by Julie Borst Reed - Staff Reporter

Professional handlers are defined as any person that belongs or has belonged to a professional handlers’ organization, distributed rate cards, or otherwise advertised or represented themselves as handling dogs for pay.

In any other sport I can think of - there are amateurs and professionals. Professional means the person is compensated/derives all or part of their livelihood from being engaged in that profession. Sports Amateurs often have as much knowledge, talent and experience as do those designated as Professionals. Olympic athletes of years gone by were amateurs, meaning no monies were paid to them for training or participating in that particular sport. They were no less competent. They were heralded because of their ability to perform at the top of their game and still be strictly amateur status.

Someone who isn't "wild" about the new class said "Have many breeder/handlers advertised or represented themselves as handling dogs for pay? Probably NOT! But they have dozens of SBIS, BIS, BOB, Group wins, etc. to their credit!...in general, I feel there are many seasoned exhibitors who would qualify to show dogs in this amateur class, so the true "newbies" would still have trouble winning. . . ."

We just happened to refer to non-professional dog show exhibitors as novice? No, we just haven't truly identified the non-professionals and that is what my hope of the new class will bring forth. The novice class was unused, and most likely, soon to be retired, making way for the new class which has a very worthwhile designation. The definitions below are food for thought.

Amateur
1 : DEVOTEE, ADMIRER
2 : one who engages in a pursuit, study, science, or sport as a pastime rather than as a profession
3 : one lacking in experience and competence in an art or science
 

Professional
1 a : of, relating to, or characteristic of a profession

b : engaged in one of the learned professions

c (1) : characterized by or conforming to the technical or ethical standards of a profession

(2) : exhibiting a courteous, conscientious, and generally businesslike manner in the workplace
2 a : participating for gain or livelihood in an activity or field of endeavor often engaged in by amateurs <a professional golfer>

b : having a particular profession as a permanent career <a professional soldier>

c : engaged in by persons receiving financial return <professional football>
3 : following a line of conduct as though it were a profession <a professional patriot>

Novice
1 : a person admitted to probationary membership in a religious community
2 : BEGINNER, TYRO

The delegates discuss this at their October meeting.  It is to come to vote at the December delegates meeting. See https://www.akc.org/

Write letters if you care!  Julie Borst Reed  jborst1@san.rr.com