Meet the Show Chair: Rhonda Silveira

Meet the Show Chair: Rhonda Silveira

1. What is the name of your show/cluster?

Rhonda Silveira: I am Show Chair for the Silver Falls Kennel Club.

2. Where are your show(s)/cluster held? When?

Rhonda Silveira: Our shows are held in Salem, Oregon, at the Oregon Expo Center in early March.

3. How long have you been Show/Cluster Chair?

Rhonda Silveira: I’ve been Show Chair for four years.

4. Can you please provide a brief history of your club?

Rhonda Silveira: Our club held the first show in 2021. (It was cancelled in 2020.) This year was our 5th Anniversary Show.

5. How are the following accommodated at your show(s)/cluster: Parking; Grooming; Bathing, Hospitality; Vendors; Public Education?

Rhonda Silveira: Auto parking is contracted by the Expo Center. RV parking is contracted with NW Dog Show Parking by Karen Stenlund.

6. Does your show/cluster offer the National Owner-Handled Series? Junior Showmanship? 4-6 Month Beginner Puppy? Best Bred-By? Specialties? Supported Entries?

Rhonda Silveira: We currently hold all of the above, plus Best Veteran! Each year we have added additional awards and larger rosettes. More Specialties, etc., are coming next year.

7. What about Companion and Performance Events? Obedience? Rally? Agility? Fast CAT? Dock Diving? Other?

Rhonda Silveira: Currently, we offer Obedience and Rally all three days.

8. How are judging panels determined

Rhonda Silveira: Club members recommend judges. The Show Committee fills the panel with judges that we have watched judge, enjoyed showing under, or judged with. The Committee likes to promote Permit Judges, and we usually have several on our panel.

9. Who stewards at your show(s)/cluster?

Rhonda Silveira: We have a Chief Steward who hires the well-known stewards in our area. Club members step in as needed.

10. Does your club have an active membership? How are you seeking new members?

Rhonda Silveira: We are a small club, but we have active members. We have help from our families who come in each year to help fill the gaps. We seem to pull together at the show and get it done. We have the Girl Scouts and 4H groups come to help us, and we donate to each organization. New members join us mostly through word of mouth.

11. How are your show(s)/cluster promoted? TV? Radio? Print? Social Media?

Rhonda Silveira: We use Facebook and have used the Salem newspaper to get people more involved.

12. What are some of the challenges you’ve faced as Show/Cluster Chair? What are your greatest successes?

Rhonda Silveira: As a club, we try to give great awards/rosettes to the exhibitors. We give the same-sized rosettes to NOHS for Group Placements. This year, we added Best of Breed Medallions. We had large rosettes donated by our photographer, Tyler Crady, for Best BBX.

Challenges are usually staying inside a budget, as prices rise each year. This year, grooming and RV electricity went up. Next year, the building’s prices are going up.

On a happy note, we need more rings for next year! We are proud that we have grown in the last three years—with great reviews! I hope we can keep that momentum going.