Table Talk · December 9, 2020
My first air travel experience since February is in the books! My flight to Orlando for the AKC National Championship was smooth–once I navigated my way past the closed road that leads to the airport! This must be the reason they say, “allow extra time” and it’s also the reason people listen to that recommendation. I made it with 3 minutes to spare!!! (Those of you who know me well know I am not one of those “allow extra time” gals!)
This year’s National Championship will look and feel a bit different as attendees adapt to safety protocols due to the pandemic, but the show WILL go on, people WILL stay safe, and a good time WILL be had by all! Temperatures will be checked each day when exhibitors enter. Your successful temperature check will get you a lovely “Fever Free” sticker that you must proudly display. When you complete and turn in your waiver, you will receive a stylish wristband that must be displayed for entrance to the building throughout the week.
For those of you who could not join us this year, you can view judging on akc.tv for a $5 subscription fee. Any funds collected above and beyond the expenses to provide the streaming service will be donated to several charitable causes. I hope to be able to pass on the total sales and what, if anything, was donated to charity at the conclusion of our week in Orlando.
We are excited to bring you Table Talk Live! coverage from the show floor this week! Make sure to continue to check the Canine Chronicle Facebook page and Canine Chronicle.TV for fun-filled, informative coverage of the happenings at the Orlando Convention center! Reach out to me at deb.cooper@caninechronicle.com or via Facebook Messenger if you would like to participate in our coverage.
The American Kennel Club has reached an agreement with ESPN for a three-year contract to air the AKC National Championship on ABC. It is so good for the fancy to have more major television network coverage! The coverage of this year’s show will be a 3-hour broadcast on January 17, 2021.
I implore everyone to please be kind to the staff and volunteers here in Orlando! Everyone has worked very hard to ensure that this year’s National Championship actually occurred. It was a lot of work!
Southern California had its first all-breed dog show last weekend! With an entry of nearly 1,200, The Kennel Club of Riverside did a great job adapting to safety protocols. The weather was beautiful, and I truly enjoyed some scenic photos from the show in Perris, California. Congratulations to all! This is a huge step in our climb back to normalcy.
Congratulations to the hard-working volunteers responsible for a well-run cluster in Dallas, Texas! With exhibitor safety as a top priority, I hear the cluster was run very efficiently.
A very big thank you to all the volunteers who continue to work so hard to keep our shows alive during these unprecedented times! Please know you are appreciated very much by all in the fancy.
Former Executive Field Representatives Jane Myers and Brian Martin have both applied and been approved for 32 breeds. I know they are both very excited about this next chapter in their long and dedicated careers in the sport of purebred dogs. I’m glad to see that the American Kennel Club was expedient in getting their judging approvals processed. It seems the least they could do after eliminating their positions after a 7-month furlough. We look forward to seeing both of you center ring!
Healing thoughts to AKC Board member Dominic Carota who is recovering from spinal surgery. Best wishes for a speedy recovery. Everyone in the fancy looks forward to having you back soon.
We wish a happy 40th wedding anniversary to Peggy Beisel-McIlwaine and her hubby, Sandy. I hope you both have another happy, healthy 40 years together!
Celebrating birthdays this week are: Jordan Confer, Rachel Adams, Marilyn Funke, Jocelyn Mullins and Paul Catterson. Enjoy your special day, my friends!
Please stop and say ‘hi’ if you see me at the show in Orlando! I’d love to get as much participation in our show coverage as possible! If you have a cool story you would like to share, please email or message me, or just find me at the show!
Be safe, stay well and please, BE KIND! I look forward to seeing you all in Florida! Until next time…
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