Good read
Created: 09/10/2013 Are you like me, still wondering? Every time we open our weekly top-up of dog info, news and views, there’s another take on the subject of falling entries. Where are we going with all this? Will things improve all of a sudden? Can there possibly be a solution to restore our dog shows to the high days and former glory? Why are people not doing what is most desired in the show ring – enjoying themselves enough to want to do it again, and again? Shows are too big, there are no CCs on offer so why enter, we don’t like the fact the judge is fast-tracked and not passed by our breed council but the Kennel Club seems to be ignoring this, and others that had a very low entry have other appointments already when we don’t have judges that have been in the breed for years and clocked up a bit of respect. Showing is expensive and we can no longer afford to show so many dogs, or spend a fortune on petrol on our day out when we know before we leave home, because somebody in the know has told us who is winning, not just the CC but that each class can be calculated. People even travel with a judge, show under them and win for heaven’s sake! This and more we hear frequently. Is this so very different to how it’s always been? When we were new to the game we were not aware of the goings on and probably happier for it. Predictability could be killing the sport. But has it not always been the case that you can work out why somebody has won – friend – swapping judging appointments or CCs, promise of this, that and the other. Skepticism is in abundance. Even if the judge is as clean as a whistle, dirt from a disgruntled person will stick to a degree. Is it possible to change attitudes on a large scale? Listening to a conversation recently on the Government and the things that have changed for the worse made me think about the next generation. My friend was saying that she despaired of what the future would be like for her new grandchildren, and she had discussed this with her daughter. But the daughter just shrugged it off and was not at all concerned saying ‘this is how we do it now mother. You’ve had your time.’ The thing is young people have not lived in our time, as of course is always the case from generation to generation. They don’t know about the good times we had when we had to work hard for our money but had a much freer life with far less rules, less officials jumping on us from every angle and certainly more freedom of speech. We dare not share a joke about anything a bit risqué in a restaurant in case we get overheard and arrested. We find this restrictive and we want to rebel. Our dog world has changed to. We are continually under pressure instead of just having fun with a bit of breeding and showing. Exhibitors could be rebelling – many are of the right age, many of us that is that don’t enter shows as we used to. We may be dropping off in our droves because for our generation the best has been and we can’t see the shinning light that used to guide our paths. We are also fed up with being told we are bad losers and these things that we are rebelling against are not really happening. So are we stupid as well? Battle-weary Things have changed – not necessarily for the better. Some of us are tired of the battle for a fair crack and no longer want to drive hundreds of miles every weekend when we can chat to our doggy friends on the internet and enjoy our dogs at home rather than being treated as surplus to requirements other than ‘making up the numbers’ at a show. This may well be a phase. The next generation when they emerge from being young parents and have more time available will seek entertainment and one way will be to follow the hobby of participating in sports and pastimes with their dogs. So this worrying passage of time will seem like a blip in a year or ten. Hopefully when this happens we will see more tolerance, less arrogance from some judges and constant winners, and a return to happier exhibition for all where the art of presentation overrules. How can you boast of a CC coming from an entry of 12? It might be a good idea for the KC to give CCs out after the close of entry of a show. The more entered the more likely to have CCs on offer. It would certainly add a sense of suspense to the proceedings. Are winning CCs the only incentive to show a dog? I always thought not, although I suppose it speaks for itself when a breed club’s championship show attracts 100 entries and its open show is lucky to get anywhere half that number even though they put on many specials and run other activities such as flyball or agility, even a companion show alongside. People are just not turning out. Is the choice of judge entirely to blame? It is possible because some judges are still pulling in very respectable entries. Do show societies notice? Should they ask the judge how many entries they attracted on their last judging appointment for the breed? What about those crossbreeds? Not that again I hear you cry! But everywhere you step somebody has a doodle type dog. These dog owners could have been the owner of a pedigree dog that the breeder thinks the next best thing to the top winner – probably out of the top winner. We have no doubt lost some potential exhibitors to the crossbreed generation. Maybe that’s why some people think there should be a place for the crossbreed in the show ring. For me I feel this is a sad scenario for the breeds as we know them. I wouldn’t be happy to have a cross of my breed as a challenger. Is this another case of total rejection of new tricks? Is this a generation thing that some of us have passed without a market flooded with the 39er (three generations of one breed nine of the other) or the 42er as they are now banded about? Bright future Dog World – our necessity to life paper, has to be patted on the back, they are asking questions, more importantly to the right people – ordinary exhibitors – that spend any spare moment thinking about dogs, our hobby and the next show. They are asking for suggestions about what can be done to improve the whole show scene and it will be interesting to hear the outcome. They are also very much a generation paper. Dog World has a new generation of reporters, photographers and an amazing up to date media extension of programmes to reach out to a whole new audience. The next generation are being considered, catered for and fed with the technology they so desire. This paper is doing much to secure a bright future for the general world of dogs. But, let’s not forget we still have potential in an older generation. Recently a friend retired from work, she wants a puppy and is intent on showing as this is something she has always wanted to do. "Where do I start,” she asked, "I can’t be doing with all this technology, I don’t even have a computer.” So there are still some people out there who need our paper in print and will learn from it. I hope this will always be the case and we do not have a generation who are forgotten in our effort to bring in the next generation no matter that they are important. Yes, there are exhibitors that feel downtrodden at the moment. We must have a serious talk to many of our judges, and they must listen or be put out to graze, young or old. There is a sense of arrogance, of ‘we are better than you’ and your feelings don’t count. You can’t say it’s all rosy in the garden of dog shows. Exhibitors are at the judge’s mercy, but they are in fact more important than the judge. We want a fair crack and as soon as we feel this is evident at the majority of shows the tables will turn and it will be seen that there is life in us old dogs yet! |
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