I'm looking to start a Medium NK Breed club to get chugata NIPPO judges to the U.S.
Hi all,
Ever since I found out about the Beikoku Shiba Aikikai, I've always wondered if there was a show similar for the medium NK breeds. And ever since I came back from the Ohio Classic sponsored by the Colonial Shiba Club this year, I've been bitten by the show bug.
I'm fortunate enough to be friends with the president of BSA and we both share the dream that the NK breeds needs to be more inclusive and educational than just Shiba or just Akita (i.e. Akiho). We share a dream of having an NK weekend where the show would go for multiple days covering all 6 of the breeds (albeit the medium breeds are a small population). She has been very encouraging to me regarding pursuing the ability to get a platform for the medium breeds.
Knowing that the bookend breeds are covered (Shiba by way of BSA and Aikita by way of Akiho), is anyone interested in starting a Southern California/West Coast charter club for the medium breeds (Shikoku, Kishu, Kai, Hokkaido)? If a charter club could get established, NIIPPO takes care of flying judges out for shows and the club would pay for the hotel stay (and prizes).
There's obvious advantages and disadvantages of doing this but, as recent threads have displayed, the medium breeds need preservation efforts, and the best group to approach first are "dog people" and "show people" (as Anne and Brad put it).
I'll make no bones about it, the sole purpose of that club would be to raise money for the yearly judging that happens in LA/Orange County here in California and it would allow us the opportunity to inform and expose multiple audiences that Japanese dogs are more than the Akita and Shiba.
So...that being said, anyone interested in this venture?
Jesse
Ever since I found out about the Beikoku Shiba Aikikai, I've always wondered if there was a show similar for the medium NK breeds. And ever since I came back from the Ohio Classic sponsored by the Colonial Shiba Club this year, I've been bitten by the show bug.
I'm fortunate enough to be friends with the president of BSA and we both share the dream that the NK breeds needs to be more inclusive and educational than just Shiba or just Akita (i.e. Akiho). We share a dream of having an NK weekend where the show would go for multiple days covering all 6 of the breeds (albeit the medium breeds are a small population). She has been very encouraging to me regarding pursuing the ability to get a platform for the medium breeds.
Knowing that the bookend breeds are covered (Shiba by way of BSA and Aikita by way of Akiho), is anyone interested in starting a Southern California/West Coast charter club for the medium breeds (Shikoku, Kishu, Kai, Hokkaido)? If a charter club could get established, NIIPPO takes care of flying judges out for shows and the club would pay for the hotel stay (and prizes).
There's obvious advantages and disadvantages of doing this but, as recent threads have displayed, the medium breeds need preservation efforts, and the best group to approach first are "dog people" and "show people" (as Anne and Brad put it).
I'll make no bones about it, the sole purpose of that club would be to raise money for the yearly judging that happens in LA/Orange County here in California and it would allow us the opportunity to inform and expose multiple audiences that Japanese dogs are more than the Akita and Shiba.
So...that being said, anyone interested in this venture?
Jesse
Comments
Jesse
Honestly, it'll all boil down to a membership and money thing. I've stated the goal and vision: Have a NIPPO sanctioned weekend of all NK dogs (Shiba, Kai, Kishu, Hokkaido, Shikoku, Akita...and Tosa, why not?). We bring the dogs over here, but word needs to get out to "dog/show" people that there's more to Japanese dogs than Akita and Shiba. It's our hope that the word of mouth spread to help assist preservation efforts. Hell, you should've heard the number of comments the NK Forum got when we attended the Ohio Classic.
Jesse
Jesse
(Or maybe if you just need numbers for the club roster, I'll join but as a non-voting member...)
Jesse
Snf
Jesse
Jesse
So just be prepared to offer contingency plans that will accommondate their concerns.
Perhaps the Shibas can show as usual on weekend 1, the judge gets his usual bus tour to Yosemite or the Grand Canyon, and then the other breeds gets judged on weekend 2. The Shiba champ can join up or not then.
Or organize a new combo show in the Fall instead of competing against BSA's March shows. With such a long "specialty" history of over 20+ years, it can be hard to give up that tradition and change course.
I prefer the later idea because then there's no confusion about registry limitations. And you'll be able to build on "the Shiba is the gateway breed to the medium-sized NK" on the same day.
Also, if you time it right with the Fall Festivals, you might be able to hit the Japanese Cultural center for funding and free advertising like the Jindo folks have done. :-D
Jesse
That said, Ben and I have been kicking around the idea of running a second show in the fall. I was thinking along the lines of an open Nihonken show. The only reason that I haven't pushed this is 1) I need to get our official UKC show off the ground this year and 2) I got the feeling that people here would not be open to a Nihonken Classic through UKC. So over all this idea really didn't make it out my brain
I think you should totally go with setting up a medium breed club. In a sense you can accomplish the same goals by partnering on your show weekend with BSA or whoever. JACA would be open to helping out on that show weekend. It wouldn't need to be a UKC event.
What you don't want is to form this club to duplicate what other clubs are already doing. Focus on the nihonken breeds that don't have a real venue to be in. Also one other issue that you need to consider is that status of the club. We had difficulty getting insurance for JACA before UKC. A lot of insurance companies will only insure clubs attached to national level clubs. Akiho was grandfathered in but JACA had a hard time.
Just not October. For the love of dog, not October! We call it "Helltober" around here because its so busy...
Regardless, all the insight and encouragement the members have given here are invaluable. I'm still not deterred and am even more determined to make it happen.
From my perspective in attending the BSA show. The show numbers for BSA have been dwindling as less and less Shibas are interested in being NIPPO registered (guess many of them think AKC is enough or breed with AKC studs thus rendering the litter unregisterable?).
Colonial Shiba Club conveyed as much to me while I was up there. If ever any club was looking for a boost financially and involvement, opening up to the other NK breeds isn't a bad idea. I think they don't realize just how small the population is. It's not like opening up to the other breeds are going to bring in a flood of non-Shiba dogs to the competition.
Okay, I just got an affirmative vote for an October show from @poeticdragon, anyone else?
Jesse
Jesse
How about a weekend near Nisei Festival? Advertise during the Nisei Festival with a booth and then hold a show?
http://www.niseiweek.org/
I don't suppose getting a booth in 2013 is possible? I know AKIHO is getting together this weekend to discuss our involvement in Nisei Week.