New Proposed AKC Leonberger Standard
The 2009 B AKC Leonberger Standard was approved by the LCA membership by a vote or 528 to13 on August 22, 2009 and has been submitted to the AKC Board for approval.
The original 2009 AKC Leonberger Standard was approved with 85% favorable vote in April of this year.
Per the process put in place (described below) prior to the vote for the original 2009 AKC Leonberger Standard we are now posting the new proposed 2009 AKC Leonbeger Standard, developed based on that process, for a one week review and comment period. Comments can be sent to lcastandard@gmail.com until July 8, 2009.
New proposed 2009 AKC Leonberger Standard. Click to download a side by side comparion of the original Approved 2009 AKC Leonberger Standard (labeled 2009 Standard A -provisional) and the New Proposed 2009 AKC Leonberger Standard (labeled 2009 Standard B(3) proposal.
The following is a message that was posted on the LCAmemberslist on July1, 2009 from Astrid Robitaille, President of the LCA:
Dear LCA Members,
I am pleased to announce to you that the AKC Leonberger Standard 2009 B is finished and posted on our website! I invite you all to take a look at it.
You can find it here: http://www.leonbergerclubofamerica.com/members/2009%20Standard.aspx A one-week period of review will begin immediately, during which time you can send any additional comments to the Standard Committee at lcastandard@gmail.com The committee will receive and review all comments submitted. We don't anticipate any further significant changes, but wanted to offer a one week review period for the membership before sending it out to a vote. Additionally, comments should be made specifically on the changes, not on the original document, as substantive changes such as those should have been made during the 45 day comment period.
When you click the link, you'll see a two-columned document. The column on the left contains the AKC Leonberger standard that was approved by the membership by a vote taken earlier this year, the results of which were announced in Wisconsin at the National Specialty. The right-hand column contains the REVISED 2009 Standard, which represents a revision based on comments received and considered by the LCA Standard Committee. Following each section is an italicized explanation of the changes made, which are highlighted for clarity as you review the document.
The board has approved this document by a unanimous vote, and feels it is an improvement over the previous 2009 Standard on which you voted this spring. In accordance with our by-laws, a ballot will be arriving shortly in the mail so that the membership will have the chance to vote on this revised document. Please be on the lookout for the ballot envelope and be sure to vote and return the envelope to the address provided as soon as possible. The postmark deadline for ballots to be returned will be August 17, 2009.
The board joins me in extending our thanks to those members who took the time to send in comments and concerns during the 45 day comment period. Your input has helped the Standard Committee create an even better document. In addition, thanks to the Standard Committee for their long hours of hard work on this, as well as the Governance Committee for their sharp eyes and great advice, and Glen Ferguson for helping to coordinate the standard comments email address. It certainly was a collective effort, and once again underscores the commitment of our members to this great breed.
Thanks so much for your patience as we worked through this process.
Warmly,
Astrid Robitaille, President
Leonberger Club of America
THE FOLLOWING WAS POSTED PRIOR TO THE RESULTS OF THE VOTE ON ORIGINAL 2009 AKC STANDARD
Posted to LCAmemberslist
March 27,2009
Dear Members:
The last few weeks saw comments on the members list pertaining to the proposed 2009 standard and the process in which it was delivered to the membership. Most of the comments had valid points and were delivered in a respectful manner and while the discussion thread has died down, the board has continued to discuss the issue that arose in those e-mails.
As a result of our discussion, discussions with the AKC and the shifting sands of the timeline as we move through the AKC process, a perfect storm of circumstances developed which will allow the board to right the error of omission made to the members by not posting the 2009 standard for comment.
Throughout all of our discussions, it was vital that we adhere to our governing documents and the framework they create for us. Additionally seeking out the guidance and support of the AKC allowed us to create a plan that will provide for member comment on the '09 standard, make minor revisions if deemed appropriate by the standard committee and vote to ratify if needed.
We know that second to the membership vote to pursue AKC Parent Club status, the breed standard is the most important issue that the LCA will work through. Having a standard that paints an accurate verbal picture of our breed is vital to the club and the future of the Leonberger. We want and need to do the best job we can.
When we contacted the AKC to discuss the issues being discussed on the memberslist, we were informed that the AKC had set a deadline for standard submission for a judge's book for all breeds entering into full recognition in January 2010. The deadline, which was March 18th, had not been communicated to us and took us by surprise, but as we've learned in the past this process is full of stops and starts. It was not in the board?s power to submit any standard while a vote was in process. As such, we could not meet the deadline. The result of this unexpected development is that the LCA will request that the Leonberger?s entry into the working group be delayed six months to July 2010. The AKC has agreed and will support the request. We know some people will be disappointed by this, but there was no other choice.
However, this development also opened up an unexpected window of time that the board feels can be used to make sure that the standard that is submitted to the AKC for their approval is the one that has been open to comment and fully supported via membership ratification. It is important to note that the AKC, LCA Board and LCA Standards Committee feel strongly that the 2009 standard is a much stronger document than the 2007 version but perhaps could be stronger still with a few minor revisions. The process the board will seek to put into place is as follows and has been approved by the AKC:
The vote on the proposed standard will come to its completion. After the results are announced at the general membership meeting, the board will open up a 45 day period for member comment on the standard that is in place at that time. The board will delay, with the approval of the AKC, submitting the approved standard until such time as the comment period is over. At the conclusion of the comment period, the Standard Committee will review the comments submitted by the members and send the board one of two possible recommendations:
1. The Standard Committee will recommend that no changes should be made to the approved standard (which is not likely)
2. The Standard Committee will submit to the Board a revised document showing recommended refinements. Assuming a slightly revised standard is submitted to the board, the board will then send the revised standard out for a full membership vote with specific language that allows the membership to vote on the revised standard AND absolves the board from submitting the approved standard just voted on.
The AKC ultimately has to approve any governing document voted on by the membership. We asked the AKC if they would allow us, with membership approval, to submit a substitute document for their approval. They agreed. So, let's say that the approved 09 standard passes; we will call it standard 09A, we would then have a 45 day comment period on Standard 09A. Assuming some revisions are made, the board would then send out Standard 09B for a vote. If approved, that vote would approve substituting Standard 09B for approval over Standard 09A. By following this process, we are working within the appropriate framework of our governing documents, allowing for member comment and perhaps making revisions that will strengthen the standard.
Members may now submit suggestions to the Standard Committee. If you have comments about the standard, please submit them to lcastandard@gmail.com
. Emails will be collected and sent to the standard committee for review. 
