Welsh Terrier Club

Welsh Terrier Club Rules (Last Revised 2015)

1. Name and Objectives
The Club shall be called The Welsh Terrier Club and its objectives shall be:
(a) To promote the breeding, welfare and improvement of Welsh Terriers.
(b) To promote and advance, by all means in its power, the interests of the Welsh Terrier, by such means as the giving of prizes, supporting shows, selecting and maintaining lists of suitable judges, and by any other means for the good of the breed.


2.Officers and Committee
The Club shall consist of Patron, President, Chairman, Vice Chairman, Hon. Secretary, Hon. Treasurer and a committee of at least twelve and an unlimited number of members.
The Chairman, Vice Chairman, Hon. Secretary and Hon. Treasurer shall be elected from the Committee at the Annual General Meeting


3.Club Management
The management of the Club shall be in the hands of the Officers of the Club and a Committee as above. Members of the Committee shall be eligible for re-election every four years. Meetings of the Committee shall be held as often as deemed necessary. A quorum for Committee Meetings shall be seven members.
The Committee shall have the power to co-opt members on to the Committee in the event of positions becoming vacant between General Meetings. Those co-opted shall only hold office until the next General Meeting of the Club at which an election of Officers and Committee takes place.
Committee members who do not attend three consecutive meetings without passing on valid apologies in writing will be automatically removed from the committee.
No person whilst an undischarged bankrupt may serve on the Committee of or hold any other office or appointment within a Kennel Club Registered Society.


4.Election of Members
Members will be accepted, subject to Committee approval, on payment of subscriptions.


5.List of Members
The society must make a list of members and their addresses available for inspection if so requested by the members of the Society or by the Kennel Club.


6.Voting Rights
Each member shall be entitled to one vote upon completion of twelve months membership, and provided membership is fully maintained.
Voting at all meetings shall be either by show of hands or secret ballot of all members present as appropriate.
Election of judges shall be by postal ballot of all fully paid up members of the Club. The ballot envelopes shall be opened by the Auditors or in their absence by two persons nominated by the Committee and the results notified to the Committee in writing along with the ballot papers.
In the case of joint membership and family membership, one vote is allowed for each member of the partnership over the age of sixteen.


7.Club Property
The property of the Club shall be vested in the Committee. In the event of the Club ceasing to exist, a General Meeting shall be called to decide the disposal of the Club's assets and the outcome of the Meeting notified to the Kennel Club.


8.Club Accounts
(a)A Banking Account shall be held in the name of the Society into which all revenue of the Society shall be paid and from which withdrawal shall only be made on the signature of the Treasurer and one other, either the Chairman or the Secretary.
(b)The Accounts shall be certified annually and presented at the Annual General Meeting.
(c)The Annual Statement of Accounts will be available to all members attending the AGM. In addition, a copy of the Annual Statement of Accounts will be sent to those members requesting one, 14 days prior to the AGM.
Note: One qualified Accountant or two unqualified individuals with accountancy experience shall carry out Certification of accounts.


9.Subscriptions
The annual subscription shall be such amount as agreed by members in General Meeting and notified to the Kennel Club.
No member whose subscription is unpaid is entitled to any privileges of membership and if the member shall fail to pay outstanding subscriptions by the date of the Annual General Meeting his/her name shall be automatically erased from the register. Acceptance back on the register will be dependent upon payment of arrears.


10. Expulsion of Members
Any member who shall be suspended under Kennel Club Rule A42j (4) and/or any member whose dog(s) is/are disqualified under Kennel Club Rule A42j (8) shall ipso facto cease to be a member of the Society for the duration of the suspension and/or disqualification.
If the conduct of any member shall, in the opinion of the Committee of the Society be injurious or likely to be injurious to the character or interests of the Society, the Committee of the Society may, at a Meeting the notice convening which includes as an object the consideration of the conduct of the member, determine that a Special General Meeting of the Society shall be called for the purpose of passing a resolution to expel him/her.
Notice of the Special General Meeting shall be sent to the accused member, giving particulars of the complaint and advising the place, date and hour of the Meeting that he/she may attend and offer an explanation. If at the Meeting, a resolution to expel is passed by a two-thirds majority of the members present and voting, his/her name shall forthwith be erased from the list of members, and he/she shall thereupon cease for all purposes to be a member of the Society except that he/she may, within two calendar months from the date of such Meeting, appeal to the Kennel Club upon and subject to such condition that the Kennel Club may impose.


11.Financial Year/Annual General Meeting
The financial year of the Society shall be from 1st January to 31st December. The Annual General Meeting shall be held in March.


12.General Meetings
(a)The nature of the business to be conducted shall be to receive the report of the Committee and Balance Sheet, to elect Officers and to discuss any resolution duly placed on the Agenda of which prior notice has been given to the Hon. Secretary. No business shall be transacted at an Annual General Meeting unless notice thereof appears on the Agenda, with the exception of routine matters or those that in the opinion of the Chairman are urgent.
(b)Notice of such Meetings will be circulated to members in writing and/or by notice in the Dog Press (Dog World and Our Dogs).
(c) A minimum of 28 days notice of Meetings will be given.
(d) All items for inclusion on the Agenda will be required by the Secretary 14 days before the Meeting.
(a) The Agenda will be circulated at the Meeting.


13. Special General Meetings

A Special General Meeting shall be summoned by the Hon. Secretary if the President or four members send a signed requisition stating the subject to be discussed and requesting a Special General Meeting to do so. The Committee of the Society is also empowered to call a Special General Meeting.
No business other than that detailed on the Agenda shall be discussed at a Special General Meeting.
Members shall be informed of a Special General Meeting by notice in the Dog Press (Dog World & Our Dogs) at least fourteen days before the Meeting.


14. Amendment to Rules
The Rules of the Society may not be altered except at a General Meeting, the agenda for which contains specific proposals to amend the rules.
Any proposed alteration to the Rules may not be brought into effect until the Kennel Club have been advised and approved the alteration.


15. Annual Returns to the Kennel Club
The Officers acknowledge that during the month of January each year, Maintenance of Title fee will be forwarded to the Kennel Club by the Secretary for continuance of Registration and that by 31st July each year, other returns, as stipulated in Kennel Club Regulations for the Registration and Maintenance of Title of Societies and Breed Councils and the Affiliation of Agricultural Societies and Municipal Authorities be forwarded to the Kennel Club.
The Officers also acknowledge their duty to inform the Kennel Club of any change of Secretary, which may occur during the course of the year.


16.The Kennel Club Final Court of Appeal
The Kennel Club shall be the final court of appeal in all matters of dispute.


17. Society Membership
The Society shall not join any federation of Societies or Clubs.


18. Breed Society Judging Lists
The Club shall produce a list of Judges each year, which shall be submitted to the Kennel Club as part of its Annual Returns.
Judges Lists shall be divided into four parts, namely A1, A2, A3 and B. and C As required by The Kennel Club and will indicate the date on which the list will expire.
On expiry a new list will be compiled.
A1 List - Shall indicate persons the Welsh Terrier Club would support and who have previously been approved by the Kennel Club to award Challenge Certificates in the breed and who have completed their first appointment.
A2 List - Shall indicate persons the Welsh Terrier Club would support to award Challenge Certificates and who have been assessed in accordance with the Kennel Club requirements and accepted by them for inclusion on the A2. List.
A3 List - Shall indicate persons the Welsh Terrier Club would support to award Challenge Certificates but who have as yet not been approved by The Kennel Club.
B List - Shall indicate persons the Welsh Terrier Club would support to judge the breed at Open Shows and Championship Shows without Challenge Certificates.
C List - Shall indicate persons the Welsh Terrier Club would support to judge the breed at Open Shows


19. Criterion for Inclusion on Judging Lists
Judges will be accepted onto the above judging lists provided that they can satisfy the Committee that the following criteria has been met:
A1 List
To have been approved by The Kennel Club to award Challenge Certificates in the breed and have the support of The Welsh Terrier Club.
A2 List
For persons who fulfil all the requirements of the A3 list and who have been assessed in accordance with Kennel Club requirements and accepted by them for inclusion on the A2 list and have the support of The Welsh Terrier Club.
A3 List
(Breed Specialists.)
To have a minimum of seven years judging experience in the breed and have the support of The Welsh Terrier Club.
A Minimum of seven years activity in the breed. Activity being defined as owning including preparing, trimming, exhibiting and handling in breed classes at Open & Championship Shows, etc.
To have judged one Breed Club Open Show or Champ. Show where Challenge Certificates were not available.
To have judged a minimum of (22) Classes of Welsh Terriers with a minimum of (30) dogs seen in total and have judged a minimum of (30) other terrier breed/variety classes with a minimum of (100) dogs seen in total across an adequate geographical area.
To have bred/and or owned a minimum of three dogs when they obtained their first entry in the Kennel Club Stud Book.
To have attended at least one breed specific seminar run in accordance with the relevant Kennel Club Code of Best Practice and passed an examination and /or assessment where applicable.
To have attended a seminar given by a Kennel Club Accredited Trainer and passed the relevant examination on Kennel Club Regulations and Judging Procedures.
To have attended a seminar given by a Kennel Club Accredited Trainer on Conformation and Movement.
To have acted in the capacity of Steward for a minimum of (3) years and have completed a minimum of (12) shows.
(Non Breed Specialists.)
To have a minimum of seven years judging experience in any one breed (to include five years experience in Welsh Terriers) and have the support of The Welsh Terrier Club.
To have judged one Breed Club Open Show or Champ Show where Challenge Certificates were not available.
To have judged a minimum of (30) Classes of Welsh Terriers with a minimum of (45) dogs seen in total and have judged a minimum of (60) other terrier breed/variety classes with a minimum of (200) dogs seen in total across an adequate geographical area.
To have awarded Challenge Certificates in at least one other breed.
To have bred/and or owned a minimum of three dogs when they obtained their first entry in the Kennel Club Stud Book.
To have attended at least one breed specific seminar run in accordance with the relevant Kennel Club Code of Best Practice and passed an examination and /or assessment where applicable.
To have acted in the capacity of Steward for a minimum of (3) years and have completed a minimum of (12) shows.
B List
(Breed Specialists)
To be able to demonstrate Minimum of five years activity in the breed; (activity being defined as owning Including preparing, trimming, exhibiting and handling in breed classes at Open & Championship Shows etc) of at least one Welsh Terrier.
(Non Specialists)
To have judged and or exhibited/ handled similar long legged terrier breeds for a minimum of five years and who can demonstrate support of another Breed Club.
To have been approved by The Kennel Club to Judge Terriers at Group level and have the support of The Welsh Terrier Club.
C List
To have shown a genuine interest in judging the breed and have the support of The Welsh Terrier Club.


20.Judging Contracts
All persons invited by the Club to judge at a Welsh Terrier Club Show shall be required to provide a comprehensive written critique to the Canine Press (Dog World and Our Dogs) and to the Hon. Secretary for inclusion in the Yearbook The critique shall be provided within one calendar month of the date of the show