June first week in Carlisle PA is very uncomfortable to those of us from the West. You can have the show anywhere (and other makes do) but just know that about 80% of the participants are going to be from a 4-500 mile radius. This of course is just my informal estimate collected from 25 years of coming to said events.
My guess is at least one of those organizations would share some data concerning who came from where to attend those events. We could pretty much assume our results would mirror theirs.
In particular it would be interesting to see how the timing and location impacts attendance over time.
Why Don?
Our average humidity is about 60 in August. I know, we are wimps and being soaked in sweat at 9am should be no big deal…
Hold on wait a second I have been going to Carlisle for over 20 years and there is always some weather going on rain the heat and humidity thunder storms flooding BUT the weather is changing this year if it were not for the fact that there was no water in sight you would have thought you were in San Diego 
(oh no the end may be near)
You need to expect the full range of weather when you pack for Carlisle. It is often chilly in the morning and then blazing hot by the afternoon.
It almost always rains some and there has even been the threat of hail.
But this year the weather was absolutely perfect!
Obviously, it is impossible to please everyone. The Delmarva Cougar Club has hosted 2 Nationals and so has the Cougar Club of NJ/PA so that is 4 between us.
You need an energetic and motivated core group and you have to have a thick skin. You will get complaints. Nothing is more of a buzz kill than working your behind off only to be fussed at - or worse. If you are willing to put yourself out there you just have to expect that - there are givers and there are takers.
Creating t-shirts for the shows is a little microcosm of that. Having done the shirts for at least 5 Nats and countless other Cougar shows, I’ve learned that if I just please myself then ultimately the results will be positive.
- Phillip
That settles it… It needs to be in Oregon. Perfect weather = less Grumpy people. Rarely hear much negative from the folks who attend the Cascade Cougar Club events, NEVER heard a negative word from anyone that has attended our get togethers here at WCCC. I have little interest in judged shows, seems like the peoples choice events and events like ours where the only prizes that are given are for tires that go up in flames bring out the more laid back crowd. Jeff B and Scott F are full on pros when it comes to events like these, whatever they say I 100% agree with.
There you go! 
Great idea.
Like Don I would rather see a peoples choice show. It also put a lot less burden on the people who organize the show.
Judging is where the grumpiness usually emanates.
Lots of work but tons of fun.
Forgive me for adding my 2 cents worth since I’m sort of an outsider, but maybe something in this will spark a cord with someone else in the planning department.
One of the things I’ve noticed after attending shows across the country and in other countries over the last 40 plus years, is that each club and even region of this country has a different level of expectations as to the distance the average owner will be willing to travel. Using data from other clubs with their member expectations and norm might not directly apply to the Cougar groups because of this .
Though this group could be very different I’ve noticed that in MCA for example Easterners are often more likely to travel greater distances to bring a car than owners from Calif where they can normally choose between 6-10 shows to attend to somewhat locally on any given weekend. In other organizations owners (smaller group) with the high dollar trophy cars will travel the farther to get that stamp of approval and possibly raise the value of their car. OF course the average age of the members can affect all of this also. Retired people have more time to travel though many are on a limited budget. Younger families have tighter time limits and less spendable dollars. You get the idea - but something to consider. No matter what you choose you need, IMHO, to pick the location and date with the biggest bulls eye and give it a try. You don’t get a second shot at a 50th. Hopefully members and participants will not look at it as a onetime deal but the start of something long term
Allot of the time (other than the corvette club and one or two more) move their national shows around the country every year. Often the ones in the central US are the least participated in from what I’ve seen since they lack the local high urban population centers - though some clubs will still hold them in these locations often absorbing the reduced return on time and effort when compared to the ocean edge states
Also it takes awhile for a group (if they have not had an ongoing national show program) to get use to having an annual show, sometimes planning those family vacations around those shows if need be and concerted effort of attending for the good of the group and enjoying those friendships that develop around participating at the national shows. I would say that at allot of the shows I attend 30-50% participating didn’t bring a car something owners might consider
It can and likely will reduce the number of participants also, unfortunately since many of the show type guys will often leave their restored cars at home. But just one opinion.
Think for a group like this you need both - something SAAC has gone to bring out more cars and try and be everything to everybody
Ok time for the stoning to start
It can and likely will reduce the number of participants also, unfortunately since many of the show type guys will often leave their restored cars at home. But just one opinion.
I may disagree some with this. I don’t really like “Judged” shows from a participants stand point. I don’t build my cars to be judged. But to be enjoyed. I don’t car a lot for the “That’s not correct” that you hear from some of the concourse people. I think a Dual purpose show works well, Judged for the “Must” have it done crowd. There is always people who want to know if there cars meet the criteria. And a Participants choice show. For the people like myself.
I may be interested in traveling to Colorado for this. The distance is a bit of a challenge for me, but doable. I have been to a national show in the LA area, one is Dallas and the one we did here in Washington state. I have wanted to get to more but have not had the time or finances to do so.
I do hope this goes off and does well. If I can make it I will come even if it is a judged show. Hell, I may find out something I don’t know about Ginger.
Where is Oregon?
A CCOA National show is designed to have mostly judged classes but there are also several non judged classes as well. Those classes, other than the Display Only class, are peoples choice classes.
Randy Goodling
CCOA #95
Terrific insight Jeff - thanks for taking the time to weigh in on the subject.
- Phillip
This is the kind of feedback I had hoped for. Great stuff, and Jeff no stoning allowed here.
On a personal level, I don’t participate in judged shows, or more specifically I will enter in the display only class if that is the only option. However, there are people that put tremendous effort into making their car as original as possible. That group should have the chance to get their car judged by highly knowledgeable judges. For many of these folks, judging is how they learn about what they can do to improve their car. I don’t think we want to leave these folks out.
The event that I am envisioning would include a CCOA event, but would not be a CCOA event. The judged show would just be one small component of the total event. A judged show is all about classes and originality and the judging is correctly based on that. The CCOA has the rules and is the correct body to officiate such an event.
Maybe Legendary Cougar Magazine could sponsor a peoples choice show. People choice shows are divided into classes, the more the better in my opinion. People will vote for a million different reasons, the paint may match the color of the rug in the rec room at home… or the stance of a particular car sets you free… But typically you don’t get penalized for having the wrong date code on your radiator hose.
I would really like to also see a Rest Mod / Custom show that celebrates the originality of modified and custom Cougars. Creativity is in the eye of the beholder, but this could also be a peoples choice show. What is different is that classes don’t make as much sense. Here the trophies might be for best paint, best engine, best interior, that sort of thing.
I could see having three of these mini events at different times through the course of the convention or what ever we should call it.
Clarification: The CCOA Nationals would be one of several components of a larger event. There are a lot of Cougar folks that aren’t members of the CCOA that are pretty happy with what they get online, from local clubs, and other sources. It’s a big community.
WOW!! This sounds real exciting to me, if it could be done in '15. Leaving Ore in April and going thru Nev,Az,Ut,Co,Ka,Mo,then to Detroit by June for Grandsons graduation. Pulling the 71 vert on a trailer behind the motor home. Will be watching for local events and hoping to meet some of the folks here along the way. Told Andrew (WCCC) I would even take pictures for consideration for his calander or other postings to WCCC’s facebook. Will just be meandering around the country. So if some one or club would like to plan this Cougar show around my vacation let me know! LOL!!!
Where is Oregon? Oregon can lay claim to being the home of West Coast Classic Cougar, or WCCC for short. I think it would be great to have the event in our beautiful state! 