NZ national show

[Michael Romanos]

I thought I'd share with members some aspects of the 2006 national dog show in New Zealand which is coming up on Sept 29 to Oct 1 and will be staged in Palmerston North at the Arena Manawatu - which is a large inddor and outdoor complex.

150 breeds will be represented in the conformation showing and Pembroke Corgis will be prominent. Here are all the breeds with 30 or more competing in the separate breed showing- Golden Retrievers 80, Labradors 56, Pointers 50, Siberian Huskies 39, Pembroke Corgis 38, Dalmations 38, Alaskan Malamutes 37, Bulldogs (English) 35, Whippets 36, Pugs 35, Samoyeds 32, Dobernmanns 31 and Papillions 30. There are a lot of Dachshunds but they are divided into six separate types.
There are only four Cardigan Corgis in the breed showing.
Taylor is in six events in agility and all these events will have around 100 competitors.
I'm particularily busy at the show - I will be attending the NZ Canine Heroes Awards presentations, having written the speech for the announcer, and then distributing media releases I have put together. I need to locate a stall holder who will be willing to sell copies of my book Amazing Dog Stories on my behalf. I will be signing copies of my book (with Taylor on hand) in one book shop at least within the main shopping centre of Palmerston North. And then there is the agility events Taylor and I are in, some socialising I need to do, and discussions with the editor of a new pet magazine. I hope to see Taylor's father, Clinton at the show and maybe a sister and brother.

Taylor is going to have to exist for more time than he and I would like either in the car ( which is an eight seater) or in his silly little wooden crate - that I got when Noah was a boy and could be the only one left standing/sitting in NZ. One of these days I'll get him a more modern and all-viewing crate.

[corgimom]

Michael,

This sounds like fun for you and Taylor.What a great opportunity to promote Go Corgi to those owners of the 38 Corgis in getting at least some of them to join and participate.

Your book signing will lend you another opportunity to do that also. I guess we should be looking forward to having some new members from your neck of the woods come October, hopefully.

[Michael Romanos]

Linda - I don't propose to 'sell' Go Corgi in that way ie approach each exhibitor at a national show. But the article I am completing about the internet being of greater interest for dog owners that are dog clubs, features Go Corgi, and this article will be published in at least one magazine which is read by all Corgi owners in NZ who are members of the NZ Kennel Club.

[tandemgal]

This will be a good chance to talk to other corgi owners about Go Corgi....

[Michael Romanos]

While in Palmerston North for the NZ national dog show, I am staying in a large motel-hotel complex called, Kingsgate. My wife booked me in. She said to the booking manager that I had a Corgi that was part of the national show and would it be all right to have him in a crate outside the door of my room (which I had no intention of leaving Taylor there anyway being the sneak that I am). The manager said that the dog wouldn't be very happy or comfortable camped outside the room and would I like to have him inside and uncrated. So that's good - Taylor and I can fully utilise a hotel room and it will be a nice roomy place I can leave him in when I need to go out minus a dog.

[corgimom]

Michael,

Since you don't want to approach the 38 other Corgi owners individually, why don't you get a shirt printed. The front could have a picture of your Taylor with the www. GoCorgi logo in small print underneath and on the back it could say...

www.GoCorgi.com in large print; surely that would catch their eye enough to make them want to check it out. as well as the people who may be willing to buy your book

[Michael Romanos]

LInda - You seem very keen on me promoting Go Corgi. I already have a T-shirt with a lovely photo of Taylor on the front and the words "Corgis are Cool' on the back.
Should Stephen wish for me to promote his web site to a wider audience, I'm sure he will arrange to get me a T-shirt just as you have suggested. I am all for Go Corgi having its own supply of T-shirts and other products to sell to members.
Since Australia has around five times the population of NZ, they should have five members on Go Corgi to one fron NZ. So far they have only three or four.
So maybe you should be encouraging KatC to gather in more members. I will be lucky at all at the national show, if I actually get to see any other Corgi but my own - re my busy schedule on post number one of this thread.

[corgimom]

Michael,

I was just trying to offer you suggestions;Promoting Go Corgi isn't something "bad"; Afterall, I think you have promoted it on other sites yourself.

I bet Katc is talking about Go Corgi whenever she gets the chance should she stumble upon a Corgi owner

With all the shows you attend and people you know, including your walking group, I just assumed you had a wider exposure to Corgi owners, so that is why I suggested the shirt idea with the logo. You mean you are not going to run into one other Corgi owner with Taylor being in 6 agility events

[glencorgi]

Originally Posted by Michael Romanos

While in Palmerston North for the NZ national dog show, I am staying in a large motel-hotel complex called, Kingsgate. My wife booked me in. She said to the booking manager that I had a Corgi that was part of the national show and would it be all right to have him in a crate outside the door of my room (which I had no intention of leaving Taylor there anyway being the sneak that I am).

Good sense of humor your wife has - leaving any dog outside the door of one's hotel room or the idea of you leaving Taylor outside your room in his crate - that was good for a real chuckle.

Debbie

[Michael Romanos]

Debbie - you know me too well. I have now offered my room to two other dogs. With as many as three dogs in a hotel room, I can only hope when they are left to co-exist, one of them doesn't press the room service buzzer and ask for something more expensive than a steak sandwich.

Linda _ I am not in love with Go Corgi, I do not live just for it, I am not in love with Go Corgi, I do not live just for it, I am not in love with Go Corgi. I do not live just for it. Do you believe me now. Do I believe myself now.
Americans are not as crazy as Kiwis. Anericans have hundreds if not thousands of Corgis in agility. In NZ there is just Taylor. So who is going to see Taylor perform from the Corgi conformation show group. Show people in NZ are generally snooty and petty and only love their own dogs and couldn't give a rats bum about anyone else. It is great that in agility circles everyone generally supports everyone else. In the show ring in NZ you're lucky to receive one clap for winning. In agility you receive a roar just for a clear round let alone any winning situation. BUt then again, conformation is not sport and agility is. And there lies a huge difference with regard to attitude.

Of course I have told all 'my' walking group members about Go Corgi - but it could be that the ones who might be interested in internet chattng about Corgis are overwhelmed by the number of American members on Go Corgi. Just a thought.

[KatC]

Originally Posted by corgimom

I bet Katc is talking about Go Corgi whenever she gets the chance should she stumble upon a Corgi owner

I talk about GoCorgi all the time to every dog owner I meet - Unfortunately not one of them is a Corgi owner. Would you believe I have never ever seen another Corgi anywhere at all, and the one Corgi Club here seems to be only for Show Dogs.

[corgimom]

Michael,

Okay, I/we hear you loud and clear,You are not in love with Go Corgi and you do not live just for it - I get it; 3x repeated - all that for just suggesting you wear a T-shirt.

[glencorgi]

Originally Posted by Michael Romanos

Debbie - you know me too well. I have now offered my room to two other dogs. With as many as three dogs in a hotel room, I can only hope when they are left to co-exist, one of them doesn't press the room service buzzer and ask for something more expensive than a steak sandwich.

I know I don't have to remind you to be a responsible dog guest. Sheets over the spread and furniture, dogs crated when you aren't in the room just in case maid service comes in - don't want loose dogs in the hallway or a maid frightened of dogs to get scared.

Show people in NZ are generally snooty and petty and only love their own dogs and couldn't give a rats bum about anyone else. It is great that in agility circles everyone generally supports everyone else. In the show ring in NZ you're lucky to receive one clap for winning. In agility you receive a roar just for a clear round let alone any winning situation. BUt then again, conformation is not sport and agility is. And there lies a huge difference with regard to attitude.

Now Michael, I have met and spent time with some NZ show people and I don't think that is a fair characterization at all from my experience. In the context of GoCorgi though, you are exactly right and this was a message that was tried to be conveyed to Stephen about the breeder forums he wisely later eliminated. It isn't that show people are necessarily snooty, just that a forum such as this holds no interest for them. They aren't going to abandon known show world lists and forums to sign up for something like GoCorgi. They have their network and their show lists and that is where they are going to stay with their peers. I'll guess we'll also split hairs on agreeing to disagree about conformation as a sport.

Of course I have told all 'my' walking group members about Go Corgi - but it could be that the ones who might be interested in internet chattng about Corgis are overwhelmed by the number of American members on Go Corgi. Just a thought.

Well being outnumbered by Americans doesn't phase some Kiwis or Aussies on other forums. They tend to be quite involved and active. Truth is not everyone is interested in spending time on the computer talking about their dogs, even IF they are corgis.

Debbie

[Jespah]

Originally Posted by glencorgi

Well being outnumbered by Americans doesn't phase some Kiwis or Aussies on other forums. They tend to be quite involved and active. Truth is not everyone is interested in spending time on the computer talking about their dogs, even IF they are corgis.
Debbie

It doesn't phase this Canadian - and no, we are not the same as Americans - no offence intended. I agree with Debbie, not everyone is interested in being on a computer, period. We all have the commonality of having Corgis of one breed and/or the other. I don't care where people come from, but it is interesting and fun to have members from all over the world. It would be nice to have more members from NZ, Britain and frankly lots of other countries. I never really think of where people are from when they are posting unless the thread is specific to something a certain geographic area.