Page 44 - ShowSight - May 2020

TELL US WHAT YOU THINK
A PRACTICAL APPROACH TO DOG SHOWS FOR THE NEAR FUTURE
Dear Clubs,
Yes, we are in times that most of us, if any, haven’t seen before, and we need to move forward carefully and intelligent- ly, not scared and uniformed or listening to rumors and gossip.
Clubs will need to make decisions based on conditions on the ground in their geographical area. Do I feel clubs in July and August should be canceling their shows in April? No, I don’t.
While I understand why some clubs have been forced to cancel due to financial concerns, I feel way too many clubs have canceled due to fear rather than being informed and educated (this is not personal against anyone). For example, some clubs have been forced to cancel because the grounds/building are still requiring non-refundable deposits. In this instance, the club needs to negotiate with the facility’s management and get them to make your deposit refundable or that you can move it to the following year if and only if the shows are canceled due to COVID-19 based on federal, state and county guidelines on social distancing and stay-at-home orders. This way they know that if it is legal within the state to have the shows, the clubs are going to have them, and the clubs feel more secure that if they have to cancel because of guidelines, rules and/or laws they will not lose money.
I am urging clubs to hold off on canceling your shows so early. There is no reason to be canceling your shows in April for shows that are in August (for example) solely out of fear, being scared, etc. Wait until you absolutely have to. Be proactive and negotiate with your facility, have judges hold off on airline tick- ets, though they are very inexpensive right now. Rework your panel to get more local judges. (I am sure there AKC will be flexible with this.) Now if you decide to cancel your shows, do so no later than one or two weeks before entries close based on guidelines for social distancing, stay-at-home orders and/or group gathering rules.
Also, set an opening date for entries. I am suggesting two weeks before closing, that way you can announce a tentative or final decision before entries open, and your superintendent will have a minimum amount of entries to refund if you decide to cancel.
Close your shows to the general public. Yes, you can do this and you should until a time comes when it is safe to open to the general public. Again, work with your local and state rep- resentatives. I have heard over and over that shows are public and clubs are not allowed to make them private. I have never figured out why people think this. Each club is a private cor- poration and is renting the grounds, thus they are private. We choose to let the general public come to our shows, but during this time and until it is safe to do so, close them to the public.
Our elected officials will make decisions that are best for their areas. If you can legally have shows, have them, but work with your local and state representatives to make sure you are following best practices for everyone’s safety. They should also
have contacts to infectious disease experts, doctors and nurses to help advise on the following items and others:
• Signage (both safety precautions, directional signs, etc.) • Masks
• Gloves
• Hand Sanitizer/Hand Sanitizer Stations
• Closing the shows to the general public
• Moving rings outside if inside or combination of both/spreading
rings out
• No centralized grooming areas
• Andmanyothers
• How to implement such systems the best way
Each club needs to look at specific groups of people differently and treat each group differently when coming up with best practices for your shows—i.e., judges, stewards, club members, superintendents, exhibi- tors, vendors and owners, etc. For example, you may require stewards to wear gloves and masks, but only make judges wear masks together with having to use hand sanitizer between each dog.
Be smart. Be educated. Be informed. Network with local and state officials. Do your due diligence and make a decision on having or cancel- ing your shows after you have gained the information and are informed. AKC is letting clubs set an entry opening date two weeks before the clos- ing date (i.e., if your shows close on July 8, make the opening date June 24). Thus you can cancel in time not to have to deal with tons of refunds.
A thought for the AKC: Please partner with infectious disease doctor(s), doctor groups, nurses associations, etc., that will communicate with clubs via email, phone, text or other methods and assist the clubs with their specific situation and advise them accordingly. If needed, they also could provide clubs with access to additional resources.
If we proceed cautiously, informed clubs can get back to having shows without risking the health of the fancy. Now, do not misunder- stand anything. If the county, state or federal government has stay-at- home orders in place, social distancing rules that you are not going to be able to adhere to, or no group gathering over a specific number that you can’t meet even with entry limits, cancel your shows. Once you know, no matter what, that you are not going to be able to have them due to the government, cancel.
Let’s give our fancy hope to get back in the ring, but do so being informed, educated and putting best practices forward to ensure a safe environment for everyone attending.
Best to Everyone,
Philip Boyce
PA Handling, Lackawanna KC Show Chair, Mountain Laurel Cluster Judge’s Selection & Assignment Committee Chair, AKC Junior Showmanship Judge, 2nd VP Mountain Laurel Cluster LLC, Board Member Lackawanna Kennel Club 631-766-6126
phil@padoghandlers.com
COVID -19 BY PHILIP BOYCE
42 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, MAY 2020