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The '''Awards Czars''' handles ribbons, trophies, and such for Bay Team trials.  The Bay Team has separate Awards Czars for USDAA and CPE.

==Job summary==
This is actually a pretty easy job--this is the COMPLETE job list!

'''Note:''' This position is usually a semipermanent position, as it involves storing ribbons from previous trial, ordering new ribbons well in advance, and storing ribbons left over for the next trial.

* Figure out how many ribbons are needed (previous Awards Czars may have spreadsheets or worksheets that will help, and the chairpersons often have input)
* Figure out any special awards (we have some pretty standard ones from previous trials)
* About a month ahead, place the order (call or fax the ribbon co. and say "see our May order? I need xx more of the following")
* Put the ribbons into the appropriate drawers ahead of time.
* print up some generic labels and put them in binders
* Set them up on a table saturday & sunday mornings with a sign explaining self-serve ribbons.
* Present any special awards in person or designate a person to act as presenter (e.g., USDAA tournament placements; championships in all venues)
* Make sure the drawers don't run out of ribbons.
* Put ribbons away in the trailer Saturday night, and take them home with you Sunday (or find another ribbon czar & hand it over to that person ;-) ).
* Store the left-over ribbons until the next trial.

==For new clubs==
Order catalogs by calling the ribbon company's 800 number (The Bay Team uses Stineman 800-346- 9294 http://www.stinemanawards.com/). It is easier to browse and compare than doing it online.

Request sample ribbon colors from the ribbon company so that you can see what the available colors really look like.  Usually samples are printed with different inks so you can see what those look like, too.

Decide what size/style ribbons you are going to order.  In northern California, most USDAA and CPE clubs use the Stineman Petite rosette for Qs.  Placements ribbons vary among flat, double flat, and rosette.

Always order reusable ribbons (no date or location) if at all possible. 

You'll want to get your club logo to the ribbon company ASAP to print on the ribbons.  Most will take electronic format.  They also may have the sanctioning organization's logo on file.

If you are ordering rosettes for Qs, it is a good idea to get them with wire hooks on the back, for clipping onto xpens & such. Simple strings make it tougher.

Check the sanctioning organization's rulebook on ribbon colors and what's required or optional for different placements. You can do almost anything you want for custom ribbons as long as they don't violate the organization's awards rules.

===How many ribbons do I need?===

If another club in your area hosts the same venue, contact their awards chair, find out how many ribbons they use, and adjust accordingly.  For example:  If the other club offers 5 runs per day and your club is offering 4, cut their order by 20%.  

If this is a new venue for your area, ask the trial committee to set a closing date at least 2.5 weeks before the trial.  (The secretary will probably appreciate the extra time to do the unfamiliar paperwork.)  Before the trial closes, send your logos and designs to the ribbon company.  After you have final entries, you can call or fax your final counts.  For Q ribbons - a good guesstimate is an 80% Q rate for CPE, 70% in USDAA.    

NOTE: You will need more ribbons if you are planning awards presentations, fewer if the ribbons are self-serve.  It is our experience at Bay Team trials that approximately 20% of awards are not picked up when they are self-serve.  If it is a new venue or there are a lot of first-time competitors then the percentage of awards picked up is higher.

==For club that has previously placed orders==

* Count how many ribbons you have left of various kinds from previous trials.  

* Use the spreadsheet or chart of ribbons used at previous trials to plan your order.  Also factor in unique variables - are Nationals local this year so more people will enter the qualifiers?  Is there another trial (different venue) on the same date?

* If phoning in the order, pull the copy of the last order and tell the operator that you need xxx of this and xxx of that.

* If faxing the order, pull the drawings of the ribbons from the file.  Prepare a cover sheet listing each ribbon needed and quantities.

See [[#Useful links and files|Useful links and files]], below, for information related to ribbon ordering.

* When placing the order, be sure to say that you want the acknowledgment to go to YOU.  Otherwise, it goes to the person receiving the invoice, usually the club treasurer.  As soon as you get the acknowledgment, check it for spelling, spacing, colors, and quantities.  Immediately contact the company if there are any problems.

==USDAA ribbon notes==

For regional championships or tournament events, USDAA sometimes has special ribbons and/or trophies, so you might check with them--try their web site for an email address to query. And/or check with your show chair(s).

==After ribbons arrive==

* '''Ribbons & trophies arrive:''' Open them to be sure you got approximately what you ordered. 

* '''Print labels:''' Print generic (circle the correct information) labels for the ribbons.  See [http://www.bayteam.org/docs/CPE_Ribbon_Labels.doc this Word file] for a sample of a generic label (this one is for CPE; do global change of classes, judges, and dates to match what you're offering). 

* '''Punch the sheets of labels''' and put them in a binder. 

* '''Instuctions on binder''': It's nice to have a sheet on the front of the binder that says that these are labels for your ribbons.

* '''Fill the drawers''' with placement, Super-Q ribbons (USDAA) and Junior Handler Q (CPE) so that they still open & close fairly easily.

* '''Fill the large Qualifying ribbon box''' to the brim.

* '''Consolidate the remaining ribbons''' (additional placements and Q's) into as few boxes as possible to bring along.

* '''Label the boxes clearly''' on the top & sides so that you or others can find replacements easily.

==Take to the trial==
'''Make sure to load into your car:'''
* drawers with placement ribbons (drawers are labeled)
* box with Q ribbons (box labeled)
* awards binder with labels (binder has instructions on cover)
* plastic sign with info about self-serve ribbons
* Any special or tournament awards
* Title poles
* Awards Table box with supplies like pens, colored Sharpies, duct tape, squeegee, magic marker, scotch tape, blue painter's tape...

==At the trial==

*'''Saturday a.m.:''' 
**Find the awards canopy (often with the raffle canopy)
** Set out basic qualifying and placement ribbon boxes and drawers. (Special events or awards keep separate to hand out later.)
** Set out any instructional signs.
** Set out the ribbon label binder with several pens.
** Bay Team CPE trials: Tape the New Title sign up sheets to the table  
** Keep extra ribbon boxes under or behind the ribbon table so the drawers can be refilled easily.

*'''Saturday a.m. General Briefing:''' If your trial has a general briefing (CPE trials are required to do so), be prepared to say anything that the competitors need to know. E.g., at Bay Team trials, awards are self-serve.
** Bay Team CPE briefing topics:
*** Ribbons are self-serve
*** You do not need to Q to earn a placement
*** Title rosettes are available for completing a full Level
*** Explain how C-ATCH, C-ATE awards will be handled
*** First Q pins (donated by Diane Blackman)
*** Perfect Weekend Awards

*'''All day every day:''' 
**Check occasionally during the day to be sure ribbons aren't running out. (Shouldn't run out most of the day Saturday if you fully stocked the drawers/boxes.)
** Bay Team CPE: Check the New Title sign up sheets every hour or so and put together the rosettes.

*'''Sat. nite:''' 
** Refill the Q bins and ribbon drawers.
** Leave them out as long as possible so that people can collect their awards.
** Make sure things are safe from vandals (if that might be an issue) and weather; if the weather is nice and the site is secure, you can leave the bins on the ground under the canopy.  Otherwise, move them to one of the trailers. 

*'''Sunday a.m.:''' 
** Set everything up again.
** If your club has a Sunday morning briefing (CPE requires it), consider:
*** Announce the names of anyone who completed a major title (C-ATCH, etc.) on Saturday.
*** Ask for a show of hands who completed a level title (CPE)
*** ... First Q
*** ... is still in the running for Perfect Weekend (Bay Team CPE trials)

*''' Sunday afternoon:'''
** Bay Team CPE: When the afternoon rotation starts, put out the box of Perfect Weekend rosettes with a sheet for the winners to sign his name when he takes the ribbon.

*'''Sunday end of trial:''' 
** As the last classes/rotations are finishing up, be at the awards table to answer any last minute questions from competitors. 
** Bay Team CPE: Make Titling Rosettes as needed.
** Leave awards out as long as possible so that workers and so on have time to pick up their ribbons, at least 45 minutes after the last dog runs.
** Pack everything up & take it home.

==Pins, ribbons, and patches for titles earned==
See [[Portal:Club policies and forms]] for details on what we provide.

==Useful links and files==
* [http://www.stinemanawards.com/ Stineman Awards]
* [http://www.bayteam.org/docs/ribbon_calcs_new.xls Ellen's USDAA Excel spreadsheet] with several years of Bay Team USDAA ribbon data
* [http://www.bayteam.org/docs/ribbonOrderpg1.gif Bay Team Stineman order form page 1] showing all of our standard USDAA ribbons: placements, Qs, and super-Qs. (from around 2002)
* [http://www.bayteam.org/docs/ribbonOrderpg2.gif Bay Team Stineman order form page 2] showing what I've used for special classes like Regional qualifiers (note that fun games just use the same placement ribbons as everything else; they don't get special ribbons). (from around 2002)
* [http://www.bayteam.org/docs/trophyOrder.gif Bay Team trophy order form] showing what we've used for high-scoring nonmaster awards for specials like steeplchase, dam, grand prix.  For Sept's Regional Championship, I don't know whether this really applies since everyone has already qualified so nominally they're competing in GP at the highest level. Check with your show chairs, though.
* [http://www.bayteam.org/docs/labelsGeneric.doc Ellen's semigeneric label-printing file in Word for USDAA]; we don't do these any more, going for the fully generic ones like the following CPE labels
* [http://www.bayteam.org/docs/CPE_Ribbon_Labels.doc Arlene's generic label-printing file in Word for CPE]; globally change the dates and the judges' names to match your trial and print on standard label sheets.

==Pictures of some of our awards==
<gallery>
Image:PerfectWeekendRibbon.jpg|Perfect weekend ribbon
</gallery>

[[Category:Trial job descriptions]][[Category:Awards]]