In an apparent misrouting this was sent a while back but never made it.
[Moderator's note: Wasn't a misrouting actually - I received it but
thought it wasn't meant for the list.  BIG]
 
I talked with Vickie McKimmey one of the trained judges along with Sally
Heber, Denise Edens and several others for the IFA show standards and later
in differing groups responsible for creating the standards for LAFF and
other independant clubs as well as (in different groupings) the AFA and LIFE
show standards.  I was verifying information that I had posted before but
since I had been questioned on it I wanted to be sure I was not mistaken.  I
would have been very upset to have made a mistake in improperly crediting
work to the wrong people.  Vickie sent me an article she wrote along with a
press release written a couple years ago by Ann Davis when she was
vice-president of LAFF under Vickie.  I've secured permission to post the
news release from LAFF.  Vickie was the original person in charge of the
LIFE shows in the position now held by Jodi Schroth.
 
Vickie McKimmey - August 14th 1995
 
The 100 point scoring system currently in use for independent clubs
originated during a work session at the Lucketts Community center in
Lucketts Virginia prior to the Loudoun Area Ferret Fanciers (LAFF) Ferrets
on Parade 1992 show.  The parties involved included Carol Keith, Diane
Rogers, Denise Edens, Ginny Rogers and Vickie McKimmey.  The system was
developed exclusively for and by LAFF for use at their 1992 show.  LAFF
disaffiliated with the International Ferret Association (IFA) and felt there
was a need for a comprehensive point and titling system better structured
than the IFA's and more understandable than FURO's convoluted multiplication
factoring system.
 
Standards were then developed based on the old IFA system.  IFA had a
zillion different color/pattern/experimental schemes and we felt a
collapsing was in order.  Over the last three years some enhancements have
been made to the color classifications and conformation structures, placing
more emphasis on temperament and maintenance and less emphasis on color, for
example.
 
During 1992, Metro Ferret Friends (current Metro Ferret Rescue League) and
the Greater Chicago Ferret Association used the system for their shows.
This was the time period old IFA - trained judges (Carol Keith, Denise
Edens, Ginny Rogers, Vickie McKimmey and Karen Yaremkowych) trained new
judges (Tanya Iacaruso, Ellen Byrne, Mark Fincham and Kaycie Chester).
 
Mrs.  Davis got involved while serving as the Vice-President of LAFF (4/92
to 4/93) during the planning of the 1993 LAFF show.  The members of the LAFF
Show Committee consisted of Mr.  & Mrs.  Davis, Tanya Iacaruso, Charlie
Fellows, Carol Keith and Vickie McKimmey.  The planning session around the
Davis' dining room table was for the development of a new judging sheet,
using the same system established the prior year.  It was also during the
planning and orchestrating of the LAFF 1993 show that Vickie McKimmey (LAFF
President '92 and '93) and Mrs.  Davis (LAFF Vice President '92) decided to
present LAFF's independent show standards and judging system to other clubs
(please refer to the article "A New Direction" by Mrs.  Davis in LAFF's 1992
December Vol.  5 No.  7 LAFF Lines newsletter - reprinted below for your
easy reference) Mr. Davis created the LIFE name.
 
"A New Direction" by Ann Davis
December 1992 LAFF Lines
 
Vickie's end of year message to the club reads like a roster of changes.
The club has been going in these directions for some time but it seems like
everything has just clicked for us this year.  I will try to summarize a
couple of the more important events of the year - INDEPENDENCE.
 
All of you who show ferrets are aware of our independent status.  It was a
hard decision, to be affiliated, or not to be affiliated, with one of the
national groups.  We greatly admire and respect all the large national
ferret organizations, but felt no one met our particular needs.  One thing
we have found for sure, is that independent clubs are fiercely independent!
 
We are a club full of breeders, rescuers, former national affiliate ferret
judges and just plain ferret fanciers who all had their own opinion as to how
to run, judge and stage a championship show.
 
There were many suggestions and heated discussions until we decided to just
stay independent, form our own point system, and run our own show.  Having
close connections with our sister club, Metro Ferret Friends, who are
throwing their first show, we decided to try a bold new idea and for a group
of independent clubs, who sanction their own shows, provide their own
judges, set their own standards, and here is the idea in bold - SHARE
POINTS.
 
The bold idea was to merge our databases and take into account any existing
points from other organizations, that our members cared to have entered, so
that with our system a ferret could go to any show he wanted and carry his
pints and titles with him.  The points would thus accrue and you would no
longer be restricted to one organization.  We think this gives our members a
definite advantage and encourages them to go to many other shows.
 
We designed a 100-point system which we believe is fair, and established
standards for colors and conformation.  We really like our system, and so do
the judges who have used it.  But in the true spirit of independence, we
don't force our system on any of our sister clubs, we merely offer it.  So
far, two have used it besides LAFF, and one has tried their own point
system.  The upcoming Flower City Ferret Fest in Rochester, New York will be
using it and will be judged by Vickie McKimmey, Carol Keith and Denise
Edens.
 
We also had the thorny issue of certificates.  We took a poll and found that
they are important to most members, so we designed a certificate that could
be used by any participating club with only a few word changes.  We will also
issue interim certificates:  if members in our database report extra points
earned at non-independent shows, with proper verification we will simply add
those to their existing points -- and if they are due a new title, issue it.
This is because other national groups have worked hard on their standards too,
and we respect them.
 
Vickie McKimmey is keeping the database for our independent group of clubs,
and we are growing by leaps and bounds.  Together we print and format
certificates.  At first the certificates were costly to print, but by taking
on the entire operation, Vickie and I have gotten the cost down.
 
Since we have managed to eliminated the commercial printer from the loop and
Vickie and I are donating the paper (and monumental time), we have decided to
earmark all the funds collected from certificates to go the Black Footed
Ferret, either for the captive breeding and reintroduction programs, or where
the need is greatest.
 
We have decided to call our newly formed group the League of Independent
Ferret Enthusiasts or LIFE, because in Diane Rogers own words "who couldn't
love life."  ...
 
(The remainder of this letter specifically deals with LAFF internal issues
and so is not reprinted here.  If requested, we can provide a copy of the
letter as it appeared in its entirety in the LAFF newsletter)
[Posted in FML issue 1292]