[Dailydrool] Bench show addendum

[Riche Churchill]

Neglected to point out that unbenched shows are a boon and convenience 
to exhibitors but a great loss to spectators, primarily because the 
exhibitors (especially those with short-haired dogs who do not require 
much ring prep) tend to arrive just before show time and leave almost 
immediately afterward unless one dog needs to remain for progression to 
another ring (winners or BOB class, etc.). But even that may not take 
long, and if professional handlers are involved (which was rarely the 
case in the 40's and 50's) most of their "string" not needed further are 
bundled back into RV and out of sight. Even if not, pros rarely have 
time for spectators as they often are showing more than one breed and 
are extremely busy.

I certainly was guilty of not hanging around long. There were times, 
after driving 8 hours TO the show that I arrived 10 minutes before 
ring-time and barely made it. Since an 8-hour drive home awaited, there 
wasn't much interest in tarrying afterward.

Be all that as it may, unbenched shows are not the reason for the 
current decline in showing. Reasons are many, and include the economy, 
cyber world, and the explosion of the dog population in general -- 
especially the unwanted and discarded. There were "pounds" in 1940 and 
1950, but there were almost no rescues, and little if any thought that 
there was a need or ever would be.

We were far more concerned back then with such things as distemper (no 
vaccines) and fleas (no preventives). Spaying and neutering were almost 
unheard of and I can't remember a single breeder of any type who 
required it for pet puppies sold. When I was a columnist for Kennel 
Review in the early 60's, I sounded the alarm about selling intact pet 
puppies, but never knew if it was heeded. Apparently not.

Riche