Page 53 - K9News_Issue12_July2020

LEEDS
CHAMPIONSHIP DOG SHOW
This year would have been the 38th year that
Leeds Championship Dog Show had been held
in the grounds of Harewood House, but due to
Covid 19 the grounds were not open, there was
no dog show and no mass gatherings legally
anywhere in the country.
When we first went to Harewood in 1982 we
were only a 2 day show but quickly grew to 3
days, previously the show was held at Roundhay
Park in Leeds, the first championship show was
a one day event held in 1951. Our second home
was Temple Newsham for 10 years when we
increased to 2 days.
Next year will be our 70th year of holding a
championship show and we intend to celebrate
in style especially after having to cancel this
year.
Cancelling is not an easy thing to do but it was
obvious this year that so many things would be
cancelled, not just leisure and sporting events.
Wimbledon, Glastonbury, Trooping the Colour,
Formula one, Grand National and many more.
The timing of cancellations is important as leave
it too late and you incur large cancellation fees
and loss of deposits from the venue and some
of the contractors. Too early and you wonder if
you have been too hasty, but this time we had no
option, the Government were issuing the rules.
Some uninformed people seem to think once
you cancel that is your work for the year done!!
Who informs the contractors, catering, tenting,
benching, toilets etc. Then there are the breed
shows that have booked to hold their shows
with yours, trade stands to return their deposits,
luckily I have a very good Trade Stand Manager
who dealt with that.
The Chief Steward had to contact all of the
stewards, some of whom come year after year,
again lots of emails and letters. Thank goodness
for a very competent Chief Steward.
Finally there are the judges to contact, some
K9 NEWS DIGITAL / JULY 2020
of which can be offered the same breed in the
following couple of years. Some are unable to
accept because they are booked further ahead
and fall into the 18 month restriction. Some
have decided that even 2 years ahead is further
than they want to judge and decide to retire.
All of these need letters or emails, some with
new contracts, some just with amendments as
they cannot do all the breeds they were first
contracted for. Not exactly sitting doing nothing!
With the Kennel Club being closed all paperwork
has to go by email and questionnaires have
to be scanned before sending, just a bit extra
computer work.
It has been a very unsettling time for all level
of shows and it makes you wonder what dog
showing will be like in the future. Will the
exhibitors be there as many will be affected
financially as firms close, staff are made
redundant?
As the age average for exhibitors, judges and
stewards is over 65 will some people decide to
retire, will those who might have bred a litter for
a show dog not do any mating this year and will
there be very few puppies next year?
Will, as happened after foot and mouth people
discover other things to do in their leisure time
and realise how much money dog showing cost
when they see how much they have saved in
entry fees, petrol etc?
We can only cross our fingers and hope that “we
all meet again” and although shows might be
in a different format we hope exhibitors support
them. Some societies will suffer financially and
some smaller ones might cease to exist but dog
showing, maybe not as we know it will carry on.
All the committee of Leeds Championship Dog
Show look forward to seeing all our supporters
old and new at our 70th (Platinum) Anniversary
show next year.
LIZ STANNARD, Hon Secretary
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