Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2009 8:01 pm Post subject: Lets get things straight
What I am about to say I have thought about for some time now but this weekend has spured me into writting about what I feel.
Before I start there will be no names mentioned but I am sure they will know who I mean.
I am not a one for gossiping and I beleive that we are all different in life and people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.
When I had the pleasure of Amana Ellis kindly asking me if I wanted a Brit pup, what she had in mind was in her way to try to get new people into the breed, she knew that if she let me have a good pup then I would show it.
I decided that weather the pup was good or bad I would try to learn as much about the breed and the people in it. I didn't have to as there are lots of people who currently show lots of breeds and probably know little about them, like the oragin, the function, the health ect.
I have been to a seminar, agm's, open shows, club weekends, and training days. I have probably done more years in dogs than most people in Brittanys but have always tryed to bow to the greater knowlage of people in the breed.
To be honest I have hit hurdles all along the way. First of all I was accused of over trimming Mabeleen when in fact she is now nearly 4 and still not grown the coat around her neck, next I was accused of Mabeleen having the look of american breeding, then someone sayed to a friend of mine that Mabeleen was of course not a real Brittany, lets not forget I was accused of being a lesbian which I am NOT that hurt me alot.
I have been told that Mabeleen isn't very typical. I have been shouted at at Crufts for leaving her on the bench secure in a cage when I was in a completely different hall showing my welsh, I was told I should bench them together when obviously people didn't know the rules.
I have been forced to take her away from the benches as people were interfearing with her. How I care for Mabeleen is my business, I love her to bits and a few hours in a cage is not going to hurt her in anyway, at home she never sees a cage she runs free with my other dogs all day and is given at least an hour exercise every day she then sits on my knee at night while we watch tv. Lets face it most normal people have about 8 hours sleep a night and there dogs are not taken out and exercised then.
I could go on and on but I will not bore you all with it.
There are some very nice people I have met in the Breed and I am beholden to them for there help.
I think the main problem with some people is pure jealousy. I have been really lucky to get Mabeleen as I know I will never get another one like her but I wanted to do my best but I am being forced to out of the breed.
I suppose some people will read this and wonder what is going on, well all I can say is this is how I feel and General chat is where I should put it.
Gill, I am so sorry about all this and how you are feeling. You are right, there are a number of people in our breed who get very jealous of other people winning and think it is their own prerogative to win and no-one else's.
I felt hurt recently like you when Allez achieved the Show Certificate of Merit - the only Brittany other than Tala (Eastonite Talapion) ever to have done this.(as far as my research has shown anyway, but I'm happy to be told otherwise) You congratulated me and I believe three other people did apart form my own family.
I can take the blame for telling you Mabeleen was overtrimmed on her neck - if you remember I came and spoke to you and Amanda at a Club Show. I don't believe in talking behind people's backs, I came straight out with it and you showed me how easy her hair falls out on her neck. I accepted that, but I think I did say it makes her look American. So here is my apology right now. I didn't intend to hurt you ever. But I have also praised Mabeleen (and you particularly for supporting the AVNSC Classes) in my notes whenever she has won in the ring.
I'm not sure what you mean by being forced out of the breed? You only have Mabeleen, and you show her a lot, so I can't figure out what you mean except you feel you can't have another one because of this attitude - or were you thinking of breeding her and can't find a stud dog to suit. I'm happy to help you but you probably know more about pedigrees than I ever will. I do however have an in depth knowledge of most of the lines. I know which ones consistently have low hip scores and which ones have American breeding in them, for instance.
I have no knowledge of the other matters in your post but if true it is unacceptable to say such untrue things about anyone.
I don't get to Championship Shows any more due to the distance and not having a co-driver (you know why) so I don't hear malicious gossip to any great extent. If I do I usually ignore it.
If nothing else your post should make people sit up and have a think of what they personally may have said to you.
Give 'THAT MAbeleen' a cuddle from Auntie Anne - she has been fodder for my breed notes on a number of occasions. _________________ Annie
Handle every situation like a dog, if you can't eat it or play with it, just pee on it and walk away
Annie, to be honest you have never been the bad guy here, yes you did say about her trimming but as you said you were up front and it was put behind us. I always say well done to people who win in the ring even if they have beaten Mabeleen. I don't have a problem with loosing I never have, it is always going to happen with what ever breed I have. It is the people who smile when they have lost then try to cut my thoat after.
I like most people like to win I always make sure what ever I show is in tip top condition at all times the rest of the week my dogs are black with mud.
Thank you for your words as I said there are some very nice people in the breed.
What I mean when I say people are forcing me out of the breed, yes I suppose one thing is the breeding side but the other is I don't feel I want to put in the 100% I have done up to now like the agm's, training days Club weekends ect. I could end up just showing Mabeleen to death getting more CC than anyone could ever hope to beat and move on to another breed. I so don't want to do that and I feel that sort of attitude is bad for the good and benifit of any small breed.
Can I wearing my admin hat - remind all who wish to post to this thread that this is a public forum, it is not a club forum and that it is read worldwide.
No personal reference or implicit remarks should be made, either towards people who might not read this forum and therefore do not have an opportunity to reply or towards singular members as this would be deemed libelous.
Please keep statements to matters of fact. _________________ Guy, Ellie, Topaz, Catja and in memory Barley
Beauty from Structure
www.epagneulbreton.org.uk
I am disheartened to read this thread. Behaviour such as you mention - interference, certainly if malicious - should be brought to the attention of the KC immediately.
Gill,
I would be interested to read a 'what you would like to see' or 'what would make it better' post. With your experience in other breeds there may be some common and best practices we do see in this breed - for whatever reason. _________________ Guy, Ellie, Topaz, Catja and in memory Barley
Beauty from Structure
www.epagneulbreton.org.uk
I am disheartened to read this thread. Behaviour such as you mention - interference, certainly if malicious - should be brought to the attention of the KC immediately. [quote ]
Or a letter should be written to our chairman so that he can deal with it at committee level.
This is downright bad sportsmanship and, personally, I think that anyone so bad mannered and jealous should get out of showing,
out of the breed [whatever it is], and go for councelling.
Never mind Gill it just goes to show that you handle in a professional manner with a brilliant little show girl and these people are pig sick that they haven't got one like her so they too can win as much as you.
PS You can give me a hug any time you want by the way.......it's a well known fact that a hug a day is good for your health _________________ Jan
Merlin, hips 9/9=18 and Ghillie, hips 8/9=17
Pull [n or v] An equal and opposite force perpetrated on both ends of a lead that results in the inevitable tripping and falling of the human involved!!
Quote <<Gill,
I would be interested to read a 'what you would like to see' or 'what would make it better' post. With your experience in other breeds there may be some common and best practices we do see in this breed - for whatever reason>>
Well Guy,
I have been in Welsh for 30 years and when I had my first welsh I was welcomed into the breed with open arms and it is still the same today, when ever a new person comes into the ring for the first time everyone wants to help them.
I know it is written in the Brit code that all members are to welcome new comers well I am sorry it just dosn't happen.
I feel if people have taken up the challange to take on a Brit, then as people in the breed the challange should be how can this person help the breed? Maybe if they have never shown before then perhaps they have other things that they can offer the breed and club.
If they have been in other breeds then maybe there expertees in the canine world, could make a club stronger.
Of course most small clubs hate new people as it might mean they will win more than the people already in the club.
In saying that there are people in Brittanys who work tirelessly for not only the club if they are on the committee but for the breed in general. I have noticed that those people never get much of a thanks.
I can't tell this club how to perform one way or another all I can say I am at the end of my teather with all of this.
I am not saying all of this to win any more in the ring I am saying this so I can feel apart of a Breed I have fallen in love with. I want to be in the family, to be apart of a club that supports each other and is prepared to stick up for the people in the breed as well as the breed. I enjoy the dog world alot and if I am going to drive hundereds of miles to a show it would be nice to be greeted with real smilling faces.
Yes it is nice to win and yes I like to win but I will never have the attatude that some people have that winning is the B all and end all.
When we are all too old to bother about the shows and the club and when it dosn't really matter any more then we have to leave a club strong, active and with good values and not for people to look back on these years with horror.
Now I really am going on too much and no Guy (with your admin hat on) I am expressing my oppnion and will not be slandering anyone. If I have a gripe with anyone in particular it will not be on the forum it will be infront of the Kennel Club!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Gill, I am more and more thinking that you should mention this to Alan for him to bring it up at Committee, as Jan has said. We must keep the Club openminded. But remember this forum has no links to the Brittany Club of Great Britain. Some members and committee members are also members of this forum but there is no other connection. _________________ Annie
Handle every situation like a dog, if you can't eat it or play with it, just pee on it and walk away
As has now been pointed out a number of times this forum is not linked to the BCGB (other than via a number of people being memebers of both).
Can I respectfully suggest that discussion on items for the agenda of BCGB committee meetings are discussed elsewhere. _________________ My goal in life is to be as good a person as my dog already thinks I am.
With all due respect, John, I, personally, did not know the subject was going on the agenda. Do you have inside information
Having said that, I really think it needs bringing up in committee. This is clearly a subject that is causing considerable concern, not only for Gill, but for other people as well and needs to be addressed at the soonest possible time.
_________________ Jan
Merlin, hips 9/9=18 and Ghillie, hips 8/9=17
Pull [n or v] An equal and opposite force perpetrated on both ends of a lead that results in the inevitable tripping and falling of the human involved!!
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