I don't follow this rule either other than when I need the toilet lol. They are quite relaxed at champ shows at some the benches are far from the rings so everyon tends to sit around them with their dogs (crated, show trolley,buggy etc in toys)

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Is Birmingham relaxed with this rule?

What can I expect at Birmingham?

Oh ,just chill out about the issue hun, I have never known anyone get reprimanded for not using the benches, lol! We didnt use them today at SKC - we set up crates at ringside and pups stayed there all day.

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Fere libenter hormines id quod volunt credunt

Usually just pull up ringside with our trolley, but not at the bigger shows. At the bigger shows, you should leave your crate/trolley by your bench (ie, LKA, Crufts etc) so as not to clog up the gangways.

Birmingham will be just like Blackpool hun - with the slight difference that most of the benching is actually next to (or very near to) your ring, and most of the rings are inside (or in a tent on concrete, not grass). But no-one will be monitoring how long you have your dog off the bench - in fact, at this show there is lots of YKC stuff going on (such as agility) and a lot of people take their dogs with them to watch that.

The benching rule is one of the most flouted rules in the book - a lot of people prefer cages near the ring, and most people have their dogs off the bench for much more than half an hour (ie most of the day!). Because of this, the discussion on whether or not to abandon benching altogether at champ shows keeps popping up in the dog press.

The only shows I know who are strict about not having cages near the rings are Crufts, LKA and East of England.

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Bergies and borders - what more could anyone want? Siamese and maine coons, of course!

From the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam:
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Moves on, nor all thy Piety nor Wit
Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line,
Nor all thy Tears wash out a Word of it.
(But you can always edit your post, of course )