I have just entered 3 Champ shows taking two dogs at a cost of £180!!
Usually don't book on one day like that so it really focusses the mind and thats before deisel!
No new summer wardrobe for me this summer now!

Hi ANNM172, I'm staggered by the cost involved and impressed by people's commitment--I also have two dogs I've love to take along to these shows but as a single working parent on a relatively low income it's really hard to manage. I spent over £30 on the puppy for a single show, doubled that with diesel and then inevitably got caught by the shopping bug while I was there--nothing untoward, but when the day topped £100 I had to face a month of penury.

I know it's my choice and I don't mean to whinge, but I feel very guilty about not spending the money on my college-age son (his brother works, so feel less awful there). I don't know how people manage to keep going to so many shows and am looking for that money tree sprouting in the garden on day :)

I think I have been a bit spoiled recently as I have been doing some local Open shows with the puppy and total cost of day inclusing lunch has been under a tenner.
I will spread out booking them more - No more booking all in same week.
I do wish they would lower the price a bit but not going to happen

im just entering 3 at the world show at £90 each!!!!

Gulp!!!! No clothes for you either then!

I no dog showing is a really expensive hobby. grr!

LOL show me a cheap hobby, annastasia! Other than staying in watching paint dry, and paint is expensive these days too :)

not unless we all start a new hobby, knitting dog hair jumpers, ANNM172...

just seen paighton cat and they want 24.50 per entry !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If we counted up how much we actually spent a year I don't think any of us would do it!!!!

When I owned a dog in partnership we did tot up how much we spent, that was scary even with his handler absorbing most of the travel costs showing their own dogs.

I just entered 1 dog in a week-long agility show (a 4-day show followed by a 2-day show) and it came to over £70! So that's not cheap either!!! (Glad I'm not camping else it would have been even more!)

Its the fuel costs that does it for us!  The entry fees are bad enough but when you add on about £70 +  in fuel for every show its scary!

With the hike in fuel costs i'm going to really be picking and choosing my shows, either by judge or location.. Just hope they go hand in hand and i can stick to local shows.
The cost of entering a show is not that expensive if you have 1 dog, its multiple dogs which really hikes it up along with all the other costs.

My hours at work may well reduce in the next couple of months so desperately trying to qualify out pup without travelling too far before the costs and drop in wage prohibit entering more than a few local opens...  No pressure then

I can't believe how far people travel to shows when there is no financial reward, even winning at Crufts is only for Kudos

I can't believe how far people travel to shows when there is no financial reward, even winning at Crufts is only for Kudos

It is also an enjoyable hobby and a nice day out for a lot of people :-)

> I can't believe how far people travel to shows when there is no financial reward, even winning at Crufts is only for Kudo

We travel from the far north of Scotland to Paignton, Bournemouth, Richmond etc as well as the nearer shows (Driffield etc) with the caravan and stay for a week at a time.  We do it because we enjoy showing, the dogs love it and we all enjoy the short breaks. We don't count up the cost of showing over a year, (we have 3 puppies to bring out this year so the cost will be even more),if we did I think we'd be suicidal (joking)!! Everyone has a hobby of some description and showing is ours.

I've just worked out my journey to UK Toy and am horrified to discover I will have to leave at 5.30am!!!!

I can't believe how far people travel to shows when there is no financial reward, even winning at Crufts is only for Kudos

I don't know about that. We won the enormous sum of £10 at Crufts this year!!! It only took us an hour to find out where to collect it from lol.

> I can't believe how far people travel to shows when there is no financial reward, even winning at Crufts is only for Kudos
>
> It is also an enjoyable hobby and a nice day out for a lot of people :-)

And we're doing just the same, it wasn't meant in a derogatory way.  I think Jo-public assumes that there is prize money available and that's the reason people show as opposed to as a hobby and a genuine love of their breed.

I think we've got up to the sum of £15 this year so far after winning a stakes class or 2 and the prize money coming in 2ps and 1ps certainly caused a laugh at the one show

Luckily i am only taking 1 to the World Show in Denmark, but a couple of hotel stays and a nice drive in some countries i have never frequented before, so i am looking forward to immensely.

And we're doing just the same, it wasn't meant in a derogatory way.  I think Jo-public assumes that there is prize money available and that's the reason people show as opposed to as a hobby and a genuine love of their breed.



Oops, sorry I took that the wrong way. :-)

Yes, people do tend to assume there must be big money in dog showing.

<<Yes, people do tend to assume there must be big money in dog showing>>

there is...it's just that the tide is going out, not coming in :)!

I can only manage one or two champ shows a year due to fuel costs, and aim at the open shows which isnt as much fun as the champ shows but most of them are local to me. A couple of my freinds are also doing this as they cant hack the high costs of entries and travelling costs. Just hope fuel costs get cheaper and then I can get to more.  I dont know how alot of people manage all the champ shows nealry every weekend but supose that its dedication and love of the hobby

we are leaving at 4.00 from scotland see you there

One thing I have considered is combining a couple of dog shows down south with a holiday. That way it makes the trip more worth while

i am 37 and my mum still gives me pocket money lol. so i spend it on dog shows. i have been really naughty this year paying for crufts , the club champ show, and useing the phone bill money to pay for the national dog show. BT can wait lol. i cant drive so i can only travel as far as my partner is willing to drive , witch is about an hour and 15 mins. I am social phobic and get bad panic atacks. I cant go anywhere on my own. and cant hold down a job. i never thought i would be able to do dog showing. I LOVE IT , my dog helps me to stay calm , dog showing has been a real help to me . i focus on my dog . so i dont feel panicky. its worth every peny :)

Its our fuel costs above the entry fee's, we have 2 we show plus the puppy, so its a expensive hobby. but you can't take it with you!

> I can only manage one or two champ shows a year due to fuel costs, and aim at the open shows which isn't as much fun as the champ shows but most of them are local to me.

See now I am the other way, and due to plans at the end of the year will only do one show a month this year, so probably nearly all champ shows. 

I live on good Motorway links in Bristol so go as far as Stafford North, except in exceptional circumstances, but I save my money for champ shows, as the entry fee is higher, but the fuel cost are the same for both.

Many of my Open shows are at the champ show venues anyway, and most others are an hour or two away, so petrol is the main cost,a and at least with a minority breed I know I will have some meaningful competition.

I do enjoy my favourite Open shows more than some champ shows they won't all be one group or breed, and I enjoy watching/competing with/and discussing/learning about other breeds than my own.

good on you vinya, I would love to find other people in my area who would like to share travel costs, but ours is a relatively small breed and there probably aren't any others going to shows within 30 miles of me (and they are probably not of the church mouse variety of exhibitor like me, either). Is there anywhere we can post notices to share rides, etc?

theres a group called car share. i will see if i can find it

i cant find it. but there is a mailing group for sharing cars to dog shows. maybe someone on here can find it , i know its been on here before