Present:
Dietrich Berning, Bernd-Dieter Jesinghausen, Henrik Raae Andersen, Cor Bottenheft, Germain Klein, Urs Hoppler, Heinz Trutmann, Malin Nyström, Annika Wängvik, Mi-chael Schmiedel, Josef Westermann, Hans-Jürgen Heuser, Jacqueline Mette und Tom McDonald up until topic 8.4.
November 12, 2014
Minutes
On the Member Meeting 2014 held on October 19, 2014
Meeting place:
Brauereigasthof Autenried, Hopfengartenweg 2, 89335 Ichenhausen – Autenried, Telephone: +49 (0)8223 – 968440
Schedule:
Sunday, October 19, 2014, 09.00 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Agenda for the Member Meeting on October 19, 2014
1. Welcome
Mr. Jesinghausen welcomes the representatives of the KlM-I member countries as well as Malin Nyström and Annika Wängvik from Sweden. Excused are Peter Hübler (President ÖVMü Austria) and Jiří Kec (President KDO Czech Republic). Cor Bot-tenheft represents the interests of Belgium. Tom McDonald is legitimized by SMCNA to represent the club.
2. Approval of the agenda
The agenda is approved.
3. Confirmation of the Minutes of the last Member Meeting on September 30, 2012
The Minutes from September 30, 2012 are approved.
4. Reports of the Executive Board
→ Bernd-Dieter Jesinghausen, President
In his report Bernd-Dieter Jesinghausen would like to review the last 10 years of KlM-I: laying the groundwork, establishing the club and activities until the present day. His full report will be published on the homepage of KlM-I.
The first meeting of KlM-Germany, as the parent country of the breed, and the repre-sentatives of interested KlM clubs from abroad took place eight years ago. There was great interest in getting to know each other and in working together. Previously, a concept to establish an international organization had been prepared. Verband Kleine Münsterländer International e.V. was founded in 2006. Bylaws were agreed upon unanimously. This document established the most important goals of the club: to secure the F.C.I. standard internationally as well as to preserve and promote the versatile hunting abilities of the KlM breed, while taking into account the sovereignty and historically based conditions of the national clubs. KlM international took on the following tasks:
– The standardization of breeding requirements (development of versatile per-formance breeding)
– Advocacy before national and international organizations and associations (development of cooperation with the F.C.I. and the national kennel clubs)
– Organizing international tests (designing and implementing an international testing system)
– Managing basic matters concerned with the breed, utility and organization
– Uniformly advise the national KlM clubs
What has been achieved so far? Because only limited funds and possibilities were available, KlM-I began by organizing collaboration and attempting to bring more transparency to the breeding and testing done in the member countries. The focus was on establishing international versatile performance breeding, strengthening con-tact with the F.C.I., and the development and implementation of an international Münsterländer test.
Complete transparency and comparability of puppy figures and tests is still missing even after 10 years of work, because the circumstances in most of the national clubs are very different, ranging from the legal conditions to cooperation with the national kennel organizations. Today we know that there are countries in which KlM puppies receive F.C.I. pedigrees without the parents having passed a natural ability test. Globally, the F.C.I. only ensures uniformity in appearance, but not in natural abilities. In many countries performance breeding orients itself on the interests of hunters, whereby KlM are already being specialized in breeding (e.g. as a field dog) and ver-satility in the genetic make-up of the breed is being lost. A primary mission of KlM-I is to take countermeasures against this practice and to educate. To illustrate this, KlM-Germany, as the parent country of the breed, was asked in 2013 to make the F.C.I. standard more precise and to highlight the natural hunting abilities of the breed in the breed standard. The motion has been submitted to the F.C.I. by the VDH.
KlM-Germany records the most common use of stud dogs abroad. In the past, coun-tries which do not practice versatile performance breeding were also assisted. But this is now no longer possible after a change in the German breeding regulations. Mating abroad with German stud dogs is now approved only if the breeder is a mem-ber of a KlM-I member Club.
Last year, the function of Chairman for Performance Testing was created in the Ex-ecutive Board of KlM-I. Germain Klein from France was entrusted with this task. His mission is to support the national clubs in the development and expansion of versatile natural ability tests and to make the assessment of natural abilities interna-tionally comparable.
In the development of performance breeding, KlM-I encounters problems not only with the member clubs, but most of the problems are the result of the national kennel clubs. With the exception of Germany, puppies in all other countries get their pedi-gree from the national kennel clubs and not from the breed clubs. The kennel clubs decide on records in the pedigrees. Internationally, there are no regulations, whether and which tests should be entered in the pedigree. Working together with the Ger-man JGHV, an initiative of the German hunting dog breeds which will push for better solutions in international performance breeding at the F.C.I, is now at the VDH (Ger-man Kennel Club). At the suggestion of Henrik Raae Andersen, the Executive Board of KlM-I had an opportunity to speak with a representative of the F.C.I. As a result of the discussion, Mr. Jørgen Hindse, President of the Danish Kennel Club and the Nordic Kennel Union and spokesman for the European Group in the F.C.I. was per-suaded of the sense of our versatile performance breeding and promised his support. More and more authorities in international organizations now advocate common regulations in the performance area for hunting dog breeds.
In a further step, an international Münsterländer test IMP-A and IMP-B was devel-oped through the collaboration of many member countries in developing the concept underlying the tests. Both tests enable a comparison of breeding potential at an in-ternational level. The final test proposal, which is based on previous versions of the two test regulations, will be considered for approval in today’s Member Meeting. Due to a change in leadership, the initial cooperation with the Verband Große Münster-länder e.V. has come to a halt. KlM-Germany was asked to submit the test regula-tions to the F.C.I. for homologation (international recognition). In recent years, the development, testing and implementation of both sets of test regulations has greatly encouraged international collaboration among the KlM clubs.
Two years ago, an International Breeding Committee was formed, chaired by Josef Westermann (Breed Warden of KlM-D), in which national Breed Wardens can work together on international breeding issues.
Traditions, established ways and legal obstacles, on the one hand, and lack of time, persistence and patience or insufficient persuasive powers on our side, have so far prevented greater progress in achieving the targeted regulations contained in the Bylaws in matters of the breed, utility and organization. Identification with the work of KlM-I hardly exists with breeders. Still, a foundation for the work has been laid.
→ Cor Bottenheft, Vice President
In the last two years, Cor Bottenheft has also maintained contact to KlM clubs abroad in order to promote interest in KlM-International.
Belgium
In Belgium there were major difficulties, after there has been no Board of Directors for some time. More than a year ago a new Board has organized itself, which has allowed the club to come to life again. Cor Bottenheft was invited to the Annual Meet-ing. The number of members is growing. Puppies receive a pedigree from the Bel-gian Kennel Club, if the parents have an F.C.I. pedigree. The hunting dog tests re-semble those in the Netherlands. Next year, tests and a breed show will be orga-nized.
Luxembourg
In Luxembourg there is no breed club, but a club for all hunting dog breeds, of which 75 members own a KlM. 1-2 litters are born each year. The puppies receive their pedigrees from the Kennel Club, if both parent animals have F.C.I. pedigrees. Many members are a member of a Landesgruppe of the KlM club in Germany.
Spain/Portugal
There are a few KlM in Spain. Occasionally a KlM will be registered with the Kennel Club.
Great Britain
The British military imported KlM to Great Britain. There is no breed club, but there are contacts.
The Netherlands
The cooperation with the umbrella organization is outstanding in the Netherlands, so that the information exchange also works well. The puppy statistics, owners, HD, and eye examinations are automatically reported. 90% of KlM puppies are bred through the Heidewachtel Club. Since June 1, 2014, DNA is taken from each puppy. In the future it will be noted on the pedigree, whether the KlM was bred according to the health criteria of the breed club. The conformation judges are obliged by the Raad van Beheer (Dutch Kennel Club) to annually participate in a training session. The Kennel Club is dealing with the new F.C.I. standard and wants to understand this, because the performance ability must also reflect itself in the morphology.
Cor Bottenheft sincerely thanks Bernd-Dieter Jesinghausen for the outstanding co-operation.
→ Henrik Raae Andersen, Vice President
In the last two years the Nordic countries have intensified their contact with KlM-I. Sweden and Finland are applying for membership with KlM-I.
Sweden
The Swedes have been particularly engaged. A meeting between the new Chairman of the SVK, Malin Nyström (per Skype), Annika Wängvik and Henrik Raae Andersen has taken place. This year, Henrik Raae Andersen participated in a breeding seminar in Sweden. He is especially delighted that Sweden is personally represented at the table again today.
Norway/Finland
It is sad, however, that Norway and Finland are not present, because membership is connected with rights and obligations, and the member clubs should thus send a representative to the Annual Meeting. Otherwise, dialogue and cooperation are diffi-cult.
Denmark
The DMK would like to do more for the classic Kleine Münsterländer for the sake of hunters. The VJP, HZP, IMP-A and IMP-B are seen as important instruments. The IMP in particular is a platform for cooperation across borders. In 2013 the DMK orga-nized the IMP in cooperation with the Landesgruppe Schleswig-Holstein. In 2014 VJP and HZP tests were organized in cooperation with the Landesgruppe Schleswig-Holstein in Denmark. The International Breeding Committee makes a substantial contribution to international cooperation and strengthens the cooperation at the level of the Breed Wardens.
Next year, Henrik Raae Andersen wants to work on the spread of the IMP in the North and envisions the organization of national Münsterländer tests in Scandinavia.
In the past two years, cooperation in the Executive Board of KlM-I was very dynamic and fruitful. The Test Regulations IMP-A and IMP-B were given their final form. An International Breeding Committee was established and cooperation with the F.C.I. was strengthened. After the founding of KlM-I, there was formal collaboration with the F.C.I. on paper. Since last year’s meeting with Jørgen Hindse, President of the Euro-pean Section of the F.C.I. and President of the DKK, we have been in direct dialogue with the F.C.I.
Henrik Raae Andersen addressed special thanks to Bernd-Dieter Jesinghausen.
5. Reports from the KlM-I national clubs
France
The report on France is in the presentation by Germain Klein under agenda point 7.
Switzerland
The Board in Switzerland consists of 7 members, which meet several times per year. Urs Hoppler has been President for 14 years. In 2013 the homepage was rede-signed. Numerous events are organized throughout the year: the Annual Meeting, training days, annual judges training, a family hike, a suitability for breeding test/evaluation, and obedience test as well as a blood tracking test and test to guide the handler to dead game (Bringselverweiserprüfung). Cynologists belong to the club and organize companion dog tests.
The club currently has 250 members. 19 bitches and 8 stud dogs have been ap-proved for breeding. 95 % of mating takes place with German stud dogs.
Dogs participate in VJP and HZP in the neighboring Landesgruppen of KlM-Germany. Urs Hoppler thanks the neighboring German Landesgruppen for the good cooperation in testing.
The SKMV thanks Bernd-Dieter Jesinghausen for the years of friendly cooperation and awards him the Golden Badge of Honor of the Swiss club for Kleine Münsterländer.
Germany
As the parent country of the breed KlM-Germany is involved in many of the issues of KlM-International. Thus, § 17 of the German Breeding Regulations was adapted to support only breeders from KlM-I member clubs with German stud dogs and there-with promote performance breeding abroad.
As part of the HD evaluation a blood sample from each KlM must be sent in. The ge-netic material can be accessed in the future, if problems or questions arise.
KlM-Germany has introduced a performance badge that will be awarded to KlM which have achieved good results at international tests or at the IMP-A or B. The per-formance badge will be made out with the name of the dog. The statute is currently under revision.
There were personnel changes in the KlM-Germany Board for the position of Treasurer on grounds of age. Ms. Martina Maubach has replaced Mr. Bernhard Lackhove. The position of a legal adviser was created to offer legal counsel.
At the suggestion of KlM-I the F.C.I. standard was revised and submitted to the F.C.I. via the VDH.
To increase the acceptance of the IMP as an international test, recognition of the tests must be awakened with dog handlers and breeders, that is, a passed test must be recognized in the national clubs as a breeding requirement. KlM Germany has decided that the relevant bodies should work on the breeding approval of the IMP. Adjustments such as age, “Laut”, and tracking must still be discussed. All bodies have approved the test regulations for the IMP-A and IMP-B.
The Group North America (KlM-GNA) has submitted an application to become a Landesgruppe with KlM-Germany and a candidacy status was awarded at the last meeting of the Extended Board. The final vote will take place at the Annual General Meeting. KlM-GNA already has all rights and obligations now.
That the original negotiations with SMCNA failed, is not aimed at Tom McDonald. Tom McDonald is welcome to join the new group KlM-GNA.
Dietrich Berning thanks Bernd-Dieter Jesinghausen for the excellent preliminary work in North America.
Bernd-Dieter Jesinghausen asks the members not to support SMCNA, especially their breeders. SMCNA is a club which is not affiliated with the F.C.I. and will there-fore not come under the jurisdiction of F.C.I. pedigrees. He encouraged support for the new club KlM-GNA.
6. Report of the Chairman of the International Breeding Committee (Josef Westermann)
So far this year, there have been 23 matings abroad with German stud dogs. On the one hand, this is very good, but mixed on the other hand, which could lead to prob-lems in the long term, should there ever be a serious health problem in the breed. Then one could not fall back to other bloodlines abroad. Therefore, Josef Wester-mann recommends – if possible – breeding abroad should stand on its own legs. It is very rare that German breeders travel abroad to mate.
If a German stud dog is to be used abroad, according to § 17 of the German Breed-ing Regulations, this should be reported to the KlM-Germany Breed Warden at least 4 weeks before. The KlM-Germany Breed Warden, in agreement with the German Breeding Commission and the Breed Warden of the KlM-I member club, decides on
breeding approval. Breeders often call just 3-4 days before the planned mating. In
this regard Josef Westermann asks for information about the four week time period in the member clubs. Until now, Josef Westermann has not had a contact in each KlM-I member country, whom he can ask whether the mating abroad was reported and ap-proved. Also on this matter he asks for support from the member clubs.
After a pairing has been reported to Josef Westermann, he normally doesn’t receive feedback whether the pairing has taken place, how many puppies were born and
whether the puppies were healthy or not. He receives the Record of Litter Inspection only from Austria.
Therefore, the Breeding Committee of KlM-I has made a motion to the Member Meet-ing of KlM-I that, beginning January 1, 2015, a report on all puppies born from stud dogs which were used abroad, should be sent to the breed club of the stud dog. This report should be prepared within two months of the birth of the puppies and include information on the number of puppies, sex, color and hereditary faults (e.g. Record of Litter Inspection). Furthermore, it is also proposed that all further test results, breed show results as well as hereditary faults (e.g. HD, OCD, epilepsy, eye defects, etc.) which appear in the future life of the descendants should be immediately reported to the breed club in which the stud dog is located. In addition, the Breeding Committee proposes that all KlM-I member clubs semi-annually distribute the entire test results (“Ostermannische Statistics”) of the KlM breed to all KlM-I member clubs.
In this way the information flow should not only go to Germany, but all member coun-tries should exchange this information. This brings advantages for the health of the breed.
The proposal will be decided upon in a written resolution circulated to the members.
Bernd-Dieter Jesinghausen thanks Josef Westermann. He has broken down the is-sues which occupy KlM-I at the everyday business level. He stresses Josef Wester-mann’s plea that information on these topics should never flow in only one direction, but mutual communication is necessary.
7. Status and further development of performance breeding internationally (Germain Klein)
If we want to maintain the KlM as a versatile hunting dog in the long term, we have to work together closely across borders, encourage good health, performance ability and breeding and exchange good blood lines across national borders. Without the interest of breeders and dog handlers the topic of international performance breeding has no future.
The goal is to maintain the profile of the classic Kleine Münsterländer across borders. We must be able to test minimal requirements (performance abilities) in the long term in all countries. In the Minutes on the Member Meeting 2012 the criteria for the es-sential performance abilities of the KlM are defined: use of nose, joy in retrieving, search, pointing, willingness to track, enjoyment of work and water, cooperation. The implementation in national testing regulations should be developed with the compe-tent KlM clubs. “Laut” is not tested or recorded in all countries. Some are still breed-ing with voiceless KlM.
In the breeding year 2013 Germain Klein has attempted to get an overview on pup-pies, litters, tested dogs (natural ability tests) and HD results in the KlM-I member
countries. In doing this it is clear that there are differences in the figures and greater transparency is necessary. Still, the member figures and his statistics provide a rough preliminary overview.
Germain Klein explains his statistics on the total number of puppies born and from performance breeding. Until now in France, for example, there are no statistics on puppies born from performance breeding. If both parents have F.C.I. pedigrees, then the puppies automatically receive a preliminary pedigree. For a final pedigree the dogs must be presented to a conformation judge. The parents not have completed a performance test. In France ca. 30% of the puppies receive a final pedigree, not all of
which are owned by hunters and entered in performance tests. This example alone shows that something must be done to maintain the classic KlM.
In a chart, he has presented the puppy numbers per country compared to the KlM which were run at natural ability tests. To get the data, he had sent a spreadsheet asking for the figures on each member club which he subsequently analyzed. Some member clubs answered him quickly, others not at all. Overall, dependable, compa-rable cross-border data is needed in order to make progress with this topic. The comparison of test regulations shows in which countries the test regulations are simi-lar and where they differ. In addition, solutions must be found to recognize and rec-ord “Laut”.
Performance breeding is made up of natural ability tests (minimum requirements), HD, breed show results and “Laut”. It would be desirable if the member clubs would establish cross-border minimum requirements. A solution towards achieving interna-tionally comparable tests and breeding approval may be the IMP.
The recognition of IMP-A and IMP-B by the F.C.I. is another important step. If the IMP becomes an officially recognized test, then the member clubs must enter test results in the pedigrees. The value of testing for dog owners and breeders would in-crease greatly. The national KlM clubs must address the issue of the IMP as a breed-ing requirement. It is problematic, however, that breeding approval is not matter of the breed clubs in all countries, but partially a matter of the national umbrella organi-zations (i.e. national Kennel Clubs). Unfortunately, cooperation with these organiza-tions does not run smoothly in every country.
German Klein dreams that in the future the IMP can take place in each country and that in the year 2024 a total of 126 will participate in this test (in 2014, there were 17 KlM). This number would be interesting for the breeding potential. To achieve this goal, first the Boards of the national clubs need to get involved in the project and find solutions to reduce the costs.
At present, Germain Klein cannot guarantee that the IMP will be put on in France in 2016. The costs are a major point of discussion.
The presentation by Germain Klein shows that even after 8 years of KlM-I there is still no full international transparency, which would enable comparison of breeding requirements and natural abilities and upon which conclusions for the future could be drawn.
8. Motions
8.1 Change in the Bylaws – new version of § 5.2 sentence 6
The Executive Board proposes amendment of § 5.2 sentence 6 as follows: “Written
votes have to be carried out at the request of the Board or by at least five members.” Reason: The Member Meeting of KlM-I meets only every two years. In this way, mo-tions may be passed more quickly. The Member Meeting unanimously approves the amendment of § 5.2.
8.2 Membership of SVK Sweden
Eight years ago Sweden was a founding member of KlM-I. All are therefore very happy,
that Sweden wants to be part of KlM-I again and is here today to present their work as well as the activities of the Svenska Vorstehklubben.
Malin Nyström is responsible as Breed Warden of the Kleine Münsterländer in the Svenska Vorstehklubben. Annika Wängvik is the Deputy Breed Warden.
About 150 puppies per year are normal for Sweden. This year only 100 are expected, as several bitches were barren. Most Swedish breeders hunt with their KlM. The breeding foundation in Sweden is good, but one is dependent on new blood from Germany.
Young KlM in Sweden complete natural ability tests until they are 2 years old. “Laut” is not explicitly tested, but reported in writing.
Bernd-Dieter Jesinghausen explains that previously KlM-I had information that the KlM were handled several times at „sport tests“.
In the SVK, four hunting dog breeds are organized. Today the focus is on the use of the KlM in hunting as the dog owners are usually hunters. Dog handlers are partially interested in medals and badges of honor, but the focus nowadays is on hunting.
A Swedish version of the VGP was introduced with the help of the Danes. The dogs are tested over two days, also with a fox. Most of the participating dogs were KlM.
Today, the Kleine Münsterländer are no longer dominated by other breeds in the SKV. There were numerous discussions about the topic of membership in KlM-I.
Malin Nyström and Annika Wängvik come from the breeding side. They have excel-lent communication with Palle Jørgensen, the Breed Warden from Denmark.
The application for membership with KlM-I from the Svenska Vorstehklubben is be-fore the Member Meeting today. The KlM-I Member Meeting unanimously resolves to admit the SKV as a member club in KlM-I.
8.3 Membership of Saksanseisojakerho e.V. Finland
The Breed Club Saksanseisojakerho e.V. has applied for membership in KlM-I, with an annual membership lump sum contribution of €100. The Executive Board of KlM-I recommends accepting the application in principle. The Finns were invited to intro-duce themselves at the Member Meeting of KlM-I. Unfortunately, the Finns have not responded since then. Bernd-Dieter Jesinghausen proposes that the meeting agree to admission in principle, provided that the provisions of the Bylaws, including the membership fee, will be accepted and that the Finns personally introduce themselves to the KlM-I Executive Board within the next 6 months.
In a provisional decision, the Member Meeting of KlM-I unanimously approves ad-mission to KlM-I, taking into account the criteria listed above. The final decision is assigned to the Executive Board.
8.4 Expulsion of SMCNA
The Executive Board of KlM-I requests the expulsion of SMCNA. A provisional termination has already been expressed. The termination will take effect, if it is confirmed by the Member Meeting of KlM-I.
Bernd-Dieter Jesinghausen stresses that KlM-Germany has made various proposals for three years, which were not accepted by the Board of SMCNA. Thus, no way of cooperation could be found with the SMCNA Board, which would have been compatible with the Bylaws of the VDH and the JGHV. Because no compromise could be found, the support by KlM-I and KlM-D had to be terminated. SMCNA cannot therefore come within the jurisdiction of F.C.I. pedigrees and is now considered a dissident breeding club (Schwarzzuchtverein).
Tom McDonald, who is present at this meeting, has always worked hard for the breeding of the Kleine Münsterländer in the USA. He expressed his thanks for being heard again. Tom McDonald does not want to switch to KlM-Group North America.
The Member Meeting unanimously confirms the decision of the Executive Board to expel SMCNA. It will be mentioned in a letter to the Board of SMCNA that the Member Meeting paid tribute to the work of Tom McDonald.
8.5 Adoption of the IMP-B
The Member Meeting unanimously approves the test regulations for the IMP-B.
The evaluation system for the IMP-A was also changed to the 12 point system. The Member Meeting unanimously approves this change to the IMP-A.
8.6 Request for homologation (i.e. approval) of the IMP-A and IMP-B by the F.C.I.
The Member Meeting unanimously resolves to ask KlM-Germany as the parent of the race to submit a motion to the F.C.I. for homologation of the test regulations IMP-A and IMP-B.
The motion of the International Breeding Committee will be made in a written resolu-tion circulated to the members (see agenda point 6).
9. Financial Report
The financial report will be sent in writing to all KlM-I member clubs.
10. Discharge of the Board of Directors
The Executive Board is unanimously discharged with abstention of those affected.
Honors
The Executive Board proposes the appointment of Bernd-Dieter Jesinghausen as Honorary President. The Member Meeting unanimously approves his appointment as Honorary President.
Cor Bottenheft presents a gift to Bernd-Dieter Jesinghausen with words of apprecia-tion for the work he has done.
11. New elections
11.1 President
Bernd-Dieter Jesinghausen is not running for re-election. The Executive Board pro-poses Dietrich Berning as President. There are no further proposals. Dietrich Berning, Provinzialstraße 24, 46499 Hamminkeln, is unanimously elected as Presi-dent and accepts the vote.
11.2 Vice President
The Executive Board proposes the re-election of both Vice Presidents, Cor
Bottenheft and Henrik Raae Andersen. There are no further proposals. Cor Bot-tenheft, Jan van Nassaupark 78, NL-3844 BS Harderwijk, is unanimously re-elected and accepts the vote. Henrik Raae Andersen, Lunderodvej 82, Marup, DK4340 Tølløse, is unanimously re-elected and accepts the vote.
12. Miscellaneous
Dietrich Berning points out that Bernd-Dieter Jesinghausen will be invited to all fur-ther meetings as Honorary President.
Henrik Raae Andersen invites Bernd-Dieter Jesinghausen to the next Member Meet-ing of the Dansk Münsterländer Klub.
13. Dates
Oct. 31/Nov. 1, 2014 IMP in the area around Borken
Sep. 12-13, 2015 IMP in the Czech Republic
Dietrich Berning Jacqueline Mette
President Business Manager
