http://www.fossedata.co.uk/pix/SKC_AUG_10PDF.pdf

Thanks for this was just about to go and look. Cheers

Big entry fo rmunsters - NOT. 26 makin 30 this year. Wish we had tickets at Gundog Breeds instead.

Blimey very low on the ground for my breed.
Aileen

I had to look twice because we have exactly the same figures as last year...which are low, even for scotland, for my breed!!!

96 Boxers..................pretty much the same as last year! Not good!

80 Papillons- I wonder if other breed low numbers are because fewer people have them or they just don't travel as much as Pap people...

68 pugs!! Very low compared to the 146 at bournemouth and 110 at wales!

Merlot, we don't have CC's on offer at this show, otherwise i'd be concerned about this entry

Looking at the Hound group entry the word catastrophic comes to mind- it may just be my imagination but there do not seem to be many breed judges employed and I do wonder if this has a detrimental effect on the entry in these days of expensive travelling costs we may push the boat out for a respected breed specialist but think very hard if the judge is not known to take a particular interest in our breed.

Elkhounds do not have CC on offer but have only 5 hounds entered - only three classes but the judge is not on the club list, no doubt is able to do a good enough job but a C listed judge would have jumped at the chance of an appointment and would have drawn a better entry. If the same applies throughout the classification it is not surprising that some of the entries are alarmingly low.

Compared to those entered yesterday at the Houndshow even the CC breeds are very worrying - Rhodesian Ridgebacks are 32 hounds - yesterday there were 131 and Whippets SKC 100 - Houndshow 278. It would take a full analysis to really see what is wrong apart from the distance to travel, not my job but I would suggest it should be someone if the show is not to shrink further.

> Compared to those entered yesterday at the Houndshow even the CC breeds are very worrying - Rhodesian Ridgebacks are 32 hounds - yesterday there were 131 and Whippets SKC 100 - Houndshow 278. It would take a full analysis to really see what is wrong apart from the distance to travel, not my job but I would suggest it should be someone if the show is not to shrink further.

Bit unfair to compare a group show held in the middle of the country to a general one held in bonnie Scotland but I get the gist. Since 2006 our breed has varied from 99 to 117 for that time of the year, with only 1 breed judge compared to 4 all-rounders!!

I realise for some there is a difference in distance but even comparing the numbers with a few years ago there is huge drop in numbers and there does seem to be a lack of breed specialists, as I said not up to us to work out why but I think it does need a long hard look.

There's a recession. Income is tight, expenses are rising. Showing is becoming a luxury for the rich.

Do you think that is the whole answer JG, the hound entry in most breeds is not much more than we get at our open show. Obviously we are having to choose which shows we can afford and that is why I was surprised to see the lack of specialist judges, not just at the SKC but a few other championship shows, it seems to have become the norm at some shows to employ judges that are not particularly interested in the breeds they are judging and they inevitable will become the ones that the exhibitor will miss.

The use of one judge to do a number of breeds has become the norm at open shows and sometimes can not be avoided but if championship shows follow suit I think they will be the ones we decided to miss - the shows you go to become a habit each year and the last thing a show committee should want is to be the show that becomes the one to miss.

"96 Boxers..................pretty much the same as last year! Not good!"

I wonder why!!!

>Do you think that is the whole answer JG,

No, I don't think that there is a single answer as to why show entries are down, but the recession and the soaring cost of petrol on top of entries when finances are limited will be a major factor. A well-known, well-respected judge will always get a reasonable entry - an unknown or dubious one ... no, people will save their money because they can't afford the gamble.

Cannot comment on other groups but my own breed, one of the hound group we have a very very low entry due to the actual judge.  No one is going to enter under this one because of a very vocal and definate bias towards one kennel alone.  The majority of entries for us are made up of dogs from a particular kennel line.  This judge for years has slated anything and everything that is not by or out of something from xxx breeder.  And has publicly said, and written on a forum that a certain dog is the best in the country and should have a CC by now - well there IS a reason it does not, it is a poor example of the breed.  But it WILL be the CC winner at SKC. And the bitch CC will also be from the same line.  Simples.  And this is actually supposed to be a breed specialist, believe me most would rather enter under an unkown all rounder than this one!!!

Well Harkback that is one very stupid judge the first things you have to do is try very hard not to voice your opinion on exhibits except when they are entered under you and then you do not fault judge. Of course a judge will like the type that is the type they have but it should not make them blind to others virtues.

Now I will have to go back to the schedule and try and see what breed you are talking off unless you are kind enough to PM me :-)

>A well-known, well-respected judge will always get a reasonable entry - an unknown or dubious one ... no, people will save their money because they can't afford the gamble.

Normally I would agree, but we have Zena Thorne Andrews judging us and we only have 26 Munsterlanders entered :-( I honestly thought there would be a larger entry.

We too have Zena Thorn Andrews Judging 44 entries for GSD,S, not great.

Think Mrs Thorne-Andrews is judging 5 breeds in total.

>Think Mrs Thorne-Andrews is judging 5 breeds in total.

Not all on the same day though ;-)

> "96 Boxers..................pretty much the same as last year! Not good!"
>
> I wonder why!!!

................Are you not going then Richard? :)

Am going as it is just 20 mins from us but do not have anything entered. I think Vikki is going to show a young bitch for someone else though.

Well i had a noisy although too far too travel 8 smooth coat chihuahuas?????

I cant believe it..................our breed has an entry of............................6 !!!!!

Diane

See ya there :)