It’s hard to believe that another year has gone by and it is time to tally your points. There are several different awards programs and not all are related to showing. So let’s talk a little about the awards programs.
MIKE PALLOTA MEMORIAL AMBASSADOR OF THE BREED AWARD:
This is an annual award for any event, in any state, that promotes the breed (outside of the show ring). This award is open to all members and there is no sign up fee. Parades, exhibitions, social events, plays, pet days, etc count. Only one event per day will count unless the second event is totally different than the first. Exp: Parade counts 1 point but later that day you do a driving or jumping exhibition that would count separately, but a breed parade two or three times the same day is only 1 point. Group visits, such as schools or other groups to educate or promote the breed also count. This award will run from Jan 1, 2011 to Dec 31, 2011. Deadline for turning in these points is Jan 10, 2012.
SHOW AWARDS PROGRAM:
There is a $10 fee per donkey. Fee must be paid prior to a show for that show’s points to count for the 2011 show season. At the end of show season, you may only count four (4) Tennessee shows for points. Exhibitor will choose which four (4) shows he/she wishes to count. There is a champion and reserve in all categories. There are 8 awards in halter, In-hand and in harness which are broken down by sex and one for Standard/Mammoth in each category. There are two color awards, one for solid and one for spots, a best matched pair (must be the same two donkeys) and a Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion. In addition to these awards there are two youth awards (the donkey being shown by youth must be signed up). This program runs from Jan 1, 2011 thru Oct 31, 2011. Each member is responsible for turning in their own points! The cutoff date for turning in your points is Dec. 1st 2011. The rules for these awards can be found at
http://www.tennessee-donkeys.com/HighPointAwardRules.html
KERRI LITTLE MEMORIAL ROOKIE AWARD:
This award is open to a “novice” person or farm. The winner would be the farm or person that has just started participating in our clinics, exhibitions, parades, shows, or any event that promotes our club/breed and each event is worth 1 point. A person/farm is considered a rookie for two years, unless they win the Rookie Award their first year, which will then make them ineligible for this award the next year. There is no sign up fee for this award. The award will run from Jan 1, 2011 to Dec 31, 2011. Deadline for turning in these points is Jan 10, 2012.
The TDA awards committee is responsible for the above awards. If you have any questions or need copies of any of the point tally sheets, please contact one of us. Dayle Haworth
minidonks@united.net 931-364-3715, Theresa Puckett
ccrdonkeys@comcast.net 615-230-7260 or Kay Allen
kayy@united.net .
MARTHA WILHOIT MEMORIAL DRIVING AWARD :
This award was named after Martha because she loved to drive, so this award is for the members who have her passion for driving. There is a $5 sign up fee per donkey which must be paid prior to counting any driving time. This award is tailored with an emphasis on driving. A member that signs up for this award, is expected to keep a driving log of the time spent at the reins, which includes ground driving. The only driving time that a member can’t claim is time in the show ring. This award runs from Jan 1, 2011 to Dec 31, 2011. Deadline for turning in your driving log is Jan 10, 2012. If you have any questions about this award please contact Lydia Spears, Ph #931-796-4920 or email:
miniacre@bellsouth.net .
CARSON CARROLL MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP AWARD:
This is a $250 scholarship based on merit awarded to our youth members as they prepare for college or technical school. This award must be asked for and be accompanied by the member’s high school transcript through the third semester prior to graduation. Any member that wants to contribute to this award fund is welcome to do so. If you have any questions or have a youth member that wants to apply for this award, please contact Lydia Spears, Ph # 931-796-4920 or email
miniacre@bellsouth.net .
The plan was to have the shows on the baseball fields close to the expo center but as the time grew closer they decided that this wasn’t going to work as well as they thought. So 1 month before the event they went forward with the plan to build a show arena. Needing to have a face to face meeting with the show chairman of the miniature show to get her the information she needed for the show I thought this was a good time to go take a look at the facilities. Once we arrived we went to take a look at where they were building the arena and what we saw was a large field with 2 tractors starting to move the grass out of the way. I can tell you we weren’t sure if they would be able to complete this task in time, but complete it they did.
As we pulled in on show day we couldn’t believe our eyes when we saw the arena, it was perfect. It was large enough to safely accommodate a good size pleasure driving class and the consistency of the dirt couldn’t have been better. The parking was perfect, everyone was able to park in close proximity to the ring and didn’t have to compete with another show for space. The weather was perfect, upon arrival that morning it was a bit brisk but within an hour the sun was out and the temperature was not too hot or too cold the rest of the day. The show was perfect, the competition was great and the camaraderie was wonderful and best of all everyone had fun. So again I ask, can you say perfect?
As many of you know, I have been working with the Williamson
County Fair for a couple of years in an effort to have them host a donkey show.
Finally this past spring, I was given the ok to get the ball rolling.
Our judge was Lee Little of Clarkrange, TN, who showed up
and performed a very professional and thorough job judging each & every
animal….having just had Rotator Cuff surgery on his shoulder 3 days prior! Yep,
you read it right! This man took his time, and judged the LARGEST Tennessee donkey show ever (until the next week at Wilson!)
and… in the oppressive heat of early August. 
The show was very successful. The Fairboard were very
complimentary of our show, how professional & friendly our exhibitors were,
and had many comments on what nice stock we had. I
would like to thank all the behind-the-scene volunteers, the show volunteers,
the exhibitors, the judge and the wonderful spectators for such a wildly
successful show!
Hot and Hotter
