From Dog World UK 29/10/2014 Is anyone encouraging newcomers? by Tim Hutchings This is not the column that I intended to write but the sad deaths of Carl Johnson and Judy Averis, within a few days of each other, prompted a change of plan. One of them I knew very well and the other hardly at all but both seemed to have something in common. It was quite clear from the tributes which came flooding in that both of these eminent dog people had an abiding interest in the next generation and they both did so much to foster enthusiasm in our sport. There were so many stories of Carl giving a kindly word of encouragement to a new exhibitor or freely passing on some of his handling expertise, while Judy seemed to be equally adept at spotting future talent and bringing it on. I almost lost count of the number of people who had obviously gone to Saredon to learn for a few weeks and ended up staying much longer, benefiting from the knowledge and experience of someone who was happy to pass it on. From my own perspective, I have interviewed many top breeders over the years and their stories almost always contain a pivotal moment when someone has encouraged them to get involved in the world of dog showing in the first place. People don’t just accidentally get involved in our sport, they need to be brought in to our community. It is this point that is in serious danger of being missed in all of the good work which is currently being undertaken by the folk who wish to encourage greater participation in dog shows. The latest idea of allowing two sets of CCs to be challenged for in the same breed, on the same day, at the same venue may have merits for established exhibitors in breeds which have moderate entries but surely everyone must recognise that the chances of this idea encouraging brand new exhibitors into any breed is zero. Not close to zero, it is zero. Brand new exhibitors don’t even know what a CC is, so the fact that four could now be on offer on one day is irrelevant. It might help greater participation by those of us who are already dog show converts, but these are not the people we really need. We need newcomers and we need them urgently. The number of new people starting to show has slowed to a trickle and this is the trend that needs to be reversed. Back in the good old days I have a feeling that we had more people like Carl and Judy who wanted to see new people come into the wonderful world of show dogs and not just to make up the numbers, but to be successful. I clearly remember my own guiding light, the irreplaceable Marion Ward-Davies, virtually forcing new puppy buyers to come along to our monthly matches. Not only would she half-Nelson them into attending, but much more importantly she would make them feel welcome when they did come along, spending time with them, ensuring that they felt part of the club and making absolutely certain that they came back. On top of this, she would have match judges from many different breeds and right across the range of competence. This ensured that the prizes were spread far and wide which was a good thing. It is amazing how much an early match win, in a welcoming club can ensure that you have a convert for life who quickly goes on to open shows and beyond. I can think of many successful people today who would not be showing their dogs had it not been for Marion’s friendly persuasion many years ago. I’ve no doubt that Carl and Judy could count many more. Up hill struggle And so what do we see today? In most cases people just want to own a pet dog which they think is pretty and which they believe will be healthy, hence the inexorable rise of the designer cross breeds which ‘reputedly’ fit that bill. In the increasingly unlikely event that someone spontaneously wants to get involved in showing pedigree dogs they are often viewed with suspicion and sometimes presumed to have ulterior motives, particularly if they express any desire to become breeders. The first puppy they buy will almost certainly be endorsed to the hilt and even if it isn’t they may be in a breed where the best dogs are ‘not available at public stud’, limiting their ability to progress. They may be interested in a breed where the coat and presentation is a real challenge and yet who is available to show them how it should really be done? If they get as far as a first show, our new exhibitors may quickly assume that the whole thing is a closed shop where the trade secrets are never passed on and, yet, without them they stand no chance at all. Is it any surprise that breeds which are most complex to present are often the ones where entries are suffering the most? On top of all that, it is very simple for the newcomer to assume that all judging is fixed in the direction of the favoured few. Unless people are genuinely encouraged, their interest quickly wanes as they view dog showing as a way to lose money faster than at a Las Vegas casino. What we need are breeders who, on receiving a puppy enquiry, view it as a golden opportunity to be evangelical about gaining a new recruit to the show scene. I hasten to add that I certainly don’t see myself as a paragon of virtue on this score. To be honest, it is much easier to sell a pet puppy than a potential show puppy. As we all know, things can go wrong and your eight-week-old swan can quickly turn into a six-month-old ugly-duckling which, if it was in a pet home, would be immaterial. I also find it much easier at shows to socialise with people who I have known for years and with whom I have much in common, as opposed to someone who is new into the game, but if we all take that approach then we are on the road to nowhere. Dog shows must be a pretty disheartening place if you don’t understand what’s going on, if no one speaks to you and if you never win. I think that breeders and breed clubs have a vital role to play if we are to see many newcomers into our ranks and we need to encourage them to be successful, not just encourage them to take part. Radical ideas I also have half a mind that we are going to need to be radical on the judging front. Several months ago I became aware of a trail-blazing idea in Australia which, on first inspection, I wrote off as ridiculous. Instead of having one judge for a big speciality championship show, they decided to have three who were all charged with going over every exhibit and jointly placing each class. Needless to say it was hugely controversial and almost never happened at all as the governing Kennel Club started getting cold feet. I freely admit to predicting that the whole thing would be a catastrophe, taking forever, causing confusion and upsetting the exhibitors. In fact, quite the reverse was true. You had a situation where exhibitors appreciated the fact that they had benefited from three people’s opinion. Those judges were required to discuss their opinions with their peers and arrive at a joint conclusion which is not something that judges are used to doing. The reality was that it made the whole judging process appear fairer. I may have been chucked out, but at least it was three people who chucked me out. On the flip side, so-and-so might have won, but he surely cannot have been sleeping with all three judges! I’m not sure it is the answer to life, the universe and everything but at least it feels a bit more transformational than awarding CCs to every breed at every show which only appeals to the minority of exhibitors who actually win CCs. In the dog showing world the quality of someone’s legacy is almost invariably measured by the number of winners they have produced but it may be more powerful to measure it in terms of the number of newcomers they have brought on for the future. Carl and Judy delivered on both. I fear that I may only be delivering on one. Be honest, what about you?
Posted on: Wed, 05 Nov 2014 00:48:08 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015