At a guess, The highest bidder

Does it? I am not sure how it can.

The rental of the NEC must be stupendous and now they are without Pedigree sponsorship and BBC coverage, both probably six figure sums each.

I guess that next year gate money will be down and a number of prominent exhibitors will feel that they would be "politcally" better to give it a miss.

The KC is going to be hit hard in its pocket and I can't say that makes me feel anything other than pleased!

Hi Shona Heard a wee rumour, tho' that it might be Sky 280, they seeming did a great coverage of Discover Dogs.

Oh they do believe me & a big chunk is passed on to the KC Charitable Trust.

The only thing that will reduce the number of dogs entered will be the cost to the exhibitor & prominent exhibitors will all be their if the judges are "right "for them. I doubt if the gate money will be down, as lots of people turn up to watch things other than the breeds

This will not hit the KC hard they have plenty of funds & if the profit is down it is the Charitable Trust that will suffer-the same Trust that the RSPCA accepted £48,000 from & who haven't been seen to return it despite disapproving of pedigree dogs so much that they have withdrawn from Crufts.

The General Public who are genuinely interested in dogs will still turn up in their 1,000s.

Spot on Jackbox

On the whole the General Public has so little knowledge of what breeds have what conditions & that are shared with the very crossbreeds & mongrels that are so popular with the RSPCA, JH etc etc etc

I am not a show person in any way, shape or form but do enjoy the coverage of Crufts (even with the awful presenters!) simply because I am interested in dogs, and enjoy watching them. Now I live so far from Birmingham, I probably won't get to another Crufts for some considerable time, so get a fix from watching the programme. For that reason, I think it is a shame the BBC have pulled out.

I wonder whether Horse & Country on Sky will take it up? (They are currently showing Discover Dogs).

If Horse & Country channel do cover it they will not pay a fraction of what the BBC did.

And yes the hire of the NEC does amount to a lot of money but to discount the contribution made by the BBC to cover that cost is stupid.

The cost of the NEC is an expenditure, the monies from the BBC are income. Cut the income and then can you afford the NEC???

Steve

I'm curious as to why my statement about my personal lack of interest in showing should lead to a question about whether I think those that are interested in showing are bad owners.

I wouldn't label any group of people as bad owners. Each to their own. It's a big world and there is room for all tastes.

I didn't say I wouldn't buy a KC registered dog. My point was that I no longer see association with the KC as being any guarantee or even any suggestion of quality.

I gather from listening to discussions that a lot of people feel the same way as me. If enough of us feel this way then it won't be long before someone fills the void and provides what pet owners want - a governming body that will only endorse breeds and breeders that have a track record of producing healthy pups with great temperaments.

When I got my first dog my first port of call was the KC. I learned there that there were no health problems associated with the breed I was interested in and no requirements for any health screening. The breeder was experienced and well respected. That was good enough for me.

It worked out just fine. But I now know (thanks to recent publicity) that I got lucky by picking a healthy breed and a good breeder! If I were to buy a dog again (another breed) I'd do a lot more research and wouldn't place any value on KC membership or show ring success.

I didn't suggest otherwise. As I've said, I got two great dogs from two great breeders so if it weren't for the recent TV program and the action by groups like the BBC I would be a firm believe in the notion that KC membership guarantees great quality pets!

I chose the Beagle because I like everything about the beagle. But not specifically the 'Show Beagle'. There is a big difference between show and working varieties of many breeds. Some of the things that show breeders value in a dog are very different from what I value. In actual fact, my first dog is considered a bit of a reject by the show world. Yet we're frequently asked by passers by where we got her as many people prefer her build to that of the typical Beagle. And in actual fact she is built EXACTLY like her ancestor from the late 50's - her build was in fact the norm in this particular line before people started breeding for the show ring.

I believe that those that show have every right to improve the breed in any way they see fit. As do those that want to improve the breed for working, sport or simply as pets. I know a lot of breeders of working dogs (e.g. pack hounds) are very much against breeding for the show ring. They believe that dogs should be bred to work - not prance around a ring. But I don't see it this way. There isn't enough work for dogs nowadays. Their role has changed. It follows that breed standards should change accordingly. But I don't think those that breed dogs for the show ring have a monopoly on the breed.

Where the BBC , at the LKA at the NEC this week end...???

They managed and have done for yrs to cover the costs of a two day show at the NEC.. using 3 of the halls..without to much trouble or sponsership from major companies.

Yes Jackie but you must remember that people who don't show are probably only aware of Crufts as it was the only one televised thus reaching the non showing people.


They don't know about the all the other champ shows that are held throughout the year all over the country who like LKA are run without the BBC or sonsorship from the major companies , like you say, and they probably don't even realise the amount of trade stands at Crufts a lot of which are not doggy orientated, and the revenue the KC gains from therm.