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Old 11-08-2003, 07:56 PM   #1
Winston
Talking North Florida Reptile Expo with Florida All Sate. Herp Conf.

This is just to let veryone know what might be happening next year!

Dear Vendors, Herpers, and Friends:

I am writing this email to inform you of recent events concerning the All State Florida Herp Conference hosted byDr. Max Nickerson/Museum of Natural History in Gainesville Florida. Over its 20 plus years the show has seen many changes. In recent years the show has been completely deviod of animals and with only minimal book and art dealers. The main focus has always been the speakers. This year Dr. Nickerson has asked myself to look into reinstating a live animal show to the conference. I have put a great deal of thought into it and have decided I would like once again to have animals at this venue
I know what everybody is thinking, "Great, one more show in Florida." Hear me out please. I agree with recent attitudes in Florida about the number, scale, and quality of the reptile shows. This is why I have become disenchanted with much of the business. I want to use this great opportunity I have been granted to help the reptile trade improve, not to make a quick buck. I AM RUNNING THIS SHOW WITH NO INTENTIONS OF PROFIT!!!!! Costs come first, a donation to the museum will be second, money for next years show is third, and my pocket is fourth and last.
The All Florida Herp Conference will be occurring on Friday, April 9th and Saturday, April 10th. The live animal aspect I am conducting would only be on Saturday. Even though the conference and my event are occurring together admission, administration, contacts, and information will be kept separate.
For brevity I will only outline a few of our goals. Full details are available upon
request and with the vendor packets.
I want this show to be fully geared toward education of the public and all aspects of husbandry, breeding, promotion of captive bred animals, promotion of hygiene, and promotion of individual breeders. For this first show, I will be allowing non-captive bred animals, however, they will be limited, Every animal will be THOROUGHLY inspected, must be fully acclimated, and must be feeding on easily acquired foodstuffs. Vendors selling non-captive bred animals will have to pay more for tables. The following show after 2004 will not allow non-captive bred animals. This show will only be in conjunction with the All State Florida Herp Conference and will only occur once per year.
Vendors will have access to the Herp Conference and all the talks and new research data from UF. I will also focus on individual breeders and vendor comfort. I will provide Subway subs and beverages to vendors. Electricity will be available for a fraction of what other shows charge. I hope to have a table manned by a professionally educated and advanced herpetoculturist to provide information to the public about animals they have purchased. Herp Societies, Reptile Adoption Societies/Rehabbers, and nonprofit groups will receive steep discounts on tables. Wholesalers will be allowed with the stipulation that
prices must be kept reasonable. I will not allow $10 ball pythons for instance, or 30 iguanas piled in a ten gallon tank. This show WILL model the professionalism and the integrity that the All Florida Herp Conference has built over the last 20 years. Most of us vendors got into reptiles because we found something intrinsically fascinating about them. So let's set up booths promoting our hobby and show our pride in our animals.
On top of promoting captive breeding, scientific knowledge, and reptiles in general, I want this to be a show that is more geared to the vendors' interests. With this mindset I have tried to keep table prices low, electricity fees extremely low, keep the advertising budget hefty, and provide the vendors with lunch and beverages. Prices for vendors will be as
follows:

Single Tables:
Herp Societies/Nonprofit 8 foot $25
Captive Bred Animals Only 8 foot $40
Cage/Supply Dealers 8 foot $40
Captive Bred and Long Term Acclimated imports $60

4 Table End Cap limited supply)
Captive Bred Only $140
Captive Bred and Long Term Acclimated imports $225

Electricity $15 per table
Extra Badges and Lunch $10

SPONORS ARE NEEDED!

Admission to the Herp Conference will be determined by Dr. Nickerson and what you decide to pick 1 or 2 days, BQ dinner, etc. that paperwork will be included in your vendor package.Vendors will receive a discount on admission to the conference!

Hotel Deals:
Dr. Nickerson has reserved a block of around 30 rooms and has them at the special rate of 69.99 per night. The hotel knows we will have live animals.


Again this is just an outline of our plans. We
Welcome your ideas and input. Please reply to
DragonLD89@aol.com or Bcherps2@yahoo.com. Please send
vendor packet requests to Bcherps2@yahoo.com


Winston Tsai
Premium Herps