1. Money donated to the National Show does little to help the average member.
2. Many ABGA sanctioned shows around the country are profitable.
3. ABGA raised registration rates during a recession with animal prices across the country dropping dramatically.
4. ABGA now charging members to put new Ennobled animals in the magazine.
5. ABGA requires at least two visual inspections at $10 each to validate the show points required for Ennoblement
6. ABGA charges $50 a year to view animal info online

Saying it will do little to help the average member is being optimistic. They are offering to put up some advertisement listing your farm name. Many of the breeders attending the show are the same ones that spend $5,000 - $50,000 on individual animals for their program. We don't think any of them are going to see the ads and decide they will contact advertisers about getting some of their animals. We have donated money to local and regional shows where we know that there will be some good done for people other than the well known breeders that are selling their animals for thousands of dollars each year. This ABGA donation will be completely used to offset the big loss that we have heard occurs every year putting on the National show. This show is the major focus for the well known breeders because many animals are in the different classes and the show points are doubled for winning at the show. That means a  breeder, at one show, can get the majority of the individual points required for their animal becoming Ennobled. That is their benefit. They get the benefit of advertising their wins and getting big premium prices. What is the benefit for the average members? A good amount of your annual membership fee goes to putting on this show.

ABGA puts a major amount of money into the National Show at a loss but it does benefit a few breeders, normally the well known breeders. If you look at the flyers advertising many of the local and regional shows, they are sponsored by a regional clubs or to raise money  for a local youth group's programs. They actually make a profit and if someone does donate money to those type of shows, you know exactly where the money will be going and who it will benefit. Also average members have a better chance of doing well at a local/regional show and those wins are good marketing tools to help the average members sell their animals. The local/regional shows are excellent areas for average members to get some marketing help that the ABGA association promises but does not deliver for the average members. However, members do need to get involved in putting on these local/regional shows to have input into who will be the judges. There are too many judges that judge who is showing and not the animal being shown. We have seen a judge allow animals to win that should not have won and then the judge and the breeder are in a common production sale the next month and advertising the big wins. Shame, shame.

Recently ABGA raised the registration fees that members must pay. I did not hear anything from our director asking us about that or telling us it was being considered. I don't remember ABGA alerting the members they were thinking about raising fees or the reasons why they believed it was necessary. This increased registration fee was added while the US was in very serious financial problems with millions of people losing their jobs and retirements. Many meat goat farmers had to get out of the goat business because of the dramatic drops in the prices farmers were getting for their animals. There were no big increases in ABGA's costs and they certainly had many members that where hurt by the recession. ABGA has always had a large amount of money saved. There records in the past have shown one million dollars in their account.  We did not hear any reason for the price increase and we have not heard anything about how the money would be used. ABGA is suppose to be an association that focuses on all of the members but most of us are coming up short on the benefits of being members.

ABGA has always advertised that members will get the benefits of ABGA marketing efforts. For 12-14 years, the ABGA magazine has always listed a picture and a short write-up about animals recently Ennobled. There was no fee for that because that was part of the ABGA marketing and members annual dues covered the cost of the magazine. Initially, well known breeders would have write-ups and pictures of their new Ennobled animals. As they got more and more animals Ennobled, they quit taking the time to send in the pictures and write-ups on the new Ennobled animals. Now, when an average member finally gets an animal Ennobled, ABGA charges them $50 to put it in the magazine where it use to be free. This was not discussed with members telling them ABGA was thinking about doing it or asking members their thoughts. It just occurred. The magazine is another big expense for the association that is paid for by annual dues. Now, members that are already paying for the publishing of the magazine are expected to pay an additional $50 to have their Ennobled animal listed in the magazine where everyone else got it for free for over a decade.

This requirement is not new but it is a total waste of money with no value added. Each visual inspection costs $10 and no show points are accepted for Ennoblement until every animal with the needed show points has passed two visual inspections and that is not that easy to find two different judges in some parts of the country. The visual inspection is done to validate that an animal meets the MINIMUM STANDARDS , not and outstanding animal. The same judges that select animals in the show ring also do the visual inspections. A judge's evaluation of an animal in the ring is not accepted proof that the winners met the minimum standards, however after the show, the member will again go up to the judge to get the visual inspection done and it is accepted. A judge should never award an animal show points if they do not meet minimum standards. I collected 45 signatures from members, directors, judges to bring this subject up for a vote at the National show several years ago. This is the standard way for members to have their voice heard and votes taken on it. The ABGA board would not allow  have the vote to be put  before the members. The reason the board would not allow it to be heard by the members..... they did not want it voted upon.

The ABGA changed the requirement from one visual inspection to two visual inspections. The reason was because they could not trust that individual judges could be trusted. Their statement is two judges need to verify the status of an animal.  Last year we took our War Dancer to a two day show. War Dancer passed visual inspection by two different judges and one of them being an ABGA director. Two weeks later we went to another show. This judge was the wife of the ABGA director/judge that certified War Dancer met all ABGA standards. However, after only two weeks of passing two visual inspections, this judge removed War Dancer from the ring saying he had a cull in his legs. She stated his front knees bent backward and that was a cull. This is the well known wife of a well known breeder/director/judge that had just certified War Dancer passed visual inspection and had no cull factors. No judges before this or after that show ever said anything about his legs being a cull. The two visual inspections were not worth the paper they were printed on and certainly not worth the $20 we paid in addition to travel.  The visual inspections are a source of money for the association and nothing more. Below are pictures of War Dancer at different stages of his life showing his legs and that there are no problems. Also I have added a YouTube video of War Dancer walking and standing naturally and showing there are no problems. The pictures below of War Dancer are all of natural stances. There was no lead halter holding him a certain way and then the lead painted out of the picture. Everything is natural showing very correct legs.