Midwest Gerbil Show Report

I've fallen so far behind on everything recently but definitely wanted to update everyone on the 2009 Midwest Gerbil Show, which was on Halloween, here in Lincoln, Nebraska.

As you know from my previous post, the gerbil show came at the end of a very long and sad week. It helped to be surrounded by others who knew Herman from previous gerbil shows. And it helped to see so many gorgeous and infectiously charming gerbils at the show!

One of the highlights of the weekend was that I got to meet Linette, who frequently leaves comments on this blog!
Linette’s award-winning Halloween decorationsI also got to meet her gerbils, who are every bit as charming in person as I had imagined! (I have a soft spot for Stuart!)

After health inspections and setup on Friday night, most of us gathered in my hotel room to make Halloween-themed tank decorations and have cookies and chips.

Saturday morning, it was time to finish setting up for the show! Jo from Black Wolf Clan Gerbils brought trick-or-treat bags for not only the people at the show but also for our gerbils! We all had a chance to leave treats for both humans and gerbils. Some of the treats in the gerbils’ bags were really imaginative and fun. I think at least two people were leaving treat-filled Halloween ghosts in the trick-or-treat bags. And several of the gerbils also received edible witches’ brooms made from twigs. They were a huge hit!

Katie M.’s great Halloween set-upDuring the show, we let AGS members and the public both vote for their favorite Halloween decorations. Congratulations to Linette, Katie M., and Jo, whose Halloween decorations were selected as the best at the show!

I got a slow start with judging, because just as I started judging my first gerbil, a silver nutmeg, a reporter and photographer from the local newspaper arrived. I think they talked to me for at least 45 minutes before talking to AGS President Donna Anastasi. The reporter also wanted to meet Toby. You can read the newspaper article about the Midwest Gerbil Show here.

We had a decent public turnout for a Midwest Show, especially since this year’s show was on Halloween, when there were many other events happening in town. What impressed me most, though, was that people stuck around for quite a while to admire the gerbils, ask questions, and participate at the kids’ activity table.

Both AGS members and the public voted for the People’s Choice awards. The winners were Black Wolf Clan’s Integrity, a female nutmeg, and Moonstone Gerbils’ Morpheus, an adorable seven-week-old red-eyed silver nutmeg male pup.

One family was very excited about Diane’s knitted rodent necklace. After buying raffle tickets, they went home with the necklace in hand.

Another family was really excited about the watercolor painting made by our own Grace and Tori. And how lucky, their raffle ticket was drawn, and they are now the proud owners of gerbil-created artwork!

Early in the evening, the winners of the show were announced. Four of our gerbils competed in the show, and three of them placed. Hallie received 2nd Place in the Self/Nutmeg Class. Polo won 1st Place in the Other/Honey Cream Class and went on to compete for Best In Show. And Cassie won 1st Place in the Mottled Class and also went on to the Best In Show competition.

Best In Show once again went to one of Kelly’s stunning males from Garden of Eden Gerbils. And GEG’s Cain was indeed an exceptionally handsome agouti male! A big, bulky male with a charming personality and beautiful eyes.

Best of Opposite was our own Squeaks’ Sunset’s Cassie, who was bred by Leah of Sunset Starlet Gerbils. Sadly, Leah was not able to make it to the show, but I’m looking forward to seeing her and more of her very friendly gerbils at the New England Show this spring!

After the show, we had the Pet Class, where gerbils competed in fun activities, such as the Sandbathing Competition and the Cardboard Chewing Contest. Four of our gerbils competed in the Pet Class. Marco and Polo had fun in the Pairs Chewing Competition, Hallie went it alone in the Singles Chewing Competition, and Cassie won points for style in the Sandbathing Competition.

Saturday evening, we were served a fantastic meal from Beacon Hills at the show site.

It's probably the only time a group of “gerbil enthusiasts” will be served a meal with dimmed lights, candles, and piped-in violin music. Alas, we had to blow out the candles before playing Gerbil Bingo. (Instead of shouting “bingo!”, we thump our hands on the table, to the rhythm of a gerbil thumping its feet. This is not conducive to having candles lit on the table.)

It was fun to hang out with everyone, play Gerbil Bingo, and finally have a chance to relax after the show!

All in all, it was a really good weekend, but it went by way too fast! I wish we all could have had more time together, because it’s always great to see so many friends and all of their gerbils!

To see more photos from the show, please visit my 2009 Midwest Gerbil Show photo album.