The make up of the New Zealand Kennel Club

The New Zealand Kennel Club is an organisation that operates at two levels.

Affiliated Societies

From its inception in 1886, the New Zealand Kennel Club was an association of societies and still is today.

We now have over 300 societies affiliated to, associated with and recognised by us. These are classified by status and by the activity they carry out.

Affiliated clubs must be All Breeds Show clubs, geographically based and well established. They are our senior clubs and have a direct vote at conference.

There are several types of Associated clubs:

1. Show Clubs - new All Breeds Clubs or other All Breeds Clubs which do not qualify for Affiliated status. Group Clubs, Multi breed Clubs (more than one breed but not all breeds in one group), Specialist Breed Clubs (one breed only).
2. Obedience Clubs - All Breed Clubs (geographically based and catering for all breeds), and other types of Obedience Clubs.
3. Combined Show and Obedience Clubs - Specialist breed Clubs who are also registered under Dog Training regulations to be obedience clubs.
4. Agility Clubs - either Associated Obedience Clubs that have been approved to conduct agility training or specialising Agility Clubs that cater for Agility only.

Recognised Clubs are either clubs which cater for minority breeds, newly formed clubs or clubs that do not cater show or Dog Training.

List of affiliated societies

All New Zealand Kennel Club member societies are required to have written constitutions. These must be approved by the New Zealand Kennel Club as must any amendments to them.

As a member of the New Zealand Kennel Club a society is restricted to act only as permitted by the New Zealand Kennel Club Rules and Regulations and the club’s status pursuant to those rules and regulations. It is restricted to do those things only permitted by its constitution and the laws of the country.

Individual Membership

In 1976, we introduced a second membership concept to our club, introducing individual membership. This meant that before individuals could do certain things they must also belong directly to the New Zealand Kennel Club.

Individuals must be a member of the New Zealand Kennel Club to:

• Register a dog with the New Zealand Kennel Club
• Register or renew a Kennel Name
• Enter a dog at a Championship or Open Show or hand a dog at any Championship or Open Obedience Test or any Agility Event
• Be a New Zealand Kennel Club Judge
• Be a delegate to the Annual Conference
• Be a member of the Executive Council
• Hold executive office in any Affiliated or Associated Society

Club members are directly bound to observe the Rules and Regulation of the Club and are personally subject to the Club’s disciplinary provisions. They are also liable for the indiscretions of the handlers of any of their dogs.

Note: An individual does not need to be a member of the New Zealand Kennel Club to:

• Own a dog, including a dog used at stud
• Handle a dog in the breed show ring (however, owners must be members)
• Hold a non-executive post in a club.

Every member of the New Zealand Kennel Club must be a member of one of our affiliated, associated or recognised clubs.

Establishing and implementing policy

The Annual Conference of Delegates

Like many national bodies in New Zealand, in many fields of endeavour from sports bodies, unions and political parties, the only practical way to organise nationally is to meet annually. This gathering, attended by delegates from throughout the country elects a governing council to run the affairs of the body. This annual meeting called Annual Conference of Delegates, gives policy direction for the following year, approves accounts and sets membership fees.

The Executive Council

The Executive Council meets six times a year to consider business. Executive Councilors have considerable experience in Club administration.

At each meeting, Executive Councilors review the financial state of the Club, consider applications for clubs or members on matters that require policy decision or are always referred to the Council and consider registry problems that are not covered by regulations or precedents. A subcommittee of the Executive Council deals with any disputes matters referred to them.

The Executive Council receives reports for all standing committees and makes any policy decisions arising from these.

The Executive Council makes any regulation changes either arising from a committee report or from some occurrence that has prompted a response. From time to time, sections of the Regulations are reviewed.

NZKC Administration

Administration

The Club’s administrative office is at Prosser Street, Porirua, Wellington, next to the Exhibition Centre. Administration looks after the day to day management of the New Zealand Kennel Club. Administration deals mainly with the register, membership matters, the New Zealand Kennel Gazette and the website.

Standing Committees

1. Dog Training Committee - is established by the Dog Training Regulations and controls all aspects of Obedience, Working Trials and Agility and all matters allied to these fields are referred to this committee for consideration and comment. The Dog Training Committee advises the Executive Council and the chair of this committee is a member of the Executive Council.
2. Judges Association - This association is set up under Judges Regulations. The chair is elected at the Annual Show Judges Conference. It comprises recognised branches and discussion groups with individual judges being required to be a member of either. This association makes recommendations to the Executive Council.
3. Property Committees - Exhibition Centres situated in Porirua, Auckland and Dunedin and owned by the NZKC, are controlled by property committees in those locations using locally generated funds.
4. Show Committees - the Pedigree National Dog Show and the Pedigree Junior Dog Handler Competition are run by committees appointed by and on behalf of the Executive Council.
5. Government Legislative - a committee of the Executive Council is called together whenever action is required.
6. Breed Standards - any matter of classification of a breed, adoption or alteration of a standard or recognition of a new breed are referred to this Christchurch based committee.