# Rocky Mountain Hedgehog Show 2011



## Kalandra (Aug 25, 2008)

Cross posting. This one is further off, but its a 2 day show and there is plenty of time to plan for it...

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Rocky Mountain Hedgehog Show

OCTOBER 13-17, 2011
Denver, Colorado
Doubletree Hotel
1-800-236-1592
ask for: Colorado Hedge Hog Society Room Block Group Code CHH

http://www.rockymountainhedgehogshow.org


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## florinmarin (Feb 19, 2011)

thanx for sharing it with us and for announcing so soon


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## TeddysMommy (Apr 24, 2011)

Will It be on TV? I reallllyyyy hope so.


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## DexterTheHog (May 22, 2011)

TeddysMommy said:


> Will It be on TV? I reallllyyyy hope so.


That would be awesome.


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## TeddysMommy (Apr 24, 2011)

DexterTheHog said:


> TeddysMommy said:
> 
> 
> > Will It be on TV? I reallllyyyy hope so.
> ...


I would soooo watch! I would probably force my entire family to watch it :lol: Sorry. Im known as the crazy hedgehog lady around here :lol:


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## DexterTheHog (May 22, 2011)

TeddysMommy said:


> Sorry. Im known as the crazy hedgehog lady around here :lol:


saaaaaaaame! :lol: :lol:


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## hedgiebuddy (Jun 27, 2011)

I would watch it allllllll night long! Or however long it goes on :lol:


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## Hedgiepets (Aug 21, 2008)

No, the hedgehog shows are not on TV. You have to attend, they are a lot of fun. I will not be attending this year.


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## TeddysMommy (Apr 24, 2011)

Hedgiepets said:


> No, the hedgehog shows are not on TV. You have to attend, they are a lot of fun. I will not be attending this year.


Darn. Too bad there are no hedgehog shows near my area, I wish there were :| I would go


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## Hedgehogwisher (Dec 28, 2010)

I wish someone could take a video and post it on here


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## Kalandra (Aug 25, 2008)

So... Who is going to the show? I know the people who are hosting the show, and I know it will be a good event.

Anyone from Michigan heading that way?


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

I wish I could! Class and work have claimed my life until December 13th, and I couldn't afford to come anyway...  Still hoping to get to a hedgehog show SOMEday!


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## Kalandra (Aug 25, 2008)

Just a quick reminder, this show is coming up in less than 2 weeks! Anyone from here going? For anyone who is going, I hear they had some great items donated to the auction. They also had another speaker added:

"New Speaker Added - Dr. Priscilla Dressen will be speaking on Wobbly Hedgehog Syndrome accompanied by Teresa Johnson on caring for WHS hedgies Saturday morning. **CORRECTION - This talk will be on Sunday Morning before judging competitions."


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## LarryT (May 12, 2009)

Thanks for the reminder!  Suppose to send a couple of wheels for the silent auction and had forgot about it!


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## shawnwk1 (Jul 8, 2011)

That reminds me I totally forgot to send in my memorial, probably too late now ill have too check. I was gonna show jacob, but took him on a quick test run to walmart the other day to see how he did in a crowd and it really stressed him bad so now I'm not so sure, but I still hope to go to the show. I know my breeder will be judging and have some of her babies there.


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## Kalandra (Aug 25, 2008)

My advice, try him on the show table anyway. I've seen hedgehogs that were not so agreeable with being in public do fine on the table, and those that were a sweet and normally friendly be little quill balls.

Send in your memorial, the last I talked to one of the organizers they were still putting stuff together. I'd do it soon though!


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## shawnwk1 (Jul 8, 2011)

Thanks kalandra ill work on it right now and try to get it in today and heck who knows I may just bring both jacob and jeremiah just to see how they do worse that can happen is they end up being grumpy, but I bet they won't be the only grumpy ones there lol. And jeremiah actually suprised me the other day at the vet being very outgoing and social during the day until the cat climbed in his travel carrier with him and made him mad lol. Point is maybe you are right and they will suprise me. After all jacob is one of jeannes babies and we all know she produces show quality babies so he can't do too bad lol.


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## shawnwk1 (Jul 8, 2011)

maybe if i bring lots of treats for positive reinforcement it will help keep their stress levels down? this will be a first for me as well, i've never taken any of my hedgies to a show or even been to a show. it should be a good time. what kind of cage setups is everyone using for show days?


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## Kalandra (Aug 25, 2008)

The big thing to remember is if you stress, your hedgehog will stress. Be calm and just watch what others are doing. For the show room I use my travel carrier. I give them fleece liners on the bottom and their snuggle bag. 

Start waking your hedgehog up and touching him now. Take your hands and approach his face. If he acts defensive, he will do that when a judge does the same. Getting him used to it now will help when he is on the table.

Oh and don't be shy at the show. You may feel out of place at first because many old friends will be chatting together. Go up to people and introduce yourself. I wish I could attend this year, but it wasn't in the stars for the year, else I would say look for me. I usually walk up to new people and try to pull them into the group.

They really are awesome events. Usually there are lots of cool items to buy, lots of friends to chat with, and lots of awesome hedgehogs around. You'll see a lot of different ways people do things too.


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## Hissy-Fit-Hazel (Jul 15, 2011)

Is there a hedgie show type site that explains it all? I'd love to learn more about it. I imagine showing hedgies would be somewhat like showing Alaskan Malamutes lol ( Hedgehogs resemble the breed greatly in stubborness, ability to embarass, live with you not for you and sick humor hahaha) likely why I was attracted to hedgies :mrgreen: 

I've spent a great deal of time around purebred dogs / shows although never getting directly involved as I've always been there in a rescue aspect. 

Do hedgies have like a "standard" and all that? Obedience trials? lol rally-o?


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## shawnwk1 (Jul 8, 2011)

How'd you know I'm shy lol. Hissy yeah you can just do a google search for rocky mountain hedgehog show.


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## shawnwk1 (Jul 8, 2011)

Oh and jacob doesn't mind having his face messed with or any of that as jeanne did an amazing job with socialization before I got him and I've continued with keeping him used to having ears, feet, face, visor, pretty much everything messed with  he just doesn't like being carried around for very long and busy places stress him. Jeremiah on the other hand might still be my issue when it comes to the judging table as even though he's come around a lot one place he still rarely will let me touch is his visor even though I still do so against his will every night still trying to get him used to it lol, but I'm crossing my fingers since he has been in a fairly good mood lately and he's the one that actually loves to be awake during the day (less grumpier during the day and more exploratory). Too bad you can't make it kalandra doesn't look like many off here are going.


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## Hissy-Fit-Hazel (Jul 15, 2011)

Thanks, found that...didn't have info on actual showing tho but I did find http://www.hedgehogclub.com/howtoshow.html & http://www.hedgehogclub.com/standard.html off that site under shows in the side bar. Interesting stuff.

"Temperament: 33 points 
At the show table, animals must be calm and friendly while being handled by both the exhibitor and the judge. Hedgehogs that are ill tempered, will not unroll or who bite shall be faulted or disqualified at the discretion of the judge."

Is it not against the nature of a hedgehog to be asking them to be friendly to strangers? It's kind of like asking a trained sled dog not to pull on leash I suppose but we still do it. I did not read the full standard yet but I'm guessing the goal is to mess with the natural wild part of the hedgie and breed to get pet temperments?


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## shawnwk1 (Jul 8, 2011)

Hissy ill send you an email from someone awhile back I emailed about that wondering what all they judged on . I guess there are several things they look for and judge on not just temperament, but of course coloring, size,etc. Ill send you the email in a second that explains it more lol.


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## Kalandra (Aug 25, 2008)

shawnwk1 said:


> How'd you know I'm shy lol. Hissy yeah you can just do a google search for rocky mountain hedgehog show.


Ha ha! Because I've been in that position. My first hedgehog show was the Mighty Niagara show in 2001, my husband and I sat in chairs and just watched everyone interact. A now very good friend walked up to me, and introduced me to the group. I try to do the same to new comers who are sitting alone.

Temperment is a large section of the points, however, they look at body shape, quill coat, pattern, etc. A hedgehog who doesn't lay their quills down or acts defensive is not going to win a first place ribbon. I've seen plenty of 2nd place ribbons awarded to a group that had only 1 hedgehog in it.


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## shawnwk1 (Jul 8, 2011)

lol kalandra yup that would totally be me. hissy here is the info from the email i received. decided to post it here for anyone else it might help...
If you are coming for the weekend & staying at the hotel you will need to bring habitat, food, and (if you prefer) bottled water for your hedgie. If he is competing in our athletic events, he'll need a large/giant run-about ball for some of them.
As for the conformation judging, I cannot stree enough EVERY hedgie has as much a chance to win as another!Travel, new surroundings/people/scents, and all the activity - well you just never know how a hedgie will react to it all. The best preparation is for you, yourself, to remain calm, confident and sure - your hedgie will "alert" on your feelings and respond accordingly.
A pre-show health check will need to be done. I will be one of the persons available for this and will start as early as Thursday evening. Your hedgie will be given a "once over" to assure no open wounds or obvious signs of illness and also to confirm age and color class he will be shown in. Biting or bad tempered hedgies will not do well in judged competitions as 1/3 of the points is based on temperment...so socializing your hedgie is a good preparation start. Get him use to being handled, calming and putting down quills quickly, encourage exploring and walking about.
Points are given for eyes, ears, feet, over-all body shape as well as temperment for a total of 100 point break-down. I was once told amputees don't show well and I shouldn't even consider it. HA! I have two second place ribbons for a rescued amputee girl to indicate that ain't necessarily so : ) Her personality boosted her points to compensate for the loss of a leg while others were not as congenial on the show table. See what I mean about equal opportunity?!

It's to the benefit of your hedgie to have nails trimmed properly. And depending on how he may travel, a bath may or may not be in order before showing. Peeing and pooping while on the judges table does not reduce points in anyway. In fact, we've come to expect hedgies will need to potty when gotten up during a time they'd normally be sleeping in.
It has become a show tradition, at least for the Rocky Mountain & Milwaukee Rendezvous shows, to offer fleece blankets for the judges table. As you approach the table for your hedgies class, you will take a blanket from the provided container(s), place that blanket on the table for your hedgie to stand, walk, and show. Since I'm the person cutting fleece for the Rocky Mountain show, I can tell you we will have a variety of colors with a Rocky Mountain theme behind the selection (purple mountains, gold aspens, green aspens, etc.) The choice of blanket is yours and the blanket is yours to keep for your hedgie. (By the way, I always launder the blankets before packing them for the show so they are ready to use.)

We are scheduling speakers for Friday, Dawn Wrobel and Sherry Songhurst, who will speak more to the judging experience, how to show a hedgie and what to expect for the experience.


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## Kalandra (Aug 25, 2008)

Show is this weekend. If you are going I expect to see images and to hear stories! Let us live the experience through you!


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## shawnwk1 (Jul 8, 2011)

lol i sure hope someone gets pics  not yet sure if i'm going, but i do know jakob is staying home to rest for sure  i kinda lost my charger to my camcorder during the move to the new house and can't find it anywhere so won't be able to get a good video like i was hoping, but maybe i can grab a big pack of batteries for my digital camera if i go and at least get some pics and maybe a few short videos


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