Fri, 11/03/2023 - 11:23pm

Question of the Week

As a rule, are you happy with the time of day the show superintendent schedules your breed to be judged?

 

Rhoda Springer

Faber, Virginia

No, I am not happy with my ring times generally. I show Rhodesian Ridgebacks, and in the last 20 years or so, preference is always given to coated breeds. We are in first thing in the morning the majority of the time, even when I have put in a polite request for a later ring time. The predominant exception is outdoor shows in the summer, where we are in the ring last during the heat of the day.

There is also an assumption that this is not an issue due to the RV crowd. "Everyone" is camping here is something I heard from a ring steward at a show circuit in Doswell, Virginia, earlier this year. So an economic burden is placed on short-coated breed owners to either rent increasingly expensive hotel rooms, or buy an RV. Spreading around the love like the superintendents used to do would provide a more equitable environment.

 

Gladys W .Knox

Armagh, Pennsylvania

Not happy when the Pekingese is put on early, as grooming takes a lot of time! After 10 a.m. is good.

 

Lani Morris

Owensboro, Kentucky

Oh, boy, have you hit a nerve with this question! I have both a coated herding breed that requires pre-ring grooming and a smooth hound breed that just needs a swipe with a washcloth.

Too often, the coated breed is at 8 a.m. and the “washcloth” breed is at 2 p.m.! 

Then again, all too often they are at exactly the same time, or close enough that I have to decide which dog is the priority that day, or pay a handler if nobody else is available to help out. Either way, I lose. 

I think in the past, most owner-handlers focused on one breed. These days almost everyone has more than one breed. As expensive as a dog-show weekend is, you want to get as much accomplished as possible every time you go.

Why couldn’t supers could run owner-handler entries through some type of algorithm that would identify their multiple breeds and schedule accordingly? I know their jobs are already complicated, but surely this would be doable. It could at least improve time conflicts between breeds. Or in the case of impossible conflicts, offer refunds for the dogs that don’t get shown.

Pros have assistants to get their breeds to and through the rings. Owner-handlers have to rely on themselves, friends or family, or pay a handler if there are conflicts.

While on the subject of superintendents, is there not a way to get judging schedules out sooner? We can’t plan if we don’t know when we have to be there! The day before the cluster starts is not soon enough, considering that we all have computers. Most entries are in excess of 30 bucks a dog now! The exhibitors deserve that info in a timely manner. But that’s a question for another day …

 

Linda Tilka

Madeira Beach, Florida

Having Poodles with three varieties to space out allowing for grooming, and running back and forth to the rings at different times, was an issue many years ago. We approached the superintendents decades ago, and they have been more than cooperative. Of course, some would beg to differ, but overall things work out well. 

Thank you, superintendents, for your continued support.

 

Betty-Anne Stenmark

Grass Valley, California

For many years I scheduled all four days of our shows. Our shows were spread out over many acres, and it was important that the right breeds got in the same rings day after day. Also, since I show a coated breed, I understood that it was important that short-coated breeds be earlier in the day and those requiring extensive grooming later in the day. Have you seen how unattractive coated breeds look shown outdoors in the heavy dew of fall?  

For a number of years now, we've let the superintendent schedule our shows, but with our new showgrounds and different specialties it was important they too got in the right rings, so I began giving more input than in the past. I can remember years ago seeing a large contingent of Alaskan Malamute exhibitors humping their tents and equipment across the show grounds on Saturday afternoon. Huh? Well, it seems we'd screwed up, and on Sunday they'd been scheduled in the wrong ring. It is far easier to move the judge around than dozens of exhibitors, their dogs and equipment.  

A friend shows Dachshunds, and it's been interesting to see how often they are scheduled first thing every morning. And the same thing applies to the short-coated breeds ... but is it fair to ask these same exhibitors to get up in the wee hours of the morning every day to show first thing? I began to see it needed to be different a couple of the days. And what about the single-breed entries, which are often shown at 8 a.m. and then that person has to sit around all day waiting to show in the group? So I began to schedule single entries for first thing after the lunch break. 

And breeds like Pugs and Bulldogs and Frenchies, as well as large, dark-coated breeds shown outdoors, should be scheduled before the heat of the day. Of course, sometimes this can't be helped, but worth trying to remember these details.  

And for ease in the ring, grouping table breeds together, as well as ramp breeds to negate the tiresome in and out of the table and ramp.  

I will be interested to hear what exhibitors have to say in answer to your Question of the Week.  

 

Diana KyDon

Chester, New York

Dobermans, sample ring times for a four-day cluster:

Friday: 8:30 a.m.

Saturday: 8:30 a.m.

Sunday: 8 a.m.

Monday (federal holiday): 2:30 p.m.

I understand we are a "wash and wear breed," but let’s change it up a bit. Being up at 4 a.m. to drive to the location, get gear set up, etc., and be at our ring prepared is exhausting days in a row. Early Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and then getting caught in rush-hour traffic on a late Monday (always busy holiday-weekend traffic!) really steals the joy of showing. Let’s mix it up a little, superintendents! 

 

Judy Manley

Saybrook, Ohio

I own, breed and show English Springer Spaniels. Preparing one for the ring takes an enormous amount of time prior to the show and then more time at the show for their ring appearance.

I don't mind if the time is after 11 a.m., but it is tough to get to the grounds by 6 a.m. to get my dogs ready and I still end up rushing for an 8 or 9 a.m. ring time.

I wish the superintendents would consider the ring preparation of a Labrador or Vizsla versus a full-coated spaniel when arranging ring times for the show. The short-coat dogs can show up shortly prior to ring time. But the total opposite is true for full-coated breeds that require a long preparation for showing.

 

Danelle Gatcombe

Groveland, Massachusetts

My breed is German Shorthaired Pointer, and, NO, I am NOT HAPPY with the fact that we are usually scheduled early in the morning. Why do we always have to be at 8 or 9 a.m.? Fair is fair — we'd love more late morning/early afternoon times, especially after driving two or three hours to get to a show. Thank you!

 

K.M. Hudson

Monte Sereno, California

I show Maltese. Like all drop coats, they take hours to get ready for the ring. Recently the superintendents have all decided that showing my breed as well as many other drop coats should be between 8:30 and 9:30! It is miserable! Then, often the Toy Group is anywhere from number five to seven in the order. We are stuck sitting around exhausted all day, trying to keep our dogs in full coat, especially Maltese, white and off the ground. Completely inexcusable!

Kathleen Broska

Springfield, Massachusetts

Often superintendents love to put the Pembroke Welsh Corgi on at 8 a.m. and then have them scheduled as the last group of the day.

We do have a double-coated breed that does require grooming. 

 

Linda Foiles

Louisburg, North Carolina

For the most part, I have to say the superintendents do a terrific job with ring times. You can't make everyone happy all the time. I know there are exhibitors who ask for preferred times, etc. I don't ask for one of those times, however. With today's hotels limiting the number of dogs per room, adding pet fees per dog, per night, it is difficult to find a hotel that will allow more than one dog per room, no matter how well behaved they are or how tidy you leave your room. Dog-show expenses add up quickly no matter what we do. Everything takes more money these days! We know our exhibitors aren't getting any younger, but it was nice when you could also share a room with a friend to help cut those expenses.

Those 8 a.m. ring times for coated breeds sometimes can make it difficult to get to the show on time if it is within a two- to three-hour drive from your home. Getting up at o'dark thirty to hit the road is not fun nor safe. Makes me think twice about entering even that close to home. As you can see, this part of the dog-show dilemma is so much more than ring times!

 

Linda Dossett

Stafford, Virginia

No! They always put Pembroke Welsh Corgis on first thing, and the Herding Group at the end. 

 

Kate McMillan

Delisle, Saskatchewan, Canada

My breed takes an experienced groomer 45 minutes to an hour to prepare for the ring. 8 a.m. ring times are brutal, but at all-breed shows we expect to take our hits with early mornings like everyone else.

However, early ring times for specialties in high-maintenance breeds should be avoided at all costs.

These key events represent weeks of effort and significant expense. The entry is often supported by multiple dog exhibitors without paid assistants.

To leave a dog in her crate at a specialty because the super hasn't provided sufficient prep time is a heartbreaker that discourages multiple dog entries over the long term.

 

Sue King

Flemington, New Jersey

Later ring time is VERY important to us, and I know it's not going to happen all the time. However, when a super assigns us early judging — 8 a.m. or 8:30 a.m. — every morning of a circuit, it can be very difficult; this in spite of polite email requests for later judging. I completely understand that it's impossible to make everyone happy, but the time to get your dogs done up appropriately so they can look their absolute best when being shown is crucial in today's sport.

Thank you for asking this question.

 

Vince Savioli 

Boonton, New Jersey

Pembroke exhibitors are very frustrated with superintendents scheduling our breed at 8 or 8:30 am. We all have sent requests for later judging, and it doesn't seem to matter. Non-coated breeds should be the ones being scheduled early. Also, if you are scheduling Herding breeds or any other group of dogs early, don't make that the last group of the day.

 

Terry Kelso

Novato, California 

I have American Cocker Spaniels; they have to be groomed. I never want to go into the ring before 10 a.m. I hate it when we are scheduled at 8 a.m.

 

Bobbie Wood

Cranford, New Jersey

Oh, this is a loaded question for a coated-breed exhibitor! I show Lhasa Apsos, and way back when, we would wait with great interest for the judging program to arrive in the mail. Our ring times determined what time we got up, hit the road and got to the show, or if we had to get a hotel for the night before. If the show was three hours away, I would put a note in with my entry and ask for a late ring time so I didn’t have to stay up all night to get there. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn’t! Even though my dogs were all bathed and groomed the day before the show, when we arrived at the show it was another hour to get them ready for the ring. If I brought two dogs to show, it was at least an hour and a half or more.

I do think superintendents are aware that coated breeds take longer to get ready and do try to schedule them later in the day. And now that everything is computerized, it is a little more difficult to send little notes about ring time. There’s no check box for it on the entry form! Just sometimes there is a glitch in the computer, and we get a horrible ring time, and it costs us extra money and time! But we will always be there … looking beautiful!
 

Sylvia Arrowwood

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

I have Pugs and Bulldogs. Both are usually scheduled first thing in the morning, which can make for conflicts but makes sense as both are brachycephalic. No complaints, therefore, as the health and welfare of the dogs is of the utmost importance, and I would have  it no other way.

 

Nancy Edmunds 

Bowman, Georgia

Mostly, but it is very hard when both Vizslas and Wirehaired Vizslas are at the same time in different rings, or when they are right behind each other with no break to take dogs back to your set-up and get other dogs.

 

Pam Mandeville

Somerset, New Jersey

Who is? But seriously, I only ever really get annoyed when they put a large number (more than 30 dogs) in a single block, making it hard to plan. And since I have hairy dogs, being on first thing when there's clearly an alternative is equally frustrating. But I do understand that superintendents have a lot to juggle.

 

Carol Horner

Bluffton, South Carolina

I remember when I started showing my Irish Setters some 30 years ago. There were lots of complaints about the 8:30 ring times for long-coated, and eventually sculpted, Irish Setters. After a while, it just became laughable. 

It would be appreciated if the superintendents would lend some courtesy to the long-coated breeds, which do require a couple of hours to prep for the ring in the morning. Not expecting a later start every time, but at least a consideration.  

 

Dick Miller

La Harpe, Illinois

I often get complaints from exhibitors regarding ring time. Most recently it was Miniature Poodles before 9 a.m. The complains are always from coated breeds that require lots of grooming. I obviously have nothing to do with scheduling.

 

Iva Kimmelman 

Stow, Massachusetts 

Ring times for Whippets certainly seem fair. Sometimes it's first thing in the morning, sometimes it's last in the day. More often it's midday or early afternoon. Someone is always going to be inconvenienced and likely to complain. 

It's our hobby. We should be grateful that we have shows at all. 

As far as I am concerned, I paid my entry; it's up to the super to figure out the ring times.

I just roll with it.

 

 

 

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