Deb - I think if you don't live in the east, you have absolutely no idea how hard it is to find sites at all, never mind to have specialties in the wintertime. Those of us who have been to the Monroe, LA, weekend, know that it is possible to have lovely specialties indoors. And without AKC harrassment, at that. Of course, some reps are worse than others...it does seem that the worst of them get stationed in the New England area (or Ohio) - and we've had some real stinkers here in the Mid Atlantic area, too. I'm not a fan of the Fitchburg building...but if those clubs could get indoors and have two specialties plus two additional days of breeder judges, for our side of the country, that's pretty damn good. I for one don't believe the GSD people were really disrupting the other rings---all the talk around the country about what went on there has been anti-rep, not anti GSD fancy. Of course the AKC is going to back up the reps...a bunch of people who all failed at "real" jobs...even the former handlers were, for the most part, failures at that....... As for thinking it was OK for the rep to lay hands on, Gator obviously doesn't believe it, since that letter as plain as the nose on your face called Becky and everyone else who complained a liar............. I for one have never minded not judging in New England...the all-breed politics there are the nastiest in the country. Specialties are one thing...the all breeds there are something else. I have an assignment there next spring...which I will cancel as soon as I get this post sent. I just won't judge up there anymore......... and while I wouldn't ask the exhibitors not to show in their own part of the country, I would sure as hell avoid Fitchburg like the plague. Peggy ----- Original Message ----- From: <DOGSRLUV@xxxxxxx> To: <GretchAnya@xxxxxxx>; <showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Tuesday, December 11, 2007 3:33 PM Subject: [ SHOWGSD-L ] Re: Thanks AKC > Well Becky... I still do not completely understand why specialties team up > with All Breeds. I was not there so I do not know how bad the doubling > was > however, It would be in the GSD's Best Interest to hold thier specialites > seperately. They can do what Sacramento and Reno do and hold 4 > Specialties in 2 days > but then we have no one else to bother. > > I enjoy doubling as do many of us. I still do not know why they believe > it > was OK for the rep to put their hands on anyone!!! > Sorry the AKC is the way they are... > ============================================================================ POST is Copyrighted 2007. All material remains the property of the original author and of GSD Communication, Inc. NO REPRODUCTIONS or FORWARDS of any kind are permitted without prior permission of the original author AND of the Showgsd-l Management. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. ALL PERSONS ARE ON NOTICE THAT THE FORWARDING, REPRODUCTION OR USE IN ANY MANNER OF ANY MATERIAL WHICH APPEARS ON SHOWGSD-L WITHOUT THE EXPRESS PERMISSION OF ALL PARTIES TO THE POST AND THE LIST MANAGEMENT IS EXPRESSLY FORBIDDEN, AND IS A VIOLATION OF LAW. VIOLATORS OF THIS PROHIBITION WILL BE PROSECUTED. For assistance, please contact the List Management at admin@xxxxxxxxxxxx VISIT OUR WEBSITE - www.showgsd.org ============================================================================