Can Anyone Recommend......

[TC]

An Idiots Guide to Showing?

I'm more and more interested in showing the dogs, and having signed up for ringraft classes, can't wait for it all to start. The trouble is, I really know so little. I look at the rules, regulations, classes, exceptions and everything seems to get lost in my pea sized brain :blink:

I wonder if anyone can recommend a good book that covers getting started with showing, and actually manages to explain in layman terms.

I know that I will gain more and more knowledge from ringcraft and being able to ask everyone there, but it would be good to have a background knowledge rather than pestering everyone all the time.

Thanks very much in advance

 

[Beerhound]

There are a number of books aimed at Junior handlers but they could be worth a look at. After all the basics are the same although you wont get asked for the complicated ring patterns called for by some JH judges.

The book by Jackie Hurley is quite good, I got this when I was teaching JH at ringcraft, although I was a JH myself a few years ago now!!!

 

[~JO~]

'Beginners to Winners' by Robert Killick

Very good for covering all the basics of dog showing!

 

[Lolcoe]

Beginners to Winners is a good book and excellent if you know nothing, but it was this book that initially put the fear of god into me about shows as it makes it sound a lot more regimented than it actually is!!!!!!

All in all it is a good book and i often look through it for reference.

There is another book i have that is very good and you can actually buy it as a package with the other off Amazon.

A lot of general Whippet books have sections about showing which are not bad picture wise :thumbsup:

Amazon Link

 

[~JO~]

Yep I've got that other book as well! The Winning Edge, thing is its a bit American for me and I also felt not really for people that just fancy doing a few shows - its a bit hardcore! :lol:

But saying that is has some useful bits, I like Robert Killicks book but I wasn't a complete novice when I read it so it didn't scare me, but it probably would have done otherwise! I like it cos Robert signed it for me and wrote 'good luck with Archie whippet' ahhhh

 

[Karen]

If you just asked one or two questions at a time I think you would be hard pressed to get better advice than you can on here.

Or pick someone to help you off here and PM them, perhaps in your area or just someone who you feel gives a good reasoned answer.

I think like anything new it seems harder at first because you are trying to take in loads all at once. Try to concentrate on just the first bit you need to know, ie how to stand and show your dog at ringcraft, dont worry yet about which door to use into Crufts (w00t) .

Best of luck

 

[JAX]

:lol: Very funny Karen :lol:

One peice of advice I always give new exhibitors , Start at the open shows or companion . Not only are they cheaper, £4.00 compared to £20.00 but people arnt usually so `wound up` about taking their dog into the ring and are more willing to help newcomers , Plus the classes are smaller , which means you have a better chance at a place . and at Open shows you usually get Rosettes, when all you are lucky to get at a Championship show is a piece of card (w00t) .Im sure there are Open shows quite regually near you , whereas some of us travel for hours to a Champ . show .

What ever you decide , Good Luck and any help that we can give Im sure we will :luck: :thumbsup:

 

[Karen]

What bit was very funny Jax

Your reply made us Champshow exhibitors sound like complete idiots, travelling 100s of miles for a piece of cardboard :blink: allthough, come to think about it (w00t)

 

[Liz Third]

I should like to add to Jax's good advice about open shows by saying that it depends a bit on the open shows in your area, if there are only one or two classes for whippets they are not so good, but Breed Club shows can be really good, even at championship level, (entry fees are much cheaper than at general or all breed ch. show), and many of the clubs have maiden, novice and special Beginners classes, ideal for newcomers. Also they are usully less hectic than all breed shows, and you know that everyone there is a whippet person and will probably have time to chat.

 

[TC]

What bit was very funny Jax
Your reply made us Champshow exhibitors sound like complete idiots, travelling 100s of miles for a piece of cardboard :blink:   allthough, come to think about it (w00t)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

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(w00t) (w00t) (w00t)

 

[TC]

Thanks so much everyone for all of this info, I can feel a bit of a bashing to my credit card coming on :- "

We are definitely going to start with the companion shows, as this is nerve wracking enough. However, we have great plans to stalk all of you mad people who drive all of the country for your cardboard so we can see how it's done (w00t)

Can't wait..........

 

[aslan]

Ah, Yeah! Get into it Tracy! I can see you'll be a convert in no time at all