Show Sleuth seems to have ruffled some feathers. yikes! That's not
supposed to happen! :-)
Before I give my replies, remember folks, I have said before that I'm not
trying to convert anyone to my opinions. I'm trying to get people to
engage in discussion about shows. Which that at least seems to be working!
It's GOOD that others disagree with me, so that way they will post and
we'll find out what works and doesn't at shows. But somehow by me offering
my opinions, I'm feather ruffling. C'mon folks, agree or disagree, don't
be ruffled and angry. Ruffles are meant for eating.
Okay - my replies:
>From: Donald Dittman <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: judges and shows
Laurel didn't seem to be ruffled, she offered her opinion, that was that
she went to a couple of shows and didn't care what the judges were wearing.
I accept that - I didn't care what judges or anyone else wore when I
started going to shows. For that matter, I still don't care. Truth be
told, I am actually the kind of person that rarely defines someone by a
stereotype, and would be unlikely to judge a person unfairly for looking
different. Seems that most "ferret people" are like that, which is cool.
I was speaking more of the general public that might be foot traffic
through a show, parents of children who want a ferret, and so on. First
impressions speak loudly. I don't think at all that there's anything wrong
with casual attire, jeans, etc (which I have stated before). Just that
maybe some over-the-top appearances and presentations might be damaging.
And these people are in the minority anyway. So far, of those who have
posted about this it seems that most don't care if ferret people have frogs
growing out of their heads, they feel it's acceptable to look any way at
all. So, maybe Show Sleuth is overrruled in this opinion. Oh well! I can
handle it :-)
Would any of you feel differently if we were talking about a ferret
Education day at a pet store? I'm curious to know, seriously. If
someone with tattoos or eyebrow piercings or whatever was hosting a
ferret Education day, do you think that would be a wrong presentation of
"ferrets"? Maybe that's the difference... at ferret shows, we're all the
same kind of people, casual, a little different, generally accepting of
others. But if we were at a booth at a pet store, should we look more
"upstanding?" I know that's off the show topic, but I am honestly
interested in the opinions of others on this.
>From: Anonymous Poster <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Give me one good reason why I should attend a show
>And yet you >want the shows to be off the beaten track? This sounds like
>wanting your cake and eating it too.
No, sorry you aren't reading my posts properly. I ASKED what others
thought. I simply stated that I liked not dealing with traffic, but did
NOT say that shows should be in rural areas. This is exactly why I asked
the opinion of others, to find out what is best. You brought up a good
point, one that I had not thought of. No need to be so ruffled! :-)
>You want everyone to dress "professionally," but I might remind you that a
>lot of these people are not professionals, they just love their ferrets...
again, you're not reading what I'm writing. I have said more than once, I
do NOT think that anyone at shows should have to dress up or appear like a
company executive. I stated that jeans, sweat shirts, tee shirts, all are
fine, and that organizers should wear something that ID's them as being
part of the show. I also said that if I had to dress up for a show I would
not go. I don't mind debate, difference of opinions, or any of that, but
please read what I say before you get ruffled :-)
>I personally have no tatoos or body piercings, I am willing to talk to
>ALMOST anyone about my ferrets...or his ferrets, or
This point I addressed earlier in this post. Perhaps you have nailed the
heart of the issue, that we ferret people are more accepting of people that
"come as they are" and that maybe I'm wrong about appearances at shows.
Again, I've said that I'm not trying to convert anyone to MY opinion, I'm
interested in others giving theirs. Without ruffles.
> ... Exotic pets tend to have exotic humans. If there are so many of that
>type of person running around at shows that it bothers you perhaps you
>should take up keeping yippy little pooches.
Now now, no need to lump me in with yippy pooch people. Just not my style,
thanks.
>You want only ferret related items in the raffle -- by donation, of
>course. I think if it were really "all for the ferrets" in your mind, it
>wouldn't matter if it were a basket ball (which my ferret loves) or a
>ferret ball. The purchase of the tickets still goes to a worthy cause.
You raise a very good point, and I'm listening to what everyone is saying
about non-ferret related raffle items. Maybe I am mistaken in thinking
that non-ferret related items don't bring in money. I'd be curious to
know how the Chicago show did raffle-wise in comparison to a show of equal
attendance with ferret related items on their raffle table. More on raffle
below.
By the way - great idea. I never even thought of trying for the basketball
for the ferrets. Darn!! :-)
>If you really want to encourage good shows, encourage good turnout by
>talking about the positive reasons for a ferret owner to attend. I think
>the best reason so far not to attend is fear of people judging me on
>qualities I consider superficial and inconsequential.
I'm hanging up the subject of Croydon. Short of a public apology on that
report, I'm not sure what else I can do. It was an unbalanced report, I
was in a *ruffled* mood after the show, and it won't happen again. As for
the rabies clinic issue - I don't know what else to say. It is a good
thing (though I've had private comments from a number of people saying
that ferrets should be vaccinated before they get to the show, I don't want
to discuss that charged issue though). It is innovative, and that goes
against what I was saying that they don't do anything new. Again, you seem
to have missed some of the things that I posted already - I think I was too
harsh, I can admit that, and I want to close the subject by saying that I
wish the show great success in Fort Washington.
Regarding the raffle being superficial - I emphatically say it's NOT. The
raffle is often the biggest profit maker for a show, and therefore it
should be taken very seriously when planning the raffle and it is a large
part of any show.
As for me not giving you reason to go to a show - sorry that you feel that
way. You did make me realize one thing, I have definitely been writing to
an audience of those who have gone to shows before and to coordinators, I
have not been writing geared towards someone who has not been to a show.
I'm not sure how to fix that without my posts being the length of the FML
itself. I'm working on an idea, however, that might fix that situation.
If the thought doesn't ruffle you too much, stay tuned to Show Sleuth in
the future.
>From: William Killian - Zen and the Art of Ferrets
> <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: zen's comments to ole Murray Mustelid our Show Sleuth
>When all raffle items are the same ferret items they get stale. Some
>items that are not ferret realted but instead reflect the location,
>that's good.
You know, you may have a point - sort of. I remember that at North
Carolina they raffled tickets to a country concert. I thought that was an
awesome idea. Not practical for anyone far from N.C., but those in the
area were absolutley nuts to win those tickets. They raised good money.
I also think that at another show hockey tickets were raffled off - again,
good idea.
As I started to say earlier to our ruffled anonymous friend, I would change
my opinion of non-ferret related items on raffle tables if I knew that they
were generating as much money as ferret related items do. I am 100% in
favor of doing whatever it takes for the host shelter/club to make tons of
money. I personally have not yet found any item (non-ferret related) on a
raffle table that I wanted, and being the self-centered ruffle maker that I
am I assumed if I didn't like it, neither did others :-) (for those prone
to ruffling, I am teasing here...) Seriously, I did think that these items
were generating less money than the typical raffle item.
But... I also like to see ferret related items on raffle tables that
are donated by the vendors that are at the show. The reason is that I
believe that it makes people take notice of things they may not have seen
otherwise, and it may send traffic to vendor tables. I won a hammock once
that was donated by a shelter, a hammock that I'd passed by on the vendor
table many times. Since I won it, I realized how nice it was and how well
made it was, and at the next show, bought three more from that vendor. So,
another way of looking at things.
Also, I don't like to see a raffle table full of (a) ferret products that
I wouldn't recommend that others use (i.e., lower end ferret foods) or
(b) tons of the exact same thing to fill the table. BUT I will say that
this is a PERSONAL preference, and if it draws in money, more power.
Another way to view ferret items on a raffle table versus non ferret items:
sometimes it can serve as education as well for ferret owners. They may
not want to buy Totally Ferret because it's too expensive to try if ferrets
don't eat it, but if they win it, they'll try, and switch their ferrets to
it. So that's a plus of raffling ferret items.
>Another thing to consider. What is raffled is donated items. Non-ferret
>items were probably donated by companies or individuals that didn;t have
>ferret items to donate but still support what the show sponsoring
>organizations are doing
A point that I had not fully thought of and it's well taken. See? I can
be objective :-)
>But what really counts is does the raffle raise money. Not sure whether
100% totally agree. Can any show coordinators comment about if non-ferret
items generate good money in the raffle, in relation to ferret items?
>Lots has been dicussed about the late issue. 6PM is not late by the
>standards of most other shows
This is true, and I'd love to see shows end "on time" more often. But
as I said in a previous post, it's to a degree out of the control of
coordinators how long shows run with so many variables entering the
picture. On one hand we have thorough judges doing a good job of judging
(though, some judges demonstrate that you can judge quickly and
consistently). I don't have any suggestions on how to fix this. I try
not to get cranky when shows run till past 8:00, and the reason why is that
I have come to realize that the judges also are not having a picnic sitting
up there that late, that nobody intends to inconvenience anyone, and there
is still the excitement of watching the ribboning. If I've had enough, I
just leave the show early.
>If people tell the GCFA and the AFA here or elsewhere what they really
>think would be ways to make improvements then improvements can be made.
Thank you. That's exactly what I have been trying to say.
>No we aren't MM/SS and we don't know if we know yet who is. Just
>appreciate a creative way someone is trying to make a difference.
Thank you again - glad there's someone I haven't ruffled (yet) :-)
>From: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Personally Disagree With Show Sleuth on Raffles
>I gave the little girl I brought with me to the Chicago Show $50. to
>donate or spend on toys, food, raffles, or whatever she wished. SHE- 11
>years old- wished for the basket ball and beanie babies. She spent...
>
>When she won the beanie babies she was almost beside herself with
>happiness.
A very good point well taken that I had not considered. I forget sometimes
to look at things from the eyes of an excited child.
>I loved the idea of a variety of gifts.
I respect that you like the variety, and appreciate seeing it from your
point of view. Show Sleuth just might be in the minority on this issue
after all! If it makes money for the shelters/clubs... then I will very
happily endorse the idea of an "anything" raffle at the shows.
Well, that's it! Hope I didn't ruffle anyone tonight. Good to see your
opinions and replies - keep them coming!
Murray Mustelid the Show Sleuth
[Posted in FML issue 2839]
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