Table Talk
At last, I am making my journey home from Arizona! I attended two great circuits ending with the Fiesta Cluster in beautiful Chandler, Arizona at the Wild Horse Pass Indian Reservation. There were rings inside and outside the Rawhide Event Center and Friday groups were held in both indoor and outdoor rings. With unseasonably warm temps, the show committee decided to hold all groups indoors Saturday through Monday, which, in my opinion, was an excellent decision. Kudos to the show committee for their sensitivity to the dogs and exhibitor’s comfort and health. I strongly recommend giving this cluster a try next year if your schedule permits. There were several special events including Dock Diving, an Open Show each day, National Owner Handler Series competition and Pee-wee exhibition. Those Pee-wees are so adorable!!! With all the special events being held, this cluster demonstrated great public outreach. This was a job well done by the cluster committee!
With the upcoming Orlando shows and AKC National Championship on the horizon, the shows in Costa Mesa have changed their show dates to Thursday through Sunday instead of the Friday through Monday schedule that they previously had. Hopefully this schedule change will hold the entry for Sunday as in previous years the Monday show was a ghost town. Many leave directly from shows held the weekend prior to the Orlando shows causing great travel stress for exhibitors and dogs. Personally, I will have a 12-hour turn-around before heading to Orlando. Even though I am not traveling with dogs, it’s a pretty tough trip.
The Puppy stakes at the AKC Championship have had an overwhelming response from the fancy. There are over 1200 entries that required seven additional judges to be hired to judge the event.
Several of my dog show friends have reached out to me regarding “bullying” at dog shows. We have all read on social media, and seen on the news, stories of bullying in the classroom. While it is hard to believe that adults would exhibit similar behavior, it is a reality and, in my opinion, very unfortunate. Seeing each other week-in and week-out, we may see behaviors or practices that we may not necessarily agree with. If those practices do not endanger the wellbeing of the dogs or exhibitors, I think it would be best for the sport of purebred dogs to focus on our own behaviors and practices. If one feels it is necessary to question someone else’s behavior, I think it would be best for the sport to take that conversation offline and discuss it with the person privately, not publicly. Social media should be “social” and is not the place for backbiting and fighting.
Personally, I think it is very unfortunate that some exhibitors find it necessary to intimidate others with dirty looks, questionable ring behavior, and negative comments. We should all remember that we are trying to grow our sport and being kind to others is paramount to our success. Think about how your actions toward dogs and other exhibitors appear to the novice who is thinking about taking that step into the ring. This, in my opinion, goes for judges as well. Some new exhibitors may appear tentative or confused their first couple of times in the ring and those first experiences may “make or break” the person and determine if that they continue to show dogs. A bit of patience and a little help from the judge may bring that person back. Rude behavior just may scare that person away.
One more thing: Please remember that the judge’s seating area at the group ring is not soundproof! A discussion you may have with your colleagues about dogs being exhibited are sometimes overheard by the public and exhibitors.
Our sincere condolences to Lisa Croft-Elliott and family on the passing of Lisa’s father, Thomas Worthington, Jr. Please know we are all thinking of you.
Happy 25th wedding anniversary to Luke and Diane Ehricht! You two lovebirds must have been married in grammar school!!!
Celebrating birthdays this week are: Curtiss Smith, Cathi Schneider-DiGiacomo, Matt Hoaglund, Colton O’Shea, Gary Doerge, Desi Murphy, Dianne Ehricht (busy week for you my friend), Roger George, Scott Yergin and god’s gift to the Shar-Pei world, Dr. Linda Tintle.
I wish all my friends the best of luck as another show year nears its end. Please be safe in your travels and be kind to your fellow competitors.
Until next time my friends…
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