Social media is abuzz with chatter about Southern Counties Champ Show. Some saying no distancing and masks, judges looking at teeth etc and others saying get over it. Something we all seem to be in agreement with is…. Hurrah we are back at a dog show.
Whatever your view about the pros and cons, most seem to agree that individual gazebo spaces are preferable to the benching. Maybe this is something that Covid will be remembered for, the rearranging of our dog shows this in turn may lead to reduction in entry fees? Maybe? As the need to hire the marquees and benches will be greatly reduced. Then there will be the knock-on effect to the companies that provide them. Perhaps the show societies can get the money back from us by charging a fee for prebooking Gazebo sites nearest the rings. So many questions, only time will tell but it seems for now the shows are back up and running.
The Canaan Dogs being the only Utility breed without specific breed classes were showing in AVNSC. Judge Keith Thornton had 6 dogs (8 entries), a good number considering that Crufts 2020 with A3 (non sp) Judge had only one more exhibit with 7. The weather stayed as per the forecast, over cast with some sun but did get very warm. Mr Thornton found his Best of Breed and Best Dog in our Sulu, Micha de Solemel at Nizzana (Imp Fra) from open dog, owned by Mr Ivan Kaye, Miss Alison Byrne and Miss Anne Barclay. Res Best Dog and Best Puppy was Anacan Dancing on the Wind owned by Mrs Minto. Best Bitch and Best Veteran also owned by Mrs Minto was Anacan Talia my Treasure, Reserve Best Bitch was Torefjell’s Rubin owned by Mr Martin Moulding and Julia Seidel’s Anacan Meshach was Best Junior.
It was great to see new dogs in the ring and a new exhibitor. We were delighted with Sulus performance, he was in the ring with my sister Anne Barclay as I’m not up to running round a ring at the minute. Thanks goes to our judge for his kind and gentle approach with all the dogs and especially with the youngsters.
I would have to shout out to Martin Moulding. Anne and I had ‘one of those pre-show days’. Traffic, late to hotel, late to leave hotel for the show ground and parked a good distance from the entrance etc however the text from Ivan enroute to the hotel asking if we needed the trolley wheels was the icing on the cake. We managed to get our crates and chairs into the show ground in the old-fashioned way, carrying them but at the end of the day we were both dreading the walk back to the car. Martin was wonderful, lending us his trolley, helping load into the car and then a text the next morning to make sure we had been ok. Martin you’re a Star.
Also well done to all on the committee at Southern Counties for being the first to hold a show like this with the new protocols in place.
We also have news from abroad. As many will know the Westminster Kennel Club held their annual show recently. Canaan Dogs are in the Herding Group and their judge was Mrs Sheree Moses Combs of Wardensville, West Virginia and she found her Best of Breed in Gchp Ch Pleasant Hill Avram Of Carters Creek Ca Fcat owned by Cynthia Dodson & David Golden, Best of Opposite Sex was Gch Ch Pleasant Hill Regal Ladonna Of Eastland owned by Keith & Cheryl Shank. Select Dog (reserve dog) was Christina Millers Gch Ch River Rock Unanimous Decision Fcat Tkn (and full brother to our Ruth) with Select Bitch (reserve bitch) being Gchs Ch Pleasant Hill Anni Aharona Of Carters Creek Att owned by David Golden & Cynthia Dodson & Donna Dodson. The Award of Merit was given to Gch Ch Riverrock Talk Without Speaking Bandersnatch Rsndg Tkn owned by Amanda M Pough & Judy March Rosenthal. They too have been affected by Covid as the location had to be changed to allow for an outside venue. Well done to all winners and competitors.
Our friend Aleksandra Baranova Piorunska of Samorodok Kennels, Poland, informed us of her return to showing after a very long break. She exhibited her two youngest dogs, neither having been show before, at the first of two shows the National Group V FCI dog show at Wroclaw, Anna Chrzanowska judged and awarded Nizzana Rhys Rhysson Best of Breed and Best Opposite Sex to Naur Samorodok. The next day fortunes were revered and at the National Dog Show in Lodz, Naur Samorodok was Best of Breed and Nizzana Rhys Rhysson was Best Opposite Sex. Aleksandra reported the weather was so very hot there and the dogs were exhausted but both behaved very well.
If you have any other results etc that you would like to see here please contact me as below and I can include them.
I hope you’ve all had a great week.
Alison Byrne