Page 182 - ShowSight - July 2019

Pride of Ownership: NOHS Boosts Entries
BY DAN SAYERS continued
would be awarded to amateurs and 20 per- cent to the pros. However, it could be said that the inverse is most likely true. Of the 28 Group placements on offer at a typical all-breed show, 22 or 23 can be expected to be awarded to professional handlers whereas only five or six will go to owner-handlers. As Pareto discovered more than a century ago, 80 percent of the “wealth” still remains in the hands of 20 percent of the population.
The AKC has encouraged show-giving clubs to offer the NOHS to the 80 percent- ers as a place where their “dedication and enthusiasm” is more likely to be rewarded. Though some may view the NOHS as a sec- ond-tier system akin to the Minor Leagues, the Series has been embraced by many non- professionals. Despite oppostion by some rank-and-file exhibitors, as many as half of all dogs entered at shows where the NOHS is offered are made eligible to compete by their amateur owners at the time of entry. Perhaps these entries are made on impulse, or maybe it’s simply a case of “nothing ven- tured nothing gained.” After all, what is the harm in making an entry that offers the
possibility for a dog to compete in the Group, especially if it’s been defeated in the BOB ring? Since no additional fee is required to enter, even exhibitors on a bud- get can hope for a chance to take their dog into the “big ring” and walk out with a rosette and bragging rights.
‘GREATER’ ENTRIES
For clubs that choose to offer the NOHS at their conformation shows, the reward may be measured in increased entries. Take, for example, the Greater Kingsport Kennel Club, Inc. This all-breed club hosted two shows at the Appalachian Fairgrounds in Gray, Tennessee, on May 18 & 19, 2019. (A pair of Obedience Trials and two Rally Tri- als were held the day before.) Although the total entry of 694 on Saturday and 703 on Sunday in 131 breeds or varieties was exact- ly the same as last year’s figure, the 574 and 565 dogs competing represents an increase of roughly 1.5 percent from the previous year. In 2018, 541 dogs competed on Sat- urday and 581 on Sunday. The 2018 com- bined entry of 1,397 was 22 percent higher than the 2017 two-day total of 1,143, with
873 dogs competing over the weekend. This represents an increase of nearly 29 percent. When the club first offered the NOHS in 2016, the two-day entry of 1,177 with 940 dogs competing represented an increase of 17 and 26 percent respectively from the 2015 totals. During the four years that the club has offered the NOHS, two-day entries have increased by approximately 39 percent and the number of dogs competing has grown by 53 percent over the same period.
Of course, several factors contribute to a show’s total entries, including competition from other clubs. In mid-May, when the Greater Kingsport KC hosted its conforma- tion shows, all-breed events were simultane- ously held in Maine, New York, Ohio and in nearby Virginia. The two-day totals of dogs competing in these states were 1,085, 757, 845 and 1,246 respectively. The week- end’s largest show took place in Vallejo, California with 1,603 dogs competing over Saturday and Sunday. The site of the Coy- ote Hills Kennel Club shows is well-known to exhibitors, demonstrating the impor- tance of a show’s location and amenities.
“As Pareto discovered more than a century ago,
80 PERCENT OF THE WEALTH STILL REMAINS IN THE HANDS OF 20 PERCENT OF THE POPULATION.”
176 • ShowSight Magazine, July 2019