Last update - 11/10/05 Content Provider:      Jim Orsborn Copyright © 2005 STCA

Regional Club Specialties Behind The Scenes It takes volunteers to make the show happen. by Jim Orsborn STCA Webmaster Please note:  The observations and opinions expressed in this article are strictly those of the author. They do not represent the opinion of the STCA, or anyone else mentioned in the article. Comments or corrections: Click here Introduction The Show Committee And The Show Goes On After The Show What Comes Next 53rd Annual Specialty

Introduction

The Show Committee

Preparations for the Northern Ohio Specialty began with the formation of their Show Committee. Each club handles this differently, but the STCNO Show Committee was created during their first membership meeting following last year's Specialty.  Working approximately a year in advance, the Show Committee is responsible for finding a suitable show site, selecting the judge(s), applying to the STCA and the AKC, and then making all of the detailed arrangements for the day. Planning meetings are held through out the year to ensure that any short comings are addressed and resolved. During these meetings, committees are selected, jobs are assigned, and the ball gets rolling.  Planning all of these details takes time, so it is important to begin the work as early as possible.  On the day of the show, members of the Show Committee perform a number of jobs and always operate on behalf of the show giving club.  The Show Committee is also the official representative of the American Kennel Club.

For a small club, club members usually do all of the work. On-site work for the STCNO Show started on Friday morning, well before the Saturday Specialty. Around 9 AM members arrived at the show site. The first task was to ensure that the site was in a presentable condition and included sweeping up and cleaning up any stuff left form the previous occupants. The ring was set up next, followed by the trophy table and then the miscellaneous tables. For the most part, all committee members were involved in the set up. This all had to be done early in preparation for the puppy match and hospitality held Friday night before the Specialty.

The Show Secretary is probably the second most important position on the Show Committee.  The Chairman is responsible for all of the things that the general public sees, but the Show Secretary is the person responsible to the American Kennel Club (AKC).  The Show Secretary accepts all entries, produces the show catalog and submits the final show results to the AKC.  If a club is going to hire professions, this is usually the first area.  But the cost can be significant, so many clubs can't afford the luxury. 

Vicky Lapishka and her husband Rich were the official Show Secretary for the STCNO Specialty.  Vicky explained that she had done other things to help the club in previous years, but this was her first year as Show Secretary.  She had volunteered to be the Show Secretary because she and her husband did not currently have a show dog and therefore did not expect to enter the show.  She said that there were numerous resources available from both the local club and the AKC to help explain her duties. There were also several other club members that were more than willing to help her understand all of the details. Finally, Vicky said that she felt some computer experience should be strongly encouraged as a requirement for the position.

Shortly after 8 AM the site began to fill up with exhibitors and spectators in anticipation of the first dogs entering the ring at 10:30 AM.  Exhibitors were working hard to finish last minute details needed to get their dog ready for the show.  This observer didn't have an entry until the regular classes in the afternoon, so I was free to roam, talk with people and enjoy the warm and friendly atmosphere that pervaded the show site.  In fact I must compliment everyone from the Northern Ohio club for the way that they welcomed a newcomer and first-time visitor to their show.

The STC of Northern Ohio Sweepstakes follows a traditional dog show format.  [Click here] for a story about the alternative format used at the STCA's National Sweepstakes.  So the STCNO Sweepstakes classes were divided by sex, and then age groups.  Once all of the classes have been judged, the winners for each class are brought back into the ring for the Best in Sweeps competition.  With both dogs and bitches in the ring at the same time, the judge was able to select a Best In Sweeps winner and then a Best of Opposite Sex to the Sweeps winner.

Mary Ann Cole was the 2005 STCNO Sweepstakes Judge.  Mary Ann drew an entry of 6 dogs and 9 bitches.  The following table shows the results of her class placements.

Many shows have lost the tradition of a buffet meal during the show.  The Northern Ohio club actually offered the best of both worlds.  Everyone who attended the show was treated to a pot luck buffet lunch right after sweepstakes.  The club also hosted a catered dinner after the show with seating by advanced reservations.  The buffet lunch was coordinated by the show committee, but literally involved everyone.  Following a longstanding tradition, every club member was asked to bring something to the show site, even if they were not entered.  For newcomers, this is a great way to get involved with the club and learn how dog shows are run.  For exhibitors, the no-fee luncheon is a real convenience because many have traveled a fair distance and are out of town and in an unfamiliar area.  The luncheon committee did a great job of making sure that there was something on the menu to suit everyone.

After the wonderful luncheon, Sandra Anderson entered the ring and began judging the Regular Classes.  This is the portion of the show where the entries are competing for points towards their AKC Champion title.  The Regular Classes for this show followed the same format as the Sweepstakes classes, with one slight difference.  In Sweeps, the judge brought all of the class winners (both dogs and bitches) into the ring to choose her Best in Sweeps and her Best of Opposite Sex.  In the Regular Classes the judge brings all of the winners from the dog classes back into the ring before going on to judge the bitches.  With only the winners from the dog classes in the ring, the judge picks a Winners Dog as first place, and a Reserve Winners Dog as a second place.  This Winners Dog is the one that earns points towards his Championship.  Sandra's choice for Winners Dog was Anstamm Stonewall Jackson, owned by Anstamm Kennels.  The Reserve Winners Dog award went to Kintyre Who Cares?, owned by Al and Joanne Kinnelly. 
(Note: The four points that Anstamm Stonewall Jackson received for this win were enough to complete the 15 points needed for his Championship.  So as soon as the results are recorded by the AKC, he will be receiving his AKC Championship Certificate.) 

Following the dogs, Sandra examined the 13 bitches that were entered in five classes.  In the end, she selected the Open Bitch class winner, XTC Scalawag Charming Devil owned by Nancy Xander and Pat Bolen as Winners Bitch.  The Reserve Winners Bitch award went to Tandem's Razzle Dazzle, owned by Tonna Hines. 

With the Winners Dog and Winners Bitch chosen, the Ring Steward called five dog and two bitch specials into the ring for the Best of Breed class.  Dogs and bitches that have already earned their AKC Championship, but still want to compete in dog shows are called Specials.  They compete in the Best of Breed class for top awards within the breed, and then go on to compete in the Group ring at larger, All-Breed Dog Shows.  Sandra's top winners for the day were:
Best of Breed:  CH Firehearts Guns N' Roses, owned by Marianne & John Melucci & Deborah Brooks
Best of Winners:  The Winners Bitch, XTC Scalawag Charming Devil
Best of Opposite Sex:  CH Wild Wind Back In Black, owned by Edwin, Marilyn & Kimberly Lindsay
Award of Merit:  CH Carden Beck 'N Call, owned by Caryl Alten.

With the show over, and the results recorded you would think that everyone would just go home.  But this is often the best time at a show.  The exhibitors are no longer under any pressure to get their dog into the ring, judges have made their selections, and the Show Committee is beginning to go into wrap-up mode.  The STCNO Show Committee had made preparations for a catered supper to follow the show, and about half of the contestants and both judges were in attendance.

After the meal was finished, Carl Grzelak, Club President, got up to thank everyone for coming and thank all of the club members that had volunteered to help run the show.  Raffle prizes were drawn, and then each of the judges were asked to say a few words about their experience judging their entry.

Alan Kinnelly spoke about judging a puppy match the previous evening and Mary Ann said a few words about judging Sweeps. Then Sandra Anderson took the floor and offered some nice words of encouragement about her experience.  She offered some kind words of encouragement about the grooming and presentation of all the entries.

Among the most unique words that Sandra offer however were her suggestion about how to judge a very young puppy's bone structure. She explained that  by holding a puppy by the lower tail in one hand and under the neck in the other, you can check for bone structure.  Once the puppy relaxes, the feet will hang loose and natural; and the way they hang will be exactly how the puppy will stand when it is full grown.  She specifically mentioned that you can see the width and placement of legs and observe problems with cycle hocks or poor angulation in the rear that breeders might want to eliminate from their breeding program.

Sandra went on to tell everyone that she had looked closely at the dog's coats and found then to be quite good.  She saw several dogs with very nice "varmity" expression in their eyes, and overall she felt that the choices were quite hard to make.  Sandra mentioned that when she judged dogs in Scotland, they use a procedure that rated dogs as Excellent, and Good; followed by placements within each group.  This way the judge could clearly show that there were three Excellent dogs at the front of the class.  Scottish judges are also required to present the exhibitor with a written critique of their dog.  The AKC has chosen to not follow this procedure, so it is only through follow-up conversations that an exhibitor get a chance to understand a judge's true decision making process.  This opportunity for additional conversation with the judges is one feature that clearly separates a Regional Specialty from an ordinary AKC dog show.

The Scottish Terrier Club of Northern Ohio has been selected by the STCA to host the National Rotating in 2006.  The show is scheduled for April 29th and 30th and will be held at the same show site as this Specialty.  [Click here] to view the 2006 Specialty Calendar.  The Show Committee is already working on the details, but as is the case with most Regional Clubs around the country, they are still very much in need of volunteer support.  If you are new to the breed, new to your local Regional Club, or new to the STCA; please take a moment to consider volunteering to help run a show.  The newest volunteer can easily do anything from help sell catalogs or raffle tickets to helping set-up and clean up after the show.  Club members that want to show are restricted from some jobs like the Show Secretary, but even contestants can help in many ways.