Harrogate Show 2009 - this weekend 24/25th Jan.

[picklepot]

Is anyone else here going to this? I'll be there on the Saturday, with my niece. I was hoping to show Dougie and Chew, but I've chickened out, (and the timing wasn't good), so we're just going to enjoy having a look around instead. This'll be my first trip to a show, so I'm pretty excited about it!

www.bradfordexcelshow.co.uk/

[Lauryn]

I would have liked to have gone, unfortunately I can't as I'm working. I got last weekend off, so probably can't stretch to a second!

It's a shame, maybe next year. I won't have that job by then.

Enjoy, though.

[Loz]

Try to bring back some photos for the rest of us poor smucks who have to work!

[picklepot]

Oh yes! That's a good idea. I will try my best! Shame you have to work :-(

[feebee]

I really want to go...i've never been to a show, it'd be really interesting
I think its a little far to spring it on my boyfriend though (haven't past my test yet)
Oh well
Have fun and defo try to get a few snaps!!

[picklepot]

Well, we had good fun at the show today, but only stayed around 40 minutes, as my neice had been promised ice scating . I'd not been to the Yorkshire Event Centre before - It has two massive halls with a cafe inbetween, and was set up full of stands advertising the different 'small animal' clubs and with a wide range of pet goods for sale.

There were hundreds of rabbits and guinae pigs being shown, with long rows of cages set up for them, and a couple of 'petting areas' where we could cuddle some others. The gerbil competition was at a smallish stand, with slightly larger stands for hamsters and rats. I also saw a few visiting snakes and other reptiles, but didn't get the chance for a closer inspection.

Here are the photos anyway. They sum up our visit well - a quick general impression of everything that was going on, without a chance to have a proper look at any of the top pedigree little furies. I will definitely be going back next year!

[Rachel]

Wow it looks like you both had fun.

I'll have to try and get myself over there next year and have a good nosy round.

[Loz]

Hopefully there will be a few more of us there next year! The other species look like there was a good turn out, shame about the gerbils though, looks quite bare compared to the other tables

[muddiwarx]

I was there too with 6 of my rats ........... did fancy taking gerbils too but was not sure if they were good enough - wish I had now as so few there

[Indyrascal]

This may sound stupid but i have never seen a show or anything but is it a requirement that the cages etc are so small? Surely they are in there for a long time. that last pic of the bunny squashed into that cage. How long would they be in that for?

[gerbily]

the last pic was a bun on a stand and I saw a larger cage under the table so I'd hope the rabbit went in there and was only in the small one for a hour or so at a time.

The other pens are slightly larger than your normal show pens, my guineas went in there on Friday night till Sunday 4pm, theres more than enough room for a food dish, hay etc and genrally the pigs/rabbits are used to it. To be honest with the size of pens that are used it can cause some upset to members of public Im sure it did last year but genrally most are chilled, my guineas spent most of the time chilling and asleep, but they are used to it

Also as with travel boxes 9 out 10 times if the animal is in a smaller space its less likley to hurt its self, especailly with the guieas as their eye site isnt that good they can see when a steward is going to pick them up and genrally dont run around going mad, as they would probably do in a bigger pen, but also smaller pens make it easier/quicker to get the animal out if you need to quickly, ie becomming sick or the hall needs evacuating

also not everyone uses a water bottle, as genrally some animals wont drink that much but have food full of water such as cucumber and celery, but mine get bottles so they have a choice, as they do at home.
The show was much quiter than normal, a heck of a lot less trade stand, I think the numer of rabbits was down somewhere between 50-100 and the guineas about the same but there seemed like a lot of empty pens so not sure.

soemtimes though I wunder if it is that "exiting" for members of the public, ie not knowing about showing etc as personaly I cant see how you can make a day of it, yes its nice to see various breeds/colours but I do wunder

[Indyrascal]

Thanks for that Kirsty. I was wondering a few things as like i had said i hadnt ever been to one or know what it involves

[Lauryn]

I've only ever been to shows in a guinea pig context, but I wish I'd have been able to get to Harrogate the other day.

Never mind. It's true that the gerbil count was low. There's always next year...

[Picklepot at work]

The event ran from something like 9 till 5 on Saturday, but I don't know whether the animals stay in their pens throughout. I didn't see any taken out, except for the judges to handle them.

All the animals I saw seemed perfectly happy though. They all had water bottles and some food in their cages. I didn't notice any chewing at bars, or anything.

The enclosure size is one of the reasons why I couldn't take any of my gerbils. The biggest reason is that I don't think any of mine are show quality. I could still enter them in the pet class, but they wouldn't take well to being in such a small space, as they've never had to be before.

The gerbils (there were maybe 20 in total) all seemed very calm, young and slender. My guys are all overweight lunetics in comparison. They'd really stand out!

[squirreltz]

I first went to help out a rabbit breeder at the harrogate show in '05, it's not that bad actually. The smaller rabbits have smaller cages, but the big english lops an dthings have bigger ones. My friends rabbits just sleep and eat, and seem to enjoy looking around. Most of them are bred for show and have done it since tiny.
I took my gerbils just one year and loved it (1st and 2nd novice, hooray!). They weren't exactly gorgeous or calm but they coped just find and seemed to welcome the quiet day. It an't have been that sleepy for them as they slept most of the next day too.
I knew harrogate was coming but I thought it was feb. Can't believe I missed it!