
Mrs. Pia Ferrold from Denmark
Mrs. Stefania Bonati from Italy
Mrs. Mona Refai from Sweden
Mrs. Louise Baldwin, new chairman in Great Britain.
The other representatives from member clubs then introduced themselves upon Petra Junehall’s suggestion.
The board proposes to advance Agenda item no. 6 (request for membership from Canada and Ireland) to right after the introduction, in order that the representatives of Canada and Ireland can participate in the meeting if their request is honoured by the meeting.
Request for membership from Canada and Ireland
1) The board had received and discussed the required documents from the Leonberger Club of Canada.
The secretary had verified with the Canadian Kennel Club that the L.C.C. is an affiliated member of the kennel club. Mr Sibrijns had also contacted the managing director of the FCI, Yves De Clercq , to ensure that that organistion had no objection to a Canadian club joining the International Leonberger Union. Mr. de Clercq confirmed that FCI has no objection.
The ILU board, duly satisfied with the research undertaken and documentaion supplied by the Leonberger Club of Canada, recommended the admission of that club to the International Leonberger Union.
The Canadian club was unanimously accepted as member and the president, Lori Dzingala, gave a brief introduction about the club.
2) The board had received and discussed the required documents from the Leonberger Club of Ireland and found them in order.
It was noted that the Irish Kennel Club will only allow provisional affiliation for the first three years for a new club and therefore the ILU board recommended that the Leonberger Club of Ireland be admitted to the Union with observer status only until such time as the club receives full affiliation with the Irish Kennel Club.
The Leonberger Club of Ireland was unanimously accepted as an observer-status member of the International Leonberger Union.
President’s report:
As the president was not present, the vice president, Guido Perosino, reported the following:
a) There was a constructive general meeting in 2006
b) The Union is growing, hence the two new member clubs.
c) The Union’s website is an important source of information for Leonberger fanciers.
d) The Union supports health research; an inventory of the researches for Poly Neuropathy was made.
Treasurer’s report.
The treasurer’s report was sent to the delegates, together with the agenda for this meeting.
On 31-12-2006 the Union’s assests amounted to 3232.41 Euros.
The total number of members from the member clubs was 10,500.
Secretary’s report.
The secretary had little to add to the president’s report, noting that during the last 12 months, the Union’s website had been visited 64,569 times scoring 1,050,387 hits.
Auditor’s report.
The auditors Anita Treichler (CH) and Jim Henshaw (USA) checked the treasurer’s bookkeeping, they found everything OK, they advised the meeting to accept the bookkeeping and to discharge the treasurer and the board.
Anita Treichler and Jim Henshaw were unanimously re-elected as auditors for the next year.
Discussion of reports.
Wilma Kroon (the Netherlands) said that she had been asked by people who represented the Dutch club last year to remark that they found it not correct that the names of Mr. Zeman and Mrs Edith Steffen had been mentioned in the minutes of the last meeting, while other names had not been mentioned in the minutes. She didn’t know which names should have been mentioned that had not been, the secretary said that he had done his best to write minutes that represent as accurately as possible what has been said and what happened in the meeting, the names of the two persons involved had explicitly been mentioned during the meeting, the secretary would have added names he may have forgotten, but the minutes are on the website since October 2006, nobody asked for additions or changes until now.
The minutes were unanimously accepted as correct.
Wilma Kroon said that in the Union meeting 2006 Mr Hans Lieven had been asked to write an article on Poly Neuropathy. That article was on the Union’s website during some months and then removed.
Hein Sibrijns and Guido Perosino said that the website is updated from time to time, there is now an article that contains more recent information to replace the article from Mr. Lieven.
Discharge of the committee.
The committee was unanimously discharged.
Budget 2008, membership dues 2008.
The financial situation of the Union is healthy, the treasurer will do the necessary expenditures.
It was unanimously decided to maintain the membership dues at a fixed fee of 50 euros plus 0.20 euros per member.
News of consequence and new developments in member countries.
Michaela Wolf (Austria) asked whether clubs could inform their sister clubs when a puppy is exported to another country.
It was decided, after discussion, that the Union officially recommends the member clubs to inform their breeders of the existence of foreign clubs and to ask the breeders to recommend membership of the Leonberger club in the country where the puppy buyer lives.
Glenn Ferguson (USA) read a letter from Mary Decher, the president of the Leonberger Club of America.
Mary was sorry to be unable to be present at this meeting.
She reported that the steps the LCA has taken to become parent club for the Leonberger breed in the American Kennel Club have been successful.
Glenn Ferguson added that the board of AKC will vote on this matter on the 10th October.
Mrs. Crivelli (Switzerland) asked about breeding abilities tests passed by dogs in a country where they don’t live.
It is possible that a dog who didn’t pass a breeding ability check in country A, passes the test in country B, just like it is possible that a dog fails the test on day A and passes it on day B in the same country.
It was agreed that for breeding purposes only the result of the test passed in the country where the dog lives should be counted.
Petra Junehall (Sweden) confirmed that point of view.
Celia Peters (UK) said that the requirements put for dogs to come into breeding must be dependent of the number of dogs available in a country, and that when the population is substantial, the breeding regulations can be more strict.
Anita Treichler asked if Germany accepts dogs for participating in the breeding ability check that have failed the test in Switzerland.
Germany does accept dogs owned by foreign members of the German club for participation in the ZTP, regardless if they have failed the test before in another country.
Switzerland accepts also participation of foreign dogs that have failed the test in their home country.
It was stressed that it is difficult to know if a dog has failed a test abroad, so information should be more readily exchanged.
It was stressed again that only the rules and the result of the breeding ability test from the country where the dog lives apply.
The representatives of Czech Republic stressed that puppies can only be registered in the country where they were born.
Wolfgang Mayer (Germany) explained that there was a problem in Germany with a litter with foreign registration papers, it has been confirmed by FCI and the German Kennel Club that puppies have to be registered in the country where the bitch lived during her pregnancy and at the time of whelping.
Guido Perosino read a communication on behalf of the Italian Leonberger Club.
This year was the 20th anniversary of the Italian Leonberger Club.
The Italian Kennel Club has introduced a new set of rules regarding their stud book.Adult dogs and bitches must have an official HD A or B certificate, ED 0 or 1 and have undergone the breeding apititude test which includes a check for eyes and testicles, temperament and conformation, have gained at least one excellent rating at a special club show, and have had DNA deposited at a recognised laboratory. These dogs will be deemed “selected” breeding stock and litters produced by those dogs will receive pedigree papers in a different colour and stamped as “selected breeding”.
The Italian Club’s Millennium Leonberger Awards 2008 will be awarded to Beth O’Connor, Mary Decher and Glenn Ferguson from the USA and Daniela Pavlovska from the Czech Republic.
Willi Güllix (Germany) asked Guido Perosino to read an English translation of his introduction article as new president of the German club printed in the German club’s newsletter.
Petra Junehall (Sweden) announced that the Swedish Leonberger Club will organize a big club show in conjunction with the FCIK World Dog Show in Stockholm.
The club show will be on 2d July 2008, the World Dog Show on 3d July 2008.
The Swedish club will organize a breeders seminar, for with the Swedish expert on Poly Neuropathy has been invited.
The Swedish club has asked permission from the Swedish Kennel Club to measure the height of the Leonbergers at offical shows during the next two years, they hope to get permission soon.
There is the concern that males in particular are becoming too small.
Ollie Kokonen (Finland) mentioned that the Finish kennel club allows multiple sires for a litter if the requirements for identification are met. That is a kennel club rule beyond influence of breed clubs and it is also allowed in several other countries.
Natalia Romanova (Russia) reported that the Leonbergers are now spreading in the regions outside Moscow, next year there will be 7 club shows all over Russia.
The Russian Leonberger Club is working on a special breeding selection model using the Italian example with the Russian Kennel Club.
Petra Dedkova (Czech Republic) invited everybody to the 20th anniversary club show in Ceske Budejovice on the 19th April 2008.
There was a problem of puppies and young dogs dying of sudden heart failure in one particular line and problem of cryptorchism. The Czech club has been investigating these problems with veterinary specialists.
The Czech club also informed shortly about a strange situation that will have to be solved out in the Czech leonberger cynology where two clubs have been working. While in one club, a puppy at the final inspection of that liter by the breed warden had been given the status of non-breedable, at the other club later, after reaching the maturity, this female was agreed for breeding.
Celia Peeters (UK) reported that there was a breeders’ seminar with Poly Neuropathy as the main topic in UK.
Corinne Serra (France) mentioned the blood samples that have been taken at the French club show for a research for Cardiomyopathy in Paris.
There was a 10 minutes “smokers break”.
New developments concerning diseases that are perhaps typical for Leonbergers, secretary’s report on Inherited Leonberger Poly Neuropathy:
The secretary’s report has been sent to the member clubs and has been published on the Union’s website.
Anita Treichler (Switzerland) relayed the new research that has been started in Bern.
She asks all clubs to cooperate with the Swiss research and have blood samples of affected dogs send to Bern University, the address is available through the Swiss club and in the written info that has been handed out to the delegates in the meeting.
Dr. Leeb hopes to find a genetic marker for the disease within 2 years.
Waltraud Zieher (USA) asked Hein Sibrijns to ask the clubs to send blood samples of affected dogs to the team of Dr. Patterson in Minnesota. Information is available through the Leonberger Health Foundation.
The team of Dr. Blot in Paris also hopes to find a genetic marker within 2 years.
Willi Güllix (Germany) said that the clubs must support health research, the German club has in the past already solved the problem of dogs that tremble with the hind legs when standing by taking adequate measures, we should be able do the same with Poly Neuropathy.
Wilma Kroon (The Netherlands) said that it is very important to publish the symptoms in the clubs’ newsletters.
The Italian club will cooperate with the Swiss research.
Glenn Ferguson (USA) suggested to make a forum on PN in a protected area of the Union’s website where info can be exchanged in order to try to coordinate the researches of the different institutes.
Hein Sibrijns will look into this and eventually set up such a forum.
New events and initiatives of the Union.
Because education is a big target the board proposed to hold 2 international symposiums on the Friday and Saturday before the next club show in Leonberg (26 & 27 September 2008).
To set this up the board needs input from the member clubs.
So all member clubs are urgently invited to send suggestions for themes and speakers before the end of November 2007 to the secretary, Hein Sibrijns, email hs@leonbergerunion.com
The clubs are invited to indicate what their priorities are.
The name of the symposium will be:
“Inaugral International Leonberger Symposium”.
Every lover of Leonbergers can participate, more info, like the venue and participation fee will be made available as soon as possible through the website.
An international judges seminar will be planned for 2009.
The board proposed to give a special award to BOB and the best veteran of one chosen club show per year.
Clubs can apply for obtaining the status of “International Union Award Club Show” for their club show, the board will decide which show will be chosen, based on a special achievement, such as a jubilee.
The first “International Union Award Club Show” will be the 30th anniversary club show of the Austrian club (31/5-1/6 2008)
Miscellaneous
Dominique Dewamme (Belgium) urged the member clubs to respect each other’s dates of club shows.
Closure.
Guido Perosino closed the meeting at 13.30h.
Leonberg, 29-09-2007
Hein Sibrijns, secretary Guido Perosino, vice president, chairman of the meeting.
.
Held on the 29th September 2007 Hotel Kirchner, Leonberg, Germany.
Member Clubs represented
Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Spain , Sweden, Switzerland, USA.
Ireland (Observer status).
Not Represented
Slovak Republic and New Zealand.
The Chairman for the Meeting was the Union’s vice-president dr. Guido Perosino..
Minutes were taken by the Union’s secretary Hein Sibrijns.
Introduction
Guido Perosino opened the meeting at 10.15 am and welcomed those present. He presented the apologies of the Union’s president, Mr. Zerle, who for personal reasons, could not preside at this meeting. Mr Zerle had expressed his good wishes for a productive meeting.
Dr Perosino noted with pleasure the many representatives present from member countries.
Hein Sibrijns asked if everybody understood English and when it was confirmed that everyone present did, he proposed that the meeting would be held as much as possible in the English language.
Guido Perosino introduced the new presidents of member clubs (elected in their country after the last meeting of the Union) who were all present as representatives of their country:
Mr. Willi Güllix from Germany
Mrs. Pia Ferrold from Denmark
Mrs. Stefania Bonati from Italy
Mrs. Mona Refai from Sweden
Mrs. Louise Baldwin, new chairman in Great Britain.
The other representatives from member clubs then introduced themselves upon Petra Junehall’s suggestion.
The board proposes to advance Agenda item no. 6 (request for membership from Canada and Ireland) to right after the introduction, in order that the representatives of Canada and Ireland can participate in the meeting if their request is honoured by the meeting.
Request for membership from Canada and Ireland
1) The board had received and discussed the required documents from the Leonberger Club of Canada.
The secretary had verified with the Canadian Kennel Club that the L.C.C. is an affiliated member of the kennel club. Mr Sibrijns had also contacted the managing director of the FCI, Yves De Clercq , to ensure that that organistion had no objection to a Canadian club joining the International Leonberger Union. Mr. de Clercq confirmed that FCI has no objection.
The ILU board, duly satisfied with the research undertaken and documentaion supplied by the Leonberger Club of Canada, recommended the admission of that club to the International Leonberger Union.
The Canadian club was unanimously accepted as member and the president, Lori Dzingala, gave a brief introduction about the club.
2) The board had received and discussed the required documents from the Leonberger Club of Ireland and found them in order.
It was noted that the Irish Kennel Club will only allow provisional affiliation for the first three years for a new club and therefore the ILU board recommended that the Leonberger Club of Ireland be admitted to the Union with observer status only until such time as the club receives full affiliation with the Irish Kennel Club.
The Leonberger Club of Ireland was unanimously accepted as an observer-status member of the International Leonberger Union.
President’s report:
As the president was not present, the vice president, Guido Perosino, reported the following:
a) There was a constructive general meeting in 2006
b) The Union is growing, hence the two new member clubs.
c) The Union’s website is an important source of information for Leonberger fanciers.
d) The Union supports health research; an inventory of the researches for Poly Neuropathy was made.
Treasurer’s report.
The treasurer’s report was sent to the delegates, together with the agenda for this meeting.
On 31-12-2006 the Union’s assests amounted to 3232.41 Euros.
The total number of members from the member clubs was 10,500.
Secretary’s report.
The secretary had little to add to the president’s report, noting that during the last 12 months, the Union’s website had been visited 64,569 times scoring 1,050,387 hits.
Auditor’s report.
The auditors Anita Treichler (CH) and Jim Henshaw (USA) checked the treasurer’s bookkeeping, they found everything OK, they advised the meeting to accept the bookkeeping and to discharge the treasurer and the board.
Anita Treichler and Jim Henshaw were unanimously re-elected as auditors for the next year.
Discussion of reports.
Wilma Kroon (the Netherlands) said that she had been asked by people who represented the Dutch club last year to remark that they found it not correct that the names of Mr. Zeman and Mrs Edith Steffen had been mentioned in the minutes of the last meeting, while other names had not been mentioned in the minutes. She didn’t know which names should have been mentioned that had not been, the secretary said that he had done his best to write minutes that represent as accurately as possible what has been said and what happened in the meeting, the names of the two persons involved had explicitly been mentioned during the meeting, the secretary would have added names he may have forgotten, but the minutes are on the website since October 2006, nobody asked for additions or changes until now.
The minutes were unanimously accepted as correct.
Wilma Kroon said that in the Union meeting 2006 Mr Hans Lieven had been asked to write an article on Poly Neuropathy. That article was on the Union’s website during some months and then removed.
Hein Sibrijns and Guido Perosino said that the website is updated from time to time, there is now an article that contains more recent information to replace the article from Mr. Lieven.
Discharge of the committee.
The committee was unanimously discharged.
Budget 2008, membership dues 2008.
The financial situation of the Union is healthy, the treasurer will do the necessary expenditures.
It was unanimously decided to maintain the membership dues at a fixed fee of 50 euros plus 0.20 euros per member.
News of consequence and new developments in member countries.
Michaela Wolf (Austria) asked whether clubs could inform their sister clubs when a puppy is exported to another country.
It was decided, after discussion, that the Union officially recommends the member clubs to inform their breeders of the existence of foreign clubs and to ask the breeders to recommend membership of the Leonberger club in the country where the puppy buyer lives.
Glenn Ferguson (USA) read a letter from Mary Decher, the president of the Leonberger Club of America.
Mary was sorry to be unable to be present at this meeting.
She reported that the steps the LCA has taken to become parent club for the Leonberger breed in the American Kennel Club have been successful.
Glenn Ferguson added that the board of AKC will vote on this matter on the 10th October.
Mrs. Crivelli (Switzerland) asked about breeding abilities tests passed by dogs in a country where they don’t live.
It is possible that a dog who didn’t pass a breeding ability check in country A, passes the test in country B, just like it is possible that a dog fails the test on day A and passes it on day B in the same country.
It was agreed that for breeding purposes only the result of the test passed in the country where the dog lives should be counted.
Petra Junehall (Sweden) confirmed that point of view.
Celia Peters (UK) said that the requirements put for dogs to come into breeding must be dependent of the number of dogs available in a country, and that when the population is substantial, the breeding regulations can be more strict.
Anita Treichler asked if Germany accepts dogs for participating in the breeding ability check that have failed the test in Switzerland.
Germany does accept dogs owned by foreign members of the German club for participation in the ZTP, regardless if they have failed the test before in another country.
Switzerland accepts also participation of foreign dogs that have failed the test in their home country.
It was stressed that it is difficult to know if a dog has failed a test abroad, so information should be more readily exchanged.
It was stressed again that only the rules and the result of the breeding ability test from the country where the dog lives apply.
The representatives of Czech Republic stressed that puppies can only be registered in the country where they were born.
Wolfgang Mayer (Germany) explained that there was a problem in Germany with a litter with foreign registration papers, it has been confirmed by FCI and the German Kennel Club that puppies have to be registered in the country where the bitch lived during her pregnancy and at the time of whelping.
Guido Perosino read a communication on behalf of the Italian Leonberger Club.
This year was the 20th anniversary of the Italian Leonberger Club.
The Italian Kennel Club has introduced a new set of rules regarding their stud book.Adult dogs and bitches must have an official HD A or B certificate, ED 0 or 1 and have undergone the breeding apititude test which includes a check for eyes and testicles, temperament and conformation, have gained at least one excellent rating at a special club show, and have had DNA deposited at a recognised laboratory. These dogs will be deemed “selected” breeding stock and litters produced by those dogs will receive pedigree papers in a different colour and stamped as “selected breeding”.
The Italian Club’s Millennium Leonberger Awards 2008 will be awarded to Beth O’Connor, Mary Decher and Glenn Ferguson from the USA and Daniela Pavlovska from the Czech Republic.
Willi Güllix (Germany) asked Guido Perosino to read an English translation of his introduction article as new president of the German club printed in the German club’s newsletter.
Petra Junehall (Sweden) announced that the Swedish Leonberger Club will organize a big club show in conjunction with the FCIK World Dog Show in Stockholm.
The club show will be on 2d July 2008, the World Dog Show on 3d July 2008.
The Swedish club will organize a breeders seminar, for with the Swedish expert on Poly Neuropathy has been invited.
The Swedish club has asked permission from the Swedish Kennel Club to measure the height of the Leonbergers at offical shows during the next two years, they hope to get permission soon.
There is the concern that males in particular are becoming too small.
Ollie Kokonen (Finland) mentioned that the Finish kennel club allows multiple sires for a litter if the requirements for identification are met. That is a kennel club rule beyond influence of breed clubs and it is also allowed in several other countries.
Natalia Romanova (Russia) reported that the Leonbergers are now spreading in the regions outside Moscow, next year there will be 7 club shows all over Russia.
The Russian Leonberger Club is working on a special breeding selection model using the Italian example with the Russian Kennel Club.
Petra Dedkova (Czech Republic) invited everybody to the 20th anniversary club show in Ceske Budejovice on the 19th April 2008.
There was a problem of puppies and young dogs dying of sudden heart failure in one particular line and problem of cryptorchism. The Czech club has been investigating these problems with veterinary specialists.
The Czech club also informed shortly about a strange situation that will have to be solved out in the Czech leonberger cynology where two clubs have been working. While in one club, a puppy at the final inspection of that liter by the breed warden had been given the status of non-breedable, at the other club later, after reaching the maturity, this female was agreed for breeding.
Celia Peeters (UK) reported that there was a breeders’ seminar with Poly Neuropathy as the main topic in UK.
Corinne Serra (France) mentioned the blood samples that have been taken at the French club show for a research for Cardiomyopathy in Paris.
There was a 10 minutes “smokers break”.
New developments concerning diseases that are perhaps typical for Leonbergers, secretary’s report on Inherited Leonberger Poly Neuropathy:
The secretary’s report has been sent to the member clubs and has been published on the Union’s website.
Anita Treichler (Switzerland) relayed the new research that has been started in Bern.
She asks all clubs to cooperate with the Swiss research and have blood samples of affected dogs send to Bern University, the address is available through the Swiss club and in the written info that has been handed out to the delegates in the meeting.
Dr. Leeb hopes to find a genetic marker for the disease within 2 years.
Waltraud Zieher (USA) asked Hein Sibrijns to ask the clubs to send blood samples of affected dogs to the team of Dr. Patterson in Minnesota. Information is available through the Leonberger Health Foundation.
The team of Dr. Blot in Paris also hopes to find a genetic marker within 2 years.
Willi Güllix (Germany) said that the clubs must support health research, the German club has in the past already solved the problem of dogs that tremble with the hind legs when standing by taking adequate measures, we should be able do the same with Poly Neuropathy.
Wilma Kroon (The Netherlands) said that it is very important to publish the symptoms in the clubs’ newsletters.
The Italian club will cooperate with the Swiss research.
Glenn Ferguson (USA) suggested to make a forum on PN in a protected area of the Union’s website where info can be exchanged in order to try to coordinate the researches of the different institutes.
Hein Sibrijns will look into this and eventually set up such a forum.
New events and initiatives of the Union.
Because education is a big target the board proposed to hold 2 international symposiums on the Friday and Saturday before the next club show in Leonberg (26 & 27 September 2008).
To set this up the board needs input from the member clubs.
So all member clubs are urgently invited to send suggestions for themes and speakers before the end of November 2007 to the secretary, Hein Sibrijns, email hs@leonbergerunion.com
The clubs are invited to indicate what their priorities are.
The name of the symposium will be:
“Inaugral International Leonberger Symposium”.
Every lover of Leonbergers can participate, more info, like the venue and participation fee will be made available as soon as possible through the website.
An international judges seminar will be planned for 2009.
The board proposed to give a special award to BOB and the best veteran of one chosen club show per year.
Clubs can apply for obtaining the status of “International Union Award Club Show” for their club show, the board will decide which show will be chosen, based on a special achievement, such as a jubilee.
The first “International Union Award Club Show” will be the 30th anniversary club show of the Austrian club (31/5-1/6 2008)
Miscellaneous
Dominique Dewamme (Belgium) urged the member clubs to respect each other’s dates of club shows.
Closure.
Guido Perosino closed the meeting at 13.30h.
Leonberg, 29-09-2007
Hein Sibrijns, secretary Guido Perosino, vice president, chairman of the meeting.
.