2009 National Specialty in California

Nodrog Gordon Setter Club has chosen to withdraw their bid to host the 2009 National Specialty. This left the Board with two choices, since there were no other bids to host a National submitted for that year: 1) advise the membership that 2009 would be a year with NO National Specialty, or 2) take the “bull by the horns” and have the Board host the National.

That week our GSCA President had received an invitation from AKC inviting ALL Parent Clubs to participate in the 125th AKC Anniversary show and Eukanuba National Championship in Long Beach, California. For 2009 only, this prestigious show is open to Class dogs and is not an Invitational.

Twenty-five years ago, the Gordon Setter Club of America participated in AKC’s 100th Anniversary Show in Philadelphia with the Second GSCA National Specialty. 197 Gordon Setters participated in that show, and the memories of those who attended give it legendary status.

This show will be the premier show of the year, with the expense for ribbons, medallions, catalogs, and the venue completely covered by AKC. AKC has already selected the judges for this event, and no one can know who these are before the conclusion of 2008’s Eukanuba National Championship. To coordinate our National Specialty with this show will give the GSCA membership an opportunity to participate in an historic and memorable event. Perhaps new legends will be made.

With precedent having been established 25 years ago when that Board voted to host the National Specialty in conjunction with AKC’s prestigious Anniversary Show, this GSCA Board voted to coordinate the 125th AKC Anniversary show with our 2009 National Specialty in Long Beach, CA, December 12-13, 2009.

Jane Matteson has graciously offered to Chair the Event, and would be most appreciative of offers to help from anyone, anywhere. She is working to make arrangements for Agility, Rally, and Obedience to be coordinated with the All Breed Shows that precede the Anniversary Show. In addition, she is actively seeking to reserve a large block of rooms in a nearby hotel, at a fee as reasonable as can be arranged.

The Board will publish updates in the News as more definitive information is gathered. In the meantime, the Board wishes to thank all of you for your support in making 2009 a very special year for the GSCA.