Welcome to the AKC Specialty Club Florida PON Fanciers!
01.29.2012
MARK YOUR CALENDARS: The Florida PON club is hosting a "PON FUN DAY" on Saturday, March 31st. at Panther Bend. (Near Brooksville, Florida) There will be all sorts of fun and games for PONs and their humans with ribbons and trophies along with tons of laughs and pictures that the PONs will use to blackmail their owners out of more treats for the next months.
We are supplying the beer, wine, and soft drinks and it is a bring "something to share" (pot luck) and the campfire will be going if you need to cook - (PON roasting their owners for example) One rule' The PONs cannot hog all the food and must go light on the drinking.
It will be a fun day totally dedicated to the PONs with agility programs - pictures will be taken of any owners crawling through the tunnels with their PONs for future use...the hurdles are not a limbo contest.... and the twisting through the poles must be done sober.
There will be an Easter treat hunt for the PONs on the ceremonial field and we are looking for any other games (funny) that can be done legally to keep the PONs and owners happy and laughing.
On the serious side we will be having discussions on PON
grooming, care and training (HA!) along with Q & A of any subject of
interest to PON owners to improve their PONs lives.
You can go roaming through the forest and fish on the Withlacoochee
River (1/2 mile frontage) is you wish - have to clean your own catch
- no hunting as too many owners could be confused with the wild
turkeys - and Bambi is off limits. You may take home all the wild
boar you catch though as they are a pain tearing up the grounds.
The village will be open from 9:00 Am until people collapse - to get to Panther Bend - using a GPS - put in Florida then Dade City - then Running PON Lane and hit go - it will take you right there and turn in at the open red gate and go back 1/2 mile to the ceremonial grounds and the village is on your left. If you go straight ahead after getting to the field you will end up in the show ring or agility course so watch out.
If you come and get lost in the woods (38 acres) - well, we hope your PON can sniff your trail - otherwise we will see you at the next function - you will be early....
Accommodations are available nearby at the intersection of SR 50 and I-75 (5 minutes away) Comfort Inn, Holiday Inn, Hampton Inn, and Days Inn. Or you are welcome to sleep in the village in one of the 7 Chickees built by the Tribe.
The fun day is open to all with an interest in PONs, own one (or more), want to own one, want to see one or dreaming about one. You do not have to be a club member - everyone is welcome to come and have a day you won't soon forget - we promise.
Hope to see you PONs there. It is neutral grounds so all the PONs get along and have a blast - hopefully the owners do also but sometimes the PONs stories creates some competition.
Local Inns & Motels
Quality Inn and Suites
30307 Cortez Blvd. (SR 50)
Brooksville, FL 34602
(352) 796-9481
Microtel Inn and Suites
6298 Nature Coast Blvd.
Brooksville, FL 34602
(352) 796-9025
Holiday Inn Express
30453 Cortez Blvd. (SR 50)
Brooksville, FL. 34602
(352) 796-0455
Hampton Inn-(no dogs)
30301 Cortez Blvd.
Brooksville, FL 34602
(352) 796-1000
Days Inn
6320 Windmere Road
Brooksville, FL 34602
(352) 796-9486
All are located at the intersection of I-75 and SR 50. (exit #301 on I-75)
1.5 Miles from the Brooksville Dog Show grounds and 4 miles from Panther Bend.
If you have any questions - please give me a call: 954.829.5632
All the best.
Bill
01.20.2012
Dear PONs (and their humans)
This year your club really comes of age. You are going to have to collect all your toys and treats and get down to some hard work herding all your humans to help us put together some great events. Your PON club is going to be like a flock of wild sheep this year and it is going to take all your talents to keep things under control.
Florida is the host state for the national parent club (APONC) National Specialty and we will be holding a Regional Specialty for all of you to enjoy also. In addition, Eukanuba will be here in Orlando once again, and you get to show off at the "Meet The Breed" booth again and get all those free rub downs and cute comments about how beautiful (and intelligent) you all are - but don't get too large a head - you have to fit back in the car on the way home. We are planning to have a full day of fun and games for all PONs on Saturday after the specialties at Panther Bend. There will be a full day of games and contests for all of you that are not showing in the ring so you can also get the glory you deserve and prizes to take pictures with and take home. (Those showing can come and play also!) Your humans will be eating, drinking and laughing all day, but don't get any ideas - you "can" share with them. You just can't hog it all. Tell your humans that we will need them to assist in the games and contests and to come up with ideas for keeping you happy all day and them laughing all day. Mark your calendars and clear November and December for PON activities and don't forget the cameras.
We are going to have a fun practice event this Spring (March) at Panther Bend with a PON Party and cookout for you and the humans also (if you approve) so watch our club site for information. www.floridaponfanciers.org.
Get those PON Paws ready - we have a lot to do this year and it will be a blast for all.
All the best. Bill Gilchrist
12.22.2011
View our updated activities page! Added 2011 Eukanuba Photo Album & Link to AKC PON Breed Results.
11.28.2011
This being the season where records are kept of who has been naughty and who has been nice and realizing that many of you need all the extra points you can get - here is a chance to get some "nice" points and come and help out at the "Meet the Breeds" booth that our club is staffing this year at Eukanuba on December 17th and 18th at the Orlando Convention Center. We will be using the booth that was designed for APONC to use at the National Dog Show show on NBC right after the Macy's Parade last week. This booth won first prize in the booth contest they held and we want to match that at Eukanuba. Depending on how "naughty" you were this year you can earn "nice" points by covering either a two or four hour shift showing off your PONs and talking to people interested in the breed. It is a lot of fun and we will be holding the club elections on Saturday at noon on the 17th. so come and vote also. That will get you an extra point.
It has been my pleasure serving as your President for the past eight years but it is time for new blood and I will be passing the leash this year. I hope to see as many of you as possible there so we can have a drink and tell some PON stories and have a lot of good laughs. Please tell your PONs and they will most likely let you bring them to the show so they can show off to the other breeds - plus they get all the free rub downs in the world as the people just can't keep their hands off such wonderful PONs. Please and let me know when you can join us and I will set up an easy schedule for everyone and the PONs. All the best Bill
10.20.2011
Fall PON Party at Panther Bend:
The PON Party outing at Panther Bend this year will be held
Saturday, November 12th. All PONs are welcome and they can bring
their humans if they are trained. This is the weekend of the
Brooksville dog show so please feel free to come by and relax and
let your humans run and play in the woods. You do not have to be a
club member to come and enjoy yourself - but you are required to
enjoy yourself. 10:00 AM - till whenever. We will find something in
the woods for lunch..drinks provided also. If anyone needs
directions please let me know.(954.829.5632) If you have a GPS then
put in - Florida - then - Dade City - then - Running PON Lane and
hit go - it will take you right there. It is just 5-6 minutes from
the dog show grounds and that is without getting a speeding ticket.
Eukanuba:
The Florida Club is manning the APONC "Meet The Breeds" booth for
PONs at the up coming Eukanuba show in Orlando this December.
Everyone is welcome to come and help with the booth - it is a great
chance to brag about our breed being smarter and better then all
those other breeds and besides it is a lot of fun. The PONs get a
chance to show off how beautiful and smart they are to all the
people walking by at the show and if you are nice they will let you
tell PON stories for entertainment.
We will hold our annual membership meeting during the Eukanuba show
this year and it will also be time for our elections then so come
and vote..(sorry - only members can vote)
Officers:
There has been a change in officers of the club - Bill Munsey has
resigned as VP and Jeff Cirtwell has taken his position until the
upcoming elections. We thank Bill for all his efforts on behalf of
our club and wish him all the best in the future.
All the best;
Bill Gilchrist
04.18.2011
The Central Florida Polish Lowland Sheepdog Fanciers Club will be holding a PON Specialty in Orlando, Florida on Thursday, June 23rd, 2011 at the Central Florida Fairgrounds. (Colonial Drive/SR 50 - Orlando) The closing date is Wednesday June 8th, 2011. For information or questions please contact me and I will be glad to assist.
We will not be holding our November Specialty as to prevent any conflict with the APONC National Specialty and suggest all sign up for the National. We will still be holding our PON Picnic/Party at Panther Bend the weekend of the Brooksville, Florida shows. We look forward to seeing everyone at the Eukanuba National Championships in Orlando in December.
All the best. Bill