National Specialty Update

Bob Steele

NATIONAL SPECIALTY UPDATE:

The show committee and the board of the Spinone Club of America (“SCOA”) recently made the difficult decision to postpone the 2020 national/parent specialty, hunt tests and all other activities related to the national specialty week that was to begin on Saturday, May 16, 2020. Now, due to uncertainty and safety concerns related to the coronavirus, the decision has been made to cancel the SCOA national/parent specialties and associated events for 2020. While it was an extremely difficult decision to make, the board and the show committee felt it was in the best interest of everyone involved.

The good news is that the show committee is diligently working on securing dates for May 2021 for the national specialty to be in Weirton, West Virginia! Once AKC has approved the applications and Mingo Sportsman Club has given us permission to use their facility, an announcement will be made. The show committee is very excited about sharing this great show site with everyone.

Some have already made payments toward the 2020 National, so we are providing two options for how to handle those payments. First, if you have already paid for registration, RV parking, and/or trophy sponsorships, you can apply these funds to the 2021 national specialty. If we don’t hear from you, we will assume that’s what you want to do. Barbara Daniello and Becky Tevis will keep a record of these funds and apply them to the 2021 national specialty week once all the plans have been finalized. Second, anyone can choose to receive a refund. Please contact Becky Tevis at [email protected] to facilitate your refund. In addition, Barb Spence will be in contact with the people who have made payments toward the Top 20.

On a lighter note, Becky Tevis has graciously offered to make video presentations on Facebook for the Parade of Veterans, Top 20 and Awards Presentation. For the Parade of Veterans, Becky has gone back through the last three years of presentations and will use previously submitted info and pictures. If you have a dog in that group, she’ll be in contact with you. If you have a new veteran (will be seven by May 2020) or a veteran who hasn’t been included before, please contact Becky at [email protected] by May 1. If your dog/bitch was invited to participate in the Top 20 event, a separate email will be sent to each individual with a full explanation of options. Once further information is available for 2021, it will be disseminated to members through direct emails as well as posting(s) on the SCOA Facebook page.

For the 2020 Rainbow Bridge, which honors Spinoni who passed away during the last year, we will be taking submissions through May 1, 2020. They will be included in the 2021 national specialty catalog and will have a separate video presentation that will be shown at the 2021 national. The video won’t be put on social media, though. Having it shown there, and possibly popping up numerous times, can be very painful for those who have recently lost a dog. If you would like to include a tribute, please contact Becky Tevis at [email protected].

We will get through this global pandemic. Our lives will eventually get back to normal, although it might be a different normal. But in order to have this happen, everyone MUST listen to the medical professionals, who know what they are doing and have our best interests at heart. Everyone’s lives are more important than the national specialty this year.

If anyone has any concerns or questions, please email Bob Steele at [email protected] or call or text him at (412) 523-0613.

Please stay safe everyone and listen to the medical professionals.

Mike McLeland, President, and the Board and National Show Committee
Spinone Club of America