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An Admittedly Odd Sheepdog Trial Etiquette Question


terrecar
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Is it customary for a spectator to bring one of those nylon folding chairs to a sheepdog trial? Let's say someone had arthritic knees or some other disability, but wanted to be as unobtrusive as possible. Would bringing a chair be an oddity?

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Everyone brings folding chairs! :) In fact, I've decided it's a rite of passage to go off and forget a chair at a sheepdog trial - which I finally achieved this past weekend. :P

But seriously, you'd be utterly exhausted after standing all day, so I consider chairs a must. Never hurts to take a Sharpie and write your name on yours, but as noted, at some point everyone kind of sits in whatever chair is empty.

~ Gloria

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Yeah, people do sit in empty chairs, but I think that's rude, TBH. You never know who might have problems with standing and need their chair and just because they got up to use the porta-john or get some lunch it shouldn't make their chair fair game for someone who didn't bother to bring his or her own.

 

JMO, of course . . .

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Yeah, people do sit in empty chairs, but I think that's rude, TBH. You never know who might have problems with standing and need their chair and just because they got up to use the porta-john or get some lunch it shouldn't make their chair fair game for someone who didn't bother to bring his or her own.

 

JMO, of course . . .

 

Well, but what happens in that case is that when the person returns s/he says "I need my chair back" (unless the interloper says "Is this your chair?" first). Sometimes that produces an amusing domino effect . . .

 

But it IS the norm to sit in empty chairs, and I think that's one of the friendly aspects of sheepdog trials rather than being rude.

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^^Yep, I have no problem asking someone to get out of my chair if I need it, but often if there's another empty chair nearby, I'll park myself there rather than ask someone else to move needlessly (that can eventually create the domino effect to which Eileen refers). What I do consider rude, however, is borrowing someone's chair and THEN leaving your trash in it (i.e., your drink or candy wrapper in the cupholder, etc.). I don't care who uses my chair if I'm not using it; I'd just rather they clean up after themselves rather than leaving it for me to do later.

 

J.

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And it helps me a lot! As I always forget to bring a chair- once forgot to bring a dog so ran another which was a big error! (Pete- oh run him, he's doing great......yeah on bison maybe..)

I have sat on a couple of people, that's when the trial starts at 0 dark hundred. Sadly I am old and beat up so no one INVITES me to sit on their lap anymore.

 

Yep people do ask for their chair back, and the domino effect is amusing and fascinating especially if a torching run is being laid down....

But I am an infrequent visitor sadly....

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Yep people do ask for their chair back, and the domino effect is amusing and fascinating especially if a torching run is being laid down....

But I am an infrequent visitor sadly....

 

I usually don't have a problem with someone using my chair anymore because it's usually parked at the top. We get occasional visitors, but not enough to warrant my chair being borrowed by anyone. ;)

 

If I can get my youngsters going and come into some money, I may retire from set out and get back trialing again....

 

J.

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I have no problem w/ someone sitting in my chair, but would add, if the chair isn't yours don't move it. Several times I have strategically placed my chair in a specific spot for viewing or shade, only to come back to find it was moved to a group of chairs, presumably for visiting and someone else has moved into my coveted spot. Rather annoying.

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Dear Doggers,

 

It can be a hike from the vehicle to the handler's tent. This is very light, sturdy easy to get out of. Setup is a PITA. http://www.amazon.com/GCI-Outdoor-Xpress-Lounger/dp/B00IESTRSG%3Fpsc%3D1%26SubscriptionId%3DAKIAILSHYYTFIVPWUY6Q%26tag%3Dduckduckgo-ffsb-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB00IESTRSG

 

Donald McCaig

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I love the friendly, dog-cheering, chair-sharing crowds at trials. I sometimes set up my chair, sit in it for a few runs, then wander off to the bleachers or another spot to get a different view. One time at the end of the day, some one I didn't know, who had been sitting near my chair actually came to find me, and said "Don't forget your chair!"

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Sitting in whatever chair is available at a cattle trial is the norm. Generally the loungey ones are highly sought after, and it becomes a bit of a joke to jump into one when the owner is running his/her dog. And yes, asking for it back or finding another empty one and using it is perfectly ok. Asking the whole crowd to move chairs to keep in the shifting shade under the EZ up is also normal and generates some good-natured grumbling.

 

Quite a few years back, I was hauling an old school blue webbed chair (remember those?) around, as it was upright and comfy for a bad back and easy to get out of for bad knees. (I don't even know when or where it came from, as it was likely ancient when I acquired it.) I accidentally left it at a friend's trial in Nebraska (I was still living in SoCal at the time), and when I went back a year later, there it was! Everyone teased me about it, as it was getting pretty old and rickety, but it still worked, so I kept dragging it around. Finally at a trial in Wyoming, after more teasing about my old chair, a friend asked me to get up, and took my poor old chair and threw it into the nearby dumpster! He then presented me with a (slightly used) loungey one. I love the loungey one, but it is heavy to schlep around a lot. But it still goes with me to trials now (especially if I feel a nap coming on). I also take one like the one Gloria posted. I still miss that old blue chair, and we even talked about it last week at a trial!

A

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I have to admit to being more territorial about my chair. I have a bad knee and hurt my back in a car accident, so want one that is easy to get out of. As a result, I am quite particular about the type of chair I have. I have no issue asking people to please move if I intend to be sitting for any length of time.

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Chair etiquette is the same as at agility shows here. Squatters are fine and afaic can stay if I judge that their need is greater than mine.

 

I did once ask someone to move and she argued that it was her chair - until her brother in law told her she had left hers leaning against their van.

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Love the Pink Mountain chair! My old blue was was not quite that shabby, but very close! B)

A

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