There are three basic jobs involved in clerking. The first is being a 'runner'. The second involves keeping track of and labelling things with stickers and the third is collecting information in datasheets. This must sound terribly difficult, but it really isn't.
A runner needs to run back and forth carrying 'stuff', be it vases, documents or information. This clerking task doesn't require much in the way of training, and is the simplest of the three tasks overall.
A 'sticker-er' is in charge of four sets of stickers. They are as follows: the yellow, or third place sticker, the second place red sticker, the first place blue sticker and the all-important blue-white-red tri-color sticker. The job of the sticker-er is to apply the sticker of the correct caliber to the tag of the flower with the corresponding check in the 'place' box. On the tags that go on every displayed flower, there is a series of 1st, 2nd, 3rd and Tri boxes. The judge(s) of the flower will mark in the place that the flower received (if any) and all the sticker-er needs to do is place the correct sticker over the correct box.
The recorder needs to do a very important pair of jobs. The first is to record in a series of data sheets the winner of each section. For each class of flower, there is a sheet. Classes correspond to size and, in some cases, form. Examples are AA, MS, BB. For each class there are divisions in the class based on color and number. For AA-FD the numbers go from 001 to 015. In the row marked 001 on the AA-FD sheet, the number of entrants in the section must be marked. Also, the name of the flower and the name of the exhibitor for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners must be marked in the corresponding box in the row. Note: Not all boxes must be filled in. There will not necessarily be representation in each category and there might not be a 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winner (there mightn't be enough entrants). After each of the flowers in the section are judged, the tricolor winner out of that section will be judged. The box for the winner of the tricolor is very similar to that of the other winners, as the exhibitor and variety must be noted. Next to the tricolor winner's box the judge (and clerk) must sign. There is no indicated space for this procedure. At the end of a section, there is a list for all the judges and clerks to sign. Basically, the recorder gets sheets and must copy the information from the dahlia tags onto them. It's not terribly complicated.
The tasks aren't very difficult, but if there are any difficulties, seek out the 'Clerk Master' before the show with questions.
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