Allen / UKC
Administrator
Registered: Nov 2004
Location: Michigan
Posts: 9197 |
Re: Here you have it---
quote:
Originally posted by OLD TIMER
Club Guidelines for Dealing with Problem Individuals
See if this sounds familiar. There is an individual person or dog that frequently hunts out of your club and is continually causing problems. Maybe not to the extent that UKC would be able to permanently bar the individual, but enough of a problem that new hunters give up competition events after drawing him, and seasoned hunters just go pleasure hunting to avoid the potential hassle. Maybe this individual would never actually outright falsify a scorecard, but he is so argumentative and confrontational in nature he cant participate on a cast without causing everyone problems.
Do you know an individual like that in your area? Is your club ready to do something about it? For the benefit of those clubs who are ready and willing to do their part to make this a better sport, we need to discuss the proper way to deal with these individuals.
The Entering Dogs in UKC Events portion of the rulebook gives a club the right to refuse entry to any handler or any dog so long as it is not for reasons of a racial or religious nature. Clubs need to understand they have UKCs full support to refuse entry to individuals who are classic poor sportsmanship examples.
But there is a right and a wrong way to go about it and thats what we need to discuss. The wrong way to go about it is to wait until your next event and refuse this individuals entry at the Master of Hounds table right in front of big assembly of hunters. Obviously, that is a tense, embarrassing situation that is better avoided. It simply is not a constructive way to attempt to redirect a lost soul and guide him or her back to the competition mainstream so that they can have a positive influence on the sport. After all, that is our ultimate goal, isn't it?
Your club needs to decide to enforce your right to refuse entry at a club meeting well in advance of your next hunt. If you decide thats what you want to do, send this individual a written notice that your club will not accept his entry at your events. Cite that portion of the rules which gives you this authority. Make it clear you are doing it for reasons of sportsmanship, etc. You may wish to say that his dogs may be entered by a different handler. Also, I strongly suggest the club set a specified amount of time the refusal will be in effect. Dont do the indefinite thing. Give them a three-hunt break, or one year off, or something. Give them a chance to learn from the experience and that you wont tolerate nonsense and bad behavior. Hopefully, they might be back eventually with no further issues.
Make sure your club sends a copy of the refusal letter to United Kennel Club so we may file a copy in your clubs file. More often than not, the individual you refuse is going to call us to contest the denial. That way, we will have a little insight on the matter and be ready to discuss it accordingly. We will support your club, and hopefully the whole sport of coon hunting will be better off.
Thanks for sharing the above. Over the years, we have written several articles on this very topic. As per the rule found on page 7 of the current rulebook under Right tor Refuse Entry, clubs do have the authority to refuse entry to problem individuals. Unfortunately, sometimes clubs have to deal with such issues and fortunately they have this right and UKC's support, if needed.
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07-23-2021 11:25 PM
