broken, this poor soul will be greeted with an arctic blast typically reserved for the out of towners, those poor fools who had the audacity to travel to some- one else’s area for a dog show.
All remaining space has been cordoned off by what used to be the purview of crime scenes and con- struction sites – yellow hazard tape and orange traffic cones.
I am surprised that an enterprising
show vendor has not added these two now seem- ing to be essential items to their inventory. Along with self-rinse, white chalk and hairspray, how would a handler get through a weekend without them?
Our favorite episode with the orange traffic cones occurred at a recent circuit that we attended. It was Day 4, mid-day and as I swung around the building to park my car, my husband was standing in a premier space – that was – amazing to me – unoccupied. After I parked the car he showed me the stack of traffic cones that he had neatly put to the side. Someone had been holding or blocking – again, depending on your perspective – this parking slot for their sole use. After deciding that insur- ance would indeed repair any damage done to my vehicle by an irate exhibitor, I unloaded my dog and went in to the show.
When I returned to the car, I found an intact vehicle with only a note as evidence that the cone owner had been by. The note was brief and to the point – Had I no consideration for the fact that this space was reserved by someone who had a handicap and could I in the future be more considerate! If the person was indeed handicapped I felt truly bad, but also wondered why they weren’t parking in the des- ignated handicapped parking area, of which there were ample spaces available.
The next day my husband decided to satisfy his cu- riosity – and hopefully relieve his conscience regard- ing the phantom cone owner. He happened to be outside walking a dog when the owner of the cones
drove up in her very large show van, jumped out of the van with her medium sized Sporting breed entry, and raced into the building to show her dog. So much for handicaps!
It’s now Day 5 and even the judges are tired. It’s your last chance to either break the curse of the circuit or to cap off a great string of wins. If you show in the morning, you can get on the road by noon. For those making it to the groups or show- ing in the afternoon, no such luck. You’re here for the duration. Walking in the designated doggie area has now become an exercise in dexterity, as even with an endless supply of plastic bags, some folks just can’t seem to clean up after their dogs. At the group ring you start paying more attention to what the handlers are wearing and less attention to the dogs. The ringside critique sounds more like an episode of What Not To Wear than an evaluation of breeding stock.
And finally it’s over. You pack up your gear, load up your vehicle, stop to get gas and then head for the freeway onramp that eventually leads home. The difficulty of the drive often correlates directly with how successful the circuit has been. Having a travel- ing companion helps the time go by, and the second best thing is a cell phone. Win or lose, it’s great to have someone to share the experience with. Some time late in the evening or very early in the morn- ing you get home. Essentials get taken out of the vehicle, dogs get exercised and put to bed and you settle in for some much needed sleep.
The next morning, after a strong cup of coffee and a rough calculation of vacation days remaining, some- thing amazing happens. You log onto the computer and enter another dog show!
Happy Showing! E Boston Terriers |
www.ebostonterriers.com
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