Good morning all,
Well, the ringcraft classes have been taken and the entry form is in, now what happens on the day??
Do we get passes before the day or do we collect them at the show?
any advice is much appeciated,

Thanks

Mark

For which show Mark, Crufts?

Leicestershire Gundog Society next saturday, it's our first show as exhibitors, do they send passes in the post? do we register when we get there? we are complete novices to the showing world

Most open shows do not send passes out beforehand, you usually collect your number in the ring when your class is called. Get to the show nice and early, maybe just after show opening time. Hopefully you've booked a catalogue, if not buy one when you get there. Look in the catalogue to find which classes you are in and your number. Find out which ring you're in and what they're doing in there at the moment, if you're not sure ask around. I recommend you sit and watch your judge for a while (assuming you're not the 1st class in). By sitting watching you can learn how the ring works, where you stand when you go in, where you have to set your dog up and when and what movement is required. Give yourself time before your class to walk your dog and groom him up, go to the loo yourself and then you're all set. When the steward calls your class you walk into the ring and tell the steward your number. The steward gives you your number which you pin onto yourself and then set your dog up. Hope you and the dog enjoy your day :-)

Good luck, and have a good day, bet you are nervous, i was nearly sick before our 1st ever show, to this day i still have butterflies and feel queezy,

aha but dont get there at opeong times if your in the last class of the day....you will be bored rigid and so will your dog! :) maybe somone else on here is going as well and could offer advise on timings, based on info in schedule....or give the sec a ring and ask her.

Is there anybody from your ringcraft going you might be able to buddy up with them.

thanks for all the help,
there's no one from ringcraft that i know of going, it's a gundog only show and ringcraft is full of boxers, rotties and dogue de bordaux,

Hi, what breed do you have?  I am going to Leicester Gundog...

Hi - it's a Wirehaired Vizsla isn't it, are your breeders going?  I think they'd usually do this show but it may depend on the judge...

May be worth giving them a ring to check as they will have experience of the timings.  If they aren't going they may be able to tell you who is.  Did you have a judging order printed with your schedule?  This ought to give you a rough idea about timings, if you are in the in the ring after one of the big breeds you needn't get there for the opening time.  I have a wire too but didn't enter this show so I haven't seen the schedule, although we're not usually in first.

Ideally you want to be there an hour before judging, this will give you a chance to air your dog, collect your catalogue, number etc and get a feel for the place.  As soon as you know which ring you'll be in go and watch for a while.  It's useful to note where the steward is asking dogs to line up and which way the judge is moving you round the ring. 

I think you have a puppy don't you?  Is there a puppy class?  If not, remember to tell your steward that you have a puppy.  Even if the lowest age class is Graduate for instance, they will still declare a best puppy from those entered.  If you are declared best puppy from the class, or win your class, remember to stay ringside as you will be called back in.  Don't be afraid to tell the steward this is your first time.  Most of them are great at keeping you pointed in the right direction!!  Good luck :)

i do have a wirehaired Vizsla, he's 9 months old, and i've made a mistake with the classes, i've entered him into junior, post grad and open as i thought the experience would do him good at his first show, when he gets beaten by older dogs in post grad and open, is he ineligable for the BPIS etc? I have emailed the sec about changing classes but the catalogue has been printed,
We are on 2nd in the ring after the Bracco's so i assume it will be quite early,

He is only ineligable for BPIS if he gets beaten by another puppy.  So for example, he could come 2nd/3rd/4th etc. in his junior class (and the PG and Open classes) and still be Best Puppy In Breed if all the dogs that have beaten him were adult dogs and over 12 months old.

thanks Rachel, that's what i hoped, what breed have you got? we'll look out for you on saturday

> i've made a mistake with the classes, i've entered him into junior, post grad and open as i thought the experience would do him good

Oh dear, never mind.  It's so easy to get a bit confused when you first start isn't it? 

Just say you won Best Puppy in a breed class but had entered an AV class as well - you would be allowed to withdraw from AV.  Unfortunately you cannot withdraw from a breed class.  However, the sec may take pity on you and let you withdraw before the show.  Perhaps there is a show secretary on CD that can tell you if that is likely?

Re Best Puppy.  You don't need to worry about being beaten by older dogs, you should expect that, but you need to see if you are beaten by another puppy.  You should find most of the puppies are entered in Junior.  This class could be won by an older dog but they will still pull out the highest placed puppy to compete for best puppy in breed.  If there are puppies entered in Post Grad then the same scenario applies.  Once the judge has assessed all the class winners for Best of Breed they will look at the highest placed puppy in each class for Best Puppy.  Don't forget, the judge will move you and get a full hands on assessment in your first class.  He/she will probably just move you a little in subsequent classes.  The advantage for you is that if your pup isn't very settled in the first class, the judge gets to take another look at you in the next class.  See, there's always an up side!

Stick with me: if you are beaten by a puppy in Junior BUT get highest placed puppy in PostGrad then you would expect the judge to consider you both for best puppy.  However he/she will probably choose the other puppy over you again.  I would think it highly unlikely there will be puppies in Open so you may be ok.  Check the catalogue as soon as you arrive for the other puppies entered.  I think there are a number of dogs from your litter being shown so you'll probably meet a few familiar faces :)

I found that my pup got very tired when we first started and 2 classes were more than enough for us.  We sometimes did breed and AV classes but the thing with our breed at open shows is that you can often be one of only a few puppies.  I was lucky enough to have a dog that did very well from the beginning.  This meant that we often showed in our age class, had to go back in for best of breed or best puppy then had to hang around for the Puppy Group class.  Many a time I had to scoop my boy off the floor, and wake him up, just to get him seen by the group judge!  Obviously this was the same in NSC or AV classes so I stopped entering more than one class til he was a bit older.  I think we were also out at a time when there were few litters about and only a few dogs in our show area.  At 9 months at least you should be able to keep yours awake but see how you go.  It seems to be a fine balance between keeping them keen and allowing them to go stale with too many shows or classes.. 

Good assumption about timings.  Is it the same judge?  Get a ringside position to watch the Bracco's move - hopefully that means you'll have a decent sized ring.  Hope it all goes well for you, I'll watch for results with interest :)

I have labradors :D

>Stick with me: if you are beaten by a puppy in Junior BUT get highest placed puppy in PostGrad then you would expect the judge to consider you both for best puppy.

...
This is incorrect, If you are beaten by a puppy in Junior, then you are a beaten puppy, and no consideration will be given to you for the challenge for best puppy.. the puppy who beats you will be best puppy regardless of your placings in subsequent classes... even if you take 1st place in every subsequent class, you cannot be considered for either Best puppy or BOB.. since you are already a beaten pup...

> since you are already a beaten pup..

Yes, of course you're right.  Confusing not only myself...

Ta x

Just to say good luck! I always love reading about the new people starting out in this hobby, and how they found the first experience!

thanks all for the replies, and Lucy for the good luck message, He's not ready, i'm not ready........what have i got myself into!?!?!?!?!

*waves* Hi Kay xx

Yoo hoo Rach.. it didnt hit me that it was you lol... good luck at Leicester.. :-)