| So January ASC 2010 was just ok for me. I haven't been there in a while & although the venue was quite comfortable, it's not what it used to be. I was lucky enough to have a lovely spacious room that was right off the elevator. There was plenty of grooming space in the tack room, with reasonable access to the xpen area, although while I carried Preston, Bee ran to the xpen & back on her own. She made everyone nervous that there was a "loose dog!" until the end of the weekend when, by then, everyone knew her name. I noticed there were few vendors who had hand-made Cocker items for sale. Gosh, there was always tons of cute Cocker items to buy in the past! I was hoping to find a really cool clock for the kennel, but no such luck. The futurity was now, I'm guessing, a third of what it used to be, partly because of the economy, but also because of the new rules about eye & hip testing required from both the parents (who need to be over 2 yrs old). I normally do eye & hip testing, but this is too much paperwork for even me, and what does this really mean? There were a few good ones, but most were mediocre at best - certainly not the cream of the crop! Are these puppies the best in the country & are they healthier than most, or has ASC shot themselves in the foot? 3 or 4 entries to a class? I remember when my Iris won her class of 26 6-9 mos bitches, and my dogs won classes of at least 14. Mike & Linda still appearing in the BIS & Best Cocker competition, just as I left it several years ago. The 2 rings were fine on the carpeted floor, where they also held the ASC meeting. Unfortunately, the cocktail party was also held in the show ring. The ambiance left something to be desired. No tables to sit & chat while catching up with old friends & munching on the hors d'oeuvres & drinks; only show ring chairs being haphazardly moved about in the bright lights of the convention center. Everyone in blue jeans now - not bothering to dress up for this event or even change from their daytime wear. No big deal. Years ago you'd never even be caught wearing jeans at the show unless you were bathing a dog & I remember wearing long gowns on Sunday's show. Well, at least the judges are still formal. Don't get me wrong, it's really not that I don't wear jeans most of the time these days, but there's something to be said for tradition & just the respect our event should bring. I don't even need a formal gala that would turn off some folks completely; I just want the respect back that our flushing spaniel show deserves, and above all, it should be merry! |
