Vent my Spleen
GAL had the pleasure of once again attending the Scottish Kennel Club Championship Dog Show at Ingliston last weekend and it was an experience and a half.
Setup started on Friday with three of us attempting to build the double marquee in gale force winds. We were persistent but it was just never going to happen. We enrolled help from neighbouring stalls in the form of several large men to help hold it down while we pegged in the supports but - just at the point where we thought we had it cracked - the entire structure flew into the air with all of us attached. Of course, everyone around had a whale of a time recanting stories of similar disasters from previous shows and each had their own ideas on how to make the damn thing stay, all to no avail.
We eventually had to admit defeat and hire a 'framed structure' (i.e. a large tent) and you don't want to know what that costs when you book on the same day! Unfortunately, we still had to use the same muddy swamp to put it on! At least the 3-man team who successfully erected it cheered us up as we sat staring at them from the van, giggling hysterically. Strangely, we found the one wearing 2 hats a particularly hilarious target!
On Saturday morning tempers frayed while potential customers milled around searching for bargains amongst the stacks of boxes we had yet to unpack - but the tea and egg rolls cured that and we soon got right into the swing of things. By Saturday night all feet were aching, eyes were drooping, and were were silently apologising to and thanking the men we'd harrassed about the tent. Sorry 2-hat-man!
Sunday brought a feeling of endless doom because we knew we were stuck there until Best In Show had finished and the crowds had dissipated (probably 7pm). But, as we all know, the cure for endless doom is chips and sauce from the van and so came our second wind. We cuddled dogs of all shapes and sizes, puzzled as to why we had never before tapped into the market of selling greyhound coats to spaniels and rotties, and eagerly wondered how much was in the cashbox. And all that was in between shopping, stocking up for the new GAL Shop and collecting a unique dog portrait by a famous artist painted especially for GAL which reduced everyone to tears (but that's a story for later...).
The only real sour notes to these shows are the miserable faces on some of the dogs, especially those left benched while the owners walk around (for fear of messing up their coats). They look so bored; like they could do with a good run around in some puddles! Then there's the numerous metal choke chains still being employed (harshly) and the owners who insist on hauling their dogs around - even away from water bowls - while screaming at them. My particular pet peaves are the owners who chastise their dogs simply for trying to communicate with their canine neighbour, or who snap the lead across their dog's back like a whip. These supposedly pampered pooches are dragged around like fashion accessories and would benefit from more than a bit of obedience training - and so would the owners!
Anyhow, the punters at the SKC Shows have invested around £2000 in GAL this year so I'll stop there. We all made it home alive and in one piece, albeit exhausted, and were delighted to abandon the tent for those same three men to wrestle with. But we spared them the laughs this time.
Setup started on Friday with three of us attempting to build the double marquee in gale force winds. We were persistent but it was just never going to happen. We enrolled help from neighbouring stalls in the form of several large men to help hold it down while we pegged in the supports but - just at the point where we thought we had it cracked - the entire structure flew into the air with all of us attached. Of course, everyone around had a whale of a time recanting stories of similar disasters from previous shows and each had their own ideas on how to make the damn thing stay, all to no avail.
We eventually had to admit defeat and hire a 'framed structure' (i.e. a large tent) and you don't want to know what that costs when you book on the same day! Unfortunately, we still had to use the same muddy swamp to put it on! At least the 3-man team who successfully erected it cheered us up as we sat staring at them from the van, giggling hysterically. Strangely, we found the one wearing 2 hats a particularly hilarious target!
On Saturday morning tempers frayed while potential customers milled around searching for bargains amongst the stacks of boxes we had yet to unpack - but the tea and egg rolls cured that and we soon got right into the swing of things. By Saturday night all feet were aching, eyes were drooping, and were were silently apologising to and thanking the men we'd harrassed about the tent. Sorry 2-hat-man!
Sunday brought a feeling of endless doom because we knew we were stuck there until Best In Show had finished and the crowds had dissipated (probably 7pm). But, as we all know, the cure for endless doom is chips and sauce from the van and so came our second wind. We cuddled dogs of all shapes and sizes, puzzled as to why we had never before tapped into the market of selling greyhound coats to spaniels and rotties, and eagerly wondered how much was in the cashbox. And all that was in between shopping, stocking up for the new GAL Shop and collecting a unique dog portrait by a famous artist painted especially for GAL which reduced everyone to tears (but that's a story for later...).
The only real sour notes to these shows are the miserable faces on some of the dogs, especially those left benched while the owners walk around (for fear of messing up their coats). They look so bored; like they could do with a good run around in some puddles! Then there's the numerous metal choke chains still being employed (harshly) and the owners who insist on hauling their dogs around - even away from water bowls - while screaming at them. My particular pet peaves are the owners who chastise their dogs simply for trying to communicate with their canine neighbour, or who snap the lead across their dog's back like a whip. These supposedly pampered pooches are dragged around like fashion accessories and would benefit from more than a bit of obedience training - and so would the owners!
Anyhow, the punters at the SKC Shows have invested around £2000 in GAL this year so I'll stop there. We all made it home alive and in one piece, albeit exhausted, and were delighted to abandon the tent for those same three men to wrestle with. But we spared them the laughs this time.
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