Kneeling (Left to Right): Hans-Åke Sperne – ISIC/c Sweden; Guðni Ágústsson – DíF Iceland;
May Britt Sannerholt – SIFK Sweden; Spike Williamson – ISAA America
First Row (Left to Right): Liv Sydhagen – NIHK Norway; Guðrún R. Guðjohnsen ISIC/c Iceland;
Wilma Roem – VdIL The Netherlands; Catalin Westenheim – SIFK Sweden; Helga Andrésdóttir - DíF
Iceland; Susanne Schütte – DCNH Germany; Terry Warnock- ISAA America; Else Westermann – IF
Denmark; Lill-Hege Nygaard – NIHK Norway; Ágúst Ágústsson – DíF Iceland
Back Row (Left to Right): Þorsteinn Thorsteinson - DíF Iceland; Svend Brandt Jensen – IF Denmark;
Jan Erikson – SIFK Sweden; Árni Eymundsson – VdIL The Netherlands; Elís E. Stefánsson – DíF
Iceland; Wilfred Olsen – ISIC/c Denmark
May Britt Sannerholt – SIFK Sweden; Spike Williamson – ISAA America
First Row (Left to Right): Liv Sydhagen – NIHK Norway; Guðrún R. Guðjohnsen ISIC/c Iceland;
Wilma Roem – VdIL The Netherlands; Catalin Westenheim – SIFK Sweden; Helga Andrésdóttir - DíF
Iceland; Susanne Schütte – DCNH Germany; Terry Warnock- ISAA America; Else Westermann – IF
Denmark; Lill-Hege Nygaard – NIHK Norway; Ágúst Ágústsson – DíF Iceland
Back Row (Left to Right): Þorsteinn Thorsteinson - DíF Iceland; Svend Brandt Jensen – IF Denmark;
Jan Erikson – SIFK Sweden; Árni Eymundsson – VdIL The Netherlands; Elís E. Stefánsson – DíF
Iceland; Wilfred Olsen – ISIC/c Denmark
Delegates to the 2009 ISIC Conference in Reykjavik, Iceland
In October I had the privilege of attending my first ISIC seminar. The previous visits to HRFÍ
and DÍF and prior attendance to ISIC conferences by other club members enhanced my
welcoming into the group. Despite the forecast of a cold rainy weekend, the weather turned out
nice and helped to make everything that much more enjoyable.
Not only was this a very eye-opening experience in the workings of such an international
organization, but also a warm social event. The meetings were very open, very democratic, and
politely diplomatic. You can tell everyone sincerely placed the Icelandic Sheepdog before other
considerations, that they understand that our dogs are a national treasure of Iceland and they
want to preserve it for future generations. The breed clubs take their stewardship very seriously,
and unlike our system, some decisions are made on the breed club level rather than by individual
breeders and this is accepted by all.
On Thursday and Friday the breeding group worked on their databases. On Saturday the
attendees, including the presidents of each club, were divided into the chair and breeding
groups. I took part in the chair group discussions. Each group was given specific topics to
discuss, some were common to both, and others were not. On Sunday a joint meeting was held
and all reviewed the two group’s finds and approved the suggested actions. Some of the several
items discussed can be found throughout this report; others will be reported in our Newsletter or
else where on our web site.
There are still concerns about the different pedigree regulations, and practices allowed by some
of the countries and how that affects insuring the purity of the breed. Future research is required
on this subject.
There was some disappointment that three clubs did not attend, but, two of them did send in
reports, and the group believes their participation will continue in the future. The third however
has not participated in quite a while and ISIC/c is going to explore why this has occurred.
Since the event followed so closely after our first National it was heartwarming to get to visit
again with Brynja and Guđrún. Brynja had put together several window size posters about the
history of the HRFÍ and she made a presentation to the group during one of the sections. This
14th ISIC seminar coincided with the 40th anniversary of HRFÍ, and the 30th anniversary of
DÍF.
I came away with the feeling that we, the ISAA, are warmly accepted and the group by their
actions openly encouraged and actually required our participation. This is easily illustrated by
Terry’s appointment to the 3-person ISIC website committee, whose task is to update and
enhance the ISIC home page.
The dates of this annual gathering were reconfirmed as the last weekend in October. The
location of the 2010 event will be announced within the next few months, and the 2011 seminar
will take place in the Netherlands, corresponding with the 20th anniversary of their ISD breed
club.
It is my sincere hope that my actions only improved our club standing within the cooperative. It
is also my strong opinion that the ISAA should maintain being an active participant. There is so
much to be gained and too much to lose if the relationship is allowed to wither away.
As I left Iceland it was cold and rainy, a fitting parallel to my mood that such a wonderful
weekend was over. But as I got closer to home the sun was shinning just as my thoughts turned
to the bright future of the ISAA, as well as, the ISIC.
Með bestu kveðju / With Best Regards,
Spike
and DÍF and prior attendance to ISIC conferences by other club members enhanced my
welcoming into the group. Despite the forecast of a cold rainy weekend, the weather turned out
nice and helped to make everything that much more enjoyable.
Not only was this a very eye-opening experience in the workings of such an international
organization, but also a warm social event. The meetings were very open, very democratic, and
politely diplomatic. You can tell everyone sincerely placed the Icelandic Sheepdog before other
considerations, that they understand that our dogs are a national treasure of Iceland and they
want to preserve it for future generations. The breed clubs take their stewardship very seriously,
and unlike our system, some decisions are made on the breed club level rather than by individual
breeders and this is accepted by all.
On Thursday and Friday the breeding group worked on their databases. On Saturday the
attendees, including the presidents of each club, were divided into the chair and breeding
groups. I took part in the chair group discussions. Each group was given specific topics to
discuss, some were common to both, and others were not. On Sunday a joint meeting was held
and all reviewed the two group’s finds and approved the suggested actions. Some of the several
items discussed can be found throughout this report; others will be reported in our Newsletter or
else where on our web site.
There are still concerns about the different pedigree regulations, and practices allowed by some
of the countries and how that affects insuring the purity of the breed. Future research is required
on this subject.
There was some disappointment that three clubs did not attend, but, two of them did send in
reports, and the group believes their participation will continue in the future. The third however
has not participated in quite a while and ISIC/c is going to explore why this has occurred.
Since the event followed so closely after our first National it was heartwarming to get to visit
again with Brynja and Guđrún. Brynja had put together several window size posters about the
history of the HRFÍ and she made a presentation to the group during one of the sections. This
14th ISIC seminar coincided with the 40th anniversary of HRFÍ, and the 30th anniversary of
DÍF.
I came away with the feeling that we, the ISAA, are warmly accepted and the group by their
actions openly encouraged and actually required our participation. This is easily illustrated by
Terry’s appointment to the 3-person ISIC website committee, whose task is to update and
enhance the ISIC home page.
The dates of this annual gathering were reconfirmed as the last weekend in October. The
location of the 2010 event will be announced within the next few months, and the 2011 seminar
will take place in the Netherlands, corresponding with the 20th anniversary of their ISD breed
club.
It is my sincere hope that my actions only improved our club standing within the cooperative. It
is also my strong opinion that the ISAA should maintain being an active participant. There is so
much to be gained and too much to lose if the relationship is allowed to wither away.
As I left Iceland it was cold and rainy, a fitting parallel to my mood that such a wonderful
weekend was over. But as I got closer to home the sun was shinning just as my thoughts turned
to the bright future of the ISAA, as well as, the ISIC.
Með bestu kveðju / With Best Regards,
Spike
| Iceland 2009 |
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