The River Valley cluster show committee held a conference call on Tuesday evening, May 12th, and after much discussion and deliberation decided we would cancel the 2020 cluster shows in Owensboro, KY which includes the Southern Indiana KC all-breed shows.

   This decision was not made lightly and we have much regret having to take this action. We don't feel we know enough at this time about this virus, when a mass gathering of up to 2700 people will be allowed in an indoor air-conditioned environment in the convention center due to Kentucky restrictions, and if we would be allowed to have indoor crating and grooming which is one of the primary draws of our shows. Even so we would have to reconfigure the grooming space to allow for social distancing which would cause us to drastically reduce our entry because of the limited space available in the convention center.

   We were encouraged by the show superintendent and the convention center to wait until well into the summer to see where all this was going but the longer we waited the more expense we would incur and still very likely have to cancel the shows. We have a responsibility to try to insure the safety, health and well-being of our judges, exhibitors and volunteers many of whom are in at-risk groups. We are already planning for 2021 and feel we will have a lot more information about the effect of the virus in the community and how we can handle large social gathering to where we can put on an economically feasible show.

   There are several events we would like to plan for next year as we learn more about what we will be able to do such as our all-breed,-all age match, if at all possible, and maybe an obedience/rally event in Corydon, Indiana along with the 2021 all-breed shows in Owensboro.

   I thank you all for your continued support of the Southern Indiana Kennel Club and we will look forward to a much better 2021!