[ SHOWGSD-L ] Re: showgsd-l Digest V2 #272
- From: "Florence Boese" <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> (Redacted sender "fboese@xxxxxxx" for DMARC)
- To: showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 22 Feb 2015 13:45:06 -0500
-----Original Message-----
From: Showgsd-l <Showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: showgsd-l digest users <Showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sun, Feb 22, 2015 9:01 am
Subject: showgsd-l Digest V2 #272
DO NOT RETURN THE ENTIRE DIGEST. HIGHLIGHT WHAT YOU WISH TO REPLY TO BEFORE
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showgsd-l Digest Sun, 22 Feb 2015 Volume: 02 Issue: 272
In This Issue:
#1: From: "Cheryl Olson" <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> (Redacted
sender "tindrock1@xxxxxxx" for DMARC)
Subject: Re: showgsd-l Digest V2 #265
#2: From: "" <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> (Redacted sender
"Pinehillgsds@xxxxxxx" for DMARC)
Subject: Re: Interesting Decline Conformation
#3: From: Anne Utter <rautt75@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: Interesting Decline Conformation
#4: From: Terry Cochran <tinky91147@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: Interesting Decline Conformation
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Msg: #1 in digest
Date: Sun, 22 Feb 2015 07:24:16 -0500
From: "Cheryl Olson" <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> (Redacted sender
"tindrock1@xxxxxxx" for DMARC)
Subject: Re: showgsd-l Digest V2 #265
I agree with you, Evan. Plus, I know when I was just getting into conformation
and young, I was hungry to show and produce champions. How many champions does
it take to make us happy? I have proven to myself that I can produce champions
and select champions and an AOE and I have 5 active ROM dams, but I don't have
the time to go to many shows anymore. I also think there were far more shows
in the NE and MA, where I used to live, and they were easy to get to. Now
living in ATL, I have my own club's 2 shows per year, ATL, and Augusta that are
relatively close and easy to get to. Having an 89 year old Mom living with me,
I cannot travel and be away for long periods of time, and I have to save 'going
away' for work-related trips. since I have a great job which requires periodic
travel. I know my own goals are to finish my AOE Storm's ROM (I only need 3
qualifiers now) and I am not interested in finishing any more ROM's after that.
But on the other hand, I have some funny
puppies that I would just like to see in the ring and see how much fun it will
be seeing them in the ring because they are nuts, and I think that will be more
fun I will have in the future, but I'm not hungry now as when I was young. At
least that's how I think I feel. It is very easy for me, having 2 top handlers
living closeby, that I can drop off my dogs there and have them finished. It
is much easier for me to do that than travel to all those shows myself. Plus,
I have to admit. I no longer like to groom and get up early to go to shows. I
don't enjoy being away when I know my Mom is home alone and could fall or
worse. So I wonder if a lot of us in the baby boom generation are in that
situation, with parents and children and grandchildren to still take care of.
At least I think this is how I feel. I also worry about my best friends and
how their health is not getting any better and it is our friends along with
family, that make life worthwhile. Good conversation
, this thread. Cheryl/Tindrock
Msg: #4 in digest
Date: Sat, 21 Feb 2015 12:57:56 -0500
From: "Evan Ginsburg" <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> (Redacted sender
"elg440@xxxxxxx" for DMARC)
Subject: Interesting Decline Conformation
Conformation is dying out, because it just isn't as much fun as it used to be.
As we get older, we also get grumpy. It is expected and natural.
It is not one thing, but cost, time and effort are factors. Let's face it, when
you pay $75.00 a class for a handler, $25.00 to enter, and show two dogs both
Saturday and Sunday, pay $80.00 a night for motels, $100.00 a weekend for gas,
and then $40.00 for food, you are talking about $740.00 for the weekend, (I
don't promise I got the math correct). How many of us want to spend that much
for one reserve and a fourth place in a class? Or, even two points?
Also, there are so many other activities. You can go to a museum, watch a
cricket game, drive to the mountains, or visit the Magic Castle.
It isn't the politics of the shows, the infighting at the club, or the
hostility of the club members.
We have lots of choices on how to spend out time and money. The dog shows need
to provide more of a reward, and personal satisfaction to us to survive. Maybe
the answer is free food? Watch the Long Beach/Orange Coast shows. Or how
about mud wrestling, or pumpkin tosses. Why can't we have a rib cook off, or
flower arranging at the shows? We need more reasons to go.
Evan
------------------------------
Msg: #2 in digest
From: "" <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> (Redacted sender "Pinehillgsds@xxxxxxx"
for DMARC)
Date: Sun, 22 Feb 2015 08:08:12 -0500
Subject: Re: Interesting Decline Conformation
Hmmmmmmm....I'm not finding that. I find people willing to wait quite a
while for a dog that looks like the standard. Maybe on the fringes or maybe
someone w/ a limited bank account but the status symbols of a beautiful,
well bred dog, expensive car/clothes/homes haven't gone away. Just look at
the BMW and Audi sales figures, look at Nordstroms.....
Kathy, member GSDCA, DVGSDC
Celebrating generations of Dual Titled TC'd Champions
visit http://www.pinehillgsds.com/
In a message dated 2/21/2015 5:11:54 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:
The purebred dog, bred, raised and loved by a good breeder is now a social
outcast. "Adopt, don't shop" is the average person's philosophy today.
So while dogs are as popular as ever, my thinking is that the well bred dog
who is a good representative of its breed is not.
------------------------------
Msg: #3 in digest
Subject: Re: Interesting Decline Conformation
From: Anne Utter <rautt75@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sun, 22 Feb 2015 08:46:36 -0500
Kathy, you make a case here for 'rich man's game'
Anne, GA
Sent from Anne's iPad
> On Feb 22, 2015, at 8:08 AM, (Redacted sender "Pinehillgsds@xxxxxxx" for
> DMARC) <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> Hmmmmmmm....I'm not finding that. I find people willing to wait quite a
> while for a dog that looks like the standard. Maybe on the fringes or maybe
> someone w/ a limited bank account but the status symbols of a beautiful, well
> bred dog, expensive car/clothes/homes haven't gone away. Just look at the
> BMW and Audi sales figures, look at Nordstroms.....
>
> Kathy, member GSDCA, DVGSDC
> Celebrating generations of Dual Titled TC'd Champions
> visit http://www.pinehillgsds.com/
>
> In a message dated 2/21/2015 5:11:54 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
> dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:
> The purebred dog, bred, raised and loved by a good breeder is now a social
> outcast. "Adopt, don't shop" is the average person's philosophy today. So
> while dogs are as popular as ever, my thinking is that the well bred dog who
> is a good representative of its breed is not.
------------------------------
Msg: #4 in digest
Date: Sun, 22 Feb 2015 07:01:20 -0700
Subject: Re: Interesting Decline Conformation
From: Terry Cochran <tinky91147@xxxxxxxxx>
I use to think that until I photographed the Great Dane Specialty here in
Phoenix. Total entry 89. It was the same number of entries they had last
year.
They were worried that I was a GSD photographer. Was I going to be hard to
get along with? Would I make their dog look awful? I am sad to say that we
do have a poor reputation among other dog fanciers. On the bight side, one
of the judges had been to our national and was proud of the fact that he
was mentored by Jim Moses. Was amazed at the size of our ring and said he
would have never been able to see he dogs being shown so far away.
I asked the president of the club how many professional handlers there
were there and she told me three.
Our entries are declining because we are a "Handlers Breed" if you want to
win you need a professional handler. We have done a very poor job of
bringing young folks into the group. The young families go to the German
ring where they have a better chance of winning handling their own dog. And
yes they are there in the German ring, and in the German training classes.
The American specialty ring will soon be a thing of the past as we die out.
We have young handlers but we are running out of young owners and breeders.
Is there a way to turn this around. I really don't think so.
Things change,
Terry
On Sat, Feb 21, 2015 at 8:24 PM, David Fritsche <d_fritsche@xxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
> I’ve stated my opinion on this before, but since it is a current
> discussion, might as well refresh it.
>
>
>
> There are lots of reason advanced that are introspective and blame the
> trends on us. Although we could do better and be more friendly and cook
> better lunches and…. These are not the problem. The problem is cultural.
> Our culture is changing.
>
>
>
> The modular family has declined over the past several decades and will be
> extinct if trends continue.
>
> Those families that do exist have far more draws on their time and
> competition for their attention. There are graded activities for each
> member of the family that keep the family car going 70 different direction
> 8 nights a week.
>
>
>
> Sports and activities have changes also with far more active and dangerous
> activities drawing attention. A dog show you say? How many people will be
> eaten, will fall through the air without a parachute, will do 12 flips in
> the air over a fire pit… ???? What, run around in a circle for a few
> minutes and get pointed to?
>
>
>
> I love it, you love it but you have to understand the details yourself and
> be able to set ringside as judge. Then it is exciting. Otherwise, for the
> current culture – not so much.
>
>
>
> I still love it and do not want to change it and want to be able to get
> out to more shows. But like many of my peers, I am older now and at some
> point I have to make that mark in the sand: No more dogs. My ability to
> handle them and care for them decreases and I do not want to leave a bunch
> of dogs to themselves when I die – and that is an inevitability that is
> slowly chasing me down.
>
> Dave
>
>
>
> *From:* showgsd-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:
> showgsd-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] *On Behalf Of *edwinx@xxxxxxxxxxx
> *Sent:* Saturday, February 21, 2015 9:31 AM
> *To:* dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx; showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> *Subject:* [ SHOWGSD-L ] Re: Interesting Decline Conformation
>
>
>
> So why ( if in fact ) are we slowly going the way of the dinosaur ? Dogs
> are just as popular ( if not more so) in our society as they've ever been!
> I still get chocked up when I see a guide dog, or a police dog taking down
> the bad guy... Why is OUR sport suffering? Is it us? Not blaming, just
> asking! Too many lurkers on this list! Give your opinion, join the
> discussion, or start a new one! Stormy WILL protect you! Look at at all the
> ridiculous things I post! Raiders moving back to LA.... God lets hope so (
> Sorry Zoe..lol) FB
>
> Sent from Xfinity Connect Mobile App
>
>
> ------ Original Message ------
>
> *From: *Evan Ginsburg
> *To: *freelist
> *Sent: *February 21, 2015 at 8:07 AM
> *Subject: *[ SHOWGSD-L ] Interesting Decline Conformation
>
>
> those numbers do not report what is really happening to the core and life
> blood of the Sport, Conformation.
>
>
>
> What do we do? Face the facts. Recognition of the problem with facts is
> the first, easiest, and most obvious step.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Linda brings to us a most interesting issue and study. I printed out two
> lines from the post that set forth the real issue.
>
>
>
> There is a saying, GI, GO. It means, garbage in, garbage out.
>
>
>
> Here is the problem. If you start with the statement that the "life blood
> of the Sport, Conformation", then you have created a problem not based on
> fact. It is clear, Conformation is not the life blood of the sport, any
> longer. Every other facet of dog shows is growing, except Conformation. So,
> is it not time to stop clinging to the theory that the part of the sport we
> on this List love, and keep saying it is the life blood, when it is not?
> Maybe it used to be, but the figures tell us it is not.
>
>
>
> Then, at the end the article says, "Face the facts". So, let's face the
> facts. Conformation has become something less than the driving force for
> dog shows. That is not a good thing, nor is it a bad thing. It is the
> "fact" and we need to face it.
>
>
>
> It is true that we want it to be the "Life Blood", but wanting won't do
> it. We love conformation, but the majority of dog show entries show us
> that what we love is not what is the "life blood" of the sport.
>
>
>
> When we recognize the facts, we can figure out what to do about it. Do we
> want to increase Conformation when the majority of dog show entries don't
> desire that? Maybe so, but if we do that, we need to do it with the
> understanding that we are pushing against the tide. There is nothing wrong
> with "tilting at windmills", so long as you know the windmill is going to
> win.
>
>
>
> Not that there is anything wrong with that, so long as you know what the
> facts are.
>
>
>
> Evan
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
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End of showgsd-l Digest V2 #272
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