New Website

Hi All

I have put up a very basic website at http://www.assa.asn.au/ while I working on developing the new site at http://www.assa.asn.au/assa

Can you please have a look at the new site and let me know what you think? I am good on the technical side of things, but not necessarily the design so all comments/suggestions/opinions are more than welcome!

Also, I need some information for some of the menus.

A blurb for "About ASSA"
A list of affiliated clubs/ROCs and their websites or contact details
Photos!
Merchandise information and photos (I think Kathy is organising this for me)
News items (i.e. stuff about members abroad etc)

Thanks.

Patrick.

Looking good Patrick.

Hi Patrick

In the assa web stuff I sent over to you was there a "about ASSA" in that?

Can we add a mentor section too please.

What documents do you think we need in there?

Are you getting the information you need so that we can go live soon Patrick?

what do you think of this?

Benefits of joining ASSA

A national autonomous body for sled dog racing
National series that is raced all over Australia
Cost effective membership
Well priced day membership fees
Flexibility in membership types (both recreational and competitive)
All money collected by ASSA is returned to Sled Dog racing
Component of national membership can be directed back to assist in state development initiatives
Trails maintenance funding available for ROC's
Works to keep trails open for all mushers
All members can race all ASSA events nationwide (club, state series, state championships, national series, national championships)
Day membership for all categories and races which carry series points
Each musher will receive a insurance and membership card
Works to promote the sport to the general public through its contacts with the media
Works to promote the sport to government bodies
Markets the sport to sponsors and television

About ASSA - any thoughts

Welcome to the Australian Sleddog Sports Association (ASSA). ASSA is the controlling body for Sleddog Sports through out Australia, which is run by mushers for mushers. ASSA, as the nation's Sleddog association, serves as the national governing body. ASSA encourages youth development, good sportsmanship, responsible dog care and enjoyment.

ASSA is committed to the administration, promotion and development of Sleddog sports throughout Australia.

Since the formal birth of this sport in the northern hemisphere, it has grown to have international stature. Although ASSA is focused on the development of the sport locally we are supporters of those organisations attempting to have sleddog sports included in the winter olympics in the future.

There was an "About ASSA" on the old site but it didn't contain any information. What you've written sounds good so I'll include that.

For the "Documents" section I was going to include the constitution, race rules and anything else relevant. I know the constitution is still being worked on, but does anyone have a copy of the race rules they could email me?

Also, I need a list of clubs/ROCs affiliated with ASSA and there contact details (preferably website). So far I've only got WASSA, SASDC, and CSDC.

And where would you like the "Mentor" section to go? In the main menu and what information will be under it?

Patrick,

The affiliated clubs and contacts are:
Canberra - Bec Thorpe - csdcpresident@gmail.com
Goldseekers (Vic) - Roseanne Shailer - nzroz@yahoo.com.au
SASDC - Michael Sheedy - michaelsheedy@bigpond.com
WASSA - Patrick Clohessy - pclohessy@gmail.com
Wild Dog Mushers (SA) - Shirley Forster - sforster@lifeeducation.org.au
Hunter Valley (NSW) - Anne and Donal McIntyre - malusky@activ8.net.au
Running West (WA) - Natalie McIllree - tseekaspirit@bigpond.com

Please note that we are in the process of sending out affiliation packs to these clubs and asking them to update primary contact details. I will let you know if there are any changes.

FYI - I've forwarded Patrick a copy of the ASSA race rules

I also think we should put the ASSA aims and objectives on the website. I've forwarded a copy of these to Patrick...

Thanks Kathy.

I've uploaded the race rules to the "Documents" section, updated the "Clubs" section and put up the aims and objectives under the "About ASSA" section.

In the Menu section on the left lets have

Getting started
Mentors in your area
Equipment and supplies
Beginners Guide
Training tips

Could we have a FAQ area as well.Would it be easy to control or not?

Are you going to come up with the list of FAQ's and the answers Andrew :-)

of course - i know everything, or I can make up crap on the fly

Not sure if it is suitable or not but a few years ago it was mentioned that we were going to have a page on a website for "Dogs that have influenced/contributed to our racing history"? would it be something that people would be interested in? I know I would be interested in checking out what dogs over the years really contributed and how to our races today. It would also be a honour to the owners of the dogs!
Just a thought?

Agreed - we should have an honor board for them

Andrew/Nat, I've added your suggestions as submenus under "Sledding".

Now I just need content for them

And as I mentioned before, feel free to let me know if the site doesn't look right etc, I'm open to all suggestions to make it better.

How about a monthly member profile? Kathy has mentioned that she's prepared to make up a form to ask members... Seems like another good way to share information and get members involved. Whadya reckon?

yep absolutely

Yes also agree about a members board.
I am happy to work on the honour board for some of our past and present dogs that have infulenced our sport of today. Should we put in a guideline for the honour board ie..
1. set number of races won/competed in.
2 sired/ produced a certin amount of winning champions?
3. influcenced our racing dogs of today ... somehow?
I am not a wizz at computers patrick so may need some guideline as how to get photos/info to you.

Do any names spring to mind some of our greatest dogs of the past?

For the honour board, from Victoria we would like to suggest the following dogs:

Skee - owned by Barry Burden, Alaskan Malamute, always highest placed Malamute over 4 seasons in private races, also outright winner in all Malamute club races, and also highest place Mal in State of Origin (SA), won 2 trophies in SA, and outright winner of CHA 1-dog race, went on to run lead in 6-dog sprint and 6/8-dog mid-distance.

Levi - owned by Darren Kent (who incidentally is not a current member - on approaching him, suggest that this is for member's only and we'd really like to include Levi and maybe gain another membership...) Levi was a Siberian, won many, many races outright and produced several highly-competitive offspring.

Spyder - owned by Hayley and Laurie Coutts (were members last year - yet to renew for 2010, this might give them a nudge). Spyder was a Siberian with similar achievements to Levi.

Isis - owned by Merv Turner. Alaskan Malamute, was a regular winner and highest placed Malamute

Thawe - owned by Barry Burden - Alaskan Malamute, for something different, he excelled in weight-pull events. Highest pull was 1040kg but had many pulls over 1 ton and also excelled in 2-dog sprints and went on to sire many show champions and also racing dogs. Thawe was the foundation sire for Windchill kennels.

Johnny - owned by Henry Cordani (Henry is not on our membership list at all so has probably never been a member of ASSA...) sired many of the racing dogs that we use today. But you would need to talk to Henry about his history.

Gucci - owned by Karen McCarthy. But talk to Karen about the details... Gucci was foundation dam for many of today's racing dogs.

That's a start anyway... There's lots more and we hope we haven't offended anybody through omissions but it's a start. And make sure you check with all these people - they're simply our recommendations.

And yes, agree there should be some criteria so that you really get the best - those who consistently won or produced well.

Thats great. A good start. Was thinking of typing up a letter with a criteria and putting it out to the public for recommendations and then personally ask the owners for permission and approval. Me personally I dont think we should limit it to just assa members past and present... a lot of owners that were not members in the past may still of contributed greatly some way or other to the dogs of today.

Can other members recommend dogs from other states? Just to get the ball rolling?

Nat, just email me (pclohessy@gmail.com) the info/photo's when you get them and I'll put it all together for the website.

Patrick here are some mentors for the website

Name: Andrew and Lisa Gersbach
Region: Canberra
Experience: 13 Years
Running: Mals and Sibes
Terrain: Dirt and Snow
Contact: idigadog@bigpond.com

Name: Donal & Anne McIntyre
Region: Hunter Valley NSW
Experience: 14+ Years
Running: Previously Mals, Now Sibes & Alaskans
Terrain: Dirt and Snow
Contact: malusky@activ8.net.au

Name: Rob Clive
Region: SE Qld and New England[NSW]
Experience: 13 Years
Running: English Pointers and Sibes
Terrain: Dirt and Remote Area
Contact: Robert.Clive@brisbane.qld.gov.au

Name: Jennie Murray
Region: Canberra
Experience: 7 Years
Running: Siberian Husky
Terrain: Dirt - 1 and 2 dog teams
Contact: jenn@net-intelligence.com