CRUFTS 2014

Sorry for the delay, took some time to recover from Sunday!

Well an early start and a long day, but a sunny spring one!  Fantastic to walk to the halls in the sun, or at least walk part of the way. With four dogs and all of the paraphernalia we decided to hop on a bus, along with Megane and her family who we met up with in the car park.  This is the first time that the dogs had every been on  a bus, but they all took it in their stride even getting some attention on the journey.

Large Munsterlanders were being judged from 9.00 am in Hall 4 with the NSDTRs starting at 10.00am in Hall 4 so we decamped all dogs etc on the LM benching.  Sorted ourselves out and said a few hellos and managed to get to the ring to watch Rookie and Jess in the Post Graduate Dog class.  This was Rookie's first time in with the big boys, as he is now out of age restricted classes, Morry was entered in this class too but sadly couldn't be with us.

Rookie looked quite the part and gave a creditable performance and was awarded a Reserve in a strong class. He was then also awarded a 3rd in the Good Citizen Class!!

Rookie - Seahaven Celtic Commander

After this we took the tollers down to their hall and set Eleanor up with the dogs on benching before returning to the LMs.   The volume of people was enormous and we found it really difficult to move the dogs through the throngs of people without getting trodden on, so decided to keep the tollers on benching with Eleanor and we would bring the LMs down there when their judging had finished.

Maddie's class came around quite quickly, she was entered in Veteran for the first time at a Champ show. This was the biggest class of the day, and contained a number of champions sadly Maddie wasn't placed this time and she came home from Crufts without a card or rosette.

Trio - Seahaven Borrowed Heaven

Megane (Seahaven Celtic Cariad) & Yvie (Seahaven Olympic Uthopia) were entered in Post Graduate Bitch, Yvie just missing out on the Junior class by a matter of weeks!  At just 19 months Yvie won the class!!  Nicola's face was a picture when they were called in, we were all so thrilled.  Megane was rather over whelmed by the excitement and was a wriggly monkey for Hazel during judging.  Trio also returned to the ring partnered by Tasha and they gained a VHC in the Good Citizen class.  It was quite emotional seeing her look so good again, the last six months of work really paying off.

Yvie - Seahaven Olympic Uthopia

All unbeaten bitches returned to the ring for the challenge, and it was exciting to see Nicola & Yvie in with all the other winners.  It was so fantastic to see Yvie being awarded the Reserve Bitch CC!!  This will be the first Stud Book Number for us as breeders, and Nicola as owner.  So, so proud of them both!!

Quick exit down to the tollers, just in time to see the bitch judging start, and the judges lunch break!  At least this gave us an opportunity to have a bite to eat and chat to friends.

We also had a chance to find out how Cooper got on with Dawn in Post Graduate Dog.  Cooper went really well, and was awarded Reserve.  He then gained another Reserve in the Good Citizen class, well done Cooper some big classes there and stiff competition.

Trio, Eve & Maddie (Tilly was in the ring at the time of the photo)

Judging soon resumed and Eleanor was in with Eve in the Junior and then Yearling Class, gaining a VHC in both of the classes.  She was so well behaved for Eleanor, showing herself so well but does need to mature more compared to others in the class.  Lucy was in the next class Post Graduate Bitch with Milly, being placed 3rd and qualifying for Crufts 2015!  Milly looks better and better each time we see her, keep it up Lucy.  Eleanor swopped dogs and took Tilly in for the Limit class where they gained a VHC, and had another VHC in the Good Citizen class.  Was great to see Milly win this class!!!

There was no time for shopping or visiting other rings due to being so busy, and the venue being so busy. Roll on next year when Gundogs will be on a Thursday, allowing us a weekend of shopping!!

Sorry for the quality of the pics, the light was awful in the NEC due to the sun shinning!

Results

Large Munsterlanders

Rookie      Seahaven Celtic Commander     Post Grad Reserve
                                                                   GCD 3rd
Yvie          Seahaven Olympic Uthopia        Post Grad   1st
                                                                  Reserve Bitch CC
Trio           Seahaven Borrowed Heaven     GC  VHC

NSDTRs

Cooper    Seahaven Galatic Storm              Post Grad Reserve
                                                                  GC Reserve
Eve         Seahaven Parish Bell                    Junior VHC
Milly       Seahaven Red Andromeda           Post Grad 3rd
                                                                  GC 1st
Tilly        Dinaskarrek's Red Vixena at         Limit VHC
              Seahaven                                      GC  VHC