Are We Dexter Owners Nice People?

[Saffy]

Well I like to think so!

BUT....Some people contacted me a few weeks back to say they were coming over for The National Show from Ireland and could they see my herd afterwards. I agreed and they came yesterday.

They saw the herd in the morning, I gave them lunch and then took them to The Welsh National Sheep Dog Trials in the afternoon, lovely people, we talked and talked and had a lovely day....so what is my point?

At the show practically nobody had time for them. They were so upset, they came a long way for this. They expected to chat to owners about Dexters in the lines and talk to prominent official members of The DCS. It was The National Show weren't there any council members around for them to meet? They looked hard enough. This is not how it should be. People that are showing should be ambassadors for the breed and find time for a smile and a quick word. They had looked forward to a day steeped in Dexterism.

Moomin were the only owners that did this, the people that came to see me mentioned a young man that they talked to and had the time and the interest to chat for a while.

Stephanie

[Jac]

I would like to think they were. We had some folk over from America did lunch, herd visits and trip to the seaside (in the rain - well it is Wales). Sorry your visitors did not have a good experience at the show.

[JohnnyP]

The tourist who yesterday parked in front of my field gate and then went for a long walk didn't think I was a nice person...

[Saffy]

I SOOOoooo don't blame you!

[Nicrob]

Is it possible that your visitors were trying to talk to people at the wrong time - perhaps before judging or the parade etc.

I remember approaching an exhibitor once and received a sharp response as they were about to go into the ring. I avoided that person for years afterwards until I finally spoke to them and realised she and her husband were very nice people.

However for such a prestigious event I would have thought there should have been a rota of members making themselves available.

On another note is there any chance of the National Show coming to the Royal Welsh?

Nick

[Rob R]

Is it possible that your visitors were trying to talk to people at the wrong time - perhaps before judging or the parade etc.

I don't think that's a good excuse - if you're at a show you are on show and representing your herd. Third parties often don't know when and when isn't a good time unless it is communicated in some way, such as the cattle lines being closed to visitors during judging.

I don't think this is unique to Dexters at all, I have always found the cattle lines to less than friendly places for visitors in general. Old friends are welcomed but strangers seem like more of an inconvenience that get in the way. Politeness & openness takes up the same amount of time as being unapproachable.

[Jac]

On another note is there any chance of the National Show coming to the Royal Welsh?

Nick

I don't think the RWAS welcomes Dexters. They are viewed as hobby cattle and as such are confined to the smallholders show in mixed classes. That wasn't always the case as we used to show at the main show but two members of the RWAS put the block on Dexter classes. I got the Ferret on the case (Welsh equivalent to Watchdog) and the following year they were reinstated but what happened after that I don't know because now there are no longer any classes at the main show.

Off topic I know but I think some re-branding is called for.

[Rob R]

On another note is there any chance of the National Show coming to the Royal Welsh?

Nick

I don't think the RWAS welcomes Dexters. They are viewed as hobby cattle and as such are confined to the smallholders show in mixed classes. That wasn't always the case as we used to show at the main show but two members of the RWAS put the block on Dexter classes. I got the Ferret on the case (Welsh equivalent to Watchdog) and the following year they were reinstated but what happened after that I don't know because now there are no longer any classes at the main show.

Off topic I know but I think some re-branding is called for.

Dexters are a hobby breed, and they've always been marketed as such. I'm sure there's never been a survey of how many members farm Dexters to provide a significant proportion of their income because it'd be a waste of time - we all know the results.

[Jac]

On another note is there any chance of the National Show coming to the Royal Welsh?

Nick

I don't think the RWAS welcomes Dexters. They are viewed as hobby cattle and as such are confined to the smallholders show in mixed classes. That wasn't always the case as we used to show at the main show but two members of the RWAS put the block on Dexter classes. I got the Ferret on the case (Welsh equivalent to Watchdog) and the following year they were reinstated but what happened after that I don't know because now there are no longer any classes at the main show.

Off topic I know but I think some re-branding is called for.

Dexters are a hobby breed, and they've always been marketed as such. I'm sure there's never been a survey of how many members farm Dexters to provide a significant proportion of their income because it'd be a waste of time - we all know the results.

Well, if that's the case Rob then why bother:

with offices in Stoneleigh?
with one full time and two part time members of staff?
with all these committees?
with beef certification?
the list is endless............

Is a reality check required?

[Nicrob]

I think the classes at the RWAS were cancelled as there weren't enough entries in recent years.

It is however the biggest show in Europe so ought to be a good place to have the National Show. I would hope that the RWAS would welcome an enquiry from the DCS but I don't know the politics involved.

Nick

[Jac]

It is however the biggest show in Europe so ought to be a good place to have the National Show. I would hope that the RWAS would welcome an enquiry from the DCS but I don't know the politics involved.

Nick

So you would think, has the DCS ever had a stand at the main show?

[Rob R]

Dexters are a hobby breed, and they've always been marketed as such. I'm sure there's never been a survey of how many members farm Dexters to provide a significant proportion of their income because it'd be a waste of time - we all know the results.

Well, if that's the case Rob then why bother:

with offices in Stoneleigh?
with one full time and two part time members of staff?
with all these committees?
with beef certification?
the list is endless............

Is a reality check required?

When I started with Dexters the message was 'the small cow with a big future' and, 20 years on, I'm still non the wiser as to what that future is.

Don't get me wrong, there are has been progress made in the society with useful tools for breeders - I particularly like the online herdbook, the bulletin is much more professional, genetic testing services, linear assessment, etc. but the core message is still that undefined big future.

There's no reason the breed shouldn't consist of lots of little herds, it's found a very sucessful niche and done much better than many other rare breeds, but I think the future is small, at least as far as the breed as a whole is concerned.

[LISA]

Hello Stephanie,

I suspect your visitors may have suffered from "poor timing"!

Before the show (any show but especially a show like this of great importance) exhibitors are mostly very stressed - I have noticed even spouses do not speak to each other pre showing as people are very tense! Exhibitors will also be concentrating on their animals staying clean, timing udders to perfection etc. Previously when we have shown (and we have not shown for several years due to personal circumstances) I have had to say to people "Sorry but I am really busy at the moment, but will happily talk to you later" - and I have spoken at length to them later.

During showing exhibitors are possibly even more stressed (depending how the day is going!). After showing, is probably the best time to chat to exhibitors when they are more relaxed, although they will be getting calves suckled, feeding and watering cattle etc and will probably come across as grumpy through sheer exhaustion! Some exhibitors (if they have done badly) do not even have the manners to speak to the judge in the cattle lines afterwards, so your visitors would have stood no chance with these type of people! (Thankfully these are few and far between)

I would imagine that the vast majority of Dexter folk are very friendly and hospitable, and that each and every one of the National Show exhibitors would happily have chatted to your visitors under different circumstances.

Best Wishes Lisa Bell (Chatty most of the time!)

PS - Di Smith (Moomin) has always been very friendly and chatty (many happy hours spent talking to Di at shows in "ye olden days"!

[Jac]

Dexters are a hobby breed, and they've always been marketed as such. I'm sure there's never been a survey of how many members farm Dexters to provide a significant proportion of their income because it'd be a waste of time - we all know the results.

Well, if that's the case Rob then why bother:

with offices in Stoneleigh?
with one full time and two part time members of staff?
with all these committees?
with beef certification?
the list is endless............

Is a reality check required?

When I started with Dexters the message was 'the small cow with a big future' and, 20 years on, I'm still non the wiser as to what that future is.

Don't get me wrong, there are has been progress made in the society with useful tools for breeders - I particularly like the online herdbook, the bulletin is much more professional, genetic testing services, linear assessment, etc. but the core message is still that undefined big future.

There's no reason the breed shouldn't consist of lots of little herds, it's found a very sucessful niche and done much better than many other rare breeds, but I think the future is small, at least as far as the breed as a whole is concerned.

I agree with you but I live in hope that attitudes towards the breed will change as the population grows and there is no longer the grain to feed commercial breeds. It has always been that the Society is a 'broad church' and for sure it keeps the coffers topped up but is this diversity also its weakness?

[Nicrob]

It is however the biggest show in Europe so ought to be a good place to have the National Show. I would hope that the RWAS would welcome an enquiry from the DCS but I don't know the politics involved.

Nick

So you would think, has the DCS ever had a stand at the main show?

I have never seen a DCS stand at the RWAS. Even an unmanned stand with literature would be better than nothing.