[ SHOWGSD-L ] Re: long AKC REP, Fitchberg and doubling 2 sides to every story....
- From: Edwin Hill <edwinx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: onaluzlead@xxxxxxxxxxx, freelist <showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 16 Dec 2007 06:43:41 -0800 (PST)
It's the pancake theory........no matter how thick or how thin you fry it,
every pancake has two sides...FB
"Donna M. Calabrese" <onaluzlead@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: Hi all,
I know I am way behind in emails, we have been on the road for weeks and I am
still catching up...I wont brag on this post, but I will address this whole
Fitchburg issue viewing the issues from my view...for I WAS there for all of
the shows, participated with 9 dogs a show and doubled each one...discretely
and respectfully...
I first must say that our GSD community has proven once again to join together
and try and stand tall, all for one and one for all...I may be the devils
advocate here, however, we certainly need to pick our fights for we have a
bigger war...for I feel I am a die hard GSD breeder, doubler, owner etc and
would go to bat and usually go for the underdog, however I was
EMBARRASSED...not only for our breed but for us as a group of people by
people's behavior, whining and complaining and now stating this rep hit, beat,
punched etc...and then influenced the judging decisions. NONE of those judges
are weak or from what I have ever seen can be pushed around...there was more to
this than (as usual) came out...
In doing many all shows per year, not just specialties...we have learned to
adapt to rules or guidelines and get creative, as suggested in other
posts...most of you know we are a breed of our own, we are not liked and/or
accepted by most. Although the majors have been at the all breeds lately, and
we must make a living by going to these all breeds. We must as a group try and
stick to setting a good example to change the mindset of so many people in
other breeds. Allot of the handlers and people that go to these shows have
worked real hard to gain the respect of the same people we see week after week,
month after month. For the most part they have learned that we will double, we
have tried to be respectful not to disrupt other breeds and people. Not fall
over babies or older people, not yell and scream dogs names into the rings, not
ring bells and honk horns into ringside's ears...and most of all....know when a
rep comes to the ring and says just keep it down...they mean KEEP
IT down...not so when they turn on their heal to walk away, you ring your
bells, blow your duck call, yell the dogs name etc...be discreet, at least wait
for them to go away....the problem here is that most of the people that got in
trouble, didn't take her warnings seriously in the beginning...to gain
attention of exhibitors...she had to catch up to them running around the
ring...put her hand on their arm and run to get in front of them before their
next outburst and let them know who she was and it was time to stop... or maybe
the people that got in trouble took the brunt of what others caused and made
the rep make sure we understood her authority.
What most don't know is that rep, Patty Jenner...also a friend, as many of the
complainers are to me (I am sure you will be mad after I write this though)
came ringside prior to the start of judging...excited to see our entry so big,
so many days all put together successfully by Debbie Hokkanen and the other
club members. She wasn't planning on sitting and staying because she didn't
want to interfere what she has come ringside and enjoyed so many other
times...she is a GSD fan, she understands what and why we do the doubling...for
she was a handler of other breeds and did it herself for years...without
disruption and disrespect for other people. Her theory is doubling is an
art...done successfully...just as a good handler becomes invisible...so all you
notice is the dog...not a bunch of people yelling, ahhh yahhing, ringing bells,
bumping into people, stepping on other dogs and breeds, we were in a building
with other specialties and all breeds...WAKE UP...we can't always p
lay by our rules...we have to give to get..
I feel like the whole direction this problem took can be compared to our
younger generation telling parents that if you discipline me, I will call the
child abuse hotline...please don't get me wrong. I am not condoning anyone
"putting their hands on people" however, if that's the case, I will be arrested
the next time I am set out in the outfield with a client that doesn't know what
they are doing when I grab them ...and either grab their bell to ring it right
or grab them to help them get to the right place...I know the way I was raised
that if my mother said "don't do that" and I did it before she was 2 feet away
there was gonna be a consequence...and I would of shown her disrespect...not
cool.
We were so loud that a group of people at the other end of the building all
grouped together and yelled at one time to let us see how it all carried down
there and spooked toy breeds...some of those young toy breeds have a hard time
in a building, keeping tails up, learning mats...so this wasn't a good
experience for allot of other breeds and people...expensive for them as well,
since another breed disrupted their showing experience...maybe it wasn't all
our faults but...maybe since our dogs couldn't hear us too well, made us get
louder and the breeds at the other end of the building got the brunt of
it...trust me Xing dogs that night afterwards was awkward...the looks and
sneers of other handlers and their people did not make it pleasant...as you
want people to understand the time and money we spent...to get there, hire
handlers and expenses etc...others want the same consideration.
Ok so now we are into the night specialty...ring size as described was
awful...what most don't know, that rep, that you are complaining about went to
bat for us, that the ring was ridiculously too small, made a suggestion to make
it double sized and explained how to change the matting...so that the dogs and
handlers could safely get around on the cement floor. The committee all
discussed it, and well they didn't do a thing. Then to top it off was Rally
right next to us; another problem...then we have one of our exhibitors who knew
of the "keep it down" problem...and when things got loud...his bitch was in I
believe 2nd place...to stay competitive, he kept doubling his bitch, with the
rep on his trail...knowing this, when she kept trying to stop him...he was bent
over people seated in the front row, doubling, she put her hand on his arm to
turn him around to "introduce herself" when he pulled his arm away and said
"Keep your f%^&ng hands off of me"...when she said "I need to
h
ave a word with you," he said "not now I don't have time for this I am doubling
my bitch..." Tell me if you were the rep what you would of done...apparently
there was no respect for her position...there were complaints from many other
exhibitors in other breeds and it needed to stop...and it was her job to do
something...a bench show was called and from what I understand he can no longer
come to those shows; and possibly other things relating to the AKC.
Debbie chased him begging him to stop...he didn't...it was not pretty...he made
a choice...and knowing him, stood by it...which is who he is...respectfully
so...but for the rest of us now, we have bigger issues. The same departments
that have read all these complaints...especially from people not even
there...are now thinking why should we give these trouble making GSD people
night time specialties, look at the disruption, time and waist of energy they
turn out to be...they get to choose and make choices that we too won't like...
I think the accusations of hitting...punching...screaming...are a huge
exaggerated...I am sorry if this angers you, however, if she actually hit
you...you would of called 911 and/or you would of complained right then and
there...not wait to go home and get the list going...
This rep has been at the last 2 sets of very very large NE shows and now out
here in Cleveland...along with other reps...they have been by our ring...by the
group ring...but mostly talking about the GSD people and the letters that have
hit AKC from people that weren't even there...the funny part is...the President
of AKC and Patty Jenner and Bobby Fischer were all ringside at Canfield, they
stopped people from doubling...and stayed there...because we also "disrupted"
the Boxer ring...we didn't read about them there or that they caused people to
loose or ripped their arms off and beat them...why??? I have been reprimanded
by Bobbie Fischer, Ray Scott, Jimmy Mitchell and some guy from down
south...many times, it comes with the job...I guess but I really wonder if one
of them were ringside; how all this would of went down...with the respect
factor...
Just another side, I am sure not the popular side...but what I observed and was
involved with...
Donna Calabrese
PS And the crack a complainer said about handlers that had to revert to baiting
their dogs...that's called homework, you start with training and conditioning
then you go to a dog show fully prepared...for anything apparently~
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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
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