Hear hear Hewey, well said.

Dawn R.

Why ? Speaking as an agility instructor of many years experience, I can tell you that at club only matches the newer handlers gain a great deal from competing against the more experienced and those who do compete at big competitions. Its absolutely invaluable to them, especially as they don`t train in the same classes, to see what to aim for and to spot handling techiniques in action. I would say not competing alongside newer people is doing them a great disservice and all handlers I have ever taught agree with that whether brand new to it or `old hands`.

I honestly can`t fathom your attitude if it is genuinely not about you yourself not wanting to have `too much competition` [ in any activity ], aka sour grapes.
It seems to me that you are the one taking it far more seriously than those you accuse. JMO :smt102

If people want to be miserable at a show because they are not winning, that really is up to them and no one else.
Some people thrive on being sourpusses no matter where they are and no matter what they are doing.

Personally, I much prefer to have a good natter and a laugh with whomever is either side of me in a fun show ring, I don`t care if they are `proper` show`ers or not and I don`t care if they beat me. Part of the pleasure for me is seeing others beaming when they get placed and getting to congratulate them and give their dogs a fuss.

I was brought up to genuinely believe in `its the taking part that counts, not the winning`. Perhaps those who do have a case of the sours about it, [ for any reason ], should give that ethos a try, it makes the whole thing much nicer all round :smt001

No, I don't. I don't care if I come last or don't win at all.

...because I don't think it's fair on the other dogs who aren't yet at the standard required for competitions.

Oh, i'll still do the agility so other handlers can see what techniques I use that work for my dogs, so they can perhaps pick up some tips for the way handle their dogs on the agility course, but I will withdraw from club competitions.

Perhaps it would be good for fun agility competitions to be split into those who compete officially, and those who don't. Just a thought.

Westie: Quote:
I have not yet started official KC competitions in agility. The agility compeition on Saturday was for club members only. As it happens, we are off to get both of my dogs measured next weekend, to start official competing. When I eventually do start competiting, I will no longer enter club agility competitions, or any that aren't official, as I don't think it would be fair on the other dogs.

I also don't compete officially in obedience, and don't plan to either. I only enter the obedience competitions at Companion/fun dog shows. If I did compete officially in obedience, I would not compete at obedience at Companion dog shows.

Again, if I showed my dog at official KC shows, I would not enter the pedigree classes at Companion dog shows, as I don't think it would be fair on the other dogs, if my dog was a champion or not - UNQUOTE


Agility - Not fair on other dogs? Why? just because yr dog competes 'officially' doesn't mean it will win hands down, even 'good' dogs have off days
Obedience - Again why not? I have a dog with a Silver award, going for gold we are. But let me tell you she can have off days, deaf days, stubborn days. Just because she can, does'nt mean she will. And I doubt if I would be competing against Mary Ray anyhow
Champion - with you there, if you had a champion show dog then I don't think you are allowed ???

If you really don't care, as you stated, whether you win or lose, why are you so afraid of competition?

You wanna know something folks ?? We are all posting, to try to justify to Westie N, why we show at Companion Shows. Now I have no problem with that at all but when we have to then try to prove that our dogs love showing, love meeting people, don't mind being crated for a wee while, and that most of us don't mind being beaten/ not getting placed and enjoy giving to charity, I think we are giving this woman far to much credence.
I love a good debate with the best of them but Westie N has a very cloistered view and not once has she ever given ground on her argument. Indeed, she has been rude, argumentative and in her 1st post on this topic, gave the impression, wrongly as it seems, that this was discussed at committee level.
I don't think I will bother justifying to her why me and my lads go to any show. I pay the entry fees, the petrol, do the grooming, show the dogs, lug all the gear and thoroughly enjoy myself, as do the lads. I don't need Westie Ns approval.
I vote that we close this thread and stop giving this woman any more of our precious time.
Clipper & the furry gang.

I agree. She persistantly ignores my posts and refuses to answer my questions anyway
The good thing is her cloistered view is very individual and seems to be held by just about nobody else so there is every chance that companions shows will continue up and down the country pleasing diverse dog loving people and raising money for good causes.
I simply hope that her own individual society has not suffered with her actually naming the show, appearing to be an official and possibly put some people off in the future but somehow I doubt it :smt001

hi hewey, in answer to your question, we were lucky enough to get the same amount of entries as last year, however the takings were down around £150.00 as there didn't seem to be as many people entering all classes they were able to. we will never know what harm has been done. i thank all who have posted and the pms i have received on the subject and don't worry god williing we will be doing it again next year all will be welcome. waterside action group who campaign against puppy farming will benefit by around £400.00

Guess what - the other dogs don`t give a hoot about the dogs they compete against


Unless your club is different to every other club I know of, training classes are at different levels. I can`t imagine a new handler being thrown into a class of experienced handlers. Do you expect new people to stand and watch you to gain your handling wisdom as well as attend their own class ??

Your apparent newness to agility makes it quite clear to me that you don`t actually understand much about competitive agility be it at club only or at major competitions, don`t yet realise [ because you don`t actually compete yet ], that club comps are a good grounding and practise for handlers for formal comps, and certainly nothing at all about how new people benefit greatly from competing alongside the more experienced at a club comp.
For the record, comps including at club level are usually run at differing course levels and perhaps an `Open` for all course. If a handler under me thought they were `too good` to compete against new `lowly` newbies I would`nt want them in my club quite frankly, I want handlers of more experience to share with newbies, especially as far as competing goes.
Its called teamwork.
People who don`t want to be part of the team can train elsewhere as far as I`m concerned. [ and yes I have booted people for being too up themselves and for being ego laden pothunters, they did`nt half spoil the atmosphere for everyone else, they hate stiff competition and moan constantly when beaten fair and square that the judge missed this or that in everyone elses run and penalised incorrectly on their own runs every time they were beaten :smt075 ]

Incidentally, being sniggered and rolled eye`d at is the sort of reaction most people get to their sour grapes behaviour, whether miffed at being beaten [ in any activity ] or sniping about others with comments of `it was`nt fair` and teddys being flung from prams.
I`d never want to be on the receiving end of that for being a sourpuss.
Just a thought...

I pondered on your comment....if thats the case...why ever do you care at all who else enters :smt017
If you are not bothered about being beaten yourself, why do you feel it so necessary to be concerned for what other people might, [ but usually don`t.... ], care about who can enter in case these `others` you are worrying for might be beaten ?

If you really don`t care about being beaten - and as everyone else knows, someone having a show dog is far from a guarantee of a place in a fun show :smt005 - I can`t see why you are in the slightest bit bothered about show dogs entering so why be so anti about them ?

If `other people` are the ones you are so concerned for, let them say so for themselves and let them challenge the KC about it - wont get them anywhere of course because thems the rules, but if they really want to whinge about it and look like bad sports then surely thats their problem, and certainly not yours, at least not if you are being true to yourself about really not caring if you get beaten :smt102