Richmond - Handling Semi Finals & Breed Judging

Another early start for us again, but just a little earlier than usual!!  Left home at 4.00 am with Trio, Eve and the girls.  The others decided that they weren't too bothered and went back to sleep when we left, this was fortunate for Sean and Christopher!

It was one of those days that things went smoothly but with little hiccups along the way.  The first was jamming the boot shut when we stopped at the services on the way so that the girls could change.  Thankfully the dogs were in the car, and the boot was secure the controls just kept telling me that it was open.  We continued on our way thinking that we would sort it out when we got there.  Well we arrived and the boot wouldn't open, not too much of a surprise!  With time ticking along we decided to put the back seat down and let the two of them duck until the dog guard.  Thankfully they obliged, and again decided to worry about it later. 

After booking in for the handling (and collecting the coveted lunch vouchers) we located the numbers from benching and the handling was being called into the rings.  A quick good luck to them both and I looked forward to having a relaxing time watching from my ringside seat, I even considered going and getting a much needed cup of tea.  This was soon spoilt by Eleanor wildly gesticulating for me to move as I was distracting her.  I wondered around the rings, with all of the bags trying as best as I could to get a good view of both girls.  I did manage to see both of the girls doing their respective individual parts and they looked to give a really good performance each.  These were huge classes with about 30 handlers in each age category, so I was delighted to see Eleanor shortlisted in her class.  She didn't get any further but she was delighted by this result, Tasha wasn't shortlisted or placed but was delighted with how Trio had gone for her.  She has a tendency to become a little vocal in a big class when she gets bored!

The second incident was being asked if I had a pooh bag by a French Bulldog handler, I obliged but had to check both pockets and then locate one in the show bag.  Nothing terrible exciting, until later when the girls asked for their lunch vouchers!  Well I checked every pocket, the show bag, even the car to no avail.  They must have come out of my pocket when I was looking for the pooh bags.  We went and looked around the rings, and asked if they had been handed in.  The girls, and then I went with them to ask if they could have duplicate tickets to be told that the only print out exactly the right amount and it was our responsibility to take care of them.  Thankfully I had packed a good lunch box, as those familiar with our girls know how they like to ear when at shows!  A very kind hearted fellow exhibitor and friend also gave them some money to go and buy some lunch with.  Such good people, thank you if your reading this!

Breed was soon on, starting first with the LMs.  Trio had a 3rd in PGB and then a Reserve in a string limit class, we were all delighted by this result.  Mean while the toller judging had started and I was fortunate to be able to watch both rings from one place and was delighted to see Eve gain a good 1st in PGB.  This little ginger girl has really blown me away this summer, she isn't yet 2 and has contended in the adult classes so well.  She then impressed us some more by being awarded Reserve Best Bitch!!

We had a bit of a walk around before going back to the car and managed to free the boot, the girls has shut a lead in the mechanism! 

The third and final thing was missing a junction on the way out toward the motorway, after being unable to cross the busy 2 lane road straight away the satnav informed me to continue on this road.  No idea of what road as don't tend to read a map anymore, might be a good idea to be more familiar though!  Anyway the time of arrival jumped from arriving at 8.20 to 8.40 pm, we soon found out why, we were directed on to the M25 which was more like a car park than a motorway. 

Anyway, a thoroughly good day for us all, we managed to meet up with people considering having a LM in the future and it was lovely as always to meet up with like minded friends.

Pembrokeshire County Open Dog Show

Felt rather strange this year having the County show after WKC, really have no idea why the dates changed and it really hasn't made any difference to us at all.  A great day out on Tuesday, and a few agility runs for Eve on Wed & Thursday.  Trio wasn't entered for the agility and Maddie & Tilly have both been in season so weren't able to compete.  This has given us some extra time to visit the stands around the showground and support friends competing.

Tasha and Trio with their collection of rosettes

The open show is always a highlight of the year for us, we now have breed classes for both breeds and it was great to see so many tollers around the ring supporting the classes. A lovely friendly atmosphere and Cooper even brought cake along to celebrate his recent RCC and stud book achievement.  We had a great day in breed and the stakes classes taking a lovely collection of rosettes home, & a trophy courteously of Eleanor.

NSDTR

Post Graduate

2nd Seahaven Parish Bell (Eve)

Open

3rd Dinaskarreks Red Vixen at Seahaven (Tilly)
4th Seahaven Galactic Storm (Cooper)
5th Seahaven Glorianna (Bron)

Eleanor and Tilly

Eleanor and Eve with their huge collection of achievements!
 

Large Munsterlander

Post Graduate

1st & BOB Seahaven Borrowed Heaven (Trio)

Open
1st Paddockridge Madelaine at Seahaven (Maddie)


Maddie Also won Reserve Best Veteran in Show.

Maddie
 

Brace

1st Seahaven LMs
3rd Seahaven NSDTRs

Eleanor won both the 6 -11 yrs JHA & YKC handling classes, with Tasha gaining 4th in both of hers in the 12 - 16 years age category.  Eleanor then went on to contend for the best JH in show, competing against the winners of the 12 -16 & 17 -24 age group winners.  She exceeded all our expectations to win this and came home with a lovely trophy.

Eve, took part in the agility and Eleanor gave her some confidence building runs over the medium height rather than push her over the full height courses.  This has built up both of their confidence and she did two enthusiastic rounds, with some further training over the winter it is hoped that she will be ready to have a full season competing next year.

Welsh Kennel Club Champ Show

 

Welsh Kennel Club Champ show has always been a bit of a summer holiday for us, as the children have attended the YKC activity weekend alongside the show.  Sadly this year the weekend hasn’t gone ahead due to lack of support from volunteers for the different activities.  We did consider not attending for the full 3 days of the show and only travelling up for our days breed showing and the Saturday for the agility.  However a junior handling training day was organised for the Thursday, so we made the decision to travel up and stay from the Wednesday and take advantage of this.

We arrived in good time to set the caravan up before the weather changed, and then wow it did change!  Loads of rain overnight and all of Thursday.  The girls were so relieved to have the workshop to keep them occupied whilst the weather was so bad.

The work shop was a really good opportunity for them to polish some of their handling skills and they got a great deal out of it. 

Thankfully Friday was a bright dry day and the ground soon dried up, which was a relief as the ground sheets in the awning were filthy!  A lovely day just watching the breed judging and doing a bit of shopping around the trade stands. Melissa also did a bit of training with the girls which they were pleased with. 

Saturday was agility day and it was great seeing the agility rings set up in the Royal Welsh main arena.  Having shown ridden hunters in the ring, and in hand it was now a great opportunity to do some agility in this lovely big ring!

Trio had been entered in this show, but I hadn’t told anyone that I had done this, I really wasn’t sure about letting her have a round after her injury last year.  But, due to being back to full fitness and given the go ahead knew that we would have to give her a run sooner or later.  The ground in the ring was perfect, a bit of give and the course also good for her with no sharp times to put too much pressure on her.  After walking the course I gave Tasha the news that she was entered, and it was her decision as to whether she competed or not.  She was really sensible and talked about what might go wrong and why it was a good course for her.  She decided to go ahead and agreed to pull her up if she didn’t feel right.  She stormed around the course achieved one of only a handful clear rounds on the course.  Tasha was really keen to see how she had done but presentations weren’t going to go ahead until after lunch.  When we did return to check these had already taken place and when Tasha went to check in secretary’s tent she was thrilled to find that she had won the class!!

 

Tilly and Eve were also competing, this was Eve’s first agility competition and Eleanor was incredibly nervous.  She had a lovely round in the any size jumping, not clear but showing so much promise and enthusiasm.  Tilly had two good rounds, picking up 5 faults in each, both of which were handler error which was a shame.  But such a good day, particularly for Trio.

Sunday then was breed day, and hoped to be a relaxing one for us.  Both breeds starting at 10am, but with a large NSDTR entry it was hoped that when we had finished with the LMs we would be in time for the start of the bitch judging for the tollers.  Well best laid plans and the rest.....................

It seemed that the two breed judged were competing for the quickest judging possible!  Tasha had been asked to handle Alfie (Raycris Quite the Charmer) for Lynn.  So would be busy before she had a chance to have Trio ready for PGB.  I had to quickly go and get the 2 tollers from the caravan as judging was so quick in the tollers, leaving them with Eleanor whilst I  quickly got Maddie and Trio ready, Alfie was 2^nd in Open dog and had been called in to the challenge so Tasha was busy.  It was lovely to see her help Lynn and Alfie to the RCC!  Maddie was then in for Veteran, where she gained a very good 2^nd place!  And then quickly on to PGB where Trio was entered along with her sister Uma (Seahaven Bouquet of Roses).  It was lovely to see Julie with Uma but sadly I didn’t get much time to chat which was a shame.  Trio won this class with Uma 3^rd!  Trio was then in for the challlange, where Tasha was convinced that she was considered, but sadly didn’t go any further.

Over in the NSDTR ring a similar thing was happening! Eve was entered in PGB, one of the biggest entries for the breed on the day.  I was thrilled to be able to see Eleanor win this class with Eve, beating some much more mature dogs.  Eve also then qualified to go into the challenge, the problem being that Eleanor needed her for the YKC handling class that was being called.

 I felt so sorry for her as she was torn between the handling and staying for the challenge.  She made the decision to borrow Eve’s older sister Milly and asked me to handle Eve in the challenge.  Whilst this was happening Tilly needed to go into the open class and Dawn saved the day offering to handle her for us.  She gained a very respectable Reserve in this strong class.  I was thrilled to have the opportunity to handle Eve, and wanted to do her justice.  She was a little star, the CC went to the Open bitch winner and the 2^nd place bitch was brought in to challenge for the RCC.  It was expected that this would automatically go the the  2^nd bitch, but Eve was called out to stand beside her and for them to move together. I was stunned, but wanted to do her justice.  I think maturity played a part with the other more mature girl getting it over Eve, but thrilled to think that she was considered for the RCC and stud book number. 

Such a good few days.

 

 

 

National Gundog - some photos

Eve, Cooper and Milly line up for the Best Breeder Competition

Just waiting to be told to move off
 

A very tired Toller with the day's "spoils"

A day to remember at Malvern - I do enjoy the shows there. Easy to park, nice compact site and lots of room on the benches. And this time I got treated to some lovely doggie cake from the McGrumpy & Snuffles stall, plus a pot of lovely dried liver snacks. Yum.

National Gundog Association Show

On Sunday we travelled to Malvern for the NGA Champ show, another early start as LMs and JH were starting at 9.00am.

A good thing about these early mornings is that there isn't much traffic on the roads so we normally have an uneventful journey.  Thankfully this was the case and we arrived to find a great parking spot at the entrance under a tree which gave a bit of shade as even at the early hour it was rather hot.

The benching areas indoors were lovely a cool, with the rings outside in the sun, so a good combination.

We enjoyed a number of successes with both breeds, the highlight of the day had to be Cooper being awarded the Reserve CC!!  He has now gained his stud book number, so has lifetime qualification for Crufts.

Results

Large Munsterlander

Post Graduate Dog - Seahaven Celtic Psalm (1st)
Limit Dog - Seahaven Celtic Psalm (Res)

Novice Bitch - Seahaven Borrowed Heaven (1st)
Post Graduate Bitch - Seahaven Bouquet of Roses (1st)
Limit Bitch - Seahaven Borrowed Heaven (3rd)

And we won the best breeder in breed and group 2 overall.

NSDTRs

Limit Dog - Seahaven Galactic Storm (2nd) Reserve CC and stud book number

Graduate Bitch - Seahaven Parish Bell (1st)
Post Graduate Bitch - Seahaven Red Andromede (1st)
Post Graduate Bitch - Seahaven Parish Bell (2nd)

2nd in the breeders group!

Eleanor also handled Eve to a 2nd in the Junior Handling.  A lovely day spent in great company, thank you all for coming along with the Seahaven gang and supporting us.

Two's company, three's a crowd!!

 

Well Morry has settled here as if he hasn't been away and Eve is so grateful to have such a good playmate around for her.  The weather has been so hot making it difficult to get out for any decent walks and the dogs have been quite happy to laze around until the air cools in the evenings.  That's when the fun starts!!  The video below is of a typical evening, although the other dogs normally just leave Eve and Morry to it.

 

 

 

 

 

Show Time!! Pembs Canine Open Show Saturday 19/07/2014

Well it seems like ages since we had a show!  We had expected to have been busy with puppy duties so didn't have much booked in, but what an enjoyable day.

This was  our ring craft clubs open show, and with breed classes put on for both breeds were are always keen to support it and encourage others to do so too.  Despite the weather forecast being for showers we managed to have a pleasant day sat outside by the cars with only a few drops of rain - not really enough to wet the grass.  We had also been fortunate to obtain parking close to the hall on hard standing but backing on to part of the showground at Withybush.  This was a great opportunity for a good crowd of us to catch up on any news that we had.  I think  the dogs enjoyed it too!

The Large Munsterlanders we in the ring quite early on, and with only an open class on offer it was all hands to the deck.  Tasha handled Trio to a 1st and BOB, a first for her and so proud of them both.  Eleanor handled Maddie to a 2nd and I handled Morry to 3rd with Ella and Jan 4th.  So proud of the Seahaven crowd gaining 1 -3. As we were all handling it was rather difficult to take any pics of them and we were then busy getting the tollers ready for their classes.

Two classes on offer for NSDTRs, so Eve was first in for Post Grad where Eleanor handled her to a 2nd place behind the much more mature Marlow.  Then it was in to the open class with Tilly, Bron (Eve's sister) Cooper (Eve's older brother) and Marlow.  Cooper won the class and BOB with Tilly 2nd, Marlow 3rd and Bron 4th.  Had some lovely comments made to me from the judge about Cooper and Tilly and she didn't realise until I had told her that it was mother and son, can't wait for the critique!

Both of the girls were also entered in the handling classes and this clashed with a stakes class so was rather difficult to watch, both girls had to rush into and out of the stakes class in order to compete.  Eleanor won her class and Tasha won the older age class, so proud to see them doing so well!

Not content with the rosette collection so far they handled the dogs in the brace class, Tasha with the LMs and Eleanor with the NSDTRs.  This was a huge class of some really well matched dogs, and only the 2nd time that the girls have handled in the brace.  Tasha managed to gain a 3rd place with the LMs, and Eleanor came out empty handed but did such a fab job with miss fidget Eve.

Eleanor was delighted to be asked to handle a Belgian Shepherd for BIS

Trio waiting to be seen

It was fantastic to see two dogs bred by us in the BIS ring, it was rather crowded as this show wasn't judged on the group system so a lot for the dogs to contend with.  Cooper and Trio both moved beautifully in the ring with Dawn and Tasha giving a polished performance.  However  BIS went to a fantastic Dalmation, with a Whippet reserve BIS.   

The Seahaven Tollers after judging.  L-R Cooper, Bron, Tilly & Eve
 



The perfect antidote!  A trip to the beach for Eve & Tilly.  Those 3 dots are Eleanor with Eve & Tilly enjoying some swimming at Newgale today.

As always thank you all for sharing the day with us, it really was a lovely pleasant relaxed day.  Hope to see you all soon.