— Make Plans to Attend Meet the Breeds™ This October in New York City —
Building on the success of the annual Meet the Breeds event held at the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship each December, the American Kennel Club will be holding its first stand-alone Meet the Breeds™ October 17-18, 2009 at the Javits Center in New York City. Co-hosted by the Cat Fanciers Association and sponsored by Pet Partners, Inc., it will be the largest showcase of its kind in the world, featuring more than 160 dog breeds and 41 cat breeds. When you add in fun and educational demonstrations – dog and cat grooming, dog and cat agility, AKC Canine Good Citizen® Testing and S.T.A.R. Puppy™ demos, K-9 Search and Rescue and First Aid for dogs and cats – as well as an art contest for kids, hundreds of unique vendors and a few surprises along the way, this will be an event that can’t be missed.
As in the past, the Parent Clubs for each breed have been invited to staff the booths and decorate them to showcase the prominent characteristics, country of origin, and historical purpose and function of their breeds. Group winners and a Best in Show Booth will be selected by the public. But most importantly, Parent Club volunteers — the backbone of an event like this — and their dogs will be on-hand all weekend to meet and greet visitors, hand out educational materials and teach the public about the characteristics of their breed. We are thankful for the outpouring of support that both Parent clubs and regional New York City-area clubs have shown thus far. Their willingness to participate will help make the event a great success.
And who says dogs and cats can’t get along? Our compatriots at the Cat Fanciers Association will be running their own educational area throughout the weekend that will feature grooming demonstrations, disaster preparedness tips and Judging 101, in which a judge will walk the public through the cat judging process. “Ask the Expert” sessions and a “Breed Showcase” will inform event-goers about cat ownership and the temperament and history of different cat breeds.
Public Education Coordinators and Canine Ambassadors in the tri-State area can also involve their schools and community groups in the festivities through the Meet the Breeds™ Art Contest. Students from ages 6-17 who are enrolled in grades 1-12 in New York, New Jersey or Connecticut are eligible to draw, paint or design with the aid of a computer a purebred dog or cat and compete for Best in Show and great prizes. The winning artwork will be displayed at the Javits Center and on www.meetthebreeds.com. All eligible entrants will also receive two free admission passes to the Javits Center the weekend of the event. Please encourage all young dog or cat lovers in your area to enter this contest. More information can be found athttps://www.akc.org/meet_the_breeds/art_contest_flier.pdf
We recommend that you bookmark www.meetthebreeds.com and visit it regularly over the coming months as we continue to add information about new demonstrations and events, tickets and more. It’s shaping up into an exciting inaugural event, and we highly encourage everyone in the area to make plans to attend!
Sincerely,
Ron Menaker
Chairman