🎉 Farewell to 2024 – What a Year! 🎉

As we reflect on 2024, it’s clear that our organisation continues to grow and thrive, thanks to the unwavering dedication of our clubs, members, and supporters. This year, we celebrated some incredible milestones: 21 club trials with an impressive 161 entries, alongside four Helper seminars with a total of 37 participants. We also welcomed 30 new members into the WGSDCA family. A heartfelt thank you to every club and member for your commitment to the WGSDCA.

These incredible numbers also kept our Admin of Records, Karyn Worth, very busy throughout 2024. Please join us in thanking Karyn, who issued 91 new scorebooks and sports passes this year, ensuring that every member was prepared and supported.

We launched a new version of our website this November. While there are some teething issues, the updated platform is designed to ease the workload for those in the WGSDCA office. We’d like to remind members of the most significant change: the new process for submitting membership forms. An email detailing these updates was sent to clubs in late November. If you’re unsure of the new process, please reach out to your club secretary for assistance.

Financially, 2024 was a strong year for the WGSDCA. We ended the year with a profit increase of 19% over 2023, which is an excellent result given that this was the first year the WGSDCA, as an entity, managed the National Championship, incurring all expenses.

Looking ahead, next year’s National Championship will be held in Brisbane, QLD. The Board is working closely with a group of volunteers to organise the event. We’re currently finalising judge availability, which will determine the exact dates. The event is planned for one of the first three weekends in June, so please save the dates! The WGSDCA National Championship belongs to all our members, and each of us plays a vital role in making it a success. If you can lend a hand, please email us—your organisation needs you!

This year also brought its challenges. The South Australian Government’s proposed amendments to the Dog and Cat Management (Breeder Reforms) Amendment Bill sought to classify IGP dogsport as "attack dog training." This scrutiny reflects a broader trend worldwide, underscoring the importance of unity—both within the WGSDCA and alongside other Australian IGP organisations and supporters. We remain steadfast in our commitment to ensuring that the true value and integrity of our sport are recognised and protected.

To our Board of Management, thank you for your tireless dedication and countless hours invested in WGSDCA’s mission.

To our families, thank you for your support as we navigate this important work. A special thank you to our sponsors—Petcover Australia, K9Pro – The Professionals, Clear Dog Treats, and Orivet—for their generous support throughout 2024.

To everyone who trained at a WGSDCA club or participated in a WGSDCA event this year: let’s take a moment to appreciate the many individuals working behind the scenes. Helpers, judges, the WGSDCA Office, clubs, fellow members, and families—you all make our achievements possible.

From all of us on the WGSDCA Board of Management, we wish you and your families a wonderful summer and a very Happy New Year. Here’s to an even more successful 2025! 🎉🐾