Newsletter 2006 - Dogs
This was the year that Oliver joined the "big boys" and went up into the Limit class. I warned Carol not to expect too much, despite how well he had done showing last year, as the competition would be very tough. I was therefore amazed when he won his first Limit class at Welsh Springer Spaniel Club of South Wales in March and therefore qualified himself for inclusion in the Stud Book, and Crufts for the rest of his life, no more having to qualify each year. But that was not the end of an amazing day. We went into the challenge for the best dog, and were awarded the Res CC. This was my first "top honour" at a Championship show after over twenty years of showing, and to say that you could have knocked me over with a feather was an understatement of how I felt that day. The car felt like it flew home from Wales.
Hampshire Gundog - November 2006
Best in Show
In April, we went to Hampshire Gundog Limited Show and, once again Oliver won Best of Breed. Our journey into the Best in Show ring was not smooth as we had been left off the list of breeds, but eventually we lined up in our place. I was very happy to be called out into the last five, but since there are only four group places, wondered if we would be the ones not placed. Then I heard those amazing words "the Welsh Springer please". We had won Best in Show. Having never before had an adult group placement, I was over the moon.
The summer was pretty quiet, not only did I manage to injure my back gardening, but also I have realised that Oliver is a much happier dog in the cooler winter days. We did the odd show, but had no major successes.
Then came November and Hampshire Gundog's Open show. My friend Heidi and her son were visiting from US and so came with us. This is a much bigger show than the Limited show, with almost 500 entries. We were first breed in the ring an 9:30, so when we were lucky enough to win Best of Breed again, we knew that we had some time to kill and so took a long lunch break away from the show. Having investigated the local saddler, we drove around and happened on a very nice pub which allowed dogs. Fully refreshed, we returned to the show to await the Best in Show competition. Hampshire Gundog calls the dogs into the main ring one by one, which gives the judge to see a dog's movement straight away, which suits Oliver well, and feels a little like being at Crufts. Once the judge had been over all twenty six Best of Breeds, she short listed seven, and we were lucky enough to be in that group. Then almost straight away, she called us out. Oliver was Best in Show at Hampshire Gundog for the second time in a year. I later found out that he was only the second dog to achieve that feat. What an amazing day, and it was so wonderful that Heidi was there to share the day.
In December, we went to Exeter for the Exonian Christmas Show, and I was very happy that Oliver was pulled out second in a large gundog group. He is getting very close to winning his Show Certificate of Merit, having now got the group placings that he needs. It will be nice to see the title at the end of his name in show catalogues.
Although no where near in the same league as her brother, in September I decided to go to the local exemption (Companion Dog) show with Delenn and Cerys, unfortunately Miar was in season and so had to be left at home. We turned up late in the day and so I decided to enter all the classes left that we could. We came away with 2 firsts, 2 seconds and 2 fourths - I am really glad that we didn't arrive any earlier - it could have been very embarassing. Cerys won the two firsts - Waggiest Tail (which she wagged for the entire duration of the class) and Best Local Dog. What really amazed me was that we won a trophy for the Local Dog and the organisers not only arranged to have it engraved, picking it up from us and delivering it back, but they also gave us a beautiful photo that they took.