Framework for Associated Societies for breed shows held alongside the Association’s Championship Show
Introduction
Southern Counties Canine Association is always pleased to offer help and support to breed societies to share services (and savings) and to provide a more convenient and enjoyable experience for exhibitors.
The SCCA Committee will make every effort to facilitate the needs of the associated show and is always willing to consider specific suggestions, but clearly, it is important that we establish a foundation that will achieve all our objectives without complicating the administration of either society or the experience of exhibitors. We have already run shows in this way and this framework is based on that experience.
General Support
All exhibitors will be expected to have a pass for each dog and these are always checked by SCCA staff as they leave the show. Secretaries will therefore need to send passes
It is not the committee’s intention, for the present at least, to charge societies holding open shows for the use of the showground or for road irons, ring rope, or any ‘common’ facilities such as first aid and veterinary support. However, any extra services required such as benching or tenting, tables and chairs outside the Southern Counties show area (see the attached maps and plans) and the cost of stewards/committee and judges lunches will be charged to the associated society.
The Committee believes that it is important that each show retains as much of its own personality and atmosphere as possible and therefore we would expect associated Societies to take out its own license with the Kennel Club, produce its own schedule, entry form, catalogue and judges book/s, take its own entries, (by whatever means they choose), appoint and accommodate its own judges and fund any of their expenses, provide its own stewards, rosettes, ring numbers, specials, prize cards and trophies etc. We would expect it to be a ‘show within a show’ so the committee is happy for Trophy tables to be set up, society materials to be for sale and would have no objection to raffles being run. For small societies, we would rather they did not have a tombola for they tend to take up a lot of space but this would not be a problem for larger societies using areas away from Southern Counties rings. It is a Kennel Club Regulation that all societies must be insured and therefore no further insurance arrangements need to be made.
Smaller shows which can be incorporated into Southern Counties show
For smaller shows, Southern Counties will try to arrange that the specific breed is judged in the same rings so both shows are run consecutively. We will arrange the timings and this might involve an earlier start. The only change the society needs to make is to have some way of indicating whether any of the exhibitors entering their show are not entering Southern Counties. This will require that they pay an extra fee for the bench (which Southern Counties will have to charge for) so the show administrator will need to provide the secretary of Southern Counties with the number of extra benches for that breed which will be required to be paid for ‘at cost’. This fee is likely to be between £3.50 and £5 at current rates.
Shows with larger entries
For shows which have entries too high for incorporating into Southern Counties rings, we will make another adjacent, convenient and suitable area available as close as possible to the main show area. We would expect to work with associated societies to arrange the judging schedule to suit exhibitors. For instance, if Southern Counties scheduled dogs first in the ring followed by bitches it would be sensible for the associated society to have bitches first followed by dogs. We will also be happy to offset judging start times if this would be more convenient. For many shows neither benching nor undercover accommodation will be required but we will be happy to provide societies with all the details of our contractors who we would ask you to use. Larger societies should note that they would be responsible for their own Health and Safety and Risk Assessment.
David Cavill
Chairman – Southern Counties Canine Association
11th of February 2022