It wasn't a bad weekend at the show. But before I post the results I have a few comments:
To the judges: If you are going to actually 'go over' a dog, it should be more than just checking a dog's topline. Stop ignoring the legs, the tail, the neck, and shoulders. They are important too, people! Coats: (and this is not just for Havanese): When you flip up the ends of the coat and drop it to see if it is light and airy, that applies to the topnot, muzzle, legs, etc. If it is so ratted and/or matted that the handler can't get a brush through it, let alone a comb, that would fall into the category of 'improper grooming' or 'care and condition.' I was visiting with the handler of another breed who said that they had just gotten the dog back from the owner and it was all matted. They weren't worried as long as they could get the head and body looking OK, the legs and tail could wait, because their Saturday judge never touches below the top of the body. They did not win, for other reasons, but I watched that judge, and in every breed I saw there were no legs touched. Maybe they have a phobia? A note to Havanese Judges: Havanese should be double coated, or at least look it. Soft and silky does not mean Yorkie, or Puli.
The Route 66 Cluster people think very highly of their venue:
In the grand scheme of things - it isn't great.
1. Reserved Grooming: I watched the Aussie people have to put their crates up against the wall, their tables right in front of them, and when it was time to groom they had to stand in the aisles. It was this way throughout the grooming area. Many people that did not have reserved grooming were outside under a tent. Some breeds were again shown outside on the grass, but you had to either walk to the other end of the building (from the grooming area) and down sort of a gravel drive, or through a ditch if you wanted to go across from the grooming area. A 5' x 8' grooming space was $25. Maybe if it was a 4 day event, but for 2 days? There are also some 18" support columns that were included in some people's square footage - not right! Some people didn't even have electric. That's crazy. That's barely space for 1 or 2 dogs and 1 table. What ever happened to 5' x 10's or 10' x 10's? Next week's show is $10 per 5' x 10.' There was a similar situation with shows at Purina in September. One weekend was $40 for grooming, the next weekend was $100 for the same space! Don't get me wrong, I don't mind reserved grooming, I have even seen shows provide it at no charge. It is a real benefit for people who cannot get there until late. Some people who cannot afford it are SOL though. We just wish that the clubs would get their stuff together. We don't mind paying but be fair and consistent.
The real kicker was that the club members that were peeling the tape off of the floor had the gall to suggest that since we paid for grooming the exhibitors should have to remove all of the tape and name signs! C'mon people, we PAID to be there, in little tiny spots, you could at least pick up the tape.
2. Trash pickup. There were less than 1/2 dozen large garbage cans around the entire venue. There were a few 'office size' trash cans. Very few were emptied all weekend. Finally on Sunday, during groups, when they were all so overflowing to the point that it took 3 bags to clean up around one of the inside cans, they got around to it. As early as Saturday morning, the restrooms were in need of service, that did not come all weekend. I told people several times starting about 8 AM on Saturday, and nothing was done. Throughout the weekend, I learned that several other people, both men and women, asked that the restrooms be serviced, and nothing was done. No restroom trash cans had been emptied all weekend either, and by Sunday, there was less than 1/2" of paper on 1 roll of toilet paper in the entire women's room across from the grooming area, and almost no paper towels. Who's responsibility was this? The club people didn't seem to know, and the people in the food area didn't seem to care.
3. Food Service. Really? Is that what that was? You post a restriction for no outside food or drink and our options are hot dogs and hamburgers, the ultimate mystery meat and shoe leather!
The Holiday Inn:
The Holiday Inn is convenient. The food is tolerable. The rooms were relatively clean. Did we get the type of room that we reserved over a month ago, and then confirmed as we were driving back from Canada on Thursday? No. They basically called us liars saying that they didn't have that type of room. We had the dates and times along with the name of the people whom we spoke with both when making the reservation and again when confirming, but that did not matter. This is the room they have, that is the room we got. Not much else we could do. We have been in hotels since October 18 and most were good, some very good, some not so good. This was in the middle. And yes, we will probably stay there again next year. Convenience wins out.
