First Points, Last Points

The Guadalupe Dog Fanciers' Association show this year marked an end and a beginning for a couple of our hounds. We only attended Saturday's show as we had an LSBC meeting to attend there as well.

Ozzy (Gryffyn's Aeyrie Hellraiser) won the Bred-by Exhibitor class and went on to claim his first point by taking Winners Dog.

This was Lump's (Ozzy's sister, Gryffyn's Aeyrie Here For You) first show and she was entered in BBE as well. She won the class and I handed her to my friend Laurie for the Winner's class as my next charge was the only Open Bitch entry.

My next charge was none other than Bugg (Avalon Solstrom) - who absolutely loathes the show scene. She is a funny little bitch - always excited to go on a road trip, yippy skippy at the door with a grin on her face - but upon arrival at the show site, you can see her face fall when she's pulled out of the van. Oh...a show...great. The change in demeanor is humorously obvious.

Bugg had two 5-point major wins from breeder-judges. They could see past her pouty facade and note what an honest little bitch she was. The all-breed judges or those coming from outside the Borzoi (or sighthound) world could never seem to get past her sullen ring attitude. It had seemed we had been searching for her final two singles for eons. I had promised her that if she put aside her pissy self for the duration of her ringtime and finished, that I would never make her step into a showring again!

So there we are in the line-up for Winners Bitch. The judge (Murrel Purkhiser) kept looking at the promising young Lump. So I would push-push-push Bugg and make eye contact - everything except yell out "pick this bitch!" in desperation. We went trotting around the ring for another go-round and hallelujah if she didn't point to Bugg, awarding those longed-for points and finishing her championship. I am surprised I didn't howl with relief!


While taking our win pictures, she did mention to me how much she liked Lump. Something to file away for future entries as I figure Lump may be a hard one to finish as well - and not because of a lousy ring attitude (which the judge did recognize, she told me). Lump is going to be a BIG, rangy, bitch when she grows up - some judges prefer a more petite, cutesy bitch.

Speaking of win photos - that is the one item marring this show experience for me. I always get photos for the first point(s) and the last - and at this show I had both! The photographer (Garden Studio) declined to send me their photos as I had not yet paid for a photo WHICH THEY HAD NOT EVEN SENT ME! The last time they held photos for prepayment - I received the most AWFUL win pictures ever. I requested a proof of some sort so that I could be sure I was getting a quality photo (which in the past, from them, I usually had). The request (email and a phone message) went unheeded. Then, to top it off, they sent me another bill for the photo - except now they tacked on late charges! I was certainly not going to pay an exorbitant sum for a photo I had not seen and had requested some sort of preview of before payment - before it had reached the status of being late. The lateness was their own damned fault for refusing to answer, or even acknowledge, my previous request. After receiving their latest bill, I again contacted them with my previous request. It again went unanswered. Although they're great at sending out bills still requesting payment, and late charges - for a photo I've never seen despite multiple requests. I am upset that I have no photos to celebrate the beginning of Ozzy's ring career and the end of Bugg's.

Garden Studio Photography - this finger's for you! Try replying to your customers on occasion instead of ignoring them and charging them for what amounts to your incompetence at customer service.