modorimashita!
The Rose City Classic Dog Show is finally over, and today is going to serve me as a mental health day to recover from the last four days of 5AM wake-ups and standing, walking, or running over concrete floors at the Expo Center.
I am so glad I decided to work as a ring steward at the show, though. I hadn't realized how much I missed the dog community, since I no longer attend shows regularly with Mom.
There were all the club members and organizers, friends of my mom, the pro handlers, the junior handlers, and of course, the judges. I hardly recognize any of the juniors anymore, since most of the juniors I knew have gone on to careers or become breeders or pro handlers themselves. One of the other ring stewards was a junior handler I knew way back in the day, and she saved me from ring stewarding for the junior handling ring on Monday. Seriously, a bunch of kids, with their dogs, between the ages of 10 and 17, who are also showing in the breed rings? It's like herding cats into a straight line. :P
There was the hectic air of chatter echoing into the rafters, with dogs barking, howling, yapping, singing at each other. The sounds of stewards calling out numbers, classes, and breeds. The club members dashing back and forth to oversee the chaos, with Hospitality and the Clean-up Crew running from ring to ring as calls came in. The photographers sprinting from place to place, over ring fences, around crates as requests came in for pictures. The electric crackle of walkie-talkies and speaker announcements flying through the air. And of course, on Friday and Saturday, the camera crews from Animal Planet going around with their huge camera and boom mike to interview handlers, owners, breeders and dogs. People practiced gaiting or added the last grooming touch-ups to their dogs outside the rings.
As a ring steward, I spent my time marking winners and losers, setting out ribbons for the judge, checking attendance as people picked up their numbers, and answering questions. Well, that and trying to resist the urge to beat the exhibitors with a catalog anytime they touched my official steward's book, or better yet, tried to snatch the book from my hands to count dogs or see who won. I swear, next time I steward, I'm going to come with a sign that reads, "Warning: Do not touch the Steward's book. Steward will bite." I had wonderful judges to work with each day, except for Friday. My Friday judge moved very quickly and when I wasn't quick enough for him, he would start doing my job. If any of the exhibitors were even a second late getting in the ring after I called their number, he would lecture them about the virtue of punctuality. The other three judges were a pleasure, though.
I stayed late on Saturday to help man the T-shirt sales booth, watch the Animal Planet filming and the Art Contest presentation, and volunteer with clean-up. Our prize winner this year came from a lovely art school in Portland, and she was very sweet. I heard Mom ask her what she would spend her prize - a Best Buy gift card - on, and she replied that she honestly didn't know. She works at a homeless shelter when not drawing or painting. We had nine signed and numbered prints of her painting that we sold during the show. Our T-shirt winner came from Tualatin High School, and it's one of the nicest T-shirts we've ever had. I bought not just a T-shirt, but a hat and a sweater, too. The artwork went on display in the lobby, and I enjoyed seeing everyone's contributions - the little children especially create some interesting pieces. :)
Yesterday, after the show ended, I stayed to help put everything away and load everything into the cars or trailers waiting outside. I also got to use one of the Expo golf carts - I LOVE driving those little golf carts, and Mr. Rowton and I had a game of golf cart chicken after the rings had been dismantled. I won, of course. ;) We brought all of the flower arrangements home to the farm, and Mom gave me some of the red roses to have in my apartment. They're just gorgeous - large, full petals and buds with perfect green stems in a deep blue pitcher. I also got to keep the silk rose that marked me as a show employee all four days. The student artwork is all in the back of my car, along with our remaining T-shirt booth inventory, and our next task will be mailing the art and the prizes out to the students.
And I got to see so many wonderful dogs. Some of the exhibitors would let me pet their dogs or say hi to them. I had a German Shepherd who wanted to climb onto my table, and his owner kept having to pull him back. There was Joanne and her two Labs, who both wouldn't let me stop petting them, wagging their whole back ends with glee. And there was even a rather odd, unusually sweet Shiba Inu boy, who buried his head in my lap and wagged enthusiastically every time I scratched his ears. (Most Shibas are not terribly affectionate with strangers.) I loved burying my hands in his soft fur, as he reminded me of every Shiba I used to pass on the streets in Japan. Mom's friend Kevin had a Chow Chow puppy, who leaped, bucked, and hopped all around the ring like an idiot - she made me giggle for the rest of the afternoon. There was a Siberian outside my ring on Saturday who 'talked' quite often, and always made me look twice because he sounded like a small child crying. And on two days, I had the Pekes in my ring, and there is nothing more giggle-inducing than watching Pekes gait. They look like feather dusters or furry slippers that got up and started moving. I saw Marianne there with her Leonberger boy, as well as Alex's niece, a pretty bitch who looks quite a bit like her auntie. And I had the Pugs one day - black Pugs always make me think of a rather sorry little shadow monster that crossed over into this world by mistake and can't find its way back.
Overall, I'm exhausted, sore, and very happy that I attended. And hey, I got paid, so it was all for a good cause! :) And my friend Cortney is in town, and she's going to give me a massage (she's a massage therapist) so huzzah! Now, off to run errands. Oh, and if you made it through this entire entry, give yourself a pat on the back! Lord, I'm wordy!
P.S. I totally missed the Inauguration this morning, due to my need for recovery sleep. A bit sad about that, but have been watching post-inauguration coverage which is still interesting even if I begin to tire of the sound of Brian Williams' voice.
P.P.S. Mom wanted to do an Art Contest theme for the next few years where we would focus on breeds from one region of the world. In doing research on dog breeds native to North America, I find that there are not that many well-known breeds from our country, and that most of them are Coonhounds of one sort or another. Seven breeds out of a list of 23 breeds are well-known to the average American. Wow. Somehow, I thought there would be more. Although, I gotta say, wait till we get to Europe. Hoo boy.
I am so glad I decided to work as a ring steward at the show, though. I hadn't realized how much I missed the dog community, since I no longer attend shows regularly with Mom.
There were all the club members and organizers, friends of my mom, the pro handlers, the junior handlers, and of course, the judges. I hardly recognize any of the juniors anymore, since most of the juniors I knew have gone on to careers or become breeders or pro handlers themselves. One of the other ring stewards was a junior handler I knew way back in the day, and she saved me from ring stewarding for the junior handling ring on Monday. Seriously, a bunch of kids, with their dogs, between the ages of 10 and 17, who are also showing in the breed rings? It's like herding cats into a straight line. :P
There was the hectic air of chatter echoing into the rafters, with dogs barking, howling, yapping, singing at each other. The sounds of stewards calling out numbers, classes, and breeds. The club members dashing back and forth to oversee the chaos, with Hospitality and the Clean-up Crew running from ring to ring as calls came in. The photographers sprinting from place to place, over ring fences, around crates as requests came in for pictures. The electric crackle of walkie-talkies and speaker announcements flying through the air. And of course, on Friday and Saturday, the camera crews from Animal Planet going around with their huge camera and boom mike to interview handlers, owners, breeders and dogs. People practiced gaiting or added the last grooming touch-ups to their dogs outside the rings.
As a ring steward, I spent my time marking winners and losers, setting out ribbons for the judge, checking attendance as people picked up their numbers, and answering questions. Well, that and trying to resist the urge to beat the exhibitors with a catalog anytime they touched my official steward's book, or better yet, tried to snatch the book from my hands to count dogs or see who won. I swear, next time I steward, I'm going to come with a sign that reads, "Warning: Do not touch the Steward's book. Steward will bite." I had wonderful judges to work with each day, except for Friday. My Friday judge moved very quickly and when I wasn't quick enough for him, he would start doing my job. If any of the exhibitors were even a second late getting in the ring after I called their number, he would lecture them about the virtue of punctuality. The other three judges were a pleasure, though.
I stayed late on Saturday to help man the T-shirt sales booth, watch the Animal Planet filming and the Art Contest presentation, and volunteer with clean-up. Our prize winner this year came from a lovely art school in Portland, and she was very sweet. I heard Mom ask her what she would spend her prize - a Best Buy gift card - on, and she replied that she honestly didn't know. She works at a homeless shelter when not drawing or painting. We had nine signed and numbered prints of her painting that we sold during the show. Our T-shirt winner came from Tualatin High School, and it's one of the nicest T-shirts we've ever had. I bought not just a T-shirt, but a hat and a sweater, too. The artwork went on display in the lobby, and I enjoyed seeing everyone's contributions - the little children especially create some interesting pieces. :)
Yesterday, after the show ended, I stayed to help put everything away and load everything into the cars or trailers waiting outside. I also got to use one of the Expo golf carts - I LOVE driving those little golf carts, and Mr. Rowton and I had a game of golf cart chicken after the rings had been dismantled. I won, of course. ;) We brought all of the flower arrangements home to the farm, and Mom gave me some of the red roses to have in my apartment. They're just gorgeous - large, full petals and buds with perfect green stems in a deep blue pitcher. I also got to keep the silk rose that marked me as a show employee all four days. The student artwork is all in the back of my car, along with our remaining T-shirt booth inventory, and our next task will be mailing the art and the prizes out to the students.
And I got to see so many wonderful dogs. Some of the exhibitors would let me pet their dogs or say hi to them. I had a German Shepherd who wanted to climb onto my table, and his owner kept having to pull him back. There was Joanne and her two Labs, who both wouldn't let me stop petting them, wagging their whole back ends with glee. And there was even a rather odd, unusually sweet Shiba Inu boy, who buried his head in my lap and wagged enthusiastically every time I scratched his ears. (Most Shibas are not terribly affectionate with strangers.) I loved burying my hands in his soft fur, as he reminded me of every Shiba I used to pass on the streets in Japan. Mom's friend Kevin had a Chow Chow puppy, who leaped, bucked, and hopped all around the ring like an idiot - she made me giggle for the rest of the afternoon. There was a Siberian outside my ring on Saturday who 'talked' quite often, and always made me look twice because he sounded like a small child crying. And on two days, I had the Pekes in my ring, and there is nothing more giggle-inducing than watching Pekes gait. They look like feather dusters or furry slippers that got up and started moving. I saw Marianne there with her Leonberger boy, as well as Alex's niece, a pretty bitch who looks quite a bit like her auntie. And I had the Pugs one day - black Pugs always make me think of a rather sorry little shadow monster that crossed over into this world by mistake and can't find its way back.
Overall, I'm exhausted, sore, and very happy that I attended. And hey, I got paid, so it was all for a good cause! :) And my friend Cortney is in town, and she's going to give me a massage (she's a massage therapist) so huzzah! Now, off to run errands. Oh, and if you made it through this entire entry, give yourself a pat on the back! Lord, I'm wordy!
P.S. I totally missed the Inauguration this morning, due to my need for recovery sleep. A bit sad about that, but have been watching post-inauguration coverage which is still interesting even if I begin to tire of the sound of Brian Williams' voice.
P.P.S. Mom wanted to do an Art Contest theme for the next few years where we would focus on breeds from one region of the world. In doing research on dog breeds native to North America, I find that there are not that many well-known breeds from our country, and that most of them are Coonhounds of one sort or another. Seven breeds out of a list of 23 breeds are well-known to the average American. Wow. Somehow, I thought there would be more. Although, I gotta say, wait till we get to Europe. Hoo boy.