Bids to host our 2020 Ameraucana National Meet(s)?

[John W Blehm]

Remember that bids/offers for our 2020 Ameraucana National Meet(s) have to be submitted to me by November 1st.  If you have a show in mind that you want the board to consider for a national meet please solicit a bid/offer from them.  The board will place one or two national meets by November 15th, so all our Alliance members have plenty of time to prepare.   

Here is the offer from Michigan Poultry Fanciers...

We will provide up to two 8' tables and 2 chairs.
We will provide an area for your club meeting.
Your club will have first choice of the judges we hire and your breed(s) will be judged first, provided your breed club is the first to place a national meet with us - first come, first serve.
Your breed(s) will be given a prominent location in the showroom.  Your breed will be on top if double stacking is necessary and if applicable your bantam and large fowl breeds will be placed as near to each other as possible.
Your National Meet will be promoted on our website and in our Poultry Press ad.
Your breed club will receive up to two full pages in our Show Catalog to promote your club and awards offered by it.  (I understand there isn't a printed show catalog that goes out in the mail anymore.)
Your breed club will receive a rebate of $2 per bird entered of your breed(s). (this rebate part of the offer was updated 11/1/2019)

Their Fowl Fest show will be Oct. 10-11, 2020, in Birch Run, MI

Updated 10/21/2019...
Russ Blair and I will organize if meet is placed.

At least two members, that plan to attend the show, must agree to organize our National Meet there before a bid is considered.

[Stan Alder]

requested, and received a bid from Doug Akers...

Yes, we would love to host the Ameraucana Alliance National Meet in 2020.  Here's our bid.

The Central Indiana Poultry Show offers the Ameraucana Alliance the following if we are selected to host your National Meet in 2020:
1) $200 cash if over 100 Ameraucanas are exhibited in the open show.  $300. if over 200 Ameraucanas are exhibited.  You may use the cash as prize money at the show or for any other club purpose later.
2) Your choice of judges we hire.  (We will start your National Meet judging at 9:00 AM unless- another National Meet selects the same judge, you may have that judge but one club will have to wait until the other meet is over.  This will be based on which breed club is first to let the show secretary know of their judge choice).
3) Single decking
4) Table for your club
5) Plaque for Best Overall Ameraucana

The Central Indiana Poultry Show is conveniently located along I-65, Lebanon, Indiana at exit 138.  Our open show building is new in 2019 and has nice, modern restrooms in the building.  It is insulated, heated and air conditioned.  Numerous hotels are just 2 miles from the show also along the interstate at exit 140.

Sincerely,
Doug Akers
Show Secretary
Central Indiana Poultry Show

Updated 10/28/2019, by John.
I believe the show date will be Saturday 10/17/2020.

Interested in helping to organize are Sandra Nevins Bailey, Tim Hilton, Jensen Pierson, Stan Alder

[John W Blehm]

This is from the Missouri Poultry Association, Sedalia MO. Submitted by Lisa Helms.  Brett Shoemake,Sherry Klaus and Lisa have volunteered to organize this meet and I'll appoint a committee if placed.  The show is the 4th Saturday on October.

The Missouri State Poultry Association would love to host the Ameraucana Alliance National Meet in 2020. Here's our bid.
The Missouri State Poulry Association  offers the Ameraucana Alliance the following if we are selected to host your National Meet in 2020:

1)   Large Fowl and Bantam – Open Show
        $50.00 Champion
        $25.00 Reserve Champion
2)   Large Fowl and Bantam – Junior Show
        $20.00 Champion
        $10.00 Reserve   
3) Single decking
4) Table for your club

Sincerely,
Bernita Miller
Show Secretary

Update 10/29/2019...

Bernitta miller says Alliance does have a say in picking judge.

[John W Blehm]

We have 3 offers to consider and the shows aren't all that far apart.  We can place one or two national meets for 2020.  Our Ameraucana Meet Policy doesn't say the meets have to be far apart, but the idea of two nationals was to place them far apart geographically so that members that wouldn’t make the drive to one that is too far may go to one closer.
According to MapQuest it is 339 miles (5 hours 5 minutes) between Birch Run, MI and Lebanon, IN.  It is 445 miles (6 hours 45 minutes) between Sedalia, MO and Lebanon, IN.  It is 713 miles (11 hours 13 minutes) between Birch Run, MI and Sedalia, MO.
I believe we should have an Ameraucana Midwest National in Michigan and an Ameraucana Southern National in Missouri.

Please post your comments and suggestions.

The offer from the show club is important, but there are many things to consider along with it.  Here are some that I can think of...
 * When is the show?  October thru the 1st half of November is preferred. 
 * Testing - Do we just need an NPIP flock # or recent Pullorum/Typhoid test or is more needed?
 * How well is the show run?  Reputation?  Do they turn in Meet Reports on time? 
 * Is a location that draws the most members with the most entries more important than moving it around the country?
 * Money/Rebates - How much is offered to our breed club?
 * How much will it cost us per entry?
 * Are awards offered such as plaques for AOCCL and AOSB?
 * Do we have first choice of the judges they hire?
 * Will our birds be given a prominent location in the showroom, our bantams and large fowl close together?
 * Will our birds be single stacked?  If double stacking is necessary will our birds be on top?
 * Will our breed be judged first?
 * Do they provide a club table (or more) and chairs?
 * Do they provide an area for our club meeting?
 * Will we be able to have a silent auction of Ameraucanas and related items?
 * Will they promote our Ameraucana National Meet on their website, social media, print ads?
 * Facility - Close to expressway?  Good lighting?  Wide aisles?  Easy access to coop in and coop out?
 * What else is offered in the area, like restaurants and entertainment especially for family members that aren't into showing?
 * What about lodging availability and costs?  Is camping available? 
 * Are all birds entered in the open show, so every Alliance member showing is eligible every Alliance award offered in the sanctioned meet?
 * Is the show room pet free and smoke free?
 * ?

[Mike Gilbert]

I agree.   Two nationals, Michigan and Missouri. 

[Jeffery Vance]

I agree. Two national's Michigan and Missouri also if you have never shown at fowl fest you need to do it! The area is awesome for family fun and eat's.
But the way best chicken Alfredo pizza we ever had .

[Mike Gilbert]

I do think we need to confirm the date(s) of the Missouri and Michigan shows next year to make sure they do not conflict with each other.   There may be a few in the middle who would like to attend both of them.   Shows have been known to change their dates from one year to the next. 

[John W Blehm]

I agree. Two national's Michigan and Missouri also if you have never shown at fowl fest you need to do it! The area is awesome for family fun and eat's.
But the way best chicken Alfredo pizza we ever had .

If we place it here and have our Saturday evening get-together in the pavilion, in our backyard like before, just remind me to include Tiffany's chicken fettuccine alfredo pizza in our meal...just to put a smile on your face.

It reminds me of how much my buddy Jerry Segler enjoyed going to Willi's Sausage ("Our Wurst is the Best!"), in Frankenmuth, when he came to the Fowl Fest.

Birch Run and Frankenmuth are geared toward tourists, so bring all the family members that aren't into poultry and turn them loose.   

[Steve Neumann]

Two nationals one in MI and one is MO sounds good to me.

[Lisa Helms]

Both MI and MO would work for me.  My fsmily lives in Holly, MI.  That is close to Birch Run and I could get in some family time also. 

[Brett S.]

Agreed, Both MI & MO Nationals would be great.

[Stan Alder]

I'm thinking that a more southern location could improve our club visibility, so my preference is Lebanon and Mo...Birch Run is on the upper fringe of the country, and is too far for members from the south to travel...never been to that show, but I was at our national in LeBannon and we were well treated and it is a nice show, much more convenient to the entire eastern part of the country...

[Russ Blair]

All three offers seem great, Lebanon is a great venue. I just wonder if two meets will facilitate more members? If we did fowl fest and Sedalia I could probably attend both. I just don't think Sedalia and Lebanon are far enough apart to warrant both as "National Meets". So if we go with Lebanon I would suggest it as the National Meet. Just my two cents

[Karen Warner]

It makes an Ohio girl choke, but I would be OK with that state up north and Sedalia.

[Sherry Klaus]

I agree Lebanon has more to Offer , so I would like to see Lebanon IN and Sedalia MO