[ SHOWGSD-L ] Clusters
- From: "Lee Smith" <ladyaramis1@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "'gsd showlist'" <showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2008 00:00:36 -0400
I've sent some e-mails to Randy about our experience with clusters, but I
thought I'd share my thoughts with the list. I belong to the Treasure Coast
German Shepherd Dog Club, located just north of West Palm Beach on the east
coast of Florida. For many reasons, Florida is a painful area to show dogs
in. There are few handlers, and exhibitor/breeders are dwindling. For a long
time, especially when I lived in PA, I thought of Florida as a
not-very-competive area with single point shows.
However, that has changed for three clubs thanks to our cluster. The
specialty clubs are Treasure Coast, Orlando and Jacksonville. We are not
large clubs and each club only has a half-dozen or fewer members willing or
able to do the work. Acutally, we are very small clubs -- the type of clubs
that are folding all over the country.
I know it's late, so I won't be able to give all the details, but Sam and I
just got back from our monthly meeting and we are both charged up with
excitement.
We will be hosting a cluster January 3 though January 6 -- Friday, Saturday,
Sunday, and Monday. On Friday there will be two shows; Saturday will have a
show in the morning and a temperament test in the afternoon; Sunday will,
again, have two shows; and Monday will have a show in the morning. Based on
past experience, we are expecting all shows to be majors and there a very
good chance they will be four and five pointers. I base my opinion on the
last two years we have had the cluster.
We have a new show site -- the Airport Lakes Park in Orlando. It is four
miles from the airport and the host hotel is within spitting distance of the
show site. Just get out of bed and walk to the show. The host hotel is dog
friendly. Rooms are $79.00 a night; suites are only slightly higher.
Breakfast is complimentary. This is a great rate for January in Orlando.
The hotel also provides complimentary shuttle service to and from the
airport -- making it much easier on judges to come and go and they please --
and for clubs that may only have three people in the club working the show.
The host hotel has plenty of grass and -- I think -- the hotel is going to
provide water for washing dogs outside.
The park is quite lovely and there is plenty of parking and hook-ups for
campers and RVs. Nearby, there is a dog-friendly restaurant where you can
bring well behaved dogs for outdoor dining.
We will also have a free hospitality night with plenty of good food and
arrangements have been made to have a vendor at the show selling breakfast
and lunch items. Bathrooms will be very close to the show site.
I must stress that NONE of this could be done without three small clubs
working together. All three of us will host the hospitality night, saving
expenses. We have agreed, on a rotating basis, for one club each year to
provide the equipment, so we only need to set up and take down once. We'll
help each other with the work. The great people in the Jacksonville Club got
an all-breed club to give up their GSD classes, so we can have a show on
Saturday. Our fabulous location is in the Orlando club's area. In other
words, by working together, we will have a terrific show without an undue
burden on any one club. And, we will all show a profit.
For our clubs, it is a real winner. For exhibitors and visitors, it is very
convenient and reasonable. It will certainly save on gas and other expenses.
And, heck, Florida in January is not a bad place to be. In fact, it is a
great place to be, even is you just want to come to the show and spend some
fun days in the Orlando area.
I strongly recommend that small clubs get together and hold clusters, even
if the clubs are a little far apart.
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