1.1 The Society shall be called The International Gundog League Retriever Society.
1.2 The objectives of the Society shall be:-
i) To encourage and promote the breeding of Kennel Club Ltd registered breeds of retriever of all varieties but conforming to the respective approved breed standards;
ii) To hold one or more Field Trial(s) annually;
iii) To hold the Retriever Championship annually.
2.1 The control and management of the Society shall be vested in the Committee, who shall have powers to carry out the business of the Society, call General Meetings, elect members and arbitrate in any disputed matters for which no provision is made in these Rules. Five members to form a quorum for all Committee meetings. In the event of equality of votes, the Chairman of the Meeting shall have a casting vote. Before every meeting of the Committee the minutes of the previous meeting, together with an agenda of the business to be transacted shall be sent to all Committee members. At least 14 days notice of meetings shall be given to Committee Members. Items for inclusion in the Agenda will be accepted but must reach the Hon General Secretary in time for the Agenda to be circulated to Committee Members at least 7 days before the meeting. Meetings of the Committee shall be held as often as is deemed necessary but at least every 12 months
2.2 The affairs of the Society will be conducted by the Hon President, Hon Deputy President, Hon General Secretary, Hon Field Trial Secretary, Hon Treasurer, (the Officers), and not more than 14 elected members, all of whom shall have full voting powers. The Hon President, and The Hon Deputy President shall be elected by the Committee, from within the Committee, for a term of three years. The Hon General Secretary, Hon Field Trial Secretary, and the Hon Treasurer shall be elected by the membership at the Annual General Meeting each year. Committee members shall be elected by the membership at the Annual General Meeting. One third of the Committee shall retire each year in rotation. Existing Officers and Committee members are able to seek re-election and do not require nomination. Nominations for office in any capacity must be made in writing to the Hon General Secretary at least 14 days before the Annual General Meeting, giving the name of the nominee, together with the signatures of the proposer and seconder and consent of the nominee to act if elected. Nominee, proposer, and seconder, must all be fully paid up members of the Society. In the event of more nominations being received than vacancies, then election shall be by secret ballot of members present at the meeting.
2.3 In the event of a casual vacancy occurring amongst the Officers or Committee members, such a vacancy may be filled by the Committee who shall have power to appoint any person to fill such vacancy, such appointment to be for the same period as that causing the casual vacancy.
2.4 The Committee shall have the power to co-opt members to the Committee. Those co-opted shall only hold office until the next General Meeting of the Society at which an election of Officers and Committee takes place.
2.5 The Committee shall have the power to appoint such sub-committees as it deems necessary and to delegate such powers to sub-committees so formed as the Committee shall decide. Sub-committees shall be responsible to the Committee on all matters.
2.6 The Committee is entitled to appoint a Patron and a number of Hon Vice Presidents who would have no voting rights on the Committee. They would be invited to stand in perpetuity.
2.7 No person whilst an undischarged bankrupt may serve on the Committee of, or hold any other office or appointment within, a Kennel Club Ltd Registered Society.
3.4 Applications for membership to the Society must be made in the format specified by the Committee. Candidates for membership must be proposed and seconded by fully paid up members of the Society (having been fully paid up members for at least 12 months) who are not members of the applicant's household or family. The proposer and seconder must also not be members of the same household or family. The candidate must be personally known to the proposer and seconder. The Committee may require the candidate to prove to the Committee's satisfaction that they have an active interest in Retriever Field Trials and/or the furtherance of the objectives of the Society. The election of members shall be solely vested in the Committee, who shall not be required to give reasons for the decision.
3.5 The Society will maintain an up to date list of members and their addresses and, if so requested, make the list available for inspection by the Kennel Club Ltd and members of the Society. A declaration of the number of members of the Society will be made with the Annual Return to the Kennel Club Ltd.
3.6 Honorary Life Membership will be awarded at the discretion of the Committee. Such Honorary Life Members shall have full voting rights.
3.7 Joint Memberships of the Society are not accepted.
3.8 Junior Memberships of the Society are accepted for those up to the age of 16 years. No joining fee shall be requested and the membership fee shall be half that of the standard membership.
4.1 Each member shall be entitled to one vote immediately upon acceptance of membership.
4.2 Postal votes/proxy votes are not allowed.
4.3 Voting at General Meetings shall be by secret ballot/show of hands/as decided by majority at meeting.
The property of the Society shall be vested in the Committee. In the event of the cessation of the Society, a final General Meeting will be called to discuss the disposal of the Society’s property and assets and the outcome of the meeting notified to the Kennel Club Ltd. If the Society is wound up or ceases to be a Registered Society under the Kennel Club Ltd Regulations, a final statement of accounts with a record of the disposal of the property of the Society shall be forwarded to the Kennel Club Ltd within six months and the persons named as Officers and Committee of the Society on the last Return furnished to the Kennel Club Ltd will be held responsible by the Kennel Club Ltd for the proper winding up of the Society.
6.1 A banking account shall be opened in the name of the Society into which all revenue of the Society shall be paid and from which withdrawals shall only be made on the signature of two or more Officers. The accounts of the Society will be Certified annually and presented to the members at the AGM. Certification of the accounts must be carried out by one qualified Accountant or two individuals with accountancy experience. Those undertaking the certification must be independent from those who prepared the accounts.
6.2 The financial year shall be from 1st February to 31st January.
6.3 The Committee shall have power to deal with any expenses incurred on behalf of the Society.
The annual subscription of the Society and the joining fee shall be set at sums agreed at the Annual General Meeting. Subscriptions are due on 1st February each year. Members not paying their subscriptions by 31st March each year, shall automatically cease to be members of the Society without further notification and will have to reapply and pay an additional joining fee. No additional joining fee is required in the case of Junior Members. In the event of a member making subscription payments at less than the prevailing current rate, the member will be notified that unless he requests a refund or pays the balance, his payment will be considered to be a donation to the Society. A member shall not be entitled to any privileges of membership until payment of the subscription at the prevailing rate. Members will be encouraged to pay their subscription by standing order.
8.1 Any member who shall be disqualified under the Kennel Club Ltd Rule A11.j.(5) and/or Kennel Club Ltd Rule A11.j.(9) shall ipso facto cease to be a member of the Society.
8.2 If the conduct of any member shall, in the opinion of the Committee of the Society, be injurious or likely to be injurious to the character or interests of the Society, the Committee of the Society may, at a meeting the notice convening which includes as an object the consideration of the conduct of the member, determine that a Special General Meeting of the Society shall be called for the purpose of passing a resolution to expel him/her. Notice of the Special General Meeting shall be sent to the accused member, giving particulars of the complaint and advising the place, date, and hour of the Meeting that he/she may attend and offer an explanation. If at the meeting a resolution to expel is passed by a two-thirds majority of the members present and voting, he/she shall thereupon cease for all purposes to be a member of the Society, except that he/she may within two calendar months from the date of such meeting appeal to the Kennel Club Ltd upon and subject to such conditions as the Kennel Club Ltd may impose.
8.3 If the Society expels any member for discreditable conduct in connection with dogs, Dog Shows, Trials or Competitions, the Society must report the matter in writing to the Kennel Club Ltd within seven days and supply any particulars required.
The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Society shall be held on a date before the end of April each year and shall be held at a location central within England on a Saturday or Sunday. A notice convening the AGM shall be sent to every member not less than 21 days before the date of the proposed meeting. Such notice must contain all the relevant information concerning the meeting and business to be conducted. Propositions or Resolutions to be placed on the Agenda of such meeting must be forwarded to the Hon General Secretary in writing not less than 14 days prior to the meeting. Propositions or Resolutions may only be made by fully paid up members of the Society and must be seconded by fully paid up members of the Society. Agenda and Annual Accounts will be available on request not less than 14 days before the meeting by sending a SAE to the Hon General Secretary or Hon Treasurer as specified on the AGM notice, and to all those present at the meeting. The purpose of the AGM is to receive the Committee’s Reports, Annual Accounts and Balance Sheet, to elect Officers and Members of the Committee, and to discuss any Propositions or Resolutions duly placed on the Agenda. No business shall be transacted at an AGM unless notice thereof appears on the Agenda with the exception of routine matters or those which in the opinion of the Chairman of the meeting are urgent. The quorum for an AGM is 10 members.
A Special General Meeting (SGM) may be called at any time, for any purpose either by a majority vote of the Committee, or 25 ordinary members, by handing the Hon General Secretary a written request duly signed by those requesting the meeting. The meeting to be held no sooner than 35 days and no later than 56 days after this request was received. Notification must include details of the business to be conducted and must be dispatched to the membership within 14 days of receipt of this request. No business other than that detailed on the Agenda may be discussed at a SGM. The quorum for a SGM is 10 members.
11.1 The Rules of the Society may not be altered except at an AGM or SGM notice of which includes details of the proposal to alter the Rules. Such alterations shall not be brought into force until the Kennel Club Ltd has been advised and has given its approval of the alterations. New Rules or amendments introduced specifically to meet Kennel Club Ltd requirements shall be adopted immediately and be included in the Society’s Constitution with effect from the Society’s Annual Meeting.
11.2 The Society shall not join any federation of Societies or Clubs.
11.3 The Officers acknowledge that during the month of January each year, the Maintenance of Title fee will be forwarded to the Kennel Club Ltd whether by the Secretary or by Direct Debit, for continuance of Registration. By 31st July each year other returns, as stipulated in Kennel Club Ltd Regulations for the Registration and Maintenance of Title of Societies and Breed Councils and the Affiliation of Agricultural Societies and Municipal Authorities, will be forwarded to the Kennel Club Ltd. The Officers also acknowledge their duty to inform the Kennel Club Ltd of any change of Hon General Secretary of the Society that may occur during the course of the year.
11.4 The Kennel Club Ltd is the final authority for interpreting the Rules and Regulations of the Society in all cases relative to Canine or Society matters.
All trophies remain the property of the Society and are held by winners for safe keeping for one year or until the next running of the relevant trial whichever is shorter. The Society’s trophies and cups may not be taken outside the United Kingdom for any reason even if won by a dog that is owned by a person not living in the United Kingdom. On the death of a person holding a trophy, arrangements must be made to ensure the safe return of the trophy to the Society within a respectful time of the bereavement.
13.1 The Society will accept affiliation from other Kennel Club Ltd Registered Gundog Clubs and Societies that run open qualifying Retriever Field Trials in accordance with the Kennel Club Ltd Field Trial Rules and Regulations.
13.2 Affiliated Clubs and Societies shall be required to pay an annual fee, determined by the Committee. The winners or otherwise, as decreed by the IGL Retriever Society, of open qualifying stakes held by the affiliated Clubs and Societies will be invited to enter the Retriever Championship, and will be required to pay an entry fee determined by the Committee.
13.3 As appropriate, the IGL Retriever Society shall consult with Affiliated Clubs and Societies concerning the running of the Championship.