# stewarding



## rcmadd (Feb 6, 2011)

im looking to get into stewarding.. any tips on how to?


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## raggs (Aug 3, 2008)

HI RC, most of the GCCF shows ive been to have useually been crying out for stewards, when you first go into the show in the morning approach the show managers bench and let them know that your available to steward should they need you , they will then guide you on what to do, as long as your confident in hadling cats i think thats the only requirement....hope this helps............Chris.


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## Wendy1969 (Jun 4, 2010)

Have a look here:
the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy

http://www.gccfcats.org/pdf/judges&stewards/NotesforStewards.pdf

You will need a white coat and be very confident that you can handle any breed of cat, even in difficult circumstances, and have at least a rough idea of how all the paperwork is organised. Ask to Second Steward for your first go so you can see whats involved.

I've been on the GCCF Guild of Stewards scheme since Feb this year and I'm loving it


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## rcmadd (Feb 6, 2011)

thanks wendy.. i have been looking for that page..:thumbsup:


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## BSH (Jul 28, 2010)

I have been a steward and enjoyed it. Good fun and I learnt a lot as I went around from the Judge. The best bit is of course getting to hold all the cats. First time I held a Sphynx I was surprised at how warm they were- I expected them to be cold!

The Judges were lovely, though I have heard of a couple who can be a bit snooty.

They always seemed to be looking for volunteers to steward, so just listen out. Or tick the box on the entry form.


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## Cookieandme (Dec 29, 2011)

Stewarding sounds interesting


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## Steverags (Jul 19, 2010)

I'm getting back into my white coat at the next show as long as there are stewards wanted, it's been a while now.


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## carly87 (Feb 11, 2011)

If you're going to the Somerset, Steve, it would be interesting to get feedback on whether they do actually want stewards, as they told me that they had more than enough...


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## Steverags (Jul 19, 2010)

Somerset is too far for us to travel.


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## Soupie (Sep 2, 2008)

carly87 said:


> If you're going to the Somerset, Steve, it would be interesting to get feedback on whether they do actually want stewards, as they told me that they had more than enough...


Show managers aren't in the habit of lying - am sure they have given you the information as it is at the time you asked. And asking on the morning doesn't mean anything .... Numerous things can happen and people drop out or can't make it........


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## carly87 (Feb 11, 2011)

Absolutely wasn't suggesting they were lying, and am sorry if it came across this way. What I meant was that it would be interesting to know from the point of view of the drop out rate, i.e, how much things had changed in a week.


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## Cookieandme (Dec 29, 2011)

Sorry to drag this one up 

I visited the Manchester GCCF show today, when I was chatting to a nice lady who breeds Siamese, I mentioned stewarding. She said they had asked for volunteers in the morning so I guess the person who I watched and wasn't wearing a white coat was one such person. 

Each little trolley had a roll of hand towel and I think a bottle of sanitiser, I watched the person handle 4 cats and didn't once wipe down the table or use the sanitiser. The person had with them a bottle of water which they handled each time they went to a new pen. 

I realise this person probably wasn't an experienced steward but should the judge have instructed them in correct hygiene. 

The other stewards I saw were wiping down the trolley after each cat. I haven't been to one before but would have thought there were procedures to follow.


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## carly87 (Feb 11, 2011)

This is very, very worrying. This is not correct procedure, and someone should have addressed it. I'd be absolutely livid if someone handled my cat after not sanitising hands or trolley. Would you consider mentioning this to the show manager just in case they can get hold of the person and tive them some teaching on hygiene protocol?


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## Cookieandme (Dec 29, 2011)

If you think I should email, I can do that. 

The plastic bag hanging off the trolley did contain something so they or someone else must have been wiping down at some stage, I wasn't sure if they had used the items which is why I continued to watch them. 

I even carried a bottle of gel with me.


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## jo-pop (May 27, 2011)

This is pretty bad! The amount of cars that are handled right after each other must carry a huge risk!
Great to meet you today by the way


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## Cookieandme (Dec 29, 2011)

Just to say I did send an email to the only address on the Manchester club website, but I have never received a response.


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## carly87 (Feb 11, 2011)

If you download the schedule from the GCCF website it will have the contact details of the show manager. That's who you need to get in touch with.


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## spid (Nov 4, 2008)

This is why I thought the leukaemia vaccine was a good idea if showing. You just don't know!


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## redfeet (Sep 16, 2012)

raggs said:


> HI RC, most of the GCCF shows ive been to have useually been crying out for stewards, when you first go into the show in the morning approach the show managers bench and let them know that your available to steward should they need you , they will then guide you on what to do, as long as your confident in hadling cats i think thats the only requirement....hope this helps............Chris.


Arrive early at a show and am sure you will be snapped up to help and have a great time.Partner now does it after a nervous start but loves it.


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## Cookieandme (Dec 29, 2011)

carly87 said:


> If you download the schedule from the GCCF website it will have the contact details of the show manager. That's who you need to get in touch with.


Since it has already happened it is no longer on the list.


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## carly87 (Feb 11, 2011)

Ah. If you get no reply soon, just give me a shout and I'll post on the Yahoo group and get you the name of the manager.


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## OrientalSlave (Jan 26, 2012)

Ring the show manager well in advance. Tell them you want to start stewarding, and take it from there. I used to do some stewarding but ended up prefering table work - you get a chair to sit on! I also hated it if the judge had anything in the LH or SLH sections as I ended up sneezing like mad as the fur & talc got up my nose and irritated. Do read the stuff about stewarding on the GCCF's website:

the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy
http://www.gccfcats.org/pdf/judges&stewards/NotesforStewards.pdf


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## Cookieandme (Dec 29, 2011)

carly87 said:


> Ah. If you get no reply soon, just give me a shout and I'll post on the Yahoo group and get you the name of the manager.


Thanks Carly, if you think I should persue then thank you that would be good. I think there has been plenty of time if my email had reached the right person.


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## carly87 (Feb 11, 2011)

Did you get the name of the judge? Or a description?


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## Chiantina (Oct 16, 2012)

The Manchester show manager was a Dorothy something! I believe there were 2 co managers too. It was a little chaotic as they ran out of several rosettes including being short of BOB ones!!

My kitten got BOV kitten so I was in my happy place but I would have snapped out of it if I knew of a steward who wasn't sanitising! They were absolutely desperate for stewards that morning tho so I don't know who they managed to recruit!!

It is worth volunteering tho - just say you're a novice and as long as you can handle the cats, the rest you pick up! I have only done it twice and love it!


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