just wondering what the new showground is like and whether im going to need my wellies like I did last year ??

I was at the showground for the Devon county show and it wasnt too bad despite the horrible drizzle. There are proper pathways (tarmac etc) for alot of the showground. However the grass can be very slippery, and if this rain carries on wellies might be advisable. I think setters are in the main arena area which should be quite good underfoot.

The ground was fine yesterday but if it rained like it has with me this last 24hrs I would think wellies may be a good bet as a back up. There are lots of tarmac walkways and it depends were you are showing but the outside rings and around the BIS ring may well be very soggy.
I am about an hour away further east and I think they had a lot of rain in Devon last night and this morning. We certainly have.....Merlot dosn't look anything like a BOB winner after todays slosh through the fields!!!, and I have her sister staying for a couple of weeks holiday so FOUR soggy BMD'S this morning...oh for a couple of short coated dogs.....or a proper summer??? (was that a pig I just saw fly past?) :-) :-)
Aileen.

It was fine yesterday, it just depends on how much rain they have between now and tomorrow (it started to rain yesterday afternoon slightly).

I've been there this morning - it's been raining.  The exhibitors' cars were parked on hardstanding and there are concreted paths, but it's getting a bit squelshy (?) and starting to get a bit muddy underfoot in the walkways on the grass.  Unfortunately they weren't using the outside rings. 

its showing heavy rain for tomorrow :(  looks like both me and the boy will be in our waterproofs !!

Was all inside today.

on gass or hard surface

Will need wellies etc. We had a very leaky tent with many wet benches and a VERY small ring which was made larger a couple times with the whippets next to us with a massive ring long but still big, we also had no table!!! No overly impressed as you pay £24 an entry and got wet benches, tiny rings and no table! I wish all the champ shows do what Bath do with benches next to half in half out rings, it really is the way forward. Had a good day though a my boy won his class.

>> on gass or hard surface

Grass :)

some rings are indoors in a building, some are in half and half rings and some are soley outside on grass. Everything including the groups was moved inside today.....its squelchy on the grass but you dont have to walk on it if you are indoors. Wouldnt recommend sandals but wellies may be overkill. i left there at 8pm tonight!

I have got to be honest it was my first time at Paignton for a couple of years.  The inside halls stank and were very noisy. The outside rings were so uneven they made all the dogs look terrible. There were very few anouncements.  The best in show ring was flooded.  Didnt like it at all and it will take a very special judge to get me back there.

I think exhibitors put up with most things but I thought the whole thing was awful.

I agree about the uneven ground on the indoor rings.  I struggled to find a spot where I needed to stand my pup that wasn't squelchy,or very uneven.  Luckily our bench was right by the ring so I could keep an eye on things, but I didn't really hear any announcements.

I thought the new Paignton showground was awful. As usual my breed was benched in the furthest tent from the car park, the rings were another half mile trek (thank god I had only entered one dog) and the toilets were either back in the car park or in the main hall next to the car park. It will certainly take a very special judge for me to enter again at that venue and I would certainly not consider taking more than one dog unless they alternated the benching arrangements and ring layout.