Hi
Just had my dog paper delivered and the headlines are 'KC Shake up for Open Shows'
Apparently the KC are to address the problem of ailing Open Shows by:

1. New Premier Status for successful Open Shows where the Best of Breeds qualify for Crufts
2. One Open Show per year permitted for General Societies
3. No Restriction on class averages as from 2004
4. Class average entry of four or more dogs for second shows
5. Special reduced average for Northern Ireland

This is all proposed to start in 2004.
It says it hopes that this will have a two fold effect on the show scene and the poorly attended shows will be removed which will lessen the number of shows in any one area. Those societies no longer elligable for two shows a year sholud be able to concentrate all their resourses into the on show making it more competative and increase attendance.

IMO I think for once the KC has acted responsabily and think we the exhibitors will benefit. There are far too many Open shows in a weekend in the same area, therefore the numbers are declining. Often there are only a few dogs there in each breed to compete, sometimes you end up being the only one there and whats the fun in that?
It will make the qualification for Crufts much easier, but will this have a knock on effect and there be far too many dogs entered that have qualified?

What do you think?????

I think I'll wait until I've read the paper and digested it. Ja:)kie

Just to add to my original post:
I think the new type of Open show needs some kind of criteria regarding judges after all how many times have we been asked by one society or another to judge a breed we no nothing about, in addition to our own breed. I have heard of so many people quickly skimming through a breed standard before they judge a breed they have not had any experience with. If Best of Breed is to be a qualifier for Crufts then serious consideration should be given to the judges, who should be experience in judging or owning the breed they are to judge.

Judges are a problem to show management - we always try to use judges of the 'B' list and are just trying to sort the judges for the 2 shows in 2004. On some lists there are just not enough judges to fullfil the need, so you are left with the choice of either reducing the number of classes for the breed or using 2 judges (1 dogs, 1 bitches) and using people off the 'C' . The only other way is to use people on the A2 or A3 list but they are either not keen or have a Champ show lined up. Sorry to those who haven't a clue what I'm talking about. Ja:)kie