Do you think breed club commitee members should be allowed to show their dogs at their own club shows ? There is a debate in my breed at the moment, some clubs have a policy that none of the commitee members are allowed to exhibit at their own shows, other clubs let the members show.
Should commitee members play host instead of running around getting their own dogs ready to show ?
I'm just interested to know what other people think, are there reasons why commitee members shouldn't show ?

I would be interested to see replies to this too. One person I know on the Committee for a breed club shows at their own Club shows and someone else I know in a different club isnt allowed to ??

Now I know people have strong feeling about this but I don't know why. My breed club allows it and I have heard no complaints, and the club I am on the committee of allows it. I enter my hounds but never get a chance to show them as I am always too busy. To be fair there is an awfully lot of work involved in organising and running a show I do not see why the people who have put in all the work should not be allowed to show if they so wish. And before anyone says it gives committee members an unfair advantage, I keep the show records for my club and that idea is not borne out by the results.

Lets face it, being on the committee is a thankless enough task without being penalised as well, if all clubs brought in this rule there would be no one prepared to stand for the committee except those who think it may be a way of climbing the judging ladder, and those we can do without.

In my breed club you cannot HANDLE your own dog, but you can enter it for someone else to show.  I don't have views one way or the other really.

I am on the committee of one where we are not allowed to show our own dogs, and am a member of another where they are.  Not sure about the other breed clubs

Well said Jackie, I agree completely.  Also in numerically small breeds you may find not many entries if the committee didn't enter.
Sandra

I am on a committee where we are allowed to show.  We dont get enormous entries (and are a numerically fairly small breed anyway) so without committee entries the figures would be even worse!  However, the officers themselves (who have the job of being "upfront" at the show, and are in direct contact with the judge, dont handle at the show.  I have heard lots of arguments for this, one way and the other, over the years.  I do agree that it does not  look good if one minute someone is sitting behind the "top table" officiating, and the next minute is in the ring, but we have to give our judges some credit for impartiality and ethics - I know, sometimes it can be misplaced, but thats life in the dog show game!  And, lets face it, if a judge is going to be swayed, there are so many other things that can be said to cause influence, arent there?
bye
Gwen

Exactly Gwen,

I think in some breeds a lot of the committee may support the smaller open shows etc.

We are allowed to be members and show.

Pam

Maybe people like the show manager shouldn't show. However I have never been to a show where the show manager did. I think the general members should be fine.

If some clubs prohibited their Commitee members showing they may struggle for committee members at all.

Just a thought.

Pam

I've recently joined the committee of one of our local ringcraft clubs and they don't allow members to show their dogs.   I would prefer it if we could show, especially as they struggle for numbers in my breed.  I don't think the judge would be swayed - they probably wouldn't even realise I was on the committee.