You can't do much worse than my first Championship appointment.
Living in Aberdeeshire we were a long way from the major shows so my friend hired coaches to get us and the dogs there. This occasion was National Gundog at Builth Wells, we left about 7pm to arrive about 6 next morning, then the same back the next night. Half way down the road, almost at the witching hour, I suddenly remembered that my outfit was still hanging on the back of the bedroom door.
I had my shoes in my bag but no jacket, no smart trousers, no change of underwear, no top. I crept down the bus to tell Pat, whereupon she howled with laughter, woke everyone up to tell them, the coach driver/owner could hardly drive for laughing, then to my great embarassment she asked for a 'whip round'
I was offered a jacket here, a pair of trousers there, etc Now, since I was a size 18 at that time, it was unlikely that anything was going to fit me so I had no option but to 'phone a friend' who I knew for sure was the same size.
Our President, Margaret, I knew, was showing her dogs so would be there, so I called her. I could hear Pete screaming with laughter in the background but Margaret was very calm, and said she'd meet me behind the gundog benches with a bag of clothes for me. It wasn't the done thing to 'fraternise' with the judge prior to judging so we observed the unwritten rules and didn't tell anyone till afterwards.(even though in my breed I knew all the dogs almost by their pet names!)
I have never yet lived it down that I judged my first Championship Show in borrowed clothes, and that was 20 years ago!!!!!