U.S. Complete Shooting Dog Association

August 18, 2007

The U.S. Complete Shooting Dog Association held its annual meeting at the Club House at the Dick Cross Wildlife Management Area, Boydton, VA.  The President Rich Warters called the meeting to order at 1:30pm.  Voting members then signed in and Rich welcomed all in attendance.  The Secretary then read the minutes to last years meeting Bobbie Phillips made a motion to accept them as read and Jim Bush seconded the motion.  The financial report was read, and questions answered and then Jerry Murray made a motion to accept and Art Mourino seconded.

Bobby Phillips then brought up the need to be careful of relying so heavily on just a dog food sponsor and that we should continue to look for other sponsors.  Meredith then mentioned he and the VA Association had been trying to talk with an ATV Company as a sponsor but so far had no luck.  Phil Culbreth maybe able to contact someone further up the chain of command and will try to talk with someone on this matter.   Rich Warters brought up they would be having an EZ Go display at the Sandland Field Trial.  Rich also brought up Al Robbins hard work this past year on the sponsors and that he had sent out 83 letters and had only 7 responses.  Gary Ansell then brought up Sams Club; he has spoken with the Regional Rep. and found that each club could be eligible for grants of up to $1,000.00.  He has the forms to be completed and once he has one done it is easier to get more clubs approved for them.  However, Meredith brought up whether that would be a problem with Precise to use Sam’s Club or Wal Mart as an additional sponsor.  Rich will check it out and let us know.

Rich is working with Precise on the new contract.  It was opened for discussion the clubs only receiving two bags of food for a weekend trial.  After some discussion it was suggested we try for more money for the clubs rather than two bags of product.  Due to all of the pet food recalls Percise has had an opportunity to expand its distribution and all clubs and participants are asked to help support them as their products become more available.

Next on the agenda was the Youth trials and where they could get whistles and ribbons for the participants and it was suggested that the clubs contact Wal Mart who may wish to donate the whistles. 

Next the Regional Championships were covered.  It was clarified with Berny Matthys last year that each Region must have 5 active clubs to hold a Championship.  Rich and Yvonne combined a couple of Regions into larger Regions to maintain some Championships.  We have been allotted 7 Championships and last year we ran 6 Championship as not all regions were qualified to have a Championship.  The President will maintain control of who is qualified to have a Regional Championship.

Bobby Phillips then gave his report on the National Championship including the problems with the Arcadia Grounds with its facilities which will be fixed soon.  However it was decided that the 2007-2008 National Championship would be held at Tall Cotton in NC again this year with the revised course.  Rich wanted it to be known that the National Open made money last year only because the Judges and the Reporter only took expense money and nothing else.  Jimmy Jones went back to Tall Cotton and met with Mr. Evans and revised the course to extend it beyond a full hour and hopes it will flow better this year.  Mr. Evans has requested the National Open be held in February.

The Invitational is to return to Arcanum and will be chaired by Gary Ansell.  The National Amateur will be run at Percy Priest in TN to be chaired by Bobby Phillips running the first week of January and then will go to Arcadia, CT in 2008-2009.  Jim Bush made a motion to accept this and Jerry Murray seconded it.  A request was also made to post a list of the proposed rotation.  Bobby will make that list available.

Discussion then turned to the National being opened for bid after much discussion it will be left at Tall Cotton for the time until additional quality grounds can be found. 

Bobby then reported on the Hall Fame and suggested that until the budget and sponsor are a little more secure that we put it on the back burner due to the expense.

The Ad refund was brought up and after discussion that we leave it this year again at the $75.00 range and continue to try and build up the bank account.  Newsletters were discussed next and everyone agreed we were fine this year without and one and continue as is.

Rich then turned the discussion to the Website and wanted it known that Bill Applegate did a great job on the website and the association was very appreciative of all of his efforts and wished a letter and a certificate of Thanks and Appreciation be sent to him.  Gary Ansell will be taking over the Website at the same rate of pay as Mr. Applegate which is $0.00 in a motion made by Bobbie Phillips and seconded by Meredith Jones.

Bobby Phillips then took the floor and thanked Rich Warters for his work and a job well done as the President and announced Rich would be stepping down and after much checking nominated Carl Bishop as President.  Meredith made a motion that Carl Bishop complete Rich Warters term as President and Waverly Coleman seconded the motion and all agreed.  All other Officers remained the same with the exception of the Third Vice President who resigned during the year and was replaced with Mike Traxler.

Carl Bishop then took the floor and stated we all have opinions which is great and you all have to help and He will be asking for that help.  Rich has agreed to stay on as the liaison with Precise.

 Carl then opened the floor to New Business, and he brought up the need for the National Championship to have a home.  This opened the floor to much discussion and it appeared that the majority agreed.  Everyone will look for the quality grounds we need that could make the National a permanent home.

The National will be the week of February 18^th, with Phil Culbreth the Chairman, Gary Ansell is reserving the birds, Jim Jones will be the liaison with the landowners.  The discussion the turned to the need of two or three judges for the National after the discussion all agreed with three judges and one of them will also report the trial.

Next was scouting at the finish, and after a long discussion no rule changes were made.  It was announced that all drawing are public whether they are in some ones home or in a public place but drawing would continue to be in advance of the National Trials. 

Next discussion was whether the rules for the National Amateur Championship need to be changed to an either or and not both an AFTCA & USCSDA Win Certificate.  After much discussion it was decided to make a rule change it needed to be put in writing and notice sent out to the clubs and voted on at another meeting.  Get revision to Bobby Phillips in writing and then we could proceed with a possible rule change. 

A discussion was then held on a possible need of a handler catch up rule.  After much discussion back and forth as to the problems with this being made a rule it has been left to the Judges discretion but must be fair for all participants.  Discussion then turned to correction of dogs during a trial, all agreed our existing rule was fine and participants need to be reminded of the rule.

Ammo in Blank Pistols was brought up that not everyone uses Ammo that was meant to be used in the Blank Pistols and could be a hazard and that when shooting all blank guns they should refrain from shooting directly into a dogs face. 

Next item on the Agenda was the Association obtaining Bob Channell Oil Portraits for the National Championships.  Everyone agreed they are wonderful paintings but the problem of having the budget every year for them could be a problem, so it is up the Trail Chairpersons to find a sponsor to pay for the paintings. 

Jerry Murray and Gary Ansell again brought up the need to have a paid membership for the US Complete and again after a discussion no motion was presented and it was agreed to leave things as is and request each club to have the participants sign in on a form to get name and address and send to the National Secretary who can put together a list of participants.

The floor was then opened up to Gary Ansell to present his Precise Top Dog Award.  After a lengthy discussion and some disapproval for how the program came about, it was agreed to allow Gary to go forward with the program and each club could apply if they wish.  Gary was not to have any US Logo on any of the Award paperwork.  Rich Warters will speak with Percise on the program and let them know our decision.

Final discussion of the day was that Yvonne would be checking into some software that would reduce the work of tracking points, certificate #’s etc.

And the meeting was adjourned at 5:30 pm

Respectfully submitted

Yvonne McKeag