by Estelle Sandford
How to prepare for a show
What happens at a show
What to do once judging has finished
The future
So you have a rat(s) that you wish to show?
Will it be shown in the pet or varieties classes?
To be shown as a variety, it has to ‘fit’ into one
of the classes as defined on the varieties schedule. If you are not sure, ask
someone or bring the rat along to it’s first show as a shoulder rat or enter
as a pet (if suitable) and ask people what they think at the show about your
rat. There’s always the next show!
When shown as a pet, the rat is judged on friendliness,
tractability, condition and health, but if they are clean and the judge doesn't
get carved up by sharp toenails, it definitely goes in the rats favour. Pet
classes are split into Adult and Juvenile exhibitors and quite often have extra
prizes that vary from show to show, like prettiest doe, most handsome buck,
cleanest rat, etc.
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How do you prepare your rat for a show?
Show preparation in some respects starts as soon as the
rat is born – healthy diet, lots of handling, care and attention. (It actually
starts before the rat is born, by selecting the best parents!) But in reality we
are talking about the few days before the show here!
Entries normally have to be in (at the latest) 3 days
before the show, so just before you phone or e-mail your entries in, check the
rats you are looking to show (this goes for pet and variety). They should be in
the peak of health: - coat looking healthy with no ‘holes’, scabs or
scratches, eyes and nose looking clear and clean with no sign of discharge,
chest and breathing should sound clear. If your rat is showing any signs of
ill-health or mites then it should not be shown and is likely to be disqualified
by the judge anyway. Apart from the fact that you can pass these onto other
people’s rats, which will make you unpopular, if your rat is sick, it will
stress it more taking it to a show, so it is not fair on the rat.
Don’t forget to book hire tanks if you don’t have a
show tank of your own to use.
Once you have submitted your entries to the show
secretary, you can start the real preparation. If required the rat should be
bathed. Bucks in particular get very greasy with orange muck on their skin
across the loins area. To wash a rat, ensure the water is lukewarm, use
rat-friendly shampoo (pet shops stock a couple of varieties suitable for small
animals) and ensure that you wash the shampoo out well before drying the rat.
Make sure that you dry the rat completely after the bath. Dark rats should be
washed a couple of days before the show, to allow their coats to settle and
regain their natural shine. Rex rats should be bathed about a week in advance,
as the rex coat looks better if it has a chance to get some of the natural
grease back. Pale or white rats will need washing either the day before or even
the day of the show so as to be clean for their class.
Rat’s toenails should be clipped, it is recommended
that you clip their toenails before you bath them as this can save you some
scratches! Using nail clippers, trim off the white sharp part off each nail.
(the judge will also appreciate a rat with short, blunt toenails)
This preparation applies to both variety and pet
classes. Even though the pets are being judged on friendliness and tractability,
if they are healthy, clean and don’t scratch the judges it will go in their
favour.
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What happens on the day of the show?
Do a health check of all your rats before leaving home.
If any have noisy breathing, war-wounds from fighting, scabs or any other
ailment, they should be withdrawn from the show and left at home.
Put the rats in whatever carrier you have to take them
to the show. Allow plenty of time to get to the show and prepare your rats once
you are there – there is nothing worse than having got caught in traffic and
having to rush your preparations! Doors normally open for the shows at least an
hour before the judging starts, which should give you plenty of time.
Ensure you take: -
Show
tanks – or hire if required (one rat per tank for adult bucks, does and
kittens can go in unlike pairs)
Shavings
(or alternatives allowed MRC and NERS) – the hire tanks are not supplied with
shavings so you do need to bring your own
Water
bottles – although not allowed to be left on the tanks unless the conditions
are really hot, your rat will appreciate water after the showing has finished
Apple
or carrot – you need a chunk of apple or carrot for each rat shown for
moisture for them while they are in the show tanks.
Snack
or food for the journey home – particularly if you have travelled a long way
to the shows (wet pasta or sweetcorn is often appreciated)
Other useful items: -
Water
spray and cloth (or baby wipes) – to wipe off any marks that have appeared
during the journey and to wash the tail and ears if needed
Toothbrush
– last minute cleaning of tail
Nail
clippers – trim any last minute toenails
Soft
cloth and/or brush – for buffing and shining the coat
When you arrive at the show location, collect any
hire tanks and your stickers from the show secretary (you may be asked to pay a
deposit for show tanks).
Take yourself to somewhere where you have a bit of
space and sort your rats into their tanks with about 2-3 inches of shavings in
the bottom. Go through each rat in turn, checking for any problems and dirty
marks. It’s still not too late to withdraw if your rat is not 100% fit. Wipe
off any dirty patches, smooth the coat with the soft cloth to help the shine and
put the rat in the tank. Cut up the apple or carrot and put a chunk in for each
rat. Put the stickers supplied on the tank in the top corners of the opening end
of the show tank (if using the tanks with the sliding lid – for the hagen type
tanks this is the narrow ends of the tanks). When you are satisfied you have
done everything you can, place you rats on the showing table with the rest of
the rats to be shown. You are now free to do whatever! Perhaps you could look
around for anyone who needs help – everyone is new to showing once in his or
her life!
You could consider offering to help out with the
running of the show, particularly if you are an early bird who is well organised.
The kind of jobs available to help out with are: -
· Stewarding – taking the
rats to the judge and keeping some order on the table of rats waiting to be
judged. Some of the bigger shows may need several people to help with this and
when people are first putting their rats on the table it is useful to have extra
helpers. Rats are judged in lowest number order first. Stewarding is an
excellent way of learning about judging and showing rats.
· Scribing – some judges
like to have someone writing the notes for them. These notes are usually written
up for the club magazine. This is also an excellent way to learn about showing
and judging rats.
· Kitchen – everything from
cooking to carrying
· Helping the show sec –
the show sec (jobs on the day – no mention of the mass of organisation before
the show here!) has to make sure everything is ready in the hall, sort out the
entries and labels, get payment off everyone, sort out the hire tanks, sort out
tables, sort out kittens for sale and either check themselves or get a judge to
check the kittens, write the prize cards, sort out the rosettes, take the hire
tanks back in, make sure the hall is in the same condition as when arrived – I
am sure that any offers of help will be gratefully received! Please feel free to
offer!
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What to do when judging has finished?
When you are advised by the steward or show secretary,
you may collect your rats from the table. Prepare your rats for the journey
home, moving to carrier if not the show tank, giving water and food. If you have
a hire tank, ensure you put the shavings in the bin and remove your stickers
from the tank. If you don’t, you only make work for the show secretary!
Collect any prize cards and rosettes you have won, and
then you are free to go. One final thing to remember, the hall has to be put
back into the state it was in before the rat show, so a hand to clear tables,
sweep the floor will always be appreciated!
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What about the future?
Take note of the judges comments in the club magazine,
it may help with your breeding plans. If you get the chance at shows, chat to
the judge and other experienced rat breeders about your rats, this feedback will
help with your future breeding and showing plans.
There is so much to learn about our rats, and showing
can be a fun way of meeting other rat keepers and of course getting more rats
– you can almost guarantee there will be kittens for sale and many breeders
will take reservations if you fancy some of their rats!
(Photos by Colin Arundel and Alison
Campbell)
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