Here is a copy of the Bylaws Change Proposal emailed to all MNRC member clubs from the Master National Board of Directors. The proposal will grant dogs, who pass the Master Amateur event 3 times and are awarded the Master Amateur Hunter title, exemption from yearly requalification for Master Nation Event. This reflects the current exemption given to MNH titled dogs.
The vote for the Bylaws proposal change will be included on the Annual Meeting ballot.
Dede Paterson Master National Retriever Club Secretary
BYLAW CHANGE PROCEDURE
SECTION 1. Purpose:
A. The purpose of the Bylaw change form is to give all members the opportunity to request a change, to add, or delete any Bylaw, pursuant to Article XI.
SECTION 2. Scope:
A. Any Board member or Member Clubs may utilize this form in order to make a request to change, to add, or to delete a Bylaw.
SECTION 3. Procedure:
A. Copies of the Bylaw changeform (sample shown on following page) shall be made available to all members.
B. This form shall be filled out completely and signed by the member(s). Anonymous requests shall not be accepted. Any questions of the Bylaw changeform shall be answered by a MNRC Club Secretary.
C. After filling out the Bylaw changeform it shall be turned over to the MNRC Club Secretary, it shall then be recorded by the Secretary.
D. The Secretary shall, at the next board meeting, bring to the attention of the entire board the fact that a request to change, add or delete a Bylawhas been made. A copy of the request will be given to each Board Member.
E. eMail ballots will require 2/3 support from member clubs to pass.
Please submit the request to:
Dede Paterson MNRC Secretary, 5674 US Hwy 59 S, Goliad, Texas 77963 or Dede1paterson@gmail.com
PROPOSED BYLAWS AMENDMENT
Name of Club: Master National Retriever Club Date _______June 19, 2024_____
Name of Delegate __Keith Kiesow____________________
Current Bylaws affected: Article ___IX____________ Section __3_____ Page __16____
Current Wording:
SECTION 3. Contestants, Eligibility, Fees
Number of Contestants, Eligibility and Entry Fees
(a) Contestants shall be limited to the following:
(1) Qualifying dogs of the previous year’s Master National
Hunting Retriever Test shall receive credit for two
qualifying scores.
(2) All contestants shall be required to obtain qualifying
scores in a minimum of six (6) Master Hunting tests
conducted by member clubs. Contestants who enter
exclusively in Alaska must obtain qualifying scores in
a minimum of four Master tests by member clubs and
have an MH title.
(3) Dogs, domiciled in Canada, running exclusively in
CKC Master Hunt Test events, that passed the most
recent CKC Canadian Master National Hunt Test prior
to the July 31st MNRC qualifying end date.
(4) Dogs having passed three prior MNRC annual events
are exempt from the requirements of Paragraphs (2)
and (3) of this section and are qualified for all future
MNRC annual events.
(5) Qualifying dogs of the current year’s Master Amateur
Retriever Club (MARC) Hunting Retriever Test shall
receive credit for two qualifying scores towards the
current year’s Master National Retriever Club (MNRC)
Hunting Retriever Test, provided that eligibility to
enter the current year’s MARC event came from MNRC
member Clubs during the MNRC qualifying period for
the MNRC current year.
(b) In order to be counted towards the qualifying requirements,
hunting tests at which qualifying scores are awarded must
have a beginning date falling between August 1 of the year
preceding the current National Master Hunting Retriever
Test and July 31 of the year of the National Master Hunting
Retriever Test.
(c) Each entrant must pay an entry fee, to be determined by the
Board of Directors
Proposed Bylaws Amendment: (Please state wording exactly as you wish it to appear)
Adding the following language to present language:
(6) Dogs having passed three prior MARC annual events
are exempt from the requirements of Paragraphs (2)
and (3) of this section and are qualified for all future
MNRC annual events.
Rationale: (Please give a full and complete explanation)
It has been seven (7) years since the inception of the Master Amateur Retriever Club. Over the course of those years, the Master Amateur Retriever Club has extended an exemption of MARC’s annual eligibility requirements to all dogs who have qualified at the Master National Annual Event three times, provided that it was an amateur who handled the dog for the three qualifying passes at the Master National Annual Event.
The Master Amateur Invitational (MAI) is an AKC National Hunt Test for the amateur handler. Each year to date the MAI has been a six (6) series event, increasing in challenges and complexity with each series. Over the course of time dogs have become better trained to adjust to the evolving complexities of national hunt tests. The dogs who compete in the MAI are no different than many of the dogs who compete in the Master National Annual Event. Several of the dogs at the MAI are trained by professional dog trainers, they are just handled at other hunt tests and the MAI event by their amateur owner(s) or designated amateur handler. In fact, like other National Amateur Events, some professional dog trainers attend the MAI events to support their clients and provide assistance/guidance when needed. It is important to note that some of these same dogs who participate at the MAI also participate at the Master National Annual Event.
The past seven years, the MAI event has had a qualification pass rates per year as follows:
2017-46%, 2018-58%, 2019-51%, 2021-51%, 2022-48%, 2023-45%, and 2024-31%. This qualification rate is similar to the qualification pass rate of the Master National Annual Hunt Test event over the same time period. Many of the judges who have judged the MAI have also judged the MNRC Annual Event or have served on the Master National Board of Directors. According to MARC webpage of Master Amateur Hall of Fame (MAH) qualifiers, there are 39 dogs who have achieved that status. Of the 39 MAH listed dogs, at least 11 of those dogs are also titled MNH dogs.
This by-law amendment would reciprocate the recognition MARC has extended to MNRC MNH titled dogs, by permitting those dogs who have passed the Master Amateur Invitational three times (Master Amateur Hall of Fame dogs) exempt from having to qualify annually to be eligible to participate in the MNRC National Event.
Keith Kiesow MNRC President
