Hi Everyone,
I and my SO and 16 ferrets attended the National Ferret Fair at Thoresby
Hall in Nottinghamshire.  None of my ferrets had ever won anything at shows
but I decided to enter some of them to make up the class numbers, I wasn't
expecting them to win anything - according to a newspaper article which was
published last week - if you haven't got a "Designer Ferret" costing 100
pounds your ferret wouldn't be any good at shows 'cos you have to pay
'through the nose' for quality!!!!  As all my ferrets were strays or
abandoned and I hadn't paid anything for them they didn't stand a chance!
 
Ben, who arrived here with a cough and covered in ticks was awarded 3rd
place in the Albino Hob Class, Blackie got 2nd in the same class, my other
albino hob, Bumper, didn't get anything but he still gets lots of cuddles
 
Kurt, got a 2nd in the Polecat Hob.  Lil got second in the Coloured Jill -
and she was up against silvers, silver mitts etc.  Max got a 2nd in the
Sandy Hob his 2 polecat brothers and 1 sister didn't do anything in their
classes - they are all on the large size for British ferrets, Daniel weighs
in at 4.75lbs which is far too big for most judges over here, he might do OK
in a special pet class!
 
Cameron, the old chap with chipped, discoloured teeth and stiffish back legs
got 1st in Veteran Hob (6 years and over) and then went on to win the Best
Veteran and "The Hobbit Cup".  Cameron arrived here with a very bad abscess
on his face which required immediate veterinary treatment - after which
Cameron was neutered and had his teeth cleaned.  Last week his coat started
coming out in handfuls, I was a bit worried until I noticed that his summer
coat was already showing, he finished moulting a couple of days before the
show and apart from looking rather skinny as his new coat is rather short he
looked rather handsome for an old ferret.
 
Deanna Troi, the only ferret I have bought, didn't get anything in her
class either - I thought that she would have as she was in great condition.
I wasn't the only one with 'rescued' ferrets, Harry, Firkin and Bracken
were also placed. Firkin ended up with the Shield for the best ferret shown
by a member of the NFWS.
 
Sheila
Bolton Ferret Welfare & Newsletter Editor of the
National Ferret Welfare Society of the UK
The opinions expressed by me are not necessarily those of the NFWS
[Posted in FML issue 1627]