Yes TC there are still plenty of sailors ;-)

> Clarence Parade :)

Must have walked past your place hundreds of times! Used to go to the fun dog shows on the common until His Highness decided that so many dogs in one place was his idea of hell.

Well there are 19 dogs that live in the home all cavaliers, the oldest is 12 and the youngest is 2.
My dogs are my world i would not be without any of them past and present.

Yes TC there are still plenty of sailors ;-)

Hmmm..Interesting:)

In my name I have two, Cher (5 yrs in June) and Reba (2 years).  I live with three more, Casie (8 years), Star and James (littermates - 2 years).  That reminds me, I have to go groom James for the show this weekend! 

The most I have had is 7, when I had Chase and Rufus (Reba's Littermates).  I count them because I kept them longer and they were 4 months old before they went to their forever homes. 

My neighbours have no idea how many dogs I have, or what breeds.  There are always dogs coming in and out of the house.  A lot think I have Dobermans here too (because my Aunt will bring her dogs up when she stays). 

Little funny side story, when I was breeding Cher in November of this past year, the stud dog came and stayed with me while the breeding was taking place.  The breeder dropped the male off, but also had her GSD in the van as it was going to get photos done for advertising.  Anyways, my landlords knew I was breeding another litter (and they know how many dogs I have and what breed) and when they saw the GSD dog jump out of the van their mouths dropped and eyes went wide open!  They thought I was using a GSD to mate with my min pin!!!  hahahaha

I have fond memories of Southsea Common show (early 80's), showing the rabbits and staying in a B+B there.

Having the show on the grass in front of our house ( well technically we got the funfair - still do) was a rare treat.
Such a shame it ended.

I know policing and insurance costs were cited as reasons to stop - but so many other events go on there every year it seems strange.

> The wind used to drive the hail hard against our blue, goose-pimpled legs; only the resilient survived because Miss Crombie didn't allow excuses such as hypothermia to detract from the games lesson.

Similar lines.........learning/playing hockey on the 'top' field in S Wales, running round with shorts, aertex t-shirt and a knitted jumper on while 'SHE' kept telling us it wasn't that cold.........while the hail/sleet/snow settled on her fleece track suit, hat, scarf, gloves, fur lined boots

> I have fond memories of Southsea Common show (early 80's), showing the rabbits and staying in a B+B there

Blast from the past!!  :-)

Barbara, I showed on Southsea Common in the same era.  I had the longhaired cavy breeds for many years.  Many a guinea pig show was held at the same venue as rabbit shows.

Probably saw you at 3 Counties too!  :-)  :-)

It always makes me smile when I see posts like this, because it appears there is a certain breed of human that is an animal person!  Marianne is another that has showed other than dogs.  :-)

And myself.

I won't forget my first Southsea Show where I looked out of the tent and saw a huge ship sailing past only a few feet away! I'd arrived by train & taxi and had no idea the seafront was that close to the showground.

The Southsea Show was one of the reasons I decided to move there; I participated in the show in some way - either as an exhibitor or organising displays - from then every year until its demise, and I think we lost something truly great.

Barbara, I showed on Southsea Common in the same era.  I had the longhaired cavy breeds for many years.  Many a guinea pig show was held at the same venue as rabbit shows.

I did as well -well late 80s anyway! (When I'd just arrived here.) Rats it was for me back then.

Jean and Barbara -what about the London and the Bradford? It was thanks to the Bradford that I ended up living in Doncaster.

I travelled to Bradford the day of the train strike in London in 1985, so got the coach up travelling overnight, then got a Bus to the Racecourse.

I developed tonsillitis on that trip which turned to quinsies infected pus filled) and septicaemia ending in a weeks stay in hospital.

I think I got a second with my chocolate English buck.

Travelled to all the shows by train from London and used a luggage trolley with two boxes strapped on, and often walked several miles to the venues.  I was 19 - 21 years of age.

That is where the fascination with genetics and breeding came from.

One of my favourites was the Southern championship at Bognor Regis, went to say hello to people I knew when we were with the agri show at 3 counties..

> what about the London and the Bradford?

Oh remember the Ally Pally and the fire?

Then the change of venue that didn't quite make the same atmosphere in Middlesex.

Oh, Bradford Championship Show was my "holiday" and I remember one year, due to VERY heavy snow, seeing the news, and just white where the motorways used to be.  I was told that nobody was travelling.  I threw a snow shovel in the car and a huge piece of carpet in case I needed to put it under the wheels.

Eeriest journey I ever had.  You never quite knew if you were on the motorway, because you just couldn't see a thing.  Every 25 miles or so I saw a broken down HGV with a driver sat under it, fire going, trying to defrost the diesel.  All the cavy people stayed in the same hotel, and booked a table together on the last night.  After dinner we went into the lounge, drinking and talking to the early hours.  Oh we had some good times!

I love reminiscing!  :-)

I loved the National breed club stock shows, group rate at a hotel the night before the show, dinner and dance and then up for the show in the morning, great fun.

>I have fond memories of Southsea Common show (early 80's), showing the rabbits and staying in a B+B there.

When we lived there in the early 70s I used to show my fancy mice at the Southsea Show; it was a big event, with the show jumping, the donkey derby, the flower show, the dog show (one of the first shows where I exhibited my first show dog a year or so after we left) as well as the 'small furries' show and all the stalls and sideshows. What a pity it stopped.

Oh remember the Ally Pally and the fire?


I do -except it was before I moved here. I went to the London there in 1980 with some friends, then our next visit was in 1984 and then of course it had moved because of the fire.

My best Bradford memory was one year winning the 5 star CC with a Polish rabbit. :) Got BOS with a hamster at the London once. Fur & Feather (when it was Bob Batty) described me and my (ex) husband as "versatile fanciers" as we were always showing in several different sections.

i used to love the ally pally even had chickens and ducks being shown it was great. i showed chin rex at southsea and my dad showed black and tan mice and he always won bis!

When we moved here we had 9 dogs, that increased to 17 and now "down" to 12 + a Shetland pony that thinks he's a dog. We also had a herd of goats, geese, ducks & chickens (now all departed). It's pretty much a full on job and I tell people that 1 dog is nice, 2 are fine & any more is total madness.