Just a quick one to wish all those going to Richmond this weekend the very best of luck.

Good luck everyone!!

Good Luck to everyone and I hope the sunshines for all and have a great day

best of luck to everyone going to richmond , i have entered but wont be able to make it as we have just moved house , maybe next year , i am really looking forward to exhibiting in uk in the future

Georgina :-)

apparently the weather is rain rain rain ... Friday and Saturday anyone know what the wet weather tents are like in Richmond ?

some of the rings are under cover anyway - like tents with no sides, I dont think they all are though.

A friend there just now tells me it's nice today - so fingers crossed then!  We've a long drive ahead of us tomorrow and I sincerely hope it's not all in pouring rain LOL.

Hopefully see some CD folks there on Saturday!!!

oh dear super duper....

ClairyS, the layout has changed.  No rings are under cover although benching tenting is larger to accomadate wet weather rings.  Hope we don't need them!!!!!!

Can I add Special Good Luck wishes to all the Junior Handlers, you are ALL winners no matter what happens at Richmond..

Good luck Teri and everyone.  I am not there myself as just don Birmingham on my own and still recovering, have Darlington on Friday.

Oh right - I wont be there anyway, im going to be sunning it in Spain ;)

To Blue

You really DID do Birmingham -   ONLY  THE  BITCH RCC     WHOOOOO HOOOOO     CONGRATULATIONS!

Doing Darlington too!  Not sure if you're on the same day (this on-line entry is great except no schedules to refer to >sigh<)

ttys,  Teri x

My daughters are both taking part in the junior handling semis - their first time - have told them to just enjoy their day - just hoping weather isn't too bad!  And hoping we don't clash with the breed class too much!

Shame they have changed the layout as it was great to have cover - sunshine or rain!

Good luck to all showing and handling :)

:-D  We are Friday this year at Darlington.. I am the same do everything on line and then have to remember to get the postcode running out the door as never have a schedule :-)

Fingers and toes all crossed it's the beginning of a wee roll.

I would like to say good luck to all the junior handling semi finalists.  They all seem to have a lovely day regardless of winning or losing.  My youngest lads first time as well. :)

Just get the feeling the Treasurer may be regretting his decision to get rid of the undercover rings :-)

Wonder what it's like at the showground?

I be it will be a mud bath by Sunday :-)

Hey ho wellies at the ready

I am there tomorrow, it would be handy to know what the conditions were like at the end of today. 

It will be interesting to see how the laylout has changed for the better as they have managed to put our carpark up one end of the showground and our tent and ring at the other end.

I live not too far away from the showground and its been raining today, its suppose to rain tomorrow.. and be okay for sunday!

It was HELL !!!!!!!!
Monsoon, waterfalls, flooded wet weather tents and MUD everywhere.The incredible noise of the rain battering on the tent made it neccesary to shout to be heard.... oh what joy dog showing is.

It was getting quite slippery and very muddy underfoot by the time we left around midday.  Just glad we were there the first day.  Sorry folks going this weekend but I would suggest wellies are the order of the day.

Louise

friend went today said it was waterlogged and they were towing people off the site.  good luck all who are going don't 4get the wellies..

Ditto everyone else today, it was awful :(  at least most wet weather rings are of an OK size :)  But it's wett, muddy, horrible and the acctual showground was deserted!

Guess I'll be doing a repeat of Bath on Sunday then. Suit and walking boots :(

Oh dear, thanks for the updates.  Looks like boots and wet weather gear.

Too late to wish you good luck but when you get back you can find a Darlington schedule here.

No more of these online excuses missy! :)

I'll be back to post a whopping great woo hoo when you come back to brag. :-p

Suit and wellies it was for me today.  on sunday I'm going for skirt suit and wellies as my lovely black trousers are coverd from wellie height upwards after walking back to the car.

It's ment to be less rain tomorrow and even less on sunday.

We are going on Sat - it is only our 2nd show EVER!!!!!!!!!!! A tad scared, but will be mostly pleased if we get around the ring without a) me falling over (in what sounds like alot of mud) and b) my pup doesn't hurl herself at the floor - as she seems to think this is the funny trick of the week!
Any tips for a beginner?

Can anyone tell us what the conditions are like today (saturday) please, have seen a message on another forum that says the  showground is very flooded and very very muddy.

Cross posted from another forum

Have been to the show myself this afternoon for about 1/2 hour.   It was hell.   My husband would not even get out the car as, if he left it, it would have had to have been parked in the mud and would have needed towing back out.   I went for a quick look around as was supposed to be going back Sunday.  However, having been covered in mud and not even able to enter a few stalls in my walking boots because the mud was too deep, have probably decided to give it a miss (I only live about 3 miles away) the mud is horrendous.   If the rain carries on I cannot see how they can continue until Sunday!!!   Honestly it was awful.  I felt so sorry for all the poor dogs and the stall holders. 

I arrived about 2.30pm and the place was deserted, they were not even charging for people to go in.   I came back to the car less than 30 minutes later with mud right up to my thighs where it was so sloppy. 

It was all good fun and I wish all of you lots of luck for Sunday!!!  I do not know about wellies, I think waders would be more appropriate by Sunday.

sophie

Well the weather is ment to be better today then yesterday and better again on sunday.  I hope this will be the case.

Although I left at about 4ish and it wasn't as muddy as teh cross-post made out.  Yes I got mud splashes up my legs but that was because I was walking fast though very sloppy mud to catch up with my friend I w getting a lift with as on the way out I saw another friend and had to go and say hello! :-D

i live 6 mile away bye looking at the storm clouds there more rain today,

i have a friend who got a stand there for the next 3 day i will ive her a call today to see what the ground like bye the end of the day

Thanks any information would be good, I have never been to Richmond Show, so do not know what to expect.  However if it is horrible and going to be a nighmare I feel I am not prepared to put my dogs through it, it's not fair on them - after all it's only a dog show

Sophie

Must admit we wouldn't be going tomorrow if it wasn't for the junior handling, however it's for the handlers we are going!

Hi Sophie, Just got back from Richmond and the conditions were pretty awful.  Lots and Lots of mud, there were a few cars being towed out and the walkway entrance in and out was pretty hard to walk through with dogs and bags.  Our wet weather tent for showing and benching was ok though. Driving out we nearly got stuck.  Got a feeling the weather report is rain for tomorrow.  Wellies and a flask of hot tea a must have.  Hate to be the bearer of doom and gloom but like you said any informations is good!

Oh no!  Thanks for the update.

Oh well sounds like its waterproofs, wellies and towels!  Don't think Connor will care less what the weather is like more us getting mucky and the worry of car getting stuck!!!

Hope can keep the girls clean and dry for the handling class!

>> Hope can keep the girls clean

Clean?? LOL People were carrying their dogs from the benches to the rings today to try and keep them clean, unfortunately I couldn't do this with mine (they are a little big and heavy!). The mud was pretty awful! There were people getting stuck with their cars and to be honest if I had realised the conditions were going to be like that I wouldn't have bothered. Unfortunately our benches weren't in the same tent as our ring so we had to take the dogs outside to move between the two. If the benches and ring were in the same tent it possibly wouldn't have been so bad.

I to have just returned from Richmond and would advise that if you're not chasing your second or the all important third CC then give it a miss.

I was allocated car park B but was sent to the very back field, not too bad (seemed the least muddy) but the entrances were awful - thick sloppy mud and the entrance i used didn't even have chippings down to try and make it easier. The walk ways round the show are horrible and muddy, Didnt get any shopping done as couldn't be bothered to walk round in the rain and mud.

Our wet weather tent was ok but the ring we had allocated had a huge puddle in the middle so it left very small area to that could actually be used - not good for getting the dog moving as there just wasnt enough space. My little girl got very spooked by the tents flapping about, never seen her go into such shakey scared state in the ring, we got second in our class though so was pleased with that.

It continued to rain on and off all day there so unless they do something drastic to improve the mud situation its going to be just as bad if not worse tomorrow.

Very dissappointed with how it was and esp our ring.

Wellies a must and also waterproof over trousers would be an advantage for when walking around and to and from the car - people were covered in mud.

Good luck to those that are going tomorrow.

Saw one person get stuck in their car when trying to get out.

I have just got back, loads of mud, none of the outside rings were being used because of the rain.  There are plenty of tractors to tow people off of the grass.  Worth getting there early, those arriving late spent an hour and a half in a queue to get in, I think because of the cars getting stuck.  The entrances to get in were dreadful and around the toilets.  Definately need waterproof over trousers and wellies or boots. 

In the parts that couldn't be avoided it looked like Glastonbury!

What are the Wet weather tents like?  I think we are in Tent 3 - are they dry inside.

Sophie

We were in tent three.  Around the benches were fine, the walkway was beginning to churn up a bit, worse bit is the entrances into the tent.  Rings are small if you have a large breed with a good size entry.  It got very busy in the walkway, tempers were flared.  Not helped by whoever allocated the rings. putting the rough collies in a ring furthest away from their benches, their ring was infront of the Border Collie benches who where in a ring near the rough collie benches.  I think if he had shown his face he would have been shot.

Well been back about an hour and can tell you it is a mud bath there, indoor small rings, entrances absolutley swimming in mud. I think only the hardened show people and the srupid will be going tomorrow. We managed to get our car out ok but the ground was churning well.

Meant my daughters not dogs!  not expecting to keep the dog clean at all! 

What a shame - this is one of my fave shows!

I have just been forwarded a message that was sent to another grouop regarding conditions today.  The lady who sent it was stewarding today.  Basically she is advising to add an hour to your journey tomorrow just to get into the showground and park as carparks are a complete deep mud bath. Marshalls are doing their best to carefully park the cars but this is slowing everything down. Mud is ankle deep thorough the showground and it is extremely slippery. Wellies a must from the start and probably all day.

It has been torrential rain practically all day. The indoor rings are not in the great condition as now and most of the cars had to be towed out of the car parks and there are not enough towing vehicles for the numbers involved. The lady who posted this message stressed it was not a criticism of of the show as they are doing their very best under very difficult situations.

Another factor to bear in mind if you are disabled - today there was no disabled parking close to an entrance as the area designated for disabled parking was flooded on Friday and unusable. As a result, we were parked a huge distance from the entrance and my wife had to walk a very uncomfortable distance for her on slippery mud all the way.
I don't know whether they will designate an area tomorrow, but it's something to think about if you are not very mobile.

Thanks for all the updates, we have decided to give it a miss, more for the sake of the dogs, I feel its not fair putting them through it, gundogs like to be out in the fresh air with plenty of room to move, I  hate having them all cramped up.  After all its only a dog show and there are plenty more.

Sophie

I went with Cora the Greyhound and won Post Grad bitch under a German lady judge.
Also won Post Grad bitch under Ann McDonald at Birmingham last week + bronze good citizen award.
What a difference weather wise between the 2 Fridays!

Should have taken Pharaoh's to South East Hound last Sunday but estate car broke down on Saturday
(electrical problems) and AA towed to garage.  Small car not spacious enough for dogs + crate + equipment !

Any one go to South West Hound today at Bristol?  Curious to know Greyhound & Pharaoh entries.

Must dash hubby calling

Pam

We went and I am v. grateful for the weather reports from you CD'ers we were well equipped to cope with the very very muddy grounds!

To be honest I don't think I would have bothered if it weren't for my two daughters being in there first semi-final junior handling.

Having said that Connor was out in the fresh air and enjoying himself - he surprisingly didn't get too mucky before handling and neither did the girls (daughters!)  still not sure how we managed it!

We came home v. muddy and I was just glad to get the car out in one piece!

We were delayed coming in because of the car park issues - judging thankfully was also delayed both breed and handling.  I must admit didn't hang around as wanted to make sure the exit wasn't a slippery mudslush!

Lots of people were saying it should have been cancelled - but people had a choice to go - mind you guess not everyone can check on the conditions - so I am v. grateful to everyone on this site!

Jess was shortlisted in the 6-11 class with Connor and Emily did really well - although think nerves did get the better of her!  So am v. proud of them both - hope they get to take part again in better conditions next year!

Are the results for the JHA online anywhere does anyone know ?

x