So what your saying Mrs/Ms Hendrix is that a ferret that places 2nd place
is considered not well taken care of or not bred as well or isn't as
important in the AFA's eyes???
In NO way do I think that in the least -- those were your words,
certainly NOT mine.
How can people be educated by understanding showing when they might be
discouraged by seeing ferrets who "reached as far as they can go"
according to Marguerite at Tiny Prints and still are showing.
>If someone is discouraged by a ferret I'm showing, that's not my
>fault --- I'm not breaking any rules/doing anything unethical, and I
>bet if their ferret BEAT my gold/platinum status ferret(s) they wouldn't
>be discouraged... if I didn't want others to have a chance why would I
>encourage ANYONE to show...help people get their paperwork, etc.,
>together for their first ferret show.. write people to encourage them
>to keep showing and tell them I admired their ferrets and congratulate
>them on how well they did...those things come from my heart - I want
>people to be as passionate about their ferrets and experience all the
>joys of ferrets that I do.
As I understand, you're the new president of AFA, this is the
representation of AFA speaking on showing? What kind of role model does
that make you if your one of the ones that continues to show after your
ferrets make the highest point it can get.
>No, I'm not the new AFA President ---- please don't give me that much
>credit...I am, however, the new AFA Acting President....as you saw by my
>post, I DID sign my name; however, I did not sign my post as coming from
>any affiliated organization, as I was not speaking for the AFA or anyone
>else, I was speaking for myself...and I wasn't asked to be a role model
>for showing --- but I guess if following the rules, being a good
>sportsman, and encouraging others when they may have a bad show day
>makes me a good role model for showing....then, hey, that's me!...nice
>to meet you, Mr./Ms./Mrs. "Anonymous".
If the judges are great, your saying if all the ferrets that win the
ferret of the year or gold/platinum status are pulled, the judges would
be placing ferrets not well taken care of or bred?
>NO - I'm saying that if someone wins or places well in a ring, it should
>be because they beat out the best of the ferrets that best meet the
>standard --- not because the ferrets that continually do well due to
>good care and good breeding practices were left out of the competition
>to "give someone else a chance to win" - what kind of competition is
>that??
Why would I even want to try and beat your ferret or others if I feel I
am doing a great job already and then when I get a second place and feel
like a slap in the face and be embarrassed and feel my ferret is unworthy
or inadequate because it didn't get a 1st place.
>Ummmmm, because you enjoy learning new things about ferrets, the
>competition, the comradery, and the show experience???...Hey, I feel I'm
>doing a great job, too -- and not placing/placing/winning doesn't take
>away knowing that my ferrets are very loved and cared for the best that
>I know how...and it surely would never make me feel like my ferret is
>unworthy/inadequate.
It's a personal decision to show/not show your ferret after reaching
Platinum/Gold status --- we each have our own beliefs ---- and I can tell
you that I will not be bullied or ridiculed publicly or otherwise into
doing something other than what I believe in, nor will I be made to feel
badly about it....and until someone can give me an intelligent argument
as to why I should not show my platinum/gold ferrets, I won't be changing
my mind -- or at least come up with a better argument than "give someone
else a chance" -- give someone else a chance?... we all have the same
chance, it's just a matter of who the judges feel best fits the standard
from the ferrets they're seeing on that given day.. and if showing my
ferrets takes away from someone else's placement, then better luck next
time....if you believe in the so called "unwritten rule", again, that's
your personal choice - does that give you the right to shove it down the
throats of others or ridicule them because they don't believe as you
do?....NOPE, don't think so.
As for education --- placing well at a show is, hopefully, the end result
of what AFA shows are all about -- which is reaching the public, talking
to them, educating them and answering questions/helping them to take the
very best care of their ferrets...the hope is that all of this gets the
ferret owners excited about their ferrets and encourages them to take
more of an interest in them, thus resulting in the ferrets getting better
care and being the healthiest they can be....and if they win a ribbon
or two along the way, well, that's just the icing on the cake, and
congratulations on a job well done! :-)
[Posted in FML issue 4995]
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