UK Show Scene - Is it time for change? - Page 1

With some 35 sets of CC's each year, spread across Breed Clubs and General Championship Shows, with General Championship Shows having annual CC's and somewhat restricted facilities for exhibiting our breed to its best presentation, is it now time for our GSD breed here in the UK to seriously examine ALL options for its future in respect of Championship Shows. Ruling nothing in and nothing out, ALL ideas and suggestions being presented, debated and recorded, eventually leading to a comprehensive and much improved GSD Show scene throughout the UK for our breed. We certainly need change, the question is whether our generation has the will, the ability and the courage to "bite the bullet" and develop and implement the neccessary changes. Will our generation be afraid of speaking out and profering radical ideas in case there are personal criticisms or attacks. Will personal interests overwhelm any chance of progress? There are many such issues with some people in our breed, because "change" brings uncertainty for some existing successful exhibitors, and some have thoughts like "if they did not think of the idea it must be wrong" or "if he or she thought of the idea I just could not agree with it", or the "what about me or my club syndrome". Such considerations only impede and even halt any meaningful progress. It is important that we create opportunities for progress and improving our GSD Show scene in the UK, it is important that we enter into such considerations with a determination to succeed, The future of our Show scene also has the added problems of huge increases in travelling costs and rising costs in dog food and indeed many other costs.I ask a simple question, do we need to address these challenges or simply continue as we are?

With the 3 splits in the breed it will never be easy - you have the German Show the English Show and the Working or DDR lines - and some of the DDR's do go to shows - I have seen some there and some crosses.

The double handling makes showing more expensive as you need to take a contingent of people with you and that usually involves more cost as you often need more than 1 vehicle and some shows charge entry fee's for spectators.  Another cost of the German style of showing is the need for more extensive training - on the Sieger thread one of the comments showed an owner having to travel 180 miles to ringcraft and the cost of both time and petrol is just too prohibitive for most people.  If you cant access appropriate training some people choose to have their dogs trained for them and this again is something that many people cannot afford.

Another issue is the need for handlers, how many owners handle their own dogs if there were classes introduced for owner handlers only it would certainly stir a few things up!  I understand that the cost of entering the show is regularly cheaper than that of getting a handler to take the dog into the ring.

It has to be remembered that for many people showing is a hobby and is something that is only going to be an extra in their lives.  I know of very few people in any breed who can afford to show whatever the cost.  Another thing that I know puts many people off is when 1 dog is consistenty winning and getting the CC's continually goes out and massively reduces the possibility of another dog doing well - leaves some people thinking whats the point??  And again when cost is such an issue it has to be consisdered.  I get another breed newsletter and they have already raised the point of a CH. continually going out and the resulting lowering of class entries against it.

The comment about me and my club - what about those who dont belong to clubs??  There are many out there who may feel pushed out because they are not club members.  Do the GSD exhibitors at the shows encourage newbies to take part and hopefully become permanent fixtures on the show scene or are they driven away?  Younger newbies are going to be needed as they are the oldies of tomorrow.

Who knows where the answer lies David, unfortunately the show scene in the UK is on a slippery slope downwards I am afraid. Re the allocation of CC's. It would be of great benefit to a lot of Breed Clubs if they did not have to rotate, and could have CC's each year instead of the General Championship Shows having CC's every year, at least it would boost a little more income into our clubs instead of some clubs of having to hold some Open Shows in Champ Show place which at times are have to be cancelled due to poor entries. It would also save us at least £7 or £8 entry fee per dog entering at a breed club, let alone the cost to get in, etc even the coffee which is £2 per cup!, It makes a very expensive day, especially if the kids come along too!

Also many clubs do not have training, to have puppy walks (3-6 months) at some shows could also boost entries, at least people could have fun with the pups training, but I would imagine the KC would greatly oppose that one!

On a final note I am not sure that the falling entries has something to do with the 'knock on' effect in that we are just not breeding as many litters as in the past, in 1996 we bred almost 27,000 litters now it is around 13,000 in just over a decade, apparently it is the same in a lot of breeds, even some of the most popular smaller breeds their entries are at an all time low and at some canine societies some breeds are getting no entries.

So I would say give us back our Breed Ch shows, and some bloody good judges!!

Spike

I agree, a huge shake is long overdue.

I can think of 4 immediate reasons why show entries are falling, 3 have been mentioned already;

1.   Sour grape effect - This is always going to be the case and it is tough luck - if you can't compete gracefully then don't bother turning up.

2    Rising costs - can't do much about this - it affects us all - again tough luck!

3    Kennel Club rules (the biggest problem with our show scene) - would love to see these abolished and then we could enjoy exhibiting our dogs in the way it was intended, as on the continent - in fact, would love to see all ties with the KC abolished and a governing body similar to the SV put in place, which would really take the breed forward and actually care about the future health, welfare and temperament of our breed rather than just accepting the £12 registration fee per puppy and pretending to care! But, I don't think it will ever happen. Of course it would mean no CC's but who cares? Dogs would be graded on the day and each placing would have a significance overall for the whole show season.

4.   This has not been mentioned already and would have an immediate positive effect on show entries - I fail to understand why show committees do not make better use of the internet to advertise and promote their shows - schedules and entry forms should be available for all to download! Come on show secretaries - this is the 21st century!

if people are moaning about cc dogs constantly winning the ccs at shows why not have a new class called champion class like we do back home then all champion holder dogs enter that class and then the open dogs and the youngsters get a chance! it makes little sense why people cant think outside the box if the shows are dwindling in numbers put on more fun events have the different clubs competing against each other for club held trophies clubs should support their members if any are learner judges it was disgusting to note only two of us supported Kim of vonmeister from the leicestershire club yet all those that didnt support will be at training on thursday asking her to run their dogs round the ring yet they couldnt give up a damn cc show and support this youngster it is not the newbies that are killing the shows and the breed its the idiots at the top who have forgotten what a hobby is which is to have fun and if they can only think of win win win then they are definately going to kill this wonderful breed.

EJ

Mind you it would help if clubs looked at what other shows were on especially Champ shows before setting their own dates.  They did clash with a well known show- However I bet there were many that could afford to give it a miss.

If there was more communication between shows it would help matters as then each show could advertise the next.

EJ, well said, thank you.

its not up to the clubs they submit dates and shows to the kennel club the kennel club approves them or not the kennel club should have noticed that two shows were being held on the same day which in all fairness still doesnt justify why no one from kim's club bothered to support her, if more people bothered to support the up and coming judges maybe we would see a turnaround

The KC send the club secretary a list of shows in that area around that date so the show sec can see whats around. It is then down to the show sec to pick a suitable date, they would have or should have known about the other show.

Something needs to be done to try and liven up the UK show scene maybe the way forward is to break from the KC and "go it alone"

For those that show for fun or are new cost is a problem, i hate paying over 75p for a coffee there is also the cost of training etc. Maybe training should become "regional" where clubs get together and share the cost.

The problem with breaking away from the KC is many "pet" buyers like to have puppies from dogs that have done well in the ring.  Many dont understand that Crufts is not the be all and end all in the GSD world, and although even the most devoted show breeder understand the majority of dogs do end up in family homes.