Several posts have summed this subject up quite accurately. The way the breed is going in the AKC ring will lead to REQUIRING a pro handler (with a few exceptions on occassion) to be able to get those major wins as the pro's will be traveling to the sites likely to draw majors and therefore most majors will place the owner handler at a political disadvantage competing against well known big name handlers with tremendous financial backing. It will also become necessary to trim and sculpt your dog (always denying you do so) to be able to win with regularity as this is what the pro's are doing and what the judges are putting up in many cases.
What can be done? As someone noted, don't hire the pro's. Certainly in most cases those who can not handle for some reason must have breeder or show friends who could and would do it. Don't support handler judges. There are some judges who get a reputation for putting up the pro's. Don't enter under them. Leave them and their couple of pro buddies to a 1 or 2 point win instead of majors. Don't support judges who put up obviously altered and/or trimmed dogs. Reward the judges with the courage to put up the best dog. People like to be liked. One of the reason some judges put up that well known pro is they travel in that circle, its acceptable and maybe expected in that circle and they want to be liked in that circle. If good judges constantly draw better entries it will get noticed. It will get talked about. Others will hopefully want to emulate. Pro handlers need to win. They scout out the shows and plan their travel to increase their odds. They pick judges they know will favor them or their dog. They seek majors, AND they seek a venue where that other big name handler isn't showing ... i.e. they seek leveraged competition. If Cavalier enthusiasts began in any number to not support the bad judges, the handler judges, etc.... these handlers may find majors tougher to get. They may find themselves competing more against other handlers and not having the big entry of owner handlers they need to get the points they want. If they win less easily, it will cost the owners more. If it becomes too costly support for the pro's may dwindle. One thing about the pro's is they are creatures of habit. They trim fluff and stack most every dog the same way. They have a formula for success. They don't vary from it regardless of varying rules by breed. IF and only IF a significant part of the Cavalier owners/breeders and/or judges refused to support this behaviour and made it LESS PROFITABLE for the pro's in Cavaliers.... they would move on to other breeds and note Cavaliers as not profitable enough to be worth the time and effort. They would not change their habits as there are too many other breeds they can make money in with their assembly line in the grooming tent set up as always. I would also like to see more of a big deal placed by the parent clubs on the owner handler and bred by wins. Make it more rewarding. Make it talked about. Make it more noteable. Those chasing big wins through campaigning are after attention. Give more attention to the hard earned wins of the owner/handler rather then those bought through a financed pro handled campaign. It can be done but it means more work for the Cavalier enthusiast because instead of buying wins with a pro on the lead they would have to earn them. It would also mean those mediocre dogs will not finish. It would also mean putting the best interest of the breed ahead of the importance of winning. Dave CastleMyst Cavaliers http://members.aol.com/CMystCavs ========================================================= "Magic Commands": to stop receiving mail for awhile, click here and send the email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?body=SET%20CKCS-L%20NOMAIL to start it up gain click here: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?body=SET%20CKCS-L%20MAIL E-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] for assistance. Search the Archives... http://apple.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ckcs-l.html All e-mail sent through CKCS-L is Copyright 2002 by its original author.
