It seems that the recent conflict between the KC and their soundness/type issue and the section of GSD Community intent on introducing Mandatory health and working Qualifications has reached an interesting and positive position for the GSD Community.

The Executives of the KC have been single minded in pursuing a thinly veiled vendetta against the international type of GSD and those that exhibit but have unwittingly created an alternative to showing at KC licensed shows.

This amazing lack of foresight and intellect by the KC has got them into a position they least wanted and created an alternative showing regime to the lamentable KC shows where Champions can be "made up" who have no health test done what so ever and are promoted for breeding totally uncontrolled and in fact promoted by the KC with the issuing of Stud Book numbers.

The first of a series of shows totally outside the KC suppression commences on the 25th April and further are planned by GSD enthusiasts who will proudly show and declare their health tested GSDS, letting the judge see the grades of pass for health tests presenting where appropriate their hard earned working qualifications and competing against their Peers on equal health terms.

The shows will be judged by international WUSV judges and British Judges who are fully qualified by experience and rigorously tested by formal examination under the custodianship of the only National Breed Club the GSD League of GB supported by the World Union of GSDs(WUSV).

This empowerment of a National breed Club will no doubt set a precedent for other breeds totally dissatisfied at the KC current administration, lack of vision and flawed leadership when what the KC needed to portray is inclusiveness rather than the abuse of position they have portrayed recently.

Even people in the margins of this conflict are seriously questioning the tactics of the KC and other breeds are following developments with great interest.

The Public will also soon find out who offers best value, the KC have underestimated the General Publics intelligence so far and in time they will see KC champions and KC registered GSDs as what they are and that is fundamentally flawed and potentially unhealthy.

The Law will also catch up with breeders and organisations that do not show a duty of care when others do.

The Irony of it all is that healthy International type GSDs can attend both the alternative shows and the KC shows and the KC promoted GSD can only attend one simply because they cannot meet the health and working criteria of the National Breed clubs WUSV style shows.
Where does this put the KCs Fitness for purpose initiative?

The KC continually makes unsupported and untrue public press statements as evidence of support for doing what they are doing despite unequivocal and evidential proof of the opposite.

We will now see the emergence of the GSD League as the only National GSD club supported by regional breed clubs within a well worn WUSV system.

So what of the GSD Partnership specifically formed to work with the KC and to introduce mandatory health testing for all KC registered GSDs?

The KC have ignored their representation so far and successfully by passed the Breed Council and gone direct to the 30 odd Clubs to seek to impose their will.

The BAGSD are beset with infighting and can be best described as ineffective and not true to the WUSV principles, the Breed Council have been continually undermined by the KC over the years and one can see its effectiveness diminishing even further as a consequence of this.

The GSD League however have a sustainable vision and legacy left by Graham Stephens and a strong and harmonious committee of individuals fully involved in the breed with an ever expanding membership and a will and a plan to make tomorrow's GSD a healthier and more intelligent dog than the type the English KC executives want.

The future of the GSD has never been brighter with the emergence of the GSD League as the National Club for GSDs supported by those clubs who see through the KCs abuse of privilege.

The first of the alternative GSD breed shows is to be held on the 25th April 2010 and further details can be found on www.gsdleague.co.uk Other regional shows will follow during the year culminating in the British Sieger Show in September.

Perhaps Ronnie Irving and Ruth Barbour have got what they have publicly and privately wanted and that is to alienate the International type GSD exhibitors but unwittingly this gives a bright new dawn for Healthy GSDs which will gather momentum until the National GSD breed Club and its regional partners have total control on the direction of tomorrows GSD.

Joe Summerhill

Note by David Payne

Joe was the GSD Partnership (GSDP) Co-ordinator during the discussions held between the Kennel Club and the GSDP since October 2008. The GSDP was formed by the GSD League of Great Britain (GDSL) The British Association of GSD (BAGSD) and the GSD Breed Council (GSDBC). Therefore Joe has valuable and informed insight to the many issues which surround this historic period for our GSD breed.

During this period we have witnessed unprecedented action against and discrimination of the GSD breed and GSD breed clubs, by the Kennel Club. The “correct international GSD breed” here within Great Britain is emerging from this period, far more united and much stronger, and with even more determination to place the MANDATORY requirements for Health and Welfare of our GSD breed as “THE TOP PRIORITY”.

Unlike the Kennel Club which obviously places Registration income as their top priority, and stubbornly refused numerous requests from the GSDP to introduce incrementally, “meaningful and measurable” Health & Welfare initiatives for our GSD breed.