Things Exhibitors Should Know

[Aziah]

Wondering if the first post might be like holding up a "Kick Me" sign?

I look forward to commenting on some of these things, but first of all I have to process a big bag of received show entries

CC

If that's the case it's VERY simple to return any entries that aren't complete :D show secretaries shouldn't be walked all over nor should they be expected to bend the rules for certain people!

[pie]

For show secs- can you please cash the cheque within a reasonable time frame and NOT the week before or in 3 cases, the week after the show??

I know you're busy working hard behind the scenes but constantly worrying that I don't have enough money in my cheque account drives me mad!!!

I second that one...

Not for shows, but I have the same frustrations with agility trials - recently had a cheque banked two weeks after the trial! Argh.

For agility entry forms I have it in excel format on the computer and I prefilled them with the dog's details and just change the trial date / club and classes if needed then print them off. So easy.

I've had a quick look on both the Dogswest and Dogs Victoria websites and both have interactive PDF show entry forms that you can prefill with your dog's details and save it for later Not sure about the other states websites.

Dogz Victoria one is here: http://www.dogsvictoria.org.au/Content.asp?ID=283

[SengeChow]

(SpikesPuppy @ 18th Jun 2010 - 08:52 PM)

For show secs- can you please cash the cheque within a reasonable time frame and NOT the week before or in 3 cases, the week after the show??

I know you're busy working hard behind the scenes but constantly worrying that I don't have enough money in my cheque account drives me mad!!!

Dear Exhibitors,

As an exhibitor, I understand this sentiment of not wanting to have to guess if my cheque is going to be cleared sooner rather than later; however, as a Show Secretary (and for a small club), I have to say that for my club, all the finances are handled by our Treasurer. So the process depends on my getting the cheques (and coins and bills and entries) that come in entered into our database, checked and double checked (is the chq amount correct in relation to the entries etc) and then mailed off to the Treasurer.

If you think about how the process might work - i.e., most secretaries & treasurers are volunteers and have to make time in each day/week for a minimum of 3 weeks or so (we need time also to get the catalogue pulled together & printed and there is ALWAYS something quirky at the last minute).

It's impractical for the show secretary to mail the cheques to the treasurer every day, so usually it's about once a week. Then it depends on the treasurer's schedule. And it depends on the Club just how well all of that is managed. Some secretaries are computer savvy and have the ability to do all the entries in a database, some are less technically savvy; the same is true of treasurers.

I hope, from both sides of the issues, that someday BPAY or PayPal or OzEntry or some such system will make it all a lot more simple and immediate. In the meantime, for those of us who can't keep our chequebooks straight, maybe we can get postal money orders and forget the worry. And I can promise that I will have a chat with my club treasurer and see if there is some way we can make our system work a bit better for our members.

Cheers,

Judith-Ann

Edited June 21, 2010 by SengeChow

[mirawee]

Personally with cheques I assume that they will be cashed either in the week before the show or in the week after. I do internet banking so it is easy to keep a track of what cheques haven't been cashed yet. I do get annoyed if it isn't cashed soon after the show though :D

ETA: A lot of horse shows are going to EFT and I love it However I can understand that there are a lot more entries in a dog show usually than in a horse show therefore itwould be harder to keep a track of.

Edited June 21, 2010 by mirawee

[Dogsfevr]

When i was treasurer i banked 2/3 times a week & daily towards the end.

It is amazing how many bounced chqs arrive & no point finding out after the show

[Paptacular!]

Many NT shows have EFT details in their schedules. You just need to print out the transfer receipt and include it in the envelope with your entries.

Easy peasy.

[Joan of Arc]

Remember to put the entries into the correct envelope and not post them back to your self.

Done that before

Remember to sign cheques ;)

Done that before too ;)

We all make mistakes but I understand the grief Ceilidh is going through.

Can I also suggest that if you are entering a two day weekend and its different clubs make sure you use two cheques. As a secretary I dont do cheques but our Treasurer has often asked which half of the cheque should she sent to the Sunday secretary?

[jr_inoz]

i WILL add one for the sec/treasurer though

PLEASE send back the SAE saying entries recieved So many dont & it drives me troppo

Yep - this one frustrates me a little too.... So show secretaries - all of whom I have had to contact have been wonderful - especially the really patient one who answered a lot of my very stupid questions prior to my very first show - if you don't want the phone calls asking if you've received such and such an entry two days before the show - send back the SSAEs.

Having said that tho- there is not (well, I am yet to find) a guide on how to enter a dog show. So how are newbies supposed to learn and thus stop repeating the same mistakes???

Not every show newbie is a forum member or has close contact with their breeder or experienced showies.

With regard to staples- I've never done it but can understand why someone would think it a good idea...

It seems easy in theory to enter a dog show but especially coming from a non-exhibitor family and going in 'blind' it's actually quite daunting. And I still wonder if i'm doing it right because I have no real way to check what the 'rules' are.

IMO the ccs should put out an easy beginners guide to dog shows, starting from your first entry form to basic ringcraft and rules etc (including the one mentioned earlier about taking your number card to the steward if you are scratching in person).

I would have loved a guide. Not just on how to fill in the entry forms - I had to ring and ask a secretary what SSAE meant on the schedule for my first show. The stuff we all take for granted can stump a newbie.

[-Megz-]

Save your entry forms for each dog on the computer - then you don't have to fill it in everytime and don't make mistakes - all you have to change is the date / show / entry fee and print. Can't believe people still hand write entry's (I even print my sse's).

Is it ok to type out your entry form? On the bottom of the entry form it says writing must be in ink, so I hand write them out. I am only new to showing so I didn't want to upset anyone by printing them.

What comes out of my printer is ink

[Gumnut]

Save your entry forms for each dog on the computer - then you don't have to fill it in everytime and don't make mistakes ;) - all you have to change is the date / show / entry fee and print. Can't believe people still hand write entry's (I even print my sse's).

Is it ok to type out your entry form? On the bottom of the entry form it says writing must be in ink, so I hand write them out. I am only new to showing so I didn't want to upset anyone by printing them.

What comes out of my printer is ink :D

Yes that did cross my mind but I thought that mean't hand written.

[angelsophie]

Many NT shows have EFT details in their schedules. You just need to print out the transfer receipt and include it in the envelope with your entries.

Easy peasy. :D

ooohhh this sounds awesome !! so much easier

on the subject of baby puppies my new babys rego wasnt quite through and I was in a quandry so rang the sec. who was AWESOME and told me to enter her - knowing that if i didnt ring her number through by x date she wouldnt be eligilbe - fair enough - that sec rang me 2 days before this and the number had arrived about 45 mins prior to that which was a bit freaky I am still pretty new to all this so i was stoked!

I am guilty if a few late entries of late tho I do ring to check prior to sending and never expect it to be ok. HUbby sent some off by accident that I thought too late so I rang the sec - got his lovely wife - who said no dramas and laughed as I was ringing to apologise for them being sent as I felt it too late and rude for them to just be sent off ;)

Can I ask why more clubs dont use oz entries? From an exibitors perspective I find it great but there just are many shows/clubs that use it??????

bec

[Gayle.]

I use a program called Entry Form Australia to print entries. I just save each dogs details and can use the same forms for trials as well as shows. The only hand writing I need to to is to sign each form, and write a cheque.

[Bokezu]

I use a program called Entry Form Australia to print entries. I just save each dogs details and can use the same forms for trials as well as shows. The only hand writing I need to to is to sign each form, and write a cheque.

Yes , Entry Form Australia is fantastic !!!

[becks]

As a ex treasurer I would meet up with the show sec about a week after entries closed and we would go through all the entries,, checking the correct amount had been sent in and then I would bank all the cheques, so that any bounced cheques could be made a note of and the exhibitors would have to report to the show sec on the day before being able to compete (in the UK we get our numbers on the day, so bounced chques would have to go to the sec to get the umbers, instead of at the ring)