
by Terry Matthews-Lombardo
Most meeting planners are constantly increasing their industry vocabulary to include new terminology such as bandwidth, hybrid meetings, social tables and more. But imagine if your job required you to learn about trigger locks, rifle stock, Wachtelhund and Munsterlander – say what?

And, oh yeah, game bird hunting and dog training. Oh my!

Okay planners, getting back to that earlier reference about the ‘Wachtelhund and Munsterlander’… any guesses as to what these are? If you answered “breeds of hunting dogs,” you were correct, and when asked just how important they are to the success of her big annual event Lacey’s response was immediate. “They are a HUGE component of our show. We parade them with their owners through the pre-function area of the exhibit hall where an announcer introduces each owner and dog on a stage. This gives the [general public] audience an opportunity to learn about that specific breed and what they are best known for in the hunting world. We also have a Bird Dog Alley section on our show floor that consists solely of Bird Dog Breeders and Clubs, but the highlight of our National Classic is that Bird Dog Parade which kicks it off each year.”
Now, circling back to those wild game dinners mentioned earlier, Lacey’s gut reaction when she planned her first one was, “Oh my goodness – people eat this stuff?” She quickly learned that the answer was yes indeed, so much so that they rarely even bother to include desserts in their catering orders due to the size and quantity of the main courses. Typical entrees include such delicacies as elk and bear meatballs, barbecued raccoon, Rocky Mountain Oysters with Wasabi Aioli, Moroccan style rabbit and an interesting and eclectic array of additional wild game items. She also is proud to report that her taste buds have definitely expanded since taking on this job, in fact on the day of this interview Lacey says her lunch consisted of blue cheese stuffed duck wrapped in bacon that someone from the office brought in to grill and share. Oh yes, and one thing she doesn’t have to deal too much with at her catered events would be special order meals. At her first event of 1,100+ attendees there was only need for one vegetarian dinner!
By the way, if you’re still wondering what ‘trigger locks and rifle stocks’ are so you can increase your vocabulary knowledge, both terms refer to guns. Feel free to contact meeting planner Lacey Anderson for a more detailed explanation!
