Thursday, May 10, 2007
What's The Word?
One of the few things that I dislike about our hobby is how difficult it is to know who did what at a rabbit show.
It reminds me of baseball a bit. When you listen to a baseball game on the radio or see it on television, you know exactly what's going on. But if you attend the game, things can happen and no one - except the person who is also listening to it on the radio - knows what happened. Just let the pitcher balk and watch 50,000 people get puzzled looks on their faces.
Likewise, have you ever been standing at the show table and had the judge call out the final placements only to hear everyone start saying, "What happened?" "Who won?"
Now it's possible that the judge will shake hands with the BOB and BOS. But want about the class winners? Best of group? Best opposite sex of group? Okay, in a small group of friends, you can probably ferret it out. But what about when you are in a large group and/or there are exhibitors that you don't know (or even those who are tied up with other breeds)?
For those of us who did not attend Nationals this year, it was so frustrating waiting to hear the results. There was lots of buzz, but it was mostly, "Have you heard anything?"
I love to have Keat Hor for a show secretary. He prints up a nice chart that shows who placed and who won specials. Now I realize that it is for a specialty show and that kind of work would be too much for an all-breed show, but it is so nice, for once, to really know what happens at a show!
But even for large all-breed shows, I've occasionally gotten a letter, note, or chart saying who won Best In Show and Best Reserve, and even occasionally, BOB and BOS. That's really nice when it happens.
For now, I guess the best we can do is look over the writer's shoulder (or be the writer) to see what's going on. I suppose we'll keep saying, "Whose rabbit was that?" for some time to come.
So if you are the writer, expect people to want to see the paperwork. And if you are ever a show secretary and have the opportunity to send out show results, keep this idea in mind. People want to know. You can pass on the word.
Laurie Stroupe
The Nature Trail Rabbitry “Home Of Grand Champions”
Precious Pet Rabbits
¶ 7:13 AM
It reminds me of baseball a bit. When you listen to a baseball game on the radio or see it on television, you know exactly what's going on. But if you attend the game, things can happen and no one - except the person who is also listening to it on the radio - knows what happened. Just let the pitcher balk and watch 50,000 people get puzzled looks on their faces.
Likewise, have you ever been standing at the show table and had the judge call out the final placements only to hear everyone start saying, "What happened?" "Who won?"
Now it's possible that the judge will shake hands with the BOB and BOS. But want about the class winners? Best of group? Best opposite sex of group? Okay, in a small group of friends, you can probably ferret it out. But what about when you are in a large group and/or there are exhibitors that you don't know (or even those who are tied up with other breeds)?
For those of us who did not attend Nationals this year, it was so frustrating waiting to hear the results. There was lots of buzz, but it was mostly, "Have you heard anything?"
I love to have Keat Hor for a show secretary. He prints up a nice chart that shows who placed and who won specials. Now I realize that it is for a specialty show and that kind of work would be too much for an all-breed show, but it is so nice, for once, to really know what happens at a show!
But even for large all-breed shows, I've occasionally gotten a letter, note, or chart saying who won Best In Show and Best Reserve, and even occasionally, BOB and BOS. That's really nice when it happens.
For now, I guess the best we can do is look over the writer's shoulder (or be the writer) to see what's going on. I suppose we'll keep saying, "Whose rabbit was that?" for some time to come.
So if you are the writer, expect people to want to see the paperwork. And if you are ever a show secretary and have the opportunity to send out show results, keep this idea in mind. People want to know. You can pass on the word.
Laurie Stroupe
The Nature Trail Rabbitry “Home Of Grand Champions”
Precious Pet Rabbits
¶ 7:13 AM
