As a member club we are entitled to send a delegate to the 2012 ACoD to be held March 24/25 in Cary, NC. I am not able to make the trip but we could send someone else as a voting delegate (does not have to be a club member) if the club wants to be represented in ASFA business.

There will be an ASFA Regional meeting at the TPIHC ASFA trial at Argus Ranch on Sunday, March 4th. I will be attending this meeting as the WWWA delegate. Please let me know if you have any issues you’d like me to present on the club’s behalf at the meeting.

-submitted by Beth Levine, WWWA ASFA delegate

ASFA COMMUNIQUE – 2012.01, January 2012

A very Happy New Year to one and all and here’s to a very successful 2012 for all clubs, hounds and participants.

New Membership Chair

As you may recall from the last “Communiqué” the long time Chair of the ASFA Membership Committee, Vickie Jacobs, had decided to pass along the position of Chair.  A search committee consisting of Russ Jacobs, Josie Haumont and Ping Pirrung has completed the task of finding a person to fill Vickie’s very big boots.  We had several qualified people volunteer for the position and we thank all of them for offering their expertise.  After review of all the great attributes of all, we are pleased to announce the new Chair of the Membership Committee: Scott Miller from Ogdensburg, NJ.  Vickie and he are in the process of making the transition and expect it to be complete by the time your club is ready for its renewal this year.

Scott’s contact information is:

Scott Miller
60 Cork Hill Road
Ogdensburg, NJ 07439
E-mail: membership@asfa.org
Phone:  585-967-5855

2012 ACoD

This year’s ACoD is to be held March 24th and 25th at the Embassy Suites Hotel in the Research Triangle of Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina.  We hope your club will be sending delegates.

You recently received information on registering for the ACoD.  The deadline for sending in your registration is February 20th.  That is the same deadline as making a reservation for a room to be able to take advantage of the reduced rate.  These rates are good through Sunday night.

There is additional information regarding the ACoD on the ASFA web site.  Those that register as delegates will receive additional information after the registrations close.

This year is an election year and you will be voting on the Board positions of President, 1st Vice President, 2nd Vice President, Recording Secretary and Corresponding Secretary.  The bios of those nominated for the positions by the nominating committee were included in the last Communiqué.

Rule Changes taking effect January 1, 2012

To paraphrase:  The singles stake is now a regular stake which means it must be offered at all ASFA Field Trials except at Regional Invitationals, International Invitationals and Breed Specialty Trials.  Since it is a regular stake the entry for the stake cannot be limited in number.  You will still be able to limit the overall entry at a trial, but not just the single stake.

Along with the singles stake becoming a regular stake the ribbon to be awarded to the highest placing single shall be navy and gold at a regular ASFA Field Trial and light blue at Fun Trials.  Also those hounds competing in the Singles Stake are eligible to earn titles of TCP (Title of Coursing Proficiency) and CPX (Coursing Proficiency Excellent).  These titles are not available to hounds in the Limited Breeds.

Please be sure you distribute the “Communiqué” to your club’s members and we look forward to see you or your club’s delegate at the ACoD in March.

Jeffrey A. Lipps                             Ping Pirrung
President                                      Corresponding Secretary

Those who are already chairing a committee will want to present their budgets for the year at this meeting.  If you chair and cannot attend, please forward your budget and I will present it for a vote at the meeting on your behalf.  If there is a committee you want to chair or be a part of – please let me know!  Your participation in this club will determine how well things will run in the coming year so please think about what part you want to play in your club to support the events of the year.

Also – if you have any agenda items that will need to be addressed by the board or the club, please notify me in advance so that we can make sure it is on the agenda.

-submitted by Jeanette Dorsey, President

Here is a dues notice from Janis. Please return your form and dues payment by 12/31/2011. Please email Janis if you have any questions.

Remember, the club does have a paypal account. For your convenience, you may use the button below to pay your dues, but please remember to also fill out and email the dues notice to Janis so we can make sure your information is updated for the roster. FYI, the payment amounts listed for each membership type have been adjusted slightly to cover the paypal fees. You do not have to have a paypal account to pay your dues via paypal; you can use this button to pay via credit or debit card without a paypal account.

Membership type

Individual $26.05 Family $31.20

Board Meeting called to order by Peggy Hewes, President at 6:45 pm on 10/26/11 at Jonah’s in Bellevue, WA. In Attendance- Mary Downing, Peggy Hewes, Shirley Konizeski, David Cassell, Jeanette Dorsey,  Rob and Heather Nichols, Janis Castle.   Guest:  Hannah Nichols

Copies of constitution distributed to all board members.

Discussed policy questions by members:

• Due to the reduction of members of the club the club combined the recording secretary and secretary position and reduced the board by one member.
• Reviewed the constitution and officers required.  There was a suggestion that in 2012 there will be a committee formed to review the constitution by laws and standing rules.
• Signature sheets need to be on file for approval notification on electronic notifications of meeting notifications.
• The Constitution needs to be updated to include email, skype, and any online communication as a tool for board members.
• The Board will be reviewing our clubs registration with the State.  Our club has contacted the IRS and our club is registered with an IEN number.

Treasurer’s report:

• Finished 2010 with $5018.00  in checking and $815.61 in savings. The last bank statement was on 9/11/11 Checking was at $9637 and Savings at  $815.97.

Show committee is working on next years specialty details and judge selection.

Performance / Race Committee:

• There was a nice turn out for all the meets this fall.

Historian:

• No report…

Newsletter:

• No report…

Membership:

• No report…

Awards/Banquets:

• Please submit award applications by 1/25/2012
• If any members would like to sponsor an award please contact Jeanette Dorsey
• The WWWA Christmas party will be held on 12/11/11.

New Business

Next meeting will be on 12/11/11.

Meeting adjurned at 7:50.

General Membership Meeting

General Meeting called to order by Peggy Hewes, President at 7:55 pm on 10/26/11 at Jonah’s in Bellevue, Wa. In Attendance- Mary Downing, Peggy Hewes, Shirley Konizeski, David Cassell, Jeanette Dorsey,  Rob and Heather Nichols, Janis Castle.   Guest:  Hannah Nichols

Opened the floor for the 2012 slate:

• President:  Jeanette Dorsey
• Vice President:   Janis Castle
• Secretary:           Mary Downing
• Treasurer:            Beth Levine
• Board Members: Peggy Hewes, Susie Manthou, Shirley Konizeski

Nominations closed at 8pm.

Brags:

• The Nichols finished “V” Arwen  Glamour You this summer and her first time out as a special she wen’t BOB and SBIS at The All Hound Club of Bellingham.

Meeting adjurned at 8:05.

-Respectfully submitted by Heather Nichols, Secretary

-submitted by Beth Levine, WWWA ASFA delegate

ASFA COMMUNIQUE – 2011.02, October, 2011

Now that the fall coursing season is in full swing we hope to see many of you andyour hounds on the coursing fields.  Someof the Regions have held their Regionals while there are a few more scheduled for later this fall.

Following in this “Communiqué” is the report of the Nominating Committee as well as our notice of a search fora new chair for the Membership Committee. Vickie Jacobs has been the chair for many years and has tirelessly kept the committee in great shape.  Thank you very much Vicky for your contribution to the ASFA and the Membership Committee.

Report ofthe Nominating Committee

The Nomination Committee, consisting of Rich Whritenhour, Steve Curry and Ann Chamberlain, has submitted the following nominations for the ASFA Officers to be elected at the 2012 ACoD.

President                                   Ping Pirrung
First Vice President              Dean Wright
Second Vice President         Thom Haig
Recording Secretary             Karen Frederick
Corresponding Secretary    Bill Bowlus-Root
Chief Financial Officer           Jeff Lipps

Following are bio’s for each of the officers.

Ping Pirrung – President

I am very hounoured to accept the nomination of President of ASFA.  I view the position of ASFA President as one of  honour and great responsibility.  I will endeavour to uphold these principles throughout my term and look forward to contributing to the growth and expansion of the ASFA.

I have been involved with lure coursing and ASFA since I first learned of lurec oursing around 1975.  This is a sport dear to my heart for so many reasons because I meet amazing people and dogs and spend a weekend outside enjoying all of these.

One could easily say that my life has gone to the dogs …. Or has always been there.

At no time during my life have I been without a dog of some sort.  My family always had at least two dogs and at times even got up to my Dad’s imposed limit of 4.  Even in college, my dog accompanied me to every class as well as up on stage to accept my diploma.

Borzoi were my beginning with purebred dogs.  Myhusband, at the time, and I showed and bred Borzoi.  Lure coursing was a natural fit, as my favourite place to be is outside and active. The athleticism along with the pure joy of watching the dogs do what they were bred to do is an indescribable thrill.

We had two daughters who also went with us to almost all field trials.  My second daughter was practically born on a coursing field.   At times I even ventured off with them by myself.  There are many that remember me slipping dogs with my youngest daughter in a back pack and a camera in my other hand.  After the girls were old enough that they could be on their own during a trial, I became a judge.  This has afforded me the opportunity to see dogs lure course all over the county at the same time to experience some amazing runs.

Whippets came into my life when my daughters were young and since the late 1980′s I have had only Whippets.  I am now remarried to Dennis McCann who enjoys our growing family at Labyrinth Whippets.  At this point we have 5 living at our house and enjoy every minute of  it.  During the spring and fall almost every weekend is taken up with lure coursing or open field coursing.   During the week I spend a lot of time with the dogs either biking, walking or working on their skills.

I have been the Field Trial Secretary for several II’s, the first being in the early `80s.  I have been President of Tri-State Sighthound Club for several years.  I was elected as the Corresponding Secretary on the ASFA Board of Directors,  in 2008 and reelected in 2010.  This position has been a joy as it has put me in touch with so many of the fancy all over the country.

Every weekend we have many opportunities to attend a myriad of dog related activities.  The challenge is to keep ASFA lure coursing a prominent choice. With your passion and contributions, together we can position andstrengthen ASFA for the future.

Dean Wright – 1^st Vice President

I started in dogs with Miniature and Standard Poodles in the early 60′s.  In 1967 I bought my first two sight hounds both Ibizan Hounds.  I was president of the Ibizan Hound Club of the United States (1974 – 1981).  In 1979 the breed was recognized by the AKC.  I owned the first Ibizan Breed Champion, CH Sunking Eterna of Treybeau, FCh. “Eterna”, who was also the first Ibizan Hound ASFA Field Champion. In the 2000 ASFA Historical Book,  I owned and bred the number 1, number 2 and number 5 Ibizan Hounds along with the number 1 all-time  Greyhound and Saluki.

Lure coursing has been my passion since I saw the reaction of my Ibizan Hounds the first time they saw the lure moving along the ground.  One hound in particular that had just been bored to death in the show ring and really came to life and so did my desire to help sighthounds have the opportunity to chase the lure.

I have been active in ASFA since 1976.   I have served the American Sight Hound Field Association as Regional Director (1979 – 1981 & 1984 – 1987) and First Vice President  (1988 – 1998).  In 2010 I was elected to serve again as theFirst Vice President of ASFA, the position that I am hoping to continue for two more years.

I now reside in Holtwood, PA with my wife Cackie Vroom along with our Greyhounds and Whippets.  My last remaining Ibizan hound passed away in November of 2009, my last Saluki in May 2010.

After 35 years of Lure Coursing I still enjoy watching the new hounds run for the first time. When they realize they are off lead and their long instilled instinct to chase kicks in,  they are off doing what they have been bred to do for centuries.

My day job in the management end of auto repair, all these years, has helped support my coursing addiction.  I have learned a lot from my business experiences that will help me be a better leader and promoter for ASFA. I believe that you get out of something what you put into it.  I have learned so much from the people that I have worked with in ASFA that has helped me become successful in my business ventures.

Mygoal when re-elected will be to work with the newly elected president, officers and RD’s thru the various committee chairs to establish ASFA as the premier lure coursing organization in the USA. We were the First and are the Best, bar none.

Thom Haig, DVM – 2^nd Vice President

I have been a practicing veterinarian for 36 years.  I also have been a board member and/or officer in clubs in three regions.  After living in Nevada and coursing out west for 12 years, mywife and I moved to Tennessee in 2004.  We have both Whippets and Pharaoh Hounds as well as a variety of other critters.  When not releasing dogs, I enjoy being a hunt master and lure operator.  Occasionally I also provide emergency medical assistance on the field.

As a member of many professional organizations, I am a past president of the Nevada Veterinary Medical Association and have served on the State Board for 6 years.  I am currently the scientific program planning coordinator for the Wild West Veterinary Conference in Reno, NV. I am no stranger to committees, boards, and organizational operations.

Recording Secretary – Karen Frederick

I grew up in the small Ohio town of East Liverpool, nestled on the Ohio River as it flows from Pennsylvania. We were known for the production of pottery and most of us have a habit known as `plate turning’. (I’m waiting for my official card to arrive). We just can’t help looking at the production marks on the bottom of dinnerware to check where it was made.

Professionally, I am a licensed clinical perfusionist at Mercy – St. Louis Heart Hospital. This profession involves the operation of a heart-lung machines during cardiac surgery and other ancillary operations. I graduated with a degree in Circulation Technology from The Ohio State University in a class of 18. Of course, I’m a dedicated Buckeye football fan and try to fit as many games as possible around fall field trials and hospital call.

My Irish Wolfhounds have had some success in lure coursing throughout the years.  Five of them have each earned at least a single LCM title and Clare was recently inducted into the ASFA Hall ofFame.  Advanced titles seem to be getting harder and harder due to declining numbers of IWs competing.

I am the current Recording Secretary of ASFA. I was part of the formation of the St. Louis Area Sighthounds in the mid-90′s and have been the National Secretary for the Large Gazehound Racing Association.  I also completed eight years on the Board of the Irish Wolfhound Club of America.

I am honored to accept the nomination from the Committee for another two years for the position of the Recording Secretary of ASFA.

Corresponding Secretary –Bill Bowlus-Root

Coursing is a sport I truly love and actively promote. I have been involved with coursing and ASFA since 2002, as soon as my own Basenjis were ready to participate.  Except for Lure Operator and Judge, I’ve served in every capacity on the field for my home club, the Evergreen Basenji Club, and other coursing clubs in the area.  I also serve as Treasurer and Lure Coordinator for the club, which boasts some of the finest coursing Basenjis in Region 1 and in the country.  I’m proud of the assistance I have provided to get newcomers interested and involved in the sport.  As the ASFA delegate for EBC since 2009, I attended the ACoD in 2010 and 2011.  As the Corresponding Secretary of ASFA, Iwill be in a position to further the goals of the organization and maintain the fine traditions of the sport.

My partner Paul Bowlus-Root and I founded our kennel, Baraka Basenji, in 2001.  Since then, our kennel as produced numerous coursing champions in ASFA, AKC, and CKC as well as racing champions in LGRA and NOTRA.  In 2007, our dog Cairo was the #1 Basenji and #5 Other Breed in NOTRA.  Several of our dogs have earned multiple Best in Field awards.  We are active members of the Basenji Club of America and the Basenji Club of Canada.  Our guiding principle has always been that a Basenji should be a well-rounded hound, equally successful on the field as in the show ring.  We’re proud our dogs demonstrate that versatility.

When not on the coursing field, I am an independent Software Design Engineer working at Microsoft and have certifications in software design and SQL database development and administration.  I retired in 2004 after 10 years as a regular employee at Microsoft where I was in Developer Support, a Team Manager in that group, and later served as Developer Training Manager responsible for providing technical training for developers across the company.  My skills and talents draw upon a wide range of occupations including financial planning, teaching, banking, and restaurant management, and from my two degrees from the University of Iowa in Psychology and Education.

Chief Financial Officer –Jeff Lipps

Some eighteen years ago, while attending my first Saluki National Specialty, I saw my first ASFA lurecoursing trial.  The Saluki with me went berserk when she saw the lure.  I knew from that point that I had to give all my Salukis an opportunity to experience that joy.  Typically, seven to ten of our Salukis run regularly at ASFA Field Trials.  The top three lifetime ASFA Salukis are from our Kennel, Windrush Salukis.

My love of lure coursing quickly drove me to give what I could to the sport.  I have been active in the formation of two lure coursing clubs in the Columbus, Ohio area: GCSC (Greater Columbus Sighthound Club) and COACH (Central Ohio Afghan Coursing Hounds), for which I have held various Board and Officer positions.  Literally from my first days at ASFA trials, I have volunteered to help. Over the years, I have been involved in every aspect of running a field trial (from Field Trial Chairman to Huntmaster to Lure Operator to Paddock to Field Clerk).  In 2000, I received my All Breed ASFA Judging License.  Over the years, I have judged and ran Salukis in nearly all of the ASFA Regions.

In 1998, I was accepted into membership in the Saluki Club of America, the Saluki AKC Parent club.  I assisted in the efforts to qualify SCOA for ASFA membership. To do so, we conducted SCOA trials outside of the context of the National Specialty – something not done previously to my knowledge.

By day, I am a corporate trial attorney.  In that line of business, I am regularly called upon to develop strategies to accomplish business objectives for major corporations, to defend their actions, to prosecute misconduct by others, and to lead trial efforts within specific budget parameters to success.

Following my unsuccessful run for an ASFA Board position at the Baltimore ACOD, I have dedicated a portion of my life to volunteering in various capacities in the running of ASFA.  Specifically, I have served on ASFA’s Finance and Budget Committee, Contracts Committee, FAN Committee, Policy Compilation Committee, Long Range Planning Committee, and Minutes Review Committee.

Iwas ASFA’s first Chief Financial Officer, a position I held for two, two year terms.  I am in my final year of my second term as President of ASFA. My records in both positions speak for themselves. However, in both of my leadership positions in ASFA I have worked hard to stabilize ASFA’s financial foundation, remain focused on our core competencies and size the organization to fit its market position.  Since ASFA created the CFO position, the Board has made great strides in accomplishing those goals. While Gary Roush leaves some big shoes to fill, I believe I have the experience and perspective to do just that. I believe I can contribute to sound decisions by ASFA that will continue ASFA on firm financial footing. My election as CFO would also allow for continuity in the Board on important financial matters.  I would be honored to receive your favorable consideration.

Membership Committee Chair Sought

ASFA’s current membership chair, Vickie Jacobs, has informed the Board that she will be resigning as chair.  The Board is in search of a person who would be interested in serving as chair of the Membership Committee.    The Membership list is currently kept in Microsoft Access, therefore it would be best if the candidate was familiar with computers and the program Access. Vickie has agreed to be available to the new chair to assist in the transition as well as being available when questions arise.

If youhave an interest or any questions please write to Ping Pirrung, ASFA Corresponding Secretary, at CorresSecy@asfa.org byDecember 1st, 2011.

We hope your fall is filled with many coursing victories.

Jeffrey A. Lipps                             Ping Pirrung
President                                          Corresponding Secretary

And it’s not too early to plan for the Christmas party, to be held at The Outback Steakhouse in Bothell on Sunday, Dec. 11^th at 2:00 p.m.  We can order from the menu and pay by separate check.  There will be a gift exchange for those who want to participate. There will be a brief Board meeting held before convening a General Membership meeting to vote in the new slate for 2012.

More information coming soon!

President – Jeanette Dorsey
Vice President – Janis Castle
Secretary – Mary Downing
Treasurer – Beth Levine
One board position filled by outgoing President, Peggy Hewes

Nominations from the floor will be accepted at the October general membership meeting (location and other details TBD), and then we’ll vote at the Christmas party.

-submitted by Shirley Konizeski, nominating committee chair

The meeting will be at Chris and Chris Downing’s home in Monroe (directions available by request) off Fern Bluff Rd, off Highway 2. We will meet at 1:00 p.m. Please email Chris if you plan to attend so they can provide refreshments.

If you cannot attend, but have input, please forward to someone planning to attend so your thoughts can be included in the meeting.

-submitted by Mary Downing

-submitted by Jeanette Dorsey