A chance to get involved in stewarding
by Averil Cawthera-Purdy
22 May 2008 01:58
THE YKC recently held a ‘Careers with Dogs’ day at the Kennel Club. Around 60 members attended to find out the wide variety of opportunities available.
The YKC had gathered 20 different speakers from various canine backgrounds to give an insight into their particular specialism, but all were linked by the general theme of working with dogs.
There was input from canine photographers, journalists, charities, the veterinary profession, animal shelters and rescue, the police and Outward Bound. The talks were both informative and focussed giving the audience a clear idea of the range of work available, the qualification requirements and the training needed. Quite often you tend to think only of the obvious – being a vet or working in a kennels, but there are so many other options and variations to take into account and all of them are worth exploring if you think that you would like to make a career based on your love of dogs.
Another new activity that the YKC has just started with some of its senior members is training for commentators. Again the training was held at the Kennel Club and was delivered by the Crufts commentators Nick Brooks-Ward and Frank Kane who were joined by Gary Champion who is the DJ on Crufts FM Radio.
During the day the group were given lots of information and help to give them a start in the skills of being a good commentator. They were are put through their paces in mock show scenarios and were given practical exercises so that they could improve their techniques for interviewing, commentating and doing live TV and radio presenting.
One of the training exercises involved doing a commentary over Agility clips taken at Crufts and the participants had to research a chosen breed and present their prepared commentary to the rest of the group.
‘Voice of Crufts’
This was a fantastic opportunity for those who took part. Trainer Nick Brooks-Ward said that he thought it was a really exciting day with of lot of talent which can be tapped.
He is hopeful about the future because the YKC members who took part are already very interested and knowledgeable about dogs and he thinks there may be the next ‘Voice of Crufts’ among them.
Any of you who are YKC members over the age of 16 and interested in eventually stewarding at Crufts need to get signed up for the Ring Stewarding Seminar planned for Wednesday August 6. A similar training event was held last year and there are a maximum of 50 places available this year and of these 20 will be given to YKC members. The seminar is being run by none other than Gerald King, chief steward at Crufts. The closing date for applications is June 27 and to register you need to contact Claire Tuck on 0870 606 6750 or email her on ykc@thekennelclub.org.uk. I suggest if you are interested you let her know soon, as once those 20 places are gone that will be it for this year.
While on the subject of stewarding, Windsor Ch Show is on the lookout for YKC ring stewards for all days of the show which runs from June 26 to 29. Again you need to be over 16 years old and also to have had stewarding experience. If you are interested contact the office as soon as you can.
Remember that shows couldn’t function without stewards and that they are the unsung heroes of the ring, giving their time and expertise often for very little – a lunch that they sometimes have to miss as they stay in the rings until the judging is finished.
This is a brilliant way of learning more about the whole of the dog showing game and also of paying back a little for the pleasure that competing with your dogs has given you.