When we get the new addition I was thinking about Ringcraft and the nearest one to us is a good hours drive away.

Just interested what distance everybody else has to travel to see if there is a need to get one set up nearer to us ?

Lucy
xx

When I went my nearest ringcraft was a good 3/4 hours drive. It was half ten by the time we got home after the classes ( and chatting of cousre LOL)!

We are lucky that we have three within 20-40mins - luckily for me the 20mins drive is a really good one but I would travel 40mins for the right one.

I think you would find it of benefit to try and set one up - people will attend a good ringcraft class - but I have one close that isn't v. good and the hall is too small - so if it meant travelling further for a good one then I would do that rather than attend a closeby that isn't good - think I have waffled - hope that makes sense Lucy!

Yes it does make sense ! I will have to think about how to go about setting one up and getting some experienced people involved as I have no contacts around here who I know show being a total novice myself ! I am waiing to hear back from my breed club as have asked to join so will see if they have any local people they can put me in contact with. We have a good venue I could use so that isn't an issue !

I had a ringcraft right opposite me,a nd one a 20 minute walk away.

The first (a KC registered one) closed down after many years as the cost of the hall was often not able to be covered, especially at the height of the show season.  Sometimes there might only be half a dozen dogs.  someone tried to keep one going there (not KC registered) but ran into the same problems cost wise).

Now the hall has been knocked down.

The second one used a hall I could just walk to with an older pup, but that too has been knocked down and the club have moved out to the edge of bristol some 15 minute car journey away too far for me without transport.  I believe it is the only KC registered one in Bristol.

People who run obedience classes have the same problems hails too expensive.  People are just not prepared to pay more than about £2 a night.

I have one that is about 10/15 minutes drive away, but the hall is small and it is always crowded. I tend to go to the one that takes me 30/40 minutes to get there. It's a church hall and there is plenty of space. I've known the people who run that one for a long time (I was on a ringcraft comittee with some of them several years ago) so can probably say things to them I wouldn't at the other one ;-)

Mine is about 2 miles from home :-)

Don't you need someone qualified in some way to set up & run Ringcraft classes?

My nearest is about 10 minutes but they're useless. No one is helpful and if you are a novice you will get no advice on what to do. I also wasn't instilled with confidence when the man going over the dogs looked at my puppy and had to ask, "is that a golden retriever" (well it is a rare breed isn't it??) followed by "I don't know how people stand them" when I told him it was my first time at ringcraft. So now I travel 45 minutes to go to the class my puppy's breeder helps run. They're very good and actually teach people how to show their dogs. It's well worth the drive though I don't go as often as I did when Caoimhe was younger. I wish it was closer.

I used to drive 45 minutes to a decent ring craft.

I have one 10 minutes away and the other is about 20 minutes away. Both complement each other in that what isn't covered at one is at the other.However, I am fed up being told by some at the nearer one to trim my sammies feathery feet!!

My friend drives 45 minutes 2x weekly to the ones here as the ones close to her are not up to much.

I go about 40 mins - there are several closer but I like this one :)

I have 3 ringcraft classes that I use.. but I think there are around 8 in total that I have reasonable access to..

Monday... is either a 2.5hour round trip, or a 1.5hour round trip... depending on which I go to...
Tuesday is around 20mins from me
Wednesday is a 2hour round trip

I use these 4  because I have too many dogs to take to one class and give enough quality time to each.. 2 pups and 2 juvenile delinquents ...
I also rotate the dogs so they never go to the same class consecutively.. this gives them a chance to meet and greet different people/dogs and people going over them...
At our own ringcraft (run by our canine club) the committee are on rotation to take the classes.. this means that no one person is going over the dogs every time, every week, and because we are such a diverse committee, we have a combined knowledge of all the groups..  In general it is run by 4 committed members with a cross section of knowledge.. and between them can guide and advise newcomers to the club/breed/showing etc.. not only do they go over the dogs, but they also advise the newcomers on how to fill in schedules etc..

On the Tuesday class.. It is run by one individual who gives tickets in her breed .. and she also is wonderful in showing newcomers how to stack/guide on how dogs are/should stand etc.. and also has a huge circle of judges who are willing to give their guidance... at this club we also have a match night last tuesday of every month with a points system in operation... AND a junior handling class

To open and run a ringcraft class. I feel you do need to be quite knowledgable on show rules and regs, or at least have someone there that does.  but in all honesty, majority of people at ringcraft are old hands, with young pups coming out.. so there is always someone onhand for backup ;) 

When I started teaching ringcraft.. I had no idea about many of the other breeds.. especially dogs like Cottons, or Griffon Bruxellois,which I had never seen in the flesh let along go over,  but I learned from the people who came to the classes... I also had to learn to NOT be a Gundog person.. and be a DOG person (blush) :-)

another idea Lucy.. print off all the breed standards, and keep them handy... 

I would say get the Kennel club illustrated breed standards ans keep them at the class, that way people can look up the standard for a breed and  to tell people to trim the fluffy feet off their Samoyeds :D

Well the nearest one to me is about 20mins drive away, only on a Weds night and its run by the citys canine society.

It would be good to have more choice but as far as I know this is the only one for miles around. Unless anyone here knows of one in the Portsmouth/Chichester area?

To kayc - just wondering if one of your classes was the one in Castle Douglas? I just ask since you mention Griffons and Cotons, I used to go there with my Coton till we moved back to Dundee. Sorry to be off topic!!

Hi Honeybee.. yes it the the Castle douglas one :) 

Oh it's a small world! Actually I really liked that ringcraft because it was so friendly and helpful, what a nice bunch of people and dogs. 

We aim to please :D 

Honeybee,

Which classes do you go to in Dundee?

I am very lucky that mine is excellent and only a couple of minutes by car.  But we have two others about 30 mins drive.