The Show Chair is key person responsible and has all of the authority for managing the entire national show event. This individual works closely with the Show Advisory Team and selects all of the national show committee chairs except for those that are standard ACA assigned positions or committees (Site Coordinator, Assistant Show Chair, Top 20, Ways & Means, and Challenge Trophy Committee). Involves the Assistant Show Chair as much as possible if the ACA Board has approved one. Assists and follows-up with each of the committee representatives to ensure all target dates and goals are met.

See separate position description for details on specific Show Chair responsibilities.

The Show Advisory Team consists of the Show Chair, Site Coordinator, Treasurer, and the Previous Show Chair. The team may also add one additional member if approved by the Board. This group provides advice and assistance to the Show Chair and is responsible for making all of the decisions as they are related to the planning and running of the national.

Oversees all of the Obedience and Rally (if offered) events at the national. Arranges for the obedience equipment to be available for judging. Works with the Show Chair on selecting local obedience and rally judges for the national. Notifies Judges Hospitality Chair if assistance is needed with transportation. Arranges for at least two rings stewards to assist during judging.

Agility may be held on the national show grounds or at a local park depending on availability and space. The Agility Chair oversees all aspects of agility. This includes selecting an agility judge, arranging for agility equipment, and obtaining any other materials like placement ribbons, etc. The Agility Chair should be familiar with the latest agility rules and classes. Submits basic information to the Publicity Chair for inclusion in the flyer and to the Show Chair for the premium list. Notifies Judges Hospitality Chair if assistance is needed with transportation. Arranges for several people to assist with ring set-ups for the various courses that will be run.

The Auction Chair solicits and collects all of the items for the auction that is held on Friday evening of the show week. Submits a basic write up to the Publicity Chair for the flyers that includes a form for submitting auction donation with name and address and pre-determined use of funds collected on items auctioned. Numbers each item and prepares a list with the Treasurer for ease and expediting of member payments during the auction. It should be noted that most items donated for the auction are received throughout the national week. Ensures club related materials like auction paddles and sign-in sheets are available. Selects auctioneer(s) for the event as well as assistants to monitor auction paddles, track purchases, and to parade the auction items around for buyers to see. Approximately eight to 10 persons needed during the auction as well as a couple of assistants prior to the event to help collect, set-up, and number items.

This individual arranges all aspects of the CGC event including the selection the CGC Evaluator. Provides the basic information to the Show Chair for inclusion in the premium list. Confirms with the Site Coordinator and Show Chair on date, location, and time of the event and arranges for any assistants to help during the CGC testing. Informs Judges Hospitality Chair if any transportation assistance is needed.

Person responsible for collecting all catalog ads as well as club pages to the Superintendent on or before the pre-determined due date. Provides basic information to the Publicity Chair for flyers including categories for special ads, e.g. Top 20, memorial, etc. Published catalog deadline should be at least one week prior to due date to the Superintendent to allow for time to summarize and mail the ads. All ads should be received from advertisers with appropriate funds in "camera ready" format. Submits all monies received to the Treasurer and keeps Show Chair informed of status. Majority of work occurs six to eight weeks before the actual show date. Coordinates with Show Chair to make sure all club pages are submitted, e.g. Top 20 score sheet, donor page, President’s welcome, future national information, memorial dedication pages, etc. Sends all ads and other club pages directly to the Superintendent to be received by the due date to avoid any late fees. Receives pictures used in ads from the Superintendent at the show and mails them back to the advertisers after the show. Ad pictures can be returned during the show to those that are in attendance at the national.

This is an official ACA committee that is responsible for maintaining, storing, and transporting the various approved club challenge trophies. The trophies must be properly packed for transportation or shipment to the national host hotel. Each trophy should be on display ringside on the trophy table for that day’s event and properly marked with a dedication card for ease of identification. This committee should ensure that the proper trophies are available each day after judging to be included in the appropriate pictures of the winners. All challenge trophies need to be set-up and on display for the annual awards banquet held on Saturday evening. After the banquet, the trophies need to be properly packed for transportation. This committee maintain a list all winners and have the appropriate engraving performed on those trophies designed for that purpose. This committee has separate and distinct responsibilities from the national Trophy Chair.

Arranges for ring stewards for each day of conformation judging. At least two stewards should be assigned for each day and three on Saturday for breed competition. Stewards should have previous experience ring stewarding. The Chief Ring Steward cannot have any dogs owned or co-owned entered in the show. The Chief Steward should be available, if not stewarding, during each day’s judging.

Works with Site Coordinator and Show Chair on obtaining information of local area emergency services such as fire, hospital locations in relation to the national show site. This information is acquired early in the planning stages of the national and is provided to the national attendees either through the inclusion of the exhibitor hospitality packages or upon check-in at the hotel.

Prepares welcome bags for all attendees (one per membership household). This can be distributed either when guests check-in at the hotel or during the Welcome Party. The club does not budget any money towards exhibitor hospitality, and therefore, this person(s) needs to seek out members/businesses to donate items to include in the bags. This person also researches and includes information and directions to local area restaurants, grocery stores, pet stores, etc., to those attending the national.

Primary responsibilities are to ensure that the all rings are set-up and ready for each day’s events. Assists setting up rings working with the Superintendent who supplies ring ropes, floor matting etc., on Monday. Makes sure trash bins and pooper-scoopers are placed throughout the show grounds for exhibitors to use when exercising their dogs. Works closely with Show Chair and Site Coordinator during the show week with any ring adjustments or other grounds related needs. This person should have one or two assistants to help throughout the week. At least one Grounds crew person should be available ringside one hour before judging starts each day to ensure the ring is set up properly and this at least one person should be available during judging. Grounds crew may be asked to assist reserved seating, W&M, and vendors with any special needs. Grounds should be checked for cleanliness at the completion of the show on Saturday afternoon.

This individual cannot have any dogs entered in the show as they have direct contact with the judges. About one to two months before the national, the Judges Hospitality Chair contacts each of the judges to obtain their travel schedules. Provides each judge with the information on ground transportation to and from the national show site. Greets the judges when they arrive and either has meals (dinner/breakfast) with the judge, particularly if the judge is traveling alone, or arranges for another club member, not exhibiting dogs, to assist if they cannot attend. Works with the Site Coordinator on hotel rooms for the judges and also on arranging daily lunches for all judges and ring stewards that are working on that particular day. Coordinates judge’s gifts that are usually left in the hotel room for each judge upon arrival. Monies spent on judges gifts must be pre-approved by the Site Coordinator and Treasurer.

Oversees parade of titleholders and rescue Akitas. Provides information to the Publicity Chair for inclusion in the flyer. Collects write-ups from the owners about each of the dogs that will be read during the parade event. At least one additional person is needed ringside to either read the write-ups or to assist with stewarding the event. Additional assistance is needed if music is included with the program. Equipment needs should be coordinated through the Site Coordinator. The collection and returning of all music is the responsibility of this committee. Music should be pre-arranged and limited in length to ensure a timely event. This event begins after the Top 20 on Thursday evening.

Primary responsibility is to collect all of the information to be included in the national flyers that are typically mailed in the month of June. Works closely with all of the committee chairs that have information that is included in the flyers. Reviews flyers with the Show Committee prior to being mailed by an outside service to the membership. Also emails a computer file of the flyers to the Website Committee to be posted on the club site. May be asked to supply portions of the flyer to be included in the Club’s monthly Update, print reserved seating nametags, and trophy cards listing the sponsors name and trophy class, etc. Advanced graphics computer are beneficial to preparing a professional product.

Collects names of individuals that have reserved ringside seats for the entire week of the national. Provides basic information to the Publicity Chair for inclusion in the flyer. Prices for reserving seats are determined by the Show Advisory Team. This position needs to work closely with the W&M Committee and the Treasurer to obtain information on individuals who have reserved seats. The number of seats is dependent on the ring size and should be confirmed with the Show Chair and Site Coordinator. Reserved Seating gives priority to the national show committee chairs and their members for front row seats prior to the acceptance of reservations that begins with the release of the flyers. This committee needs to create a ring seating chart and nametags (the Publicity Chair can assist with the printing of nametags) for each of the reserved seats. Reserved seating should be set-up no later than Tuesday of the national week. It is best to have several assistants to help with the ring-seating set-up.

Manages RV reservations for the national. Obtains cost and maximum number of motor homes spaces from the Site Coordinator and sets final price with the Show Advisory Team. Submits basic information to Publicity Chair for inclusion in the flyer. This individual should arrive by Monday of the national week to layout and assist identifying and parking of all motor homes. Informs all arrivals on any specific hotel regulations and show rules about non-entered dogs to be kept away from the actual show grounds.

This is an official ACA committee and it is responsible to run and oversee all aspects of the Top 20 event at the national. This committee needs to provide a description of the trophy to be awarded for inclusion in the premium list to the Show Chair as well as any form or procedures to be included in the catalog. Notifies Judges Hospitality Chair if assistance is needed with transportation. The Top 20 Committee handles all ribbons and medallions.

This committee has a very early responsibility that begins in January, or earlier, to identify possible trophy themes to be awarded at the national. These themes as well as costs are presented to the Show Advisory Team and together one is selected no later than mid-March. Pricing and sizes are determined for each award/event to be held at the national with the exception of Top 20 and submitted to the Website Committee for inclusion and sponsorship thru the club website. There needs to be close coordination with the Treasurer and Website Chair on reservations and payments. Information on each trophy sponsored along with descriptions needs to be given to the Show Chair to be included in the premium list usually by May or June. The actual trophies need to be purchased and received before the national event. The trophies can be dropped ship to a club member close to the national site if they cannot be easily transported. Cards should be created with the trophy name and sponsor for ease of distribution at the national (the Publicity Chair may be able to assist with this task). A trophy committee representative needs to make sure each days trophies are out for display at the show ring and they need to work closely with the ring stewards to have the proper trophies in the ring for each event. During the national it is best to identify several individuals to help set-up each days trophies and to share time at the trophy table. This committee has separate and distinct responsibilities from the Challenge Trophy Committee.

Vendors

Reservations for vendor selling space are made through the vendor chair. The Site Coordinator will inform the Vendor Chair on the size, number, and amount of vendor space that will be available. Pricing for vendor space and tables needs to be approved by the Treasurer. Information needs to be provided to the Publicity Chair for inclusion in the flyer. The Vendor Chair should use a standard club approved contract for all vendors. Efforts should be made to have some non-Akita vendors at the national that would be of benefit and interest for Akita exhibitors. This position collects all vendor related fees and submits them to the Treasurer. This individual or a designee should be at the national on the Monday for marking out space and informing vendors of the booth numbers.

Ways & Means

This is an official ACA committee that is responsible for the sale of club related merchandise at the national. The purchase quantities and pricing of all items needs to be approved by the Treasurer. Provides information to the Publicity Chair for inclusion in the national flyers. Obtains quotes and places orders for all merchandise to be sold at the national including logo pins for each regular class entry. Keeps accurate records of all pre-orders of merchandise and forwards all monies received to the Treasurer. Informs other committee chairs if items are reserved through the order form, e.g., banquet, reserved seating, etc. Ways & Means is responsible for arranging transport or shipping of all merchandise to the host hotel. All pre-orders need to be assembled for those requesting pick-up at the national. This should be completed no later Tuesday of the show week. All non-attending orders should be set aside and shipped after the national. The Site Coordinator will identify a secure storage space for all items during the national show week. Each day all merchandise for sale must be on display during show hours at the designated tables usually near ringside. Committee members should set a rotating schedule for managing the W&M tables with at least two members. Other national items such as show catalogs and/or banquet reservations may be sold at the W&M tables.

Welcome Party

The Welcome Party is held on Tuesday evening and is set-up with the assistance of the Site Coordinator. A theme is identified and a local Akita club or ACA members may be needed to assist with the event depending on theme selected. The Show Advisory Team approves the event and provides the Publicity Chair with the appropriate information to be included in the flyers. The information should be included in the schedule of events as part of the premium list.