I though fellow exhibitors were all friendly people let me tell you different.
After exhibiting both my mums and my own dogs today I was sitting in my mums car {newish estate} I felt a bang to the car, my mums partner asked if that was me i said no, thinking it was the lady parker next to us{incidently we parked first and then she parked a little close after us}.
Again we felt a bang, my mums partner then said to the lady 'excuse me did you just hit the car with your door' 'no the mark on it is bird poo' .
well the car was dusty due to comutting but after a closer look at both cars we discover that YES the edge of her door had paint off it and a small dent and black paint had been left on our car, by this time the woman had gone.
15-20mins later her driver friend {oh they had setters by the way} came back and whilst she was opening the car door again I politly said 'excuse me could you please be careful with your door as your friend has already hit it twice' I WAS POLITE!!!!! to then be told in a rather rude mannor' for goodness sake its only a car' the BLOODY cheek just because she had a private plate and cc stickers on hers and ours was just 2-3 years older.
I dont know how I didn't say anything, I just let her walk away, I wanted so much to jump up nad down on her bonnet!!!!!
I moved the car over a few feet as she wasn't going to move hers.

I just can't beleive I sat there and said nothing!!!!!!!!!!
So if you see anyone in the herts area with a black estate, private plate and showing setters then keep your distance and if you was that person and hapen to read this then SHAME ON YOU !!!!!!

:( :( :( :(

I'd have knocked her head off :(

roflol@Mattie
So would I Mattie

mari our chats down we are in msn if you want to join us ...sorry is this alllowed lol

ditto

sorry to here your day was spoilt because of rude and inconsiderate people and there are plenty about, i would of ripped her cc stickers off and her oh so personal plate and rammed um were the sun don't shine. regards tina

Oh what a brilliant idea,I could have nicked the stickers for myself!
I guess because I was waiting to show my mums aussie in BIS I didnt want to cause a scene....... 'its only a car' ok if I jumped up and down on her bonnet and said those words I am sure she wouldn't have said nothing :)

There is no excuse for that sort of behaviour anywhere from anyone but it does bring back an occasion when I was the one doing the banging. Like you I had parked first and the car next to me parked close, I can't or couldn't get out of my car without putting both feet on the floor first. Anyway in trying to get out my car door touched his, not a bang just a touch, I was not even aware. You should have heard the language, I said I was sorry, could he please catch the edge of my door so I could get out, I was told that if I was a F****** cripple I should park in the cripples park & dog shows were not the place for F****** OAP's. I was very upset but having paid to enter a Champ Show and traveled for over 3 hours I had to grit my teeth and get on with it. If I had been new to showing I would have gone home never to show again. And by the way I had not even knocked the dust of his car, as I discovered after having to wait for them to go before getting out, oh and they did not even have a dog with them, just 3 kids. Ja:)kie

That brings back an incident I had when travelling to Rabbit shows from London on weekends, with my bunnies in their box on shoulder strap. Now I was born with Cataracts, and at this point only had 10% sight, and could not read the destination boards.

At the old fashioned stations I just asked one of the staff on any gate to tell me the pletform I needed. At paddington I beleive it was, they had these solid new gates with the man in a little box.

I asked a young man for the platform number, "It's on the board" says he
"I'm sorry, I cannot see the board" I say
" Well where are your glasses then/" he says really curtly
"My eye condition cannot be helped with glasses" I reply
"Then you shoulden't be allowed out on your own!" he said.

I was 18 or 19 years old and practically in tears.

I did find a nice OLD British Rail man, who was more than happy to help!

you should have jumped up and down on her bonnet
(i would have done) :(

I had a run in with an OAP last year, and I wasnt the one being ignorant.
I was trying to make my way to the benching tent when there was an elderly "lady" stood directly in front of the entrance to the tent with 3 Border Terriers strung out in different directions around her. She was stood there for ages with no signs of movement so I tapped her on the shoulder and said (smiling politely) " excuse me can I get past you?"
A civil question but I then got a torrent of screaming about how she was a cripple and couldnt walk fast and how I was abusing her, and how she had been going to dog shows for years. Everyone turned around looking at me and she made me feel as though I had done something majorly wrong.
I really felt like kicking the "old dears" legs from under her I was so annoyed, but also very shocked by her disgusting attitude.
Another Border Terrier lady came over to me and told me to ignore her she was always like that and it wasnt anything I had done. But some people! If she was a dog I would have had her put down.
People like this can put you off travelling to shows, I'd just travelled for 4-5 hours to get there, I was tired, nervous and she spoilt my day.
It is no wonder that entries are going less with ignorant people about.

Oh! dear, you make me feel that perhaps as I'm not that agile anymore I should not be trying to show my dogs. I've never sworn at anyone but I bet I've got in their way. Ja:)kie

Jackie I wasnt getting at you.
I was just saying it didnt matter what the age of a person is, it is ignorance which is not acceptable.
I have always been taught to respect anyone older than myself and that if I treat others with respect i will be treated the same back.
Sadly this "lady" (age doesnt matter, it was the ignorance that counted), couldnt reply nicely to a civil question.
I only asked her to step aside so I could get past. If some one is purposely standing in a doorway with no intention of moving at some time or other someone else will be wanting to go either in or out.

When I go to a show I always try to act civily to everyone.

I bet if someone asked you politely if they could pass you, you wouldnt come out with a mouthful of abuse!
Its the few nasty people about who ruin everyones day.
Sadly I know of several people who have given up showing because of this element in the show world.

I just find rude people really annoying no matter where they are theres nothing worse than smiling at someone and they look through you,some time ago I was benched near someone in my breed who was sat eating a sandwhich I was getting the start of a migraine and was passing her I smiled and made a comment about the lighting and she just turned right round and faced the back of the bench,I felt really hurt and insulted anyway I went home, but ive never forgotten it and the hurt feeling I certainly would never speak to her again.

:D :D :D :D :D :D for Sharie:)

Stacey x x x

You couldnt of said a truer word sharie. I went to a champ show, my second one for many years, and i had to leave malki on the bench for 5 mins, as i was bursting for the loo. When i came back, an elderly lady in my breed, went mental at me, cause malki was crying for me, and said that another lady had to leave as she couldnt stand the noise he was making. She also said that if i couldnt be with him all the time, then i shouldnt take him to shows, PARDON ME FOR NEEDING A WEE??? and i was about to leave, before i has shown, and my mother said indeed you will not. If it hadnt been for my mum, i would of givin up there and then, and never shown again. So yes it does put new people off showing, and yes no wounder the shows are dying off. JMO

kelly and malki x

Oh sorry malki was only 7 months at the time

kelly x

It is a sad fact that there does seem to be this element in dog showing, as with any other type of competitive pastime, you get those who seem to think that rude behaviour is the norm. I do think it's a shame if it puts some people off. I have come to know who to steer clear of in Cockers - and also those who are friendly and approachable - which by and large is the majority.

When leaving Ashbourne show a few weeks ago - I came across a mature lady with french pugs. She was looking a bit flustered when I got there. I asked if we could help and she was so grateful and asked if I wouldn't mind looking after her dogs while she went back for her chair that she had left by the ringside. 5 minutes later she returned and all the usual pleasantries and gratitudes were exchanged. So it's not all bitchiness and knives in the back. To me, this is what it should be - all looking out for each other rather than looking for a cheap shot or someone to hurl abuse at.

Glenys - I certainly hope that I would never blank anyone that spoke to me at a show - where do these people get off?

Pam n the boys

pammie-shed probably poke you with her chair if she knew what youd just called her dogs :D, where they pugs, or french bulldogs,?

....or Bostons? :)

As a single exhibitor i do find benching a boon, but also have no choice but to leave dogs unattended at some point in the day, though I have been known to hold off going for a wee all day (well the loos are usually not very nice). as I usually take two dogs, one has to stay on the bench, and if the ring is a way away from the benching I haqve to ask someone to hold the other dog, as they are in suyccessive classes!

After a hard day decorating, I thought I would see what the topic was,,,,,well after reading through these posts, I have been sat here laughing so much, it is so hilarious, not that I am not sorry for the damage to your car, but this type of posts are just my cup of tea, can imagine the scene, of exhibitors jumping on each others bonnets, nicking the CC stickers, old ladies shouting and waving walking sticks around, it is so funny....Thanks for the entertainment, I am going to read them all again......

Emma....I would have been mad too. you can probably remember the no. plate & I guess from what you have said you could find the person in the catalogue fairly easily, so if it were me, I would get a quote from the garage & send it to them!

Good idea Sam.
After all they said it was " only a car",
hey its only a repair bill!! I am sure they could afford to pay it from the sound of it, if they can't they could always sell their private plates!

I wasn't going to post this but I will:) Last Sunday I was at a GSD CH show spectating with Kass (we were 3 days off her being 6 months!) A Man suddenly started shouting and bawling 'B*****ks, utter b*****ks', 'I can't F-ing believe that, that F-ing dog's not even in the same league, how the F can she know what she's on about (the judge), silly F-ing b***h' I was gob smacked- then a fella from the dog papers wanted to photo his dog since it had came second after all- he told the fella to F-off too and was very rude! Now I know you'll often find this but for someone such as me, if it had been me and my dog that he was ranting and raving about I would have felt very intimidated, since he's obviously established himself in the 'circle':( I would hate for someone to go off like that over me:(

Stacey x x x

stacey , its disgusting from whoever he thinks he might be!!!- it shouldnt be tolerated, we have the same sorts in our breed-screamers ,tearing cards up if they dont win etc,-theyre to be pitied i suppose if it means that much to them, however this is a matter for either the kc or the breed club, and youre right, it can be intimidating, but you usually find that everyone knows them for the bad sports they really are :(

stacey, don't let people like that put you off, hope you and your pup have a nice experience showing,i would just smile broadly at people like that, good luck at your first show regards tina

Thanks Dizzy that's made me feel a little better now knowing that they're the ones who are usually known as being bad sports and most others know them as that too:) I will continue but if ever someone does go off like that again rather than feel intimidated I'm probably going to smile, remember you and say to myself 'Screamer':D :D :D :D Thanks too Tina for the support:)

Stacey x x x