05/05/2026
NOTE** SEVERAL CORRECTIONS/ADDITIONS HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE ORIGINAL POST.
I had a very productive conversation with the AWMA President, Valentin Puscasu today. We have met before at seminars and spoke as friends. He was very responsive to the questions I had raised and a professional, knowledgeable man.
I had many questions about why a team of Italians was essentially representing the United States in the FMBB RH Championship. In full disclosure, I do not currently have a malinois. I'm not even an AWMA member as I let that lapse after Bern retired. To his credit, Valentin did not shut down my questions with that. I am active in RH as a judge and competitor but my currently competing RH dogs are a German Shepherd and a Dutch Shepherd. My interest is in future goals and sharing the information with people currently titling in RH who might not have heard about it.
Whether you agree with it or not, there is no citizenship requirement, only membership. There is no citizenship check mark on USCA entries, either. In IGP there is the requirement of various regional and national events that would make it more challenging for someone living outside the U.S. There is no AWMA RH Championship or other written path to selection so anyone with a AWMA membership can declare at this time.
To participate in the Championship a team must have achieved Level A or B. ( The Championship only offers rubble and area search. )
---> CORRECTION FROM ORIGINAL POST! If you are at level B you have trial at level B at FMBB or other competitions with ranking .
There were reportedly no qualified malinois teams at that level in the United States, except Svetlana Manakova who the Team Captain. She has two malinois,one level A and one level B and she represented AWMA in previous years with podium placement. She is also an ARSA judge, recognized by FCI.
Therefore, without any restriction the team was filled elsewhere. No, I am not comfortable with citizens living in another country competing under our banner but I have to be honest and ask myself whether, if there was a Championship in Illinois and I could get experience at that level for the Unicorn Nation who has no team, and no rule prohibited it, would I jump on the opportunity?
AWMA didn’t support financially the team and each member paid their own registration fees and the team registration fees. In the future, if alot of folks take an interest in RH and work at higher levels, that could change.
RH in Europe is quite different. We view it as a sport title here but you might have noticed the team members selected for 2026 have deployments and team credentials. There, the RH is a measurement for deployment.
Bottom line: if you don't like it and are an AWMA member, vote to change it. (though there is really nothing to be changed with membership as the only requirement)If It isnt your rodeo, let it go. As a non-member, I'm just passing on the info.
Do you have a malinois and an interest in RH? Find a club or interested group and earn your titles. If you already have a Level A or B, reach out to the AWMA Events committee with your interest in the FMBB team. AWMA does not offer RH at their trials and uses ARSA trials. Of course, malinois and other breeds are always welcome at USCA RH events.
At this time, titles earned under IRO or FCI judges at USCA trials are recognized by FCI. There is other discussion regarding title reciprocity but those are above my pay-grade.
My club, Fox Valley Police & Schutzhund Club, is hosting an RH intro/training day on June 20. Contact me if interested.
