[Fowgill Farm]

DoganJo
Pigs go to loads of shows here in the south, yes some people are shitty about pigs but most shows get away with it by penning pigs completely away from other livestock. Generally all show pigs come from isolation units (very easy to get one speak to your local vet) Do not let other peoples predjudices stop you from having pigs. It discrimination in the animal world. Pigs get the blame for anything untoward in the livestock world and people can just **** off .  
Sorry rant over.
Mandy

[robert waddell]

DOGANJO I AM SITTING RAGING AT YOUR QUOTE   
PRINTING TOSH LIKE THAT   I SHOULD NOT HAVE BOTHERED TRYING TO GET PIGS BACK TO SCOTTISH SHOWS THE TIME EXPENCE AND BLOODY HARD EFFORT OVER THE LAST 4 YEARS HAS BEEN NEGATED IN ONE FELL SWOPE BY YOUR FRIEND WHO MUST BE A MEMBER OF THE FLAT EARTH SOCIETY
ANYBODY WITH A MODICUME OF SENCE WOULD SEE THAT CATTLE TIED UP TO A FENCE HAVE MORE CHANCE OF TAKING HOME DISEASE THAN PIGS KEEPT SEPERATE AND NOT TOUCHING
THE STUPIDITY OF YOUR FRIEND IS ASSTOUNDING AND LITTLE WONDER WE CANNOT GET PIG CLASSES BACK    TO THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH
AND WITHOUT PIGS THERE IT CANNOT HAVE THIS SPURRIOUS CLAIM TO FAME
STUPID STUPID PEOPLE           LIONS LED BY DONKEYS    DOGANJO COULD YOU PASS MY COMMENTS ON TO YOUR FRIEND (IF HE WILL COME OUT FROM HIS CORNER)

[Fowgill Farm]

Lillian/Robert - i second your rant above. The guy is obviously a pig hater, remember this year is the 10th anniversary of the foot and mouth outbreak and it was allegedly started by pigs, maybe he got wiped out, who knows.

My pigs are in isolation at present as we're going to Newark on 13th as they have to be in 20 days before the first show, they'll remain in the unit for all the show season and 20 days after the end of it.
Most people who show do this.

best Mandy

[robert waddell]

Mandy the isolation rules must be different in england to Scotland   you can have them in isolation for 6 days providing you have applied for the isolation unit  with paperwork from defra to tie in with your isolation unit subject to random checks from defra

[princesspiggy]

theres stacks of smallholders and crofts up over this side. what bout Turriff showground? they hold the biggest 2 day show in scotland (apparently). im sure people from the north scotland wud venture down to turriff, as they do come to thainstone.
we got 16 ponies and only 1 hates pigs with a passion, are ponies going too?
how about a class supporting scottish natives and british rare breeds? can we include chickens and rabbits too? theres a local rabbit club here who im sure will be interested.
Offer sponsorship per class, we might be interested in that.
i know a man that does hedge laying demos but hes up this way.
is it this year then??
 

[Fowgill Farm]

also have you thought about 'Young Handlers'. Its always a big draw at the shows we go to.

Pics of my niece Anya.

Penistone
http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb220/fowgillfarm/P9110429.jpg
http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb220/fowgillfarm/P9110433.jpg

Tockwith
http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb220/fowgillfarm/P8070396.jpg
http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb220/fowgillfarm/P8070401.jpg

Jus some tasters.
HTh
mandy 

[robert waddell]

princess
 just to clarify the shows up north
turrif have been contacted NO ROOM  
perth have been contacted NO ROOM  having seen there showground i would accept this
black isle have been contacted NO ROOM    WE HAD HEARD THIS IS A VERY GOOD SHOW)
a well with determination and a positive outlook we just might manage to succeed

[robert waddell]

yes mandy ahead of you there young handler old handler new handler 

[doganjo]

Hey, don't shoot the messenger!  David is only saying what he has been told.  He isn't a smallholder - never has been.  He is not a pig hater, he loves all animals.  He has owned horses and dogs, that's all. And to be honest a belligerent attitude will get none of us anywhere.

[HappyHippy]

Just got this from a friend in the 'know' - any comments?

Pigs would probably be a huge no-no because of the health implications. Most shows take pigs straight from shows to the abbatoir because of cross contamination of disease. If they don't, they risk all sorts of things taking them home. What you might find, also, is that some people won't bring other stock if there will be pigs there.

Okay, so I'm just as outraged as Mandy & Lillian  
BUT I can see the BIG picture and will try to be the voice of reason.
There is a lot of piggy prejudice up here in Scotland. When we spoke to Lesmahagow Farmers Society their initial reaction was also "oh no, we can't have pigs. Dirty, smelly animals and they'll upset the horses"  
But it comes from a lack of understanding - that is why the SPKA formed. To promote pigs in Scotland and encourage shows to consider having pigs on their schedules  
Now, we're only going to achieve that by remaining calm (Lillian !) taking a deep breath and explaining the in's and outs. Such as keeping them seperate from other stock, no nose to nose contact in penning area, disinfectant foot baths on the entrance/exit to the penning area, housing the pens in a marquee well away from the horses to minimise any chance of upsetting the horses (but we all know that some horses can spook at their own shadow ) shouting, raging and generally making a t*t of ourselves isn't going to win us any support from people who are very much 'on the fence'  
If you were unsure about something and the person in charge if it didn't seem calm, reasonable and considered in their approach, would you really be interested in getting involved ? *stern stare*  
I know how much time, effort & money you've put into it Lillian/Robert - but we NEED to stay calm and BE NICE if we're going to succeed  
Hopefully, after Lesmahagow people will start to realise that it IS possible to have pigs there without upsetting the whole rest of the show and we can continue to go from strength to strength - meeting new people and making new friends along the way (not having enemies and everyone hating us !)
As the article in the Scottish Farmer says (available soon to view on our website http://scottishpigs.co.uk ) "GIVE PIGS A CHANCE"
Karen  

[HappyHippy]

theres stacks of smallholders and crofts up over this side. what bout Turriff showground? they hold the biggest 2 day show in scotland (apparently). im sure people from the north scotland wud venture down to turriff, as they do come to thainstone.
we got 16 ponies and only 1 hates pigs with a passion, are ponies going too?
how about a class supporting scottish natives and british rare breeds? can we include chickens and rabbits too? theres a local rabbit club here who im sure will be interested.
Offer sponsorship per class, we might be interested in that.
i know a man that does hedge laying demos but hes up this way.
is it this year then??
 

Ah, back onto the original subject of the thread 
It's not going to be this year PP, but all your comments are noted and will be added to the (ever growing) list 

[doganjo]

theres stacks of smallholders and crofts up over this side. what bout Turriff showground? they hold the biggest 2 day show in scotland (apparently). im sure people from the north scotland wud venture down to turriff, as they do come to thainstone.
we got 16 ponies and only 1 hates pigs with a passion, are ponies going too?
how about a class supporting scottish natives and british rare breeds? can we include chickens and rabbits too? theres a local rabbit club here who im sure will be interested.
Offer sponsorship per class, we might be interested in that.
i know a man that does hedge laying demos but hes up this way.
is it this year then??
 

Ah, back onto the original subject of the thread 
It's not going to be this year PP, but all your comments are noted and will be added to the (ever growing) list 

And if the 2013 show can be held at Thainstone (that being the only place that might be large enough from what Lilian has said) then these could be included as they'd be closer.

[robert waddell]

this is something that the organisers will have to deal with first
do you have a stand allone show or tag on the back of some other show 

[Rosemary]

Damn, just did a long post and lost it.

Anyway, my view is that we should have a seperate organisation - Scottish Smallholders' Show Society, for argument's sake - with its own constitution, membership and committee with the sole function of organising the show. Individuals and organisations could join for a small fee - membership would give indivuduals either free or reduced price entry to exhibit and member organisations would get reduced stand rate.

We need to walk before we run - a good small event will be much easier to build on than a badly organised large one. So lots of great ideas for the show, but we might not be able to do them all this year (2012). I found at CSSA that lots of folk had lots of ideas, then wouldn't meet your eye when you were looking for someone to actually DO the work  

Would Perth be a good venue for the whole of Scotland or would it satisfy no-one except those in Perth (or Carnoustie  )? It doesn't have a mart anymore but there is the racecourse - although I've never been so don't knwo what it's like. Or should we go for Lanark for 2012 and look at a northern venue for 2013?

OK, so how do we take this forward? I suggest a meeting in Perth or Stirling for individuals and organisations interested in getting the show off the ground. Publicity via TAS, Country Smallholding and Smallholder and maybe Scottish Farmer and Facebook? At the meeting, we can get the Society set up, elect at least an interim Committee and get going formally.

[robert waddell]

rosemary i am happy it is not just me that losses posts
all good input until the Scottish farmer   you will get your coverage if you pay that is money out before you have started