Aloft Winchester is the host hotel – please follow this link to book a room at the ABMC rate of $82/night for rooms (2 queen or 1 king) between Friday May 6 – Monday May 16. (National speciality events are from May 7- May 15, see the schedule overview page for details.) This rate is available until April 10, and is subject to availability. The hotel is located at 1055 Millwood Pike, Winchester, VA 22602. (540) 678-8899.
We regret that there are no accommodations for RVs onsite at the 2016 National Specialty; however, Candy Hill Campground is located nearby at 165 Ward Avenue, Winchester, VA 22602. (800) 462-0545 or between 7pm and 9am (540) 662-8010.
Information about the Body Renew Fitness and Family Sports Center (aka Sportplex) at 221 Commonwealth Court, Winchester, VA 22602. (540) 869-0100. This is the site for the agility seminars, agility, banquet, conformation, obedience, rally, vendors, and welcome reception, and is adjacent to the dock diving site. Crating and setup may begin at 6am on Wednesday, May 11th. The building will open at 6am each day. Crates may be left up overnight, but ABMC and Body Renew will not be responsible for any lost or damaged items.
The photos and commentary below are from April Albert, the assistant specialty chair and a local resident.
- Menu for Walter’s Bistro, the café inside the Sportsplex. (No outside food is permitted in the Sportsplex – err, Body Renew Fitness and Family Sports Center!)
- Obedience & Rally area:
“This is the turf area. It measures 180’x80′. Food and beverage is not allowed on the turf. Dog water is allowed. There will be NO GROOMING and no brushing, etc. on the turf. You may set up your crates and chairs on the turf. You must place a tarp under your crates and chairs. We will not be supplying the tarps. Spread the word, and spread your tarp to share. The obedience rings will be set up on the blue wall side, to the right, 2 rings, side by side, so seating will be on three sides surrounding obedience rings on the turf.”
- Grooming area:
“Along this wall and turning to the right around the other goal post, surrounding the turf area will be where ALL GROOMING is set up. Grooming and crating will not be on the other sideline flooring where the obedience rings will be up against (there is no access on that side). There are 16 outlets to share on 2 walls. The bleachers will be removed and placed on the turf for us to use. No tarps are necessary in this area but you will be responsible for keeping your area clean at all times. Dogs can be crated in this entire side of the building, on the turf and/or on the floor while we are in the other side of the building (near bistro) for our welcome party and banquet. Our annual meeting will be held on the turf. There is 1 water hose outside the back door to the Sportsplex. You can see the exit sign down this aisle.”
- Another area:
“To the left under the wooden gazebo like structure is where the main entrance is and under the gazebo is where the Bistro is. THE FOOD IS GREAT! Freshly prepared real food! Breakfast and lunch served. Beer and wine also served. You may be in the ring while an audience of exercisers watches overhead on the second level. They are not noisy, but you may want to make your dog aware. There are also various exercise rooms upstairs that you can see through the windows. Again, I am sure there will be spectators. The bathrooms are along this blue wall. The netting at each goal will be removed for easy access to set up and take down.“
- RV Day Parking/Parking area:
“The blue line is Commonwealth Court. The green line runs through Camping World’s parking lot. The red line and star is Gander Mountain [dock diving – MB]. The yellow line is the way to the RV day parking at Body Renew/Sportsplex. The little yellow line is the main entrance to body renew. ALL EXHIBITORS must use the main entrance. Only workers, judges and vendors can use the rear entrance (empty on this photo) to park regular sized automobiles, all others will be towed. Body Renew has more than one location in Winchester. Program your GPS/mapping system accurately [221 Commonwealth Court, Winchester, VA 22602 -MB]. Attendees will need to be courteous of each others space needs. There will not be anyone to direct parking. In an emergency, you will be responsible to find the person that may be blocking your exit. All regular sized vehicles can park in the lots you see other cars in around the building and in front.”
Shenandoah Valley Monthly Magazine (What to See and Do in Shenandoah Valley). See also the related Shenandoah Valley Web.com site for other resources.
Winchester-Frederick County Convention and Visitors Bureau
Winchester – Virginia is for Lovers