MFGRC Cancels “Summer Specialty” in Tampa

Andy Hall Specialty

The Mid-Florida Golden Retriever Club has canceled its “Summer Specialty” event that was to have been held on Sept. 25 as part of the Sunshine State Cluster in Tampa.

The Cluster itself, which is scheduled for Sept. 23-27 at the Florida State Fairgrounds, has not been canceled. The Cluster was originally scheduled for June but was rescheduled to September due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The MFGRC board made the decision to withdraw from the Cluster due to ongoing concerns about the pandemic in Florida.

“We greatly appreciate Bill Price and the St. Petersburg Dog Fanciers Association for working with us on our decision,” said Robin Burket, MFGRC vice president and chair of the Summer Specialty. “We wish everyone involved a very safe and successful Cluster.”

July 31 Set as Deadline for Refunds From Canceled 2020 GRCA National Specialty

MFGRC 2020 National

A deadline date of July 31 has been set for refunds for grooming or vending space, RV parking or trophy sponsorship for the canceled 2020 GRCA National Specialty.

Exhibitors, vendors and donors have the option of receiving a refund or applying their funds to the rescheduled 2021 event.

The 2021 GRCA National Specialty, hosted by the Mid-Florida Golden Retriever Club, will be held the last week of October, 2021, at the World Equestrian Center in Ocala, Fla. MFGRC was to host the 2020 National but the event was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Cuyahoga Valley Golden Retriever Club, which was scheduled to host the 2021 National, and the Golden Retriever Club of America generously agreed to let MFGRC move its canceled event to 2021.

Those who wish to receive refunds or apply their fund to the 2021 National should contact the appropriate chairs for the event:

Grooming – Michele Panetta – croscrk@gmail.com
Vendor – Tom Hell – tohell50@hotmail.com
RV – Anthony Napoli – naps904@yahoo.com
Trophy – Camille Nasca – mischiefgolden@gmail.com

MFGRC Cancels Obedience/Rally Trial Due to Pandemic

Andy Hall Obedience, Rally

The Mid-Florida Golden Retriever Club has canceled its annual AKC all-breed Obedience and Rally Trial due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The trial was to have been held Aug. 8-9 at the Obedience Club of Daytona in Daytona Beach.

All entries and checks that have been received for the trial will be shredded.

The MFGRC looks forward to next year’s all-breed Obedience and Rally Trial that will be held Aug. 14-15, 2021, at the Obedience Club of Daytona.

Next year’s trial will have a panel of judges representing three states, including Michigan’s Susan Emerson, Kathryn Griner from Georgia and Ken Kincaid of Florida.

Want To Volunteer for the 2021 GRCA National? Here’s how!

Andy Hall 2021 National

The Mid-Florida Golden Retriever Club is hosting the 2021 Golden Retriever Club of America National Specialty in October of 2021 and needs help from all members of the club.

Many members have already signed up for various committees and activities related to the 2021 and have already been involved in meetings and planning. But more volunteer positions remain unfilled, both for advance planning and for jobs the week of the event.

Volunteer coordinators Dot and Allison Hively are maintaining an active list of volunteers and jobs. Anyone wishing to volunteer can contact them via email – even if you don’t know what area you’d like to help with, they can tell you what is available and sign you up.

Dot and Allison can be reached via email at 2021goldenvolunteers@gmail.com

The National Specialty will include more than a week of competition, social events, clinics, seminars, shopping and more. The majority of the event will be held at the beautiful new World Equestrian Center in Ocala, Fla.

MFGRC Will Host 2021 GRCA National Specialty in Florida

Andy Hall 2020 National, 2021 National

Thanks to the very generous gestures of the Cuyahoga Valley Golden Retriever Club and the Golden Retriever Club of America, the Mid-Florida Golden Retriever Club will get to host a GRCA National Specialty after all: the 2021 GRCA National has been moved to Florida and will be held at the World Equestrian Center in Ocala, Fla.

The MFGRC was originally slated to host the 2020 GRCA National Specialty in October but the event was canceled last week due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, the CVGRC, which was to host the 2021 event, agreed to move its event to 2022, with approval from the GRCA, so that the MFGRC could finish what it started and host the National in 2021.

“We cannot thank the members of the Cuyahoga Valley Golden Retriever Club and the GRCA enough for allowing us to move our event to 2021,” said Pat Kopco, co-chair of the National Committee for the MFGRC. “We had done so much work and preparation to get ready to host the National this year and to have all of that go by the wayside would have been heartbreaking.

“Now we’ll have 18 months to finish preparations and bring the GRCA National back with a big Florida welcome.”

Anyone who has already paid for grooming or vending space, RV parking or trophy sponsorship for the canceled 2020 event will have the option of receiving a refund or applying their funds to the 2021 event. Full details will be posted soon.

The 2021 GRCA National will take place over the last week of October, with the schedule to be announced in the coming weeks.