|
The
Sarnia Kennel Club circuit ran the first 4 days of my show trip
to Canada. This is a picture of the outdoor show rings,
two on each side of the tent, where the sporting dogs were
shown. Note the red and white maple leaf insignia on the near
side of the rings which I thought was a nice touch. Toy
dogs and obedience were shown in the building at the back of the
picture
which was a sports complex in Mooretown which contained what
looked to be an olympic sized pool in one wing. In another
wing of the complex, the inside show rings were set up on the
cement floor of a hockey rink with cement bleachers on either
side of the rink oval. I sat up crates for the dogs inside
because I could access electricity (called "hydro" in
many places in
Canada) and be sheltered from bad weather if it occurred.
It misted and lightly rained several sporatic times over the 4
day Sarnia circuit, but all in all the weather here was most
accommodating temperature-wise. It was briskly chilly in
the mornings at 5-6 a.m. when I exercised the dogs. I
would wear a long sleeve tee-shirt under a sweatshirt and sweat
pants and still be chilly until I warmed up from walking.
As the day wore on, the temperature moderated and sometimes was
quite warm in the sunny afternoons.
Surrounding
the Sarnia showsite were hardwood trees where RVs and cars and
vans parked in the shade. I was very surprised at the
large number of simple round camper tents where it seems
exhibitors spent their nights! Inside the sports complex were
shower rooms and a burger/hot dog/chips/soft drink type snack
bar, so I guess the campers had access to some of the comforts
of home. And there was peace and quiet, as beyond the RV's and
hardwood trees lay a well manicured and peopled golf
course (off-limits to dogs), though I don't know which course
holes we entertained beside and behind the sports complex.
Across the 2 lane street from the Sarnia showsite was a quite
large well cut several acre grassy field which led to trees and
then a wide active ship channel where quite large freighters
would frequently pass. Because of the treeline at the water's
edge, from the showgrounds sometimes you would look up and see
just the top sections of an ocean liner or freighter.
What caused you to look up was that in the middle of judging you
would suddenly be a loud low "whistle", sounding as if
it came from whales, which eminated from these ships as they
signaled each other of their presence. Never let it be said that
the Sarnia Kennel Club showsite lacks character!
I have to admit that I am particularly fond of Sarnia as it is
the location of my very first Canadian dog show, at which Bill
Gates went Best of Breed and got a pull in the group, and also
where Zazz took her Match Sporting Group 3 on the first day of
the circuit after Best In Show, and then on the second day of
the circuit won her Best Puppy In Match! |