Verband
Kleine Münsterländer International (KlM-I) e.V. Jacqueline Mette, Dresdner Str. 19, 01774 Pretzschendorf
Recipients
Bernd-Dieter Jesinghausen, Henrik Raae Andersen, Cor Bottenheft, Jacqueline Mette, Nanda Adriaansen, Dietrich Berning, Germain Klein, Atle Johannesen, Peter Hübler, Urs Hoppler, Jiří Kec, Bobbe Carney, Tom McDonald, Pete Eising, Josef Westermann, Erwin Wallmann, Andreas Kurre, Dr. Bernd Westphal, Karl Wichmann
Present
Bernd-Dieter Jesinghausen, Henrik Raae Andersen, Cor Bottenheft, Jacqueline Mette, Nanda Adriaansen, Dietrich Berning, Germain Klein, Tom McDonald, Pete Eising, Josef Westermann, Erwin Wallmann, Andreas Kurre, Dr. Bernd Westphal, Karl Wichmann
October 2, 2012
Minutes
of the Annual Meeting 2012 on September 30, 2012
Meeting place:
Hotel Weissenburg, Gantweg 18, 48727 Billerbeck, Tel.: 0049 (0) 2543 – 750
Time:
Sunday, 9/30/2012, 9 am – 2 pm
Agenda for the Annual Meeting on 9/30/2012
- Welcome
Mr. Jesinghausen welcomed the representatives of the KlM International member countries, and as a guest, Mr. Karl Wichmann, the Chairman of the Große Münsterländer, who participated in the development of an international Münsterländer test. Missing were Atle Johannesen from Norway, Peter Hübler (President of the ÖVMü Austria), Urs Hoppler (President SKMV Switzerland) and Jiri Kec (President KDO Czech Republic).
- Approval of the Agenda
The agenda is approved with minor changes.
- Confirmation of the agenda of the last meeting on July 18, 2010
The Minutes from 7/18/2010 are approved.
- Situation in the KlM-International Clubs
Mr. Jesinghausen (Czech Republic, Austria, Switzerland, North America)
The Presidents of the ÖVMü Austria and the KDO Czech Republic have sent their regrets. In Austria, Peter Hübler has been President since the beginning of the year as the successor to Georg Bellowitsch. Due to testing at this time of year, no replacement representatives could be found in either country. In both countries, few changes have been noted.
The Presidents of Austria, the Czech Republic and Switzerland have conveyed their agreement on the present IMP draft to Bernd-Dieter Jesinghausen.
The President of the SKMV (Switzerland) has also sent his regrets. On account of the small window for hunting in Switzerland, no substitute representative could be found. On behalf of Mr. Hoppler, Bernd-Dieter Jesinghausen reads his report: Since the last general meeting of KlM International there have been some changes in Switzerland. Since last year and after lengthy negotiations with the Swiss Cynological Society, the SKMV has adjusted its breeding and crate regulations to the new animal protection law. A character test was introduced. Judges train themselves. The SKMV remains an independent club. In 2011, 7 litters with a total of 43 pups were registered. As in the past, Swiss dog handlers completed tests in neighboring Landesgruppen in Germany. Each year, a general meeting of the membership, a working conference, training days, a breed show and a blood track with retrieval test are held. Bernd-Dieter Jesinghausen explains the character test with the help of a slide. This must be passed by breed dogs in Switzerland.
In the meantime, character tests are being carried out in many member clubs. In Germany, in the Landesgruppe Northern Bavaria, a behavior clinic with young dogs is being completed, which is not, however, evaluated systematically and is also not relevant for breeding. The test is offered to support the dog handler. Erwin Wallmann explains that character tests in Germany were developed and tried out with the VDH. After evaluation of the tests no agreements could be reached for breeding. Two experimental litters, each with two gun-shy and two non-gun-shy dogs, whose pups were worked with by several dog handlers, yielded no conclusive results, such that the character tests in Germany were abandoned again.
In 2011 Brend-Dieter Jesinghausen participated in the Annual Meeting of the SMCNA in North America. A declaration of intent to join KlM Deutschland as Landesgruppe North America was approved unanimously and signed by the entire Board. As background, the USA is not an F.C.I. member country which makes cross-border breeding more difficult and hinders the sale of pups to Europe. Up until now, many European KlM International clubs have supported non-member countries with pups and stud dogs as well as with sperm. This state of affairs would have been ended and legalized by becoming a member as a Landesgruppe.
According to the by-laws of KlM Deutschland, all subordinate organizations must be members of the JGHV and then organize tests, train judges and acquire versatile hunting dogs in accordance with their (JGHV) regulations. In North America, however, NAVHDA tests, are used everywhere. Though they are similar to the JGHV tests, they are not recognized by the JGHV. Kleine Münsterländer in North America participate primarily in NAVHDA tests. A compromise was sought with the JGHV and the SMCNA by means of a transitional solution. Matters have, however, developed differently for several reasons: JGHV judges are not allowed to judge at NAVHDA tests, the President of the SMCNA resigned and Bernd-Dieter Jesinghausen was in the hospital for a few months. In a poll, (SMCNA) members have voted against joining KlM Deutschland as a Landesgruppe and now receive F.C.I. pedigrees from Puerto Rico, which is not in the interest of a common approach to breeding.
In its last meeting, the KlM International executive committee discussed this topic thoroughly and determined that a member club which receives papers from a foreign country cannot remain a member of KlM International. KlM International rejects this explicitly. After consulting with the F.C.I., they (F.C.I.) say that the way in which the SMCNA is obtaining F.C.I. pedigrees is not right, but it is such a small problem for the F.C.I., that they will no longer concern themselves with the issue. Bernd-Dieter Jesinghausen and Tom McDonald had further discussions on the weekend and sought to find a workable solution by discussing the proposal whereby KlM International, together with KlM Deutschland, as motherland of the breed, would issue pedigrees, provided that the German breeding requirements would be adopted by the SMCNA. In this way, in matters of breeding, the protection of the future development of the Kleine Münsterländer in North America could be achieved by closely following the German level of performance abilities. Further discussions should be conducted based on this basic principle.
Mr. Anderson (Norway, Sweden, Finnland, Denmark)
No board member from Norwayhad the opportunity to participate in the Annual Meeting. Atle Johannesen has left the board. Here the dialogue must be established again.
In November 2011 Swedenofficially ended its membership in KlM International. The membership contribution has not been paid, except in 2008. The Swedish Pointing Dog Association, in which Kleine Münsterländer are organized, has little interest in KlM International. For breeding in Sweden “bird dog tests” are required. From this, the idea has arisen to launch a new KlM Club in Sweden and, with the help of KlM International, to support the recently established JGHV testing system in Denmark.
This path could also be taken in Norway.
Finland received the invitation to the Annual Meeting from KlM International, but did not reply.
In Denmark Henrik Andersen was elected President of the FJD Umbrella Association (Umbrella association for all pointing breeds in Denmark) in 2009. In this function, he was successful in introducing the VJP and the HZP as tests in Denmark for 6 of 8 associations.
In Scandinavia, it is generally a big problem maintaining the „original KlM“ as a versatile hunting dog for breeding in the long term. Denmark is thus taking a new path with the introduction of the VJP and HZP. In the future two different types of pedigrees will be awarded in Denmark. Option 1: Parent dogs have only attended a breed show. Option 2: Parent dogs come from performance breeding with JGHV tests (VJP/HZP). The Danish umbrella association has accepted this course of action.
In 2012 Henrik Andersen attended the Annual Meeting of the SMCNA in the USA.
Mr. Bottenheft (Belgium, France, Luxembourg, Spain/Portugal, Great Britain, the Netherlands)
Cor Bottenheft attended the breed show in Belgium in 2011. Nanda Adriaassen explains that the chairman Johan Craeghs left his office in 2012. Thereafter, Nanda Adriaansen, who organized everything and maintained all contacts in the past, also resigned. She is now looking for a solution with a new Board. Nanda Adriaansen would like to continue as Germany’s contact for KlM International. As a criterion for approval to breed in Belgium only HD examination and evaluation at a breed show, with a minimum confirmation of “good”, are tested. There is no information from the umbrella association on breeders, puppy buyers, or pedigrees issued. Cor Bottenheft will support the Belgian KlM Club, in order to keep it from falling apart.
Cor Bottenheft also attended a breed show in France in 2011. German Klein explains that in France the umbrella association SCC (Societée Centrale Canine) maintains a breed book and issues pedigrees. All pointing dogs in Group 7 have the same breed regulations. In France breeders receive pedigrees for their puppies for a maximum of two litters, if the parents were evaluated at a breed show with at least “good”. If a breeder would like to have more litters, the breeder must take a three-day theoretical seminar at a “veterinarian’s school”. Thereafter, the stud dog will be chosen by seeking a dog that can show as many tests as possible in his “work book” (testing tourism). The focus is on the field search. The most valuable and demanding test is the Spring search, which is taken after an age of 15 months. The TAN is similar to the VJP, but without a rabbit track and retrieval from deep water instead. The BiCP comes closest to the HZP. Performance is noted only on winged game. The game is planted.
Pointing dogs in Luxembourgare overseen by the Centrale du Chien de Chasse (CCC). The CCC has about 500 members, of which 75 are KlM members. Many KlM members are also members of KlM Deutschland. 1-2 litters are born each year. Pedigrees are issued by the kennel club. If both parents have pedigrees, then the pups also receive pedigrees. The CCC organizes its own VJP, HZP and VGP (tests), but also an internal club test, which is a test on a dog’s suitability to hunt.
In Spain/Portugalthere are just a few KlMs. Between 2001-2008 there was only one KlM registered with the Kennel Club.
In Great Britain there is no KlM club known to the UK Kennel Club.
In the Netherlands this year a retrieving test was given several times. The special feature of this test: With this difficult test, which is like real hunting, the handlers learn only in the morning, what will be tested. The umbrella association prepares a DNA test in order to determine, whether the parents really are the parents. In addition, the Dutch KlMs were examined for hereditary eye diseases in the period 2000-2011. The result: of 991 dogs examined, 87.65% were free (of eye diseases) and 12.35% have hereditary eye diseases. Breeders, who breed with unexamined parent dogs, should communicate to buyers of their pups that the risk for eye diseases is increased.
- Establishing international performance breeding in all KlM International member clubs
For decades now, canine breeding has also become more international. As the umbrella organization of national canine clubs, the F.C.I. insures that breeds maintained in Germany are bred according to a uniform standard in physique. Beyond this, however, hunting dogs should also be bred internationally, according to uniform performance criteria. Each F.C.I. member country can require tests for permission to breed at their own discretion – or not require any tests at all! Testing is thus solely the responsibility of the national canine umbrella organization. These are often interested only in dog shows or in the revenues for the F.C.I. pedigrees.
What do these conditions mean for our breed, the Kleine Münsterländer? The total number pups whelped per year within KlM-International is about 2,300 dogs. In addition, in Europe we expect about 2,500 pups with F.C.I. pedigrees, issued by the national umbrella organizations, after parents passed a breed show, but without a performance certificate. Thus, 50-60% of the KlM pups bred internationally each year do not come from performance breeding with tests of hunting abilities (use of nose, desire to retrieve, search, pointing, desire to track, willingness to work and desire in water as well as obedience) typical of the breed.
These performance criteria are indispensable, however, for the breed profile of the Kleine Münsterländer as a versatile hunting dog. Kleine Münsterländer with this profile have been bred successfully for more than 150 years in the motherland of the breed.
If the KlM is bred internationally in large numbers, without testing these performance criteria in the parents, or at least partially testing them, then considerable problems will arise for the breed profile of the KlM in the long term:
- The loss of a uniform breed-type KlM is threatened by changes in the gene pool.In different national populations sub-types of today’s KlM are being bred, which correspond to the national hunting conditions, but not to the fully versatile dog profile of the KlM.
- In small national populations problems of inbreeding depression are arising increasingly.
- Also larger national populations are being unnecessarily restricted, because a portion of the foreign breed dogs are not being used due to higher hereditary risks.
- The original performance strengths in hunting, the qualities of character as well as intelligence and independence will change for the worse in the long term.
Thus, the long term security of the original KlM breed profile as a multidimensional, versatile hunting dog will be endangered. But this must remain the top priority of KlM breeding.
In order achieve and secure this goal, the KlM-I executive committee proposes the following steps:
- Agreement on an internationally harmonized differentiation of KlM performance breeding from the ordinary F.C.I. breeding (breeding only with a passed breed show).
- An internationally harmonized definition of the performance abilities needed for the breeding of KlM hunting dogs must be agreed upon.
- The international breed standard of the KlM must be augmented to include breed-specific performance elements.
- The necessary performance abilities for breeding must be registered and documented within the framework of a transparent national testing system. To this end KlM-I certificates shall be issued as an internationally recognized identification (ID) of a KlM performance breeding and authorization to breed.
- The national KlM-I clubs shall coordinate and agree upon their testing criteria and the issuing of the KlM-I certificate with KlM-I.
- International select breeding shall be developed.
- Motions
6.1 Criteria for the indispensable performance abilities of the typical KlM breed profile
The Executive Committee of the KlM-I proposes the following criteria:
- Proficiency of nose
- Willingness to retrieve
- Search
- Pointing
- Tracking proficiency
- Willingness to work and love of water
- Cooperation
These criteria must be observed and judged at tests.
Breed excluding faults:
- While hunting, mute (stumm) or barking without the presence of game
The Annual Meeting discusses the performance criteria. “Tracking proficiency” shall be changed to “willingness to track’. Laut is not tested or registered in all countries, and in some cases breeding is done with mute dogs.
The Annual Meeting unanimously adopts these criteria as the minimum requirements for international performance breeding. The national clubs are asked to integrate these minimum criteria into their national breeding regulations.
The implementation in national test regulations shall be developed together with the responsible national KlM clubs. They must be made in consideration of the national animal rights regulations, traditions and hunting conditions. The majority of the KlM-I clubs already fulfill these minimum requirements for performance abilities in hunting with their current testing regulations. However, because F.C.I. pedigrees without validation of performance, or with only partial validation of performance, are also being issued in these countries, it is important that the recognized performance breeding (with KlM-I certificate) can be distinguished from the simple F.C.I. pedigree.
6.2 Amendments to the international breed standard KlM
Even if the F.C.I. makes it optional for their member countries to determine whether tests, or which tests, will be given in the utility dog group, the Annual Meeting considers it important and helpful, to also uniformly regulate requirements concerning performance abilities in the breed standard, in addition to a dog’s outward appearance. KlM-I therefore requests KlM-D, as the motherland of the breed and thereby responsible organization at the F.C.I., to apply for the following amendments to the breed standard:
- Under “historical summary”, amendment of the last sentence: “Today the Kleine Münsterländer is a hunting dog which can be used for many purposes, and which is very popular around the world because of its performance abilities.
- Under “General Appearance”, amendment of the last sentence: “The overall appearance must always show a usefulness for hunting”.
- Under “behavior/character (nature)”, amendment of the last sentence: “It must have the necessary abilities in order to hunt in close cooperation with its handler in the field, forest and water and to bring hunted game into the possession of the handler (versatility).”
- Under “eliminating faults”, amend the list with: “Unfitness for hunting through the lack of abilities for multifaceted (versatile) hunting before and after the shot.” as well as “mute and/or barking without the presence of game.”
These amended standards shall offer support to the national clubs in negotiations with their canine umbrella organizations and in their associations, as it will now be expressly codified, that the Kleine Münsterländer is a versatile hunting dog for the field, forest and water and must also be bred for this purpose. Only in this way, can the typical performance abilities be retained internationally in the long term.
The resolution of the Annual Meeting is agreed upon unanimously. In the future, the KlM-I certificate, agreed upon at the last Annual Meeting, shall be the quality certification for all Kleine Münsterländer issuing from hunting-related performance breeding, as long as they are hereditarily healthy.
6.3. Membership KlM Sweden
Sweden paid a membership contribution once in 2008 and has not paid again since then. Henrik Raae Andersen is in contact with the Swedish Pointing Dog Club. According to his statement, Sweden has now officially given notice. If it finally does come to a notice of termination, an attempt will be made to request payment of the unpaid membership dues from the past years. Henrik Raae Andersen will attempt to promote a concept for the organization of KlM clubs and for the KlM breed in the Scandinavian countries on the basis of the conditions in Denmark.
6.4. Election of two auditors
At KlM Deutschland the account is examined twice per year by two auditors. These change every two years. Members of the Annual Meeting decide unanimously, that the account of KlM-I shall be audited by these auditors at the same time.
- Financial Report
The financial report for 2010/2011 was presented by beamer and explained. With income that remained the same, the costs rose with the increase in activities (for example, holding the IMP test). For the time being, an increase in membership dues will not be resolved.
The current account information is also presented. Herr Jesinghausen requests payment of the annual dues from the countries which have not yet paid.
No other points are raised on the subject of the financial reports.
- Discharge of the Executive Board
The discharge of the Executive Board takes place unanimously with abstention of those concerned.
- Amendments of the By-Laws
On formal grounds and in recognition of the German law for non-profit organizations, the Nuremberg District Court requires the changes listed below, which were inadvertently not presented and decided upon at the last Annual Meeting in 2010. An activity will be designated as non-profit, if it aims to promote the common good. The advantages of non-profitability are tax privileges and the authority to issue receipts for donations, which authorizes tax deductions for the donor.
— Section 2.1 of the by-laws: Correction of the names “Verband für Kleine Münsterländer- International (KlM-I)”
— Section 2.2 of the by-laws: The new wording is: “The association exclusively pursues non-profit objectives defined in the German tax code section entitled “tax-privileged activities”. The Association is a non-profit organization. Profit-oriented business is explicitly barred from its activities. Funds of the association may only be used for purposes stated in its by-laws. The members receive no financial gain from the association. No person may benefit from expenditures which are alien to the purpose of the corporation, or receive disproportionately high compensation.”
— Section 5.1 of the by-laws: Amendment – “The meeting of the General Assembly shall be convened by the Board in writing.”
— Section 5.2 of the by-laws: Change – “Written votes shall take place at the request of at least five members.”
— Section 5.3 of the by-laws: Amendment – “Minutes shall be taken on the resolutions which have been made. The minutes shall be signed by the chairman of the meeting. Minutes from these meetings must be delivered to all members in a timely fashion.”
— Section 6.1 of the by-laws: Change – “breed clubs”
— Section 6.2 of the by-laws: Change and amendment – “Under German law for associations, KlM-International is represented by the President and Business Manager – each qualified alone – as authorized representatives of the Board according to § 26 BGB.
The Board is authorized by § 26 BGB to make editorial changes in the by-laws and changes which are necessary because of objections by the commercial register court or to achieve non-profit status.”
— Section 7.2 of the by-laws: Change and amendment – “The dissolution of the association can only be decided by a two thirds majority of the members. The Annual Membership Meeting may decide to terminate the association for other reasons. It concurrently appoints a liquidator and decides on the use of association’s assets.
Upon termination of the association or loss of tax-exempt status, the assets of the association would be transferred to another nonprofit, versatile hunting dog organization, which must use the funds solely and directly for non-profit purposes as defined by the provisions of these by-laws.”
The Annual Meeting unanimously agrees to these changes in the by-laws.
- The International Münsterländer Test (IMP)
The IMP is an important building block in the development of an international select breeding, on the basis of which KlM activities can be brought together internationally at a high level. The IMP is something special and will become interesting for (KlM) handlers. Following the example of other hunting dog breeds, “international kennels” and “international stud dogs” could be introduced. The successful completion of an IMP shall be documented with the initials “IMP” in the dog’s name.
After the concept for the test regulations was ready, two practice runs were carried out in Austria and Germany, thereby building further experience. The experiences from 2011 must be reevaluated and integrated into the test regulations.
After the two test runs, there were many suggestions, also from abroad. France is the only country which rejects the past IMP concept with the forest test components blood tracking and fox, because in France there is no forest test component for Group 7. Since an International Münsterländer Test has many advantages, the concept shall be based on a broad consensus of the member associations and France should “stay on board”. German Klein has developed a compromise proposal, which has been approved by the CFEML, and introduces it (to the group). The concept allows for dog handlers to decide for themselves, whether they do a blood track, just as they can decide for the test component blind retrieve or a drag. France accepts the test component retrieving furred game, but only with a rabbit (not a fox).
The member countries Switzerland, Denmark, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Austria and Germany, as well as the Große Münsterländer Club accept exclusively the test regulations in the present form (i.e. Version A). Since the present concept of the IMP cannot be practiced as a test in all of member countries of KlM-International, a “B-Version” shall be developed on the basis of the French proposal. Bernd-Dieter Jesinghausen, Germain Klein and Cor Bottenheft shall jointly develop the test subjects. Upon completion, this concept shall be presented to the member countries for feedback and approval. The members of the Annual Meeting are unanimously in agreement with this course of action. Both variations can be tried out in the years ahead, and practice will show, how the dog handlers accept the A- and B-versions of the test.
The following changes in the test regulations of the IMP are made and agreed upon:
- Purpose of the test: Amendment – „This means that a passed IMP fulfills the requirement for use in international breeding. The country must decide whether this is possible. The goal is to accelerate breeding across borders and strengthen performance.”
- Organization of the test: Amendment under Point 1 „Organizer of the IMP is KlM-International in collaboration with VGM e.V…”
- Organization of the test: Amendment under Point 4c “The organizer will decide on any exceptions.”
- Point 2.3.5 Amendment “If the duck is not killed during the search, then a dead duck shall be thrown into the water, visible and 30 meters from the dog. The dog must bring the duck independently (without influence by the handler in case of inappropriate behavior by the dog).”
- Point 3.3 Amendment “The handler shall be able to stop the dog on game.” Change: “The dogs shall demonstrate an intelligent, effective search for small game which is similar to hunting.”
- Point 3.6Amendment: “Accompanying the dog reduces the score”
- International performance judges Point 1, amend the last bullet point: “Appointment by the Executive Board of KlM-I or by the corresponding organization at the VGM.”
Especially gratifying is that the Große Münsterländer Club has collaborated from the beginning. Karl Wichmann comments that the Annual General Meeting of the Große Münsterländer is in agreement with the present draft of the IMP test regime and suggests a couple small editorial changes. He explains again the main thought of the IMP. The IMP would offer dogs, which were sold as pups to countries abroad, as well as their offspring, the opportunity to qualify for breeding in Germany with a passing score in the IMP.
The Annual Meeting of the general assembly approves the test regulations of the IMP in Version A and agrees that a Version B shall be drawn up.
Henrik Raae Andersen offers to organize an IMP in 2013 together with the Landesgruppe Schleswig-Holstein.
- Miscellaneous
Ms. Mette introduces the homepage of the new website. The homepage will be on the web in the next days and the Homepage will then be filled with additional content.
- Dates
The next Annual Meeting will take place in 2014. The date will be announced in a timely fashion.
Bernd-Dieter Jesinghausen Jacqueline Mette
President, KlM-I Business Manager
(kb)