2011 Owners Invitaional information – **Canceled**

This memo was recently sent to the media and Bass Cat Dealerships.None of the funds have been deposited at this time, and the entries will be returned via mail. BCB Admin. May 6, 2011 RE: 25th Annual 2011 Bass Cat Invitational Memo to: Bass Cat Dealers, Elite Staff, press and other interested parties, This is the 25th anniversary of the Bass Cat Owners Invitational as we enter our fortieth (40th) year of building Bass Cat Boats. Soon we will have a statement on line that we are canceling the 2011 Bass Cat Invitational. This decision is not based upon our local lakes conditions. Before anyone assumes the lake levels on Lake Norfork are our concern, they are not. We have held this event twice before under similar conditions and a third time would be no real challenge to us, or the participants. Lake Norfork is now in extremely excellent condition for fishing and the lake is producing limits at a pace much higher than normal. Everything from Catfish to Stripers are being caught easily along with bass species. The fishing is excellent so come on over to Norfork if you want to go fishing! Plus the Corp is regulating the lake level steadily at around 579 with use of the flood gates. The Cystic Fibrosis event is still scheduled for May 14th and it should be a really great event. As mentioned above the fishing is wonderful right now and the lake is in good shape at the 579 foot lake level. There is a lot of room and plenty of cover to fish. As for the Mountain Home area, businesses and the local USACofE ( United States Army Corp of Engineers), they have all gone out of their way to cooperate with any needs we have for this event. The USACofE has offered us almost carte blanche opportunities to move the event where we see fit. We could not ask for more cooperation than the Corp of Engineers has offered. So Thank You to the Chamber(s), Whtie River Artists, MHHS Athletic Dept., Bomber Booster Club and others who have worked to bring this event together. Also to our sponsors which have supported this event for decades. This spring season in the SE has been plagued with many extenuating circumstances, and we feel those are overwhelming to all those many individuals who would desire to participate. This is a very difficult decision as in the past we have weathered the lake levels we have now, ice storms, sleet, high winds and thunderstorms and these have never resulted in an event cancellation. Over the 24 years we have only canceled one final day due to a horrendous freezing rain and ice storm and 3″ of frozen rain and sleet. That storm actually stranded those in Mountain Home for days at the motels. Thus the history makes this decision very difficult. Over the last two weeks the Southeast has been inundated with weather complications. The beginning of that was from rains in the states here. We also have the Mississippi River, mid White River and the Arkansas River flooding, then the tornadoes from Arkansas to Virginia, and also the economic situations which further impact those natural disasters. Which all has effected several of our Bass Cat Family and Friends across the country. Most of the Southeast is under stress and we prefer to not add to that in any way. The Pierce Family and the staff of Bass Cat feel that we would be taxing those desiring to participate at these undue times. There is a much more pressing need for those in areas to assist their families and friends. This is where their hearts and minds should be, rather than being torn between continuing a long time tradition of attending the Owners Invitational. Moving forwards we are making all communications on the cancellation and regroup. By May 21st we intend to announce the future plans regarding this event and how we will move forwards. Those future plans may include a full size late October event, a smaller October/November event, or a much larger sping event in 2012. Future announcements will be posted on the Bass Cat Owners Board and the Bass Cat Boats BCB Facebook page. We apologize for the late decision on this cancellation though we waited as long as we felt that a quality decision was possible. Regretfully, Rick Pierce PS: I apologize for any spelling or punctuation errors, though we wanted this out soon. RickLast edited by Bass Cat Boats on May 10th, 2011, 1:10 pm, edited 5 times in total.