GCCF Notices
Online Registrations now available
You can now apply to Register your litter/cat online! As of today, you’ll notice a new option to the right hand side of your screen in the On Line Section.
We hope this will make it easier & quicker for everyone – and
look forward to your feedback! Remember that the office staff are dealing
with a new system too, so please be patient with them as we all get
used to this.
Sally Rainbow-Ockwell
IT Project Manager
Club Rules Review by The Board
It has been asked by a few clubs, if they need to have their rule approved by the GCCF before going to their members. This is not the case. In order to clarify the situation we would note the following: The Board will be reviewing the rules of clubs to ensure they don’t spot anything that might give a club a problem. Having said that the Board has a significant workload this year and I cannot confirm when this might be. A Club’s rules are their responsibility. This is not an approval process before Club acceptance. The Board is not able to meet such deadlines anyway. After review at some point, there will be a letter or email saying either “we reviewed your rules and would comment as follows:” or “We have reviewed your rules and have no comments to make.” The Clubs should therefore proceed as normal just now and present any changes to your members and send them along to us after that and we will review them in due course.
Mark Goadby
March 2013
Club Returns 2012
In an effort to try to ensure the Club Return forms are completed correctly we are making minor changes which require approval by the Board. An extraordinary Board meeting is being held 19 February 2013 for this and other matters. It is anticipated that the forms will be available just before the end of February next week. Fees have been kept the same, again in recognition of the current financial climate. The examiner’s report currently online can be used for the 2012 club accounts.
February 2012
GCCF Strategic and Business Plan for 2013
The GCCF Strategic & Business Plan 2013 may be viewed here, this plan is for information and will be presented for endorsement at the Council meeting on 21st February.
January 2013
Problems due to Incorrect Postage
Unfortunately we are receiving a significant number of envelopes with incorrect postage. In such cases we pay a premium to the Royal Mail to still receive them and charge this back to the sender. It does also mean the Royal Mail delay delivery until payment is made. Whilst we send payment by return to the Royal Mail it can delay the packages for up to a week. We therefore ask customers to ensure they have used the correct postage for their benefit in ensuring a swift processing of their application.
January 2013
Judge invitations
Judges should not accept invitations to judge the same Breed, Grand, Imperial, Olympian Intermediate or Assessment classes too frequently, or in similar catchment areas, as that can impact on show entries and is unfair to show managers and exhibitors.This is particularly important in more remote regions such as Scotland, Northern Ireland, the Channel Isles and South West England.
January 2013
Household Pet Judges
A large number of Household Pet/Pedigree Pet exhibitors have formed a group on Facebook - Non- Pedigree & Pedigree Pet Cat Group. The main concern is the non publishing of reports by judges in that section. Their aim is to address that problem by initiating a list of these judges and circulating it to Show Managers. They realise that judges in this section do not normally receive expenses etc, but feel that it is an honour to be invited to judge and therefore if this is an issue with judges, those judges should decline the invitation.
Judges listed will only be those judges who are regularly invited to judge within this section.
Admins of this are:-
Mrs. L Szwed – Sheltie@fsmail.net
Miss. C Walker – carolw@blueyonder.co.uk
Mrs. B Prowse - barbaraprowse@hotmail.com
Any issues or questions please email the admins.
Barbara Prowse
December 2012
Snowshoe Promotion
Congratulations to the Snowshoes on achieving breed promotion to Provisional Status with the unanimous approval of the Council Meeting of 24.10.12. It takes effect from 24.2.13, four calendar months following the Council decision. After that date Intermediate Classes should be offered at shows, judged to the revised SOP; and the new Registration Policy will be applied.
Show Managers:
Please note: as the Snowshoes gained Provisional Status at Council on 24.10.12 they should be offered Intermediate Classes and certificates at shows following 24.2.13. There is a revised SOP that the BAC has been advised to circulate to judges in the interim.
Jen Lacey
Acting GCCF Committee Secretary
Information for Show Managers and Judges
Please note that from the 28th October 2012 teenaged candidates at the Advanced Level of the GCCF YES! Programme can become Junior Members of the Guild of GCCF Judges & Stewards. They will not have a vote at meetings but can join the GCCF Stewarding Scheme and can steward for judges at shows. Young people under the age of 16 who are not at the Advanced Level of the YES! programme ARE NOT ABLE TO STEWARD (but can second steward) AS THEY WILL NOT BE INSURED. All qualified YES! candidates will be wearing the appropriate badge to identify them.
Information for Judges, Stewards & BAC Secretaries regarding the new Stewarding Programme
All information regarding the New Stewarding Programme is posted on the Judges’ Guild website at http://gccfjudgesguild.org.uk/. There is also full information posted on the GCCF website at www.gccfcats.org/judging.html and this information can be printed off for all BAC representatives.
PLEASE NOTE THAT UNDER THE NEW GCCF STEWARDING SCHEME AGREED IN COUNCIL, RULES 5 AND 17 IN THE GCCF RULES OF PROCEDURE OF THE GCCF JUDGE APPOINTMENT SCHEME 2009 NO LONGER APPLY. The only exception is for candidates who had progressed to the final stages of the original stewarding scheme and they were able to continue through the process to gain their GCCF Stewarding Badge as no candidate should be disadvantaged.
The BAC Rules of Procedure for the Selection of Judges 2009 now goes from Rule 16 a – dviii and then to Rules 18 and 19 which refer to the application and working through the stewarding section of the judge appointment scheme where first time applicants prepare to become a Probationer Judge of the appropriate breed.
Please note that the GCCF Guidance Notes for Stewards and the Code of Conduct and the Code of Conduct for GCCF Judges have been updated and are available for download from the Guild and GCCF websites.
If there are any aspects of the GCCF Stewarding or Judge Appointment Schemes that you do not understand or that you would like clarified, please contact the Secretary of the Guild for assistance via judgesguild@yahoo.co.uk – The Guild is there to guide and support all judges and stewards and is more than willing to help any BAC too as they support candidates through the scheme.
New GCCF kitten insurance scheme
The Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF) and Agria Pet Insurance have teamed up to provide a simple, free kitten insurance programme for cat breeders to use when they sell their kittens and a pick and mix, lifetime cat insurance product that includes optional cover for breeding risks.
GCCF Pet Insurance Guide for Cat Owners
A new GCCF information leaflet has been published to help cat owners make informed decisions when choosing a cat insurance policy. The guide includes an overview of the main types of cover along with some things to consider when looking at alternative policies.
Bristol University Cat Study
Bristol University would appreciate a small amount of time as help from cat owners in the Cat Fancy. For details see here
Kitten Guide for all new owners
A Kitten Guide has been produced and will be sent out to breeders by
the GCCF Office with all kitten registrations with immediate effect.
These are to be passed on to new owners as extra support and advice.
This is a trial which will be assessed by the Board and feedback from
breeders and new kitten owners is welcomed.
Vetting-in Pilot Scheme
The Board of Directors recently agreed to undertake a pilot scheme for a revised form of vetting-in procedure. We should stress that this is a proposal to hold a pilot and evaluate the outcome, and not a decision to change the way vetting-in is conducted at all shows nor a proposal to discontinue vetting-in. It should also be noted that the GCCF is firmly committed to the health and welfare of cats as part of its primary aims, but the GCCF must also review its current practices and look at alternative ways to do things so that is does not standstill as an organisation. A summary of the pilot scheme is available here.
Update Phase 1 - Reducing the risk of transfer of infective agents
Update Phase 2 - Duty Vet Logs / Vet Logs
Updated November 2012
Recognition of Shorthaired Somalis
AGREED BY COUNCIL 22ND FEBRUARY 2012
At the Council Meeting on Wednesday 22nd February 2012 the Preliminary Recognition of Shorthaired Somalis was agreed by a large majority.
The list of judges is the current list of full judges for the breed.
For the moment, exhibitors are asked to use the 63v breed number as found on their registration/transfer form when exhibiting Shorthaired Somalis until such time as the GCCF Office can implement 63L and 63S on computer.
Shorthaired Somalis can be exhibited in Assessment Classes in the Semi-Longhaired Section for AC Shorthaired Somali as soon as practical for show managers and will be making their debut at the Somali Cat Club and Semi-Longhair Cat Association’s Joint Show on Saturday 17th March 2012.
1. General type standard for the Somali – 63L & 63S
2. Registration Policy for Somalis 63L & 63S
Full information on the Somali BAC, its Officers, Judges and Breeding Policy can be found at www.somalibac.co.uk
News and Views
A new initiative for the GCCF - please pass on this information to your friends without computer/internet access
Coming very shortly to a show near you.....
Click on the image for more.........
Judge and Steward Badges
Please note badges must be requested from the office giving clear details of the correct name (including spelling) to be shown on the badge.
Please also note that correction of errors made in this request may result in a charge being made for a replacement badge.
August 2011
Registration Query Process Revision
Queries on registrations requiring a judgement by the Executive Committee will in future be circulated to the Committee shortly after the query is raised. For example; the registering of a cat over two years old. The Executive Committee will then consider the matter outside the formal meeting process and record the judgement in the next meeting minutes. The change in this process has been proposed to speed up resolving queries that arise. Please note that the Executive Committee reserves the right to defer the matter to the next meeting without further explanation if it feels debate in the meeting forum is required. Please also note that when a registration query is requested to be taken to the Executive Committee for a judgement by the applicant, a charge will be made in advance (see GCCF price list) to cover the costs of submitting this.
March 2012
New printing/copying facilities at the GCCF office
The GCCF are pleased to announce that they have engaged SDS of Edington, Somerset as their supplier and maintainer of enhanced printing/copying/scanning facilities at the Bridgwater office. This will enable the GCCF to improve the quality and expand its range of printed materials. The scanning features will help the move to a more paperless operation in the office. This will all be done at lower cost than the previous contract. The cost to the GCCF has been further reduced by the very generous donation of £5000 towards the cost from a member of the Cat Fancy who wishes to remain anonymous. The Executive Committee wishes to publicly thank the person for their support of the GCCF as it moves forward with improving its services and hopes this will encourage others in the Cat Fancy to contribute in such a selfless way. Two of the previous GCCF Ricoh black and white photocopiers (AFICIO 1027 & 1018D) are available to any member of the cat fancy under certain terms. If you are interested please contact the office for details.
Mark Goadby
March 2011