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was beginning to take hold and now there was smooth-running of the show at the 11th hour
something else to add to the bubbling maelstrom (and we all know how hard it is to get Ring
of social media unrest! Should the show be Stewards at the best of times) potentially causes
cancelled? Why not just let the exhibitors in a major problem from an operational point-of-
and not the public? Shouldn’t we get rid of the view. However, people deciding to withdraw, for
benching in case it’s contaminated? Why not put whatever the reason may be, is not a problem
all the trade stands in one hall so the exhibitors from any point-of-view.
don’t have to go near them?
We are all volunteers. Nothing is compulsory.
It never ceases to amaze me just how many And if, at any time, any volunteer feels
experts there are on social media, experts that uncomfortable with their involvement in any way,
actually have absolutely no idea! then they can pull out. There’s never any blame
attached and nobody is going to criticise. As we
Needless to say, in the face of the annual ritual
all know, in the world of dogs, and especially
of Crufts-bashing, the show planning went on
in the area of stewarding, there are quite a
as normal, but, this year, there was the ever-
few who are……. how shall I put this?……a
present background uncertainty that it still could
little on the older side. Several of these older
actually become a victim of the virus, at any
stewards, and some with underlying health
time!
issues, decided, very sensibly, to stay away.
In fact, well into Wednesday evening, Others felt the need to stay away due to family
discussions were still taking place and it was commitments to older, or unwell, relatives. And
with a sense of relief when the doors actually some were simply victims of travel restrictions.
opened on Thursday morning, though, like the But, as I said, nobody is going to criticise. We
Sword of Damocles, the possibility of a sudden are all volunteers. We all have a choice. And
and instant closure at any point during the four there will be no repercussions.
days, hung over us right the way through the
Getting back to the operational problems, the
event.
overriding priority at the beginning of each day
And, of course, while the virus threat didn’t in the Crufts Stewards Office is to ensure that all
actually stop the show, it did cause significant rings start judging on time with a judge present
disruption in a number of areas and meant that it and, ideally, two Ring Stewards. Obviously,
was necessary to make a variety
of changes.

On the Monday, two days
before I was due to travel up
to Birmingham, I had a call
from Geoff Jackson-Haines,
Crufts Chief Steward. Not only
had several Ring Stewards
withdrawn because of the
Coronavirus situation, we had
also lost three Group Stewards.

Now, while this was a bit of
a problem, it also wasn’t a
problem!

I’ll explain: losing a number of
Group Stewards at work during the Gundog group at Crufts 2020
people that are important to the

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K9 NEWS DIGITAL / JULY 2020