Smalahundur Posted March 25, 2014 Report Share Posted March 25, 2014 The Icelandic sheepdog society (the SFÍ) is contemplating to join the ISDS. Next April there will be held a member meeting and there will be decided whether we want to go ahead with this. I have my doubts about this idea. Not because I have anything against the ISDS, quite the contrary. It is just that beside costs and more paperwork this membership has no real advantages for Icelandic handlers and their dogs. Apart from a couple of imported dogs (that came to the country as isds registered dogs), the Icelandic border collies, who are registered at the SFÍ can only get registered in the ISDS on merit (apart from the health tests). This is very expensive, especially because we would have to get an ISDS judge to Iceland. I understand that clearing this merit bar is pretty difficult, and suspect that a lot of Icelandic handlers underestimate this. Because of the rather draconian laws about importing animals to this country it is virtually impossible to compete abroad, and totally impossible to organize international trials here. Those are the main reasons I dont see really good solid reasons to do this. The reason that are given by the SFÍ have mostly to do with status... With the possibility of splitting the not very large population of working dogs in "ISDS" and "non ISDS" dogs (maybe not a bad thing). I like the current situation, the SFÍ´s members are almost all sheep keepers, and "work" is therefor automatically the most important thing in breeding. (There is also a "dog fancy" society here). No real need for foreign support to keep us on track in that respect. So what do you think, am I right in doubting the value of ISDS membership for the SFÍ , or can you think of compelling reasons the Icelanders should join? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue R Posted March 25, 2014 Report Share Posted March 25, 2014 You make a lot of good points. It sounds like there is little true merit to going with ISDS except for the "association" and non-material benefits that it might provide. "No real need for foreign support to keep us on track in that respect." Wonderful! I wish the same situation existed here, at least that keeping on track would be so straightforward. About importation and travel issues, are there problems with importing frozen semen and using that? If not, could that be a good way to introduce new blood and lines into Icelandic dogs if and when that might be beneficial, and would that (if it were the case) be a good reason for ISDS association? Would association allow the mutual recognition of each organization's (ISDS and SFI) registrations? That might be a benefit if and when there was an easing of travel restrictions and/or importing semen became significant in the breeding population. I'd hate to see Iceland go the way of a number of European countries that are dictated to by FCI and not able to be associated with ISDS. Good questions! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
workindogs Posted March 26, 2014 Report Share Posted March 26, 2014 I don't understand what you mean by SFI "joining" the ISDS. Do you mean that ISDS becomes the defacto registry of working sheepdogs in Iceland? and SFI dissolves? Or are you petitioning ISDS to recognize SFI pedigrees to have a reciprocal relationship (like that of the ABCA and CBCA with ISDS)?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eileen Stein Posted March 26, 2014 Report Share Posted March 26, 2014 I assume this is what Smalahundur means: http://www.isds.org.uk/meet-the-isds/associate-member-clubs/ If you're right that you still won't be able to register Icelandic dogs with the ISDS except through ROM even after the FSI becomes an associate member, then I must say I don't see much advantage to associate member status either. If associate member status would enable Icelandic dogs to be registered with ISDS without going through ROM, then it sounds as if the benefits would still be pretty limited, unless there would be a market outside Iceland for exported Icelandic border collies if they were ISDS-registered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maja Posted March 27, 2014 Report Share Posted March 27, 2014 Much better I think would be to try and negotiate mutual recognition as is between ISDS and ABCA, I think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smalahundur Posted March 29, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2014 Thanks for your replies. It kinda affirms my opinion on this idea (that´s always nice ). It is as Eileen pointed out, the SFÍ is planning on becoming such an associate member of the ISDS. I do not know if there have been any actual negotiations going on (planning to find that out) between our board members and those of the ISDS. It will be interesting to see if that mutual recognition (like with the ABCA) would be an option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GentleLake Posted March 30, 2014 Report Share Posted March 30, 2014 Without mutual recognition, I don't see the point, at least not for Icelanders. Why would people want to essentially split the breed in terms of registration. And ROM is too difficult (and rightly so) for most people be able to just qualify and be able to have their dogs registered. That's not really what ROM was intended to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smalahundur Posted March 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2015 An update, should anyone be interested in how this played out. As I expected the SFÍ decided to become a memberclub of the iSDS. This happened last autumn at the member meeting that was held after the National trials. Interesting enough this is not the whole story, we received an announcement today that it is a free choice for individual members of the SFÍ to become such an affiliate ISDS member. Then you pay a certain yearly fee, and have access to ISDS registration, you can let your dog be judged for ROM (An ISDS judge will come to Iceland for this) etc. I like this solution quite a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue R Posted March 18, 2015 Report Share Posted March 18, 2015 Sounds good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maja Posted March 19, 2015 Report Share Posted March 19, 2015 Great! Congratulations! Poland joined last Septemeber. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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