Baby, it's HOT outside!

08 Aug 2011 04:18:20 pm GMT +ET

Just a reminder to both our new exhibitors and our experienced exhibitors: PLEASE be careful when travelling to/from shows this summer. Temperatures all over the US are up into the 90's and beyond making it hazardous to travel with your furry companions. While your car may be nice and cool while you and Fluffy are on the road, leaving her inside the car in the heat could maker her sick from overheating or even kill her. Temperatures rise quickly in a closed car, so please rememnber: *Never leave yo ur cat for longer in the car than it takes you to walk in/out of the building. *If you are eating on the road during a heat wave, plan to order something 'to go' and eat it in the car with the A/C running. Don't leave her sitting while you eat * Make sure that your cat has access to plenty of water. * Some of the long-haired cats may enjoy travelling sitting on an ice pack in their carrier Save (and cool!) travels to all! Teresa...

Happy New Year!

16 Jan 2011 01:54:12 pm GMT +ET

It's my first post of the new year and I'm happy to say that the NewBee Program is still growing and going strong. A few of the members have been organizing "meet-ups' at shows throughout the US and that's always a great way to put names with faces. If you ARE a new exhibitor, you may not know that CFA had at one time a print magazine for exhibitors. The original version ceased publication a few years ago due to decreased subscriptions and advertising and went to a strictly online version. Exhibitors still longed for a print magazine (gotta have something good to read in the showhall!) and it will now be back with the first issue of "CatTalk" scheduled for release in February. I have to recommend this publication to all new exhibitors as it will contain articles on CFA activities, breed articles, ongoing columns, and a printed show calendar. The online Alamanc will still exist, but the content is completely different in both publications. You can subscribe to either the print or online publications, or get a combination deal on subscribing to both. Complete information about this publication is at http://cfa.org/client/cattalkinfo.aspx I've just published a new article in the "It's How You Play the Game"section which was originally written by one of our members. Is there anything else that you would like to see an article about? If so, please contact me at info@cfanewbee.org I understand that the videos are in the editing stage and we're on track to begin releasing them in the spring. I've seen some of the footage for these videos and it is great! I think that they'll be a great example of 'learning with a smile on your face.' It's been a tough winter so far to travel to the cat show in, so be extra careful out there on the interstates. Be careful, be safe....and be good to each other Teresa

New Ideas Regarding Benching Requests

06 Sep 2010 10:41:57 pm GMT +ET

We all know (hopefully!) that there's a space on the Exhibitor Entry Form for new exhibitors to check to indicate that they are new exhibitors. The idea is that the entry clerk will pass that information on with the entry, and when the club benches the show, they'll put the new exhibitor somewhere where they will have some friendly faces to guide them. Now...let's think about the other part of the equation. What if experienced exhibitors noted on their entry (or otherwise let the club know) that they'd love to have a new exhibitor bench with them! Perhaps that takes some of the burden off the club to find someone to help the new exhibitor along, and everyone has a positive experience! Something that we've been doing on the NewBee Forum is talking about what shows the members of the forums will be at, and trying to bench together with some of the experienced members. That's really been working out great! So show-producing clubs...what do you think would help your club help NewBees have a better show? Email me at info@cfanewbee.org with your thoughts. Coming soon....NewBee "How To" videos! Best to all Teresa

New Exhibitor Meet-Ups/Classes in a Showhall Near You?

23 Jul 2010 09:48:03 pm GMT +ET

We've been really pleased over the last couple of years at the benefits of having the "New Exhibitor" checkbox on the CFA Entry Form. It's allowed clubs to bench new exhibitors with experienced exhibitors so their first few shows aren't quite so overwhelming. Over in the NewBee forums we've been talking about experimenting with an 'in show' class. All new exhibitors bench together with the group leader and perhaps a few other experienced exhibitors for the weekend. This allows everyone to get to know each other, has the practical application of 'hands on' learning, and the ability to sit in the benching area and informally discuss topics related to the NewBee Program. At the moment, we're discussing perhaps doing this at at least one of the Timonimum, MD shows. I'll post those details later for those new exhibitors who are not on the NewBee list. (and if you're not....well, why aren't you?) My question is: what about other parts of the country? Any new exhibitors interested in doing something similar at a show you'll be attending? If you are, either email me at info@cfanewbee.org or ask over in the NewBee forum if anyone else is interested.

Catching Up!

21 Apr 2010 12:13:50 am GMT +ET

In another forum, someone noted that there had been no posts here for sometime, and wondered if perchance the program had 'fizzled out.' Not at all! We're still alive and well and having fun, showing cats! The NewBee Program in its current state is existing pretty much online in our Yahoo group [url]http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/cfanewbee[/url] As for the actual NewBee Class - participation in it was sporadic, partially because time is such a precious commodity at shows and partially because we just don't have a lot of folks within the program who can teach it. HOWEVER - what we're working on is trying to provide clubs with materials and information that should they want to have a seminar at a show or at a club meeting, they can do so. What we continue to do is encourage all new exhibitors in CFA to both let the entry clerk know that they are a new exhibitor (via their entry form) and/or request that they be benched with an experienced exhibitor or two. In the NewBee forum it isn't unusual for folks to ask who else might be attending a show. So, if you are new to CFA we welcome you to the NewBee Group! If nothing else we hope that you find the articles and resources on the website valuable. If you have questions or suggestions, don't hesitate to contact me at info@cfanewbee.org