Day Two at Pier 92

by Joan Harrigan

Day one at Pier 92 had its challenges for exhibitors and spectators alike.  Non-sporting and toy breeds draw crowds, and extremely limited seating and the lack of tiered bleachers or grandstands meant that only a lucky few had could see the dogs in the ring.  Standing on grooming tables provided the necessary height, but armband numbers were impossible to decipher.  And, the lack of a holding area meant that handlers needed to plow through the throngs to reach the ring.

Day two found better conditions for the terriers.  Purple velvet ropes lined holding areas for the handlers and the crowds seemed to have thinned a bit.  As weather conditions improved and the skies brightended, spectators need to shield their eyes from the glare to see the dogs clearly.  Airedales silhouetted against the windows provided a pretty picture– their beards appeared backlit– but it was difficult to see the details of the dogs’ conformation and presentation.

The spirit of camaraderie so often found in the grandstands at the Garden may be found in the new venue.  Strangers struck up conversations, and cell phone pictures of pets waiting at home were viewed.  When a ringside chair was vacated, a woman standing behind it graciously offered it to someone who had been sitting for an hour on the uncarpeted floor (“you have to be cold!”).   In the Airedale ring, the class dogs were applauded.  An undocked tail in the Norwich ring was greeted with similar approval.

The setting may be different, but the spirit is the same.  There are undeniably kinks to be worked out– exhibitor seating, endless lines at the food concessions, inadequate lighting, limited room for grooming at the benches.  One exhibitor was heard to say that nothing could equal the thrill of entering the enormity of Madison Square Garden with your homebred dog on the end of the lead.  Undoubtedly true.  However, overall, the concensus seems to be that the move from Madison Square Garden was overdue.

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Posted by JoanHarrigan on Feb 12 2013. Filed under Breaking News, Current Articles. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.