membership to local breed clubs

[kcsdogs]

Hi all! I was wondering how one would become a member of a breed club. Most of the clubs I have looked at say you have to have sponsors with your app, which is great but I only have a rescue Cairn and have only met a couple of people who show theirs. I haven't gotten the opprotunity to meet and get to know really serious Cairn people, I live in a rural area and there are no other Cairn people here that are members of a Breed club. I go to shows regularly but am showing different breeds of dogs. I would like to become a member of a Cairn club in my state but I don't know how to get all of the qualifications such as sponsors, any suggestions?

[bradl]

Are any of the Cairn exhibitors at the shows you go to members of a regional club? That would be a good place to start to just introduce yourself and find out what the available opportunities are to get involved, even if it's just to attend shows for a year or so and hang out ringside, glean grooming tips and the like.

If that isn't productive, maybe write to the corresponding secretary for a club you are interested in and ask about their meeting schedule and any upcoming events (fun matches, grooming clinics, etc.) over the next year.

One you start getting involved in a club's activities, even if it's to show up at meetings to learn, at potlucks to eat, or fun matches to support the club, it's usually not very hard to get someone to sponsor you. The main thing is let people come to know you.

[kcsdogs]

Thanks Bradl. I only know a couple of breeders that are members of breed cubs be it the national club or local clubs, and I probably don't know them well enough to ask them to sponsor me. I live very far from the nearest breed club (about 260 miles) but would like to be as involved as I can. Like going to fun matches and things or helping with rescue you know whatever I can do to be involved. Do most local clubs have schedules of upcoming events on their websites? . I see that you are from Portland, I live in La Grande, OR. What are the names of the Cairn Clubs around there, I think I spoke to someone that was affiliated with Cascade Cairn Club and I think the other one was called Columbia River Cairn Club do you know about either of these? I think I remember that one of them was not a member of the AKC, do you know? Thanks again for your advice.

[bradl]

I'm a member of both. I'll send a PM with additional details.