NWK Championship C Dog Report: Entries: 45 Ran: 35 Steward: Lou Holmes Scribe: Deborah Steele Scoreboard: Chris Starr Scent Decoys: Kathy Woodgreaves & John Green Firstly I wish to thank Eileen Restell & the committee of NWK for their kind invitation to Judge the Dog CC class this year, a privilege & an honour I take very seriously. On behalf of my team I also wish to thank you for the very generous gifts at the end of the day. I was especially thrilled with mine & apologize for giving you such a headache. They were absolutely perfect & I love them. They will be getting an airing later this year as I have quite a few ‘C’ appointments to still full-fill. I am sure on behalf of 99.99% of the attendees I can say a massive thank you to all concerned in the running of this fabulous weekend in the Obedience calendar. Your efforts & attention to detail are truly appreciated by us. My team were fabulous. Their professionalism, cool-headedness & support were truly appreciated, I can’t thank them enough. You all looked fab in your outfits too. Lou I can see why your talents are in such high demand. Your calm & clear approach must surely put the handlers at ease thus allowing them to focus purely on their partnership. Your energy & generosity take selflessness to a whole different level. Driving to the venue on Friday to help set-up, stewarding Saturday & then Judging on Sunday – you are a wonderful & kind Lady. Deborah your first time scribing but you were quite simply perfect. Once again thank you for your generosity. Giving up your time with friends & only managing the ‘tail end’ of the bbq to be my shadow for the day. You were always exactly where I needed you to be so allowing me to totally focus on my Judging. I really do hope you enjoyed the day as much as I enjoyed your company. I will definitely be asking you again. Chris I hope you realise just how much an excellent scoreboarder like yourself is appreciated by the team in the ring & the teams competing. You allowed everything to run like clockwork – Thank You. Kathy - 0, John - 2 & Moi 14. Thank you both for offering to scent decoy. My test started with retrieve as following the weather report I knew it was going to be a scorcher of a day. This was a tennis ball in a plastic Union Jack wrapper. I knew this wouldn’t be the easiest of articles as the dogs weren’t fooled by my disguise. This was followed by a 3 marker sendaway, once again Union Jacks (you are getting the theme by now), with a decent punt through to the back marker. The pick-up was ‘right-handed’ so tested the dogs ‘breaking’ skills. Next was DC leaving the dogs in the sit & returning to them in the sit again. My heelwork test was exactly the same as I used for the girls at Newmarket in 2012. Having only used it the once I decided to let the boys have a stab at it only today they had to negotiate it in the blistering heat. As I have said before it allows the handlers the opportunity to show off a well-schooled, committed dog with a correct understanding of direction change, balance & position. There were 3 circles in normal pace at the end of the heelwork, 2 right & 1 left to ensure the dog still had the commitment & effort required to perform this level of difficulty, being capable of driving, collecting & then driving again after being in the ring for 6/7 minutes. I believe the round had substance to test the handler’s ability to show confidence in their well-schooled canine companions. Stays weren’t til 4.00 & were cut short as although there was a smattering of cloud by then all the dogs were panting heavily from such a long hot day (all dogs went clear). The class finished with scent & there were only 2 failures. Now to the results: 1st & KC Ob CC Miss Lorna Hilton with Jupavia Magic Dreams, BC, 24/3/08. Firstly let’s take a glimpse back to 2012 when Lorna & Ralph came 6th in the Dog Ticket at Thurrock under me: Oh Lorna, Lorna! What can I say but for the forward movement in DC You & Ralph would’ve been heading to Crufts. A clear point ahead of the field in heelwork, it was pure poetry watching you both work together. Ralph is only 4 yrs old & his future is as bright as a shining star. Your dreams must surely become reality with this amazing little man by your side. You so deserve success Lorna, being a nice person doesn’t win you tickets but if they did you would be a multiple Champion, you are also a good trainer & an honest handler too. I predict you will achieve your dreams & I hope I am there to cheer & clap you when they are realised. Well little did I realise you would come under me 2 years later & I would have the honour of awarding your boy not only a Ticket but the title of Obedience Champion (subject to KC approval of course). Enjoy your success – you have earned it. You both not only impressed me but I had many lovely comments about what a wonderful partnership you both were from many spectators who witnessed your harmonious display of honest, powerful, correct & committed teamwork. You focused & attacked the round thus allowing Ralph to show just how excellently trained he is. I wish you both the very best of Good Luck at Crufts 2015 – I will be there to cheer on ‘my team’. Losing 6 ½ points. Ret – ¾ , S/A – ½ , DC – 1, HW – 3 ¾ , Scent – ½ . 2nd & KC Res Ob CC Mrs Janet Bates with Ob Ch Bluefizz Taika Chance On Me, X, 23/5/05. Janet & Dallas are always going to be formidable competitors when they complete the test & have already won 2 CC’s so far this year. Dallas is so confident & comfortable in his work & would probably excel at any test the Judge wishes to set him. There is still a lot more winning in front of this established & accomplished team. I wish you much happiness in your continued success. Dallas is indeed a very special & talented boy but then I know you already totally love & appreciate him Janet. Losing 7 points. Ret – ¾ , S/A – 1, DC – ¼ , HW – 4 ½ , Scent ½ . 3rd Miss Jenny Lunn with Longhalves On A Rhythm, WS, 20/7/09. Jenny with her new partner Billie may be a fairly new team to Ticket but are sure to make their mark very soon on today’s performance. Billie has some pretty ‘big boots’ to fill but he looks more than ready to accept that challenge. With power in abundance they both stormed through the test. I wish you Good Luck on what is destined to be a very bright future. Losing 7 ¼ points. Ret – ½ , S/A – 1 ¼ , DC – C, HW – 5 ¼ , Scent – ¼ . 4th Ms Sandra Spruce with Dodgin’ Rags To Riches OW, WS, 16/4/07. Jaffa is an honest & wonderful little dog that I like a lot, matched with Sandra’s clean & upright handling the picture is so very pleasing. You both won a ‘C’ under me the other year & didn’t disappoint today. Congratulations on qualifying for Crufts 2015 & I wish you the very best of Good Luck in gaining your third CC thus allowing your boy to carry the title that he so deserves. Losing – 8 ¼ . Ret – ½ , S/A – ½ , DC – C, HW – 7, Scent – ¼ . 5th Mrs Linda Hughes with Dellekko Rockafella, BC, 25/6/06. Well done Linda on gaining this position in a very strong class (even with a wrong turn in the HW). I hope this proves to you that you are a team to be reckoned with. Gadget is a super boy, just have that little bit more confidence in yourselves. You are both capable of far more than I think you realise. Losing – 9 ¾ . Ret – ¾ , S/A – ¾ , DC – C, HW – 8, Scent – ¼ . 6th Mrs Wendy Hagger with Rethymni Poseidon, WS, 18/10/05. Wendy & Taffy probably ran in the hottest weather of the day & this little lad gives absolutely 100% so I think that is why he lost some uncharacteristic marks in the heelwork. Good luck with him Wendy – you are only a millimetre away from that crown. Losing – 10 ¼ . Ret – ¼ , S/A – 1 ¼ , DC – C, HW – 8 ¼ , Scent ½ . Two teams I would like to mention are Anita Neal with Dodgin Razzy Razcal & Angie Whitnell with Carishill Loki At Bamboozle – both absolute powerhouses of dogs. I would like to thank all the competitors who entered my class as I know how expensive it is to travel the Ticket circuit both financially, emotionally & physically. I couldn’t have wished for better dogs or competitors as this was a very strong class with some excellent ‘Top Class’ established dogs & some ‘Bright Stars’ of the future. I hope that you all enjoyed the day & enjoyed working my test. See you all around the shows. Lorraine Bennett
Posted on: Tue, 29 Jul 2014 17:34:43 +0000