“Well,” I said to my friend, “shall I pay for some reserved grooming spaces or are we going to bring our pop ups?” Her replied surprised me. “I have a new theory about dog shows”, she said. “Anything that I can do to make it easier and more fun, I am going to do. That includes paying for things that make the show less work, so I can save my energy for the good stuff.” This conversation got me started thinking about the shows and what makes people choose one show weekend over another. There is no question that on an overall basis, there are too many dog shows for the numbers of people and dogs that we have participating. California, Florida and New England are dog show hot spots. There are weekends when I could stay in Southern California, go to Northern California or go to Arizona or Nevada, all for what we consider a reasonable drive. While that may have the benefit of creating more BIS winners, it is certainly not good for the clubs to split entries. On the other hand, my sisters in Montana experience an entirely different picture. Anything under a 12 hour drive is considered local. Weather prohibits dog shows pretty much from the end of September until early April of the following year. While clubs in metropolitan areas can draw a large entry and afford a major venue, rural clubs struggle to survive. The decision to go midweek between two larger circuits may be the least onerous in a difficult set of choices. Regardless of the situation, virtually all clubs are feeling the effects of a shrinking pool of exhibitors and many are trying to find ways to enhance the dog show experience.
Another complicating factor is the changing face of show exhibitors. While our established exhibitors are primarily aging boomers, the majority of new owner handlers are coming from the ranks of empty nest moms whose children are grown. When I started in dogs, the shows were a family affair. If we are going to survive into the future, we need to cater to the established exhibitors for as long as possible so that they are available to provide quality dogs and knowledgeable mentoring for new and less experienced exhibitors. At the same time, we simply must also appeal to a younger demographic. Our current junior handlers are our best hope for the future of our sport. At a young age, they are being exposed to husbandry and breeding skills, as well as show grooming and handling. We need desperately to attract new young families to our sport. Yes, the dog show is a serious competition requiring preparation and commitment, but attention to the details of making a show more convenient and fun is a win for everyone.
A two-pronged approach to show planning can help clubs make it easier for established exhibitors and also encourage young families and current juniors to enjoy showing more. Those of us who have “higher mileage” need amenities that make it easier on our bodies! Jokingly (okay, not really!), I have suggested that a new vendor should offer a set up service. Going way beyond a reserved grooming space, being able to rent a fully stocked set up with ex-pens, crates, a table, a dryer and a couple of chairs would provide a huge relief to an aching back and tired feet. My entry decisions are often limited, not by the number of dogs I would need to care for, but by the challenge of schlepping all the equipment required for trainees or veterans, over and above the primary competition dogs. Valet parking is good and so are rental golf carts. The closer exhibitor parking is to the show, the happier people will be. It was beyond distressing at a show this spring to find an entire parking lot empty and exhibitors being forced to park in an upper lot and trek across the empty black top in the heat. Ugh! Reasonably priced, quality food on site is also a significant consideration.
We know the single site versus a local show in each town is a trade-off. Smaller communities lose when dog shows cluster at a major venue. However, the single site venue is vastly more appealing to those of us who dread tearing down after a show, let alone picking up and moving on to another location. The AKC has tried to counter-balance this by requiring clubs to provide other educational outreach events in their communities. It is unclear whether anyone actually reads these submissions and verifies the components claimed by the clubs. This process needs to be taken more seriously as the reality of our sport is favoring more and more single site options. If local events offer a positive introduction to the sport, then interested people will come from the outlying areas to see the shows. This is particularly important in rural areas where breeding and owning a larger number of dogs is easier and more politically acceptable.
The other side of this coin involves a serious attempt to engage and educate our newer younger exhibitors. Seminars on breeding and structure, grooming workshops and handling clinics are great! Their largest benefit comes from facilitating introductions and beginning the conversations between mentor and mentee. Puppy matches on site after the show are beneficial, particularly for the new young families. They may have both children and dogs of competition age and youngsters of both species waiting in the wings. Too often, we try to reach out to people outside our sport and end up short changing the newbies that have already expressed an interest. The 4-6 puppy competitions and NOHS also provide opportunities for success for exhibitors of fewer years duration in the sport than us “older than dirt” lifetime competitors.
As demonstrated by the Woofstock cluster, providing a social atmosphere by ditching the formal attire and offering reasons to gather and stay on site can be hugely successful. Dog show people enjoy hanging out with other people who share their passion. In addition to “peace, love and rock and roll”, country western motifs and tropical themes create a more relaxed atmosphere. A BBQ or Ice Cream social after the show encourages both experienced and new exhibitors to stay around and watch. That is a significant plus for the participants and our sport. With some imagination and a little bit of advanced planning, the clubs can benefit from all of these add-ons with increased entries.
We need to treat our current Junior Handlers as the priceless resource they are. The return of the AKC scholarship program for young people who have participated actively in our sport was a commendable decision! More emphasis on including youngsters who compete in performance and companion events could help to broaden the base of invested families. Another change that might be considered is making the AKC scholarship program like the PAC and CHF, where our exhibitors are solicited to contribute to the fund. That would facilitate the ability to provide educational support for even more of our deserving youngsters.
Many clubs offer a reduced fee for Junior Showmanship. Some clubs actually waive the entire entry fee. Special challenge programs like “Top Junior Showman of the Weekend” over a number of shows can take various forms, but they all add an extra bit of excitement and emphasis on our wonderful young handlers. Richland Kennel Club in the Tri-Cities area of southwestern Washington offers an outstanding scholarship program for juniors, which includes a $200 scholarship for the winners of each Open class and the Masters class, and an additional $300 for Best Junior Handler. Not only does the weekend draw excellent juniors from all over the western United States, but competitors of all ages enjoy the biggest dog show raffle I have ever seen! What a great way to encourage everyone to support our youngsters. Ice cream socials and pizza parties especially for juniors nurture budding friendships. Handling clinics taught by local breeders and professional handlers not only provide the help the children need to improve their skills, but again present the possible beginnings for more long-term relationships.
Change can be challenging. It is difficult when we have done things the same way for the last twenty years and it is still working, at least to some degree. However, an objective look at the trends in shows particularly, and our sport in general, highlight the need for us to bring new ideas to the table and be mindful of making our events easier and more enjoyable for a variety of exhibitors and clubs in differing locales.
© 2016 Peri Norman