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By: Susan & Gemma Henshaw

From a spectator’s view

Early Saturday morning and an easy drive up from the hotel today, thankfully not much traffic around so straight into the car park at the NEC then we hop on one of the coaches that deliver you virtually to the door. We make our way to Hall 5 and meet up with a few friends, hand out some good luck cards, grab the customary coffee and take our seats ready for today’s competition.

We settled down just in time for the entrance of the judge and her ring party promptly at 8.40am, they stood to one side of the ring and the parade of this year’s competitors got underway, quite a good crowd already in the stands which is usual for the weekend. As each handler and dog enter they receive a warm welcome. Introducing them and giving details on where they won their tickets is our announcer Gerard Paisley.

The announcement that Crufts is officially opened comes over the tannoy at 9am and then Gerard introduces today’s judge Stella Henstridge, he gives a short round up of her judging career, this is followed by the introduction of today’s ring party.

For today the judge is in a lovely pink and grey floral long line jacket paired with black trousers and a black top. The female stewards are in dark trouser suits with a red top and the male steward are in grey suits, pale pink shirts and a red tie, again colour co-ordinated and looking very smart.

Continue reading “Crufts Bitch Obedience Championship 2016”

By: Susan & Gemma Henshaw

From a spectator’s view

An early morning set off for us, and a short journey on the M42 from the hotel up to the NEC for the second day of Crufts 2016, just a short queue on the way into the car park and then across to Hall 5 for today’s Dog Obedience Championships.

It’s just before 7.30am when we arrive so chance for a strong coffee to keep us going for the morning, then a walk round to see all the benches festooned with their cards, presents and balloons. We deliver our cards and then it’s off to settle into our seats ready for the build-up of today’s competition.

Promptly at 8.40 the judge and her ring party enter and stand to the left of the ring, then the parade of this year’s competitors gets underway. Already some spectators are arriving and they greet each handler and dog with a round of applause. Introducing the teams and giving details on where and under whom they won their tickets is our man on the mic Gerard Paisley.

Continue reading “Crufts Dog Obedience Championship 2016”

By: Susan & Gemma Henshaw

So the end of the Championship classes for this season and we now have a complete list of all the marvellous teams that we will see on the green carpet at Crufts 2016

To bring our articles up to date we start on Saturday 22 August at the Welsh KC show in Builth Wells, the only show on the circuit that has just the championship classes. Pat Watson was in charge of the Ch C dog class and her rather delighted winner was Bronwyn Bartley with ‘Bheinn He’s A Gift Forever’, they joined the list of first time ticket winners for this year, it’s been a few years since Bronwyn has qualified a dog through to Crufts so we wish them all the best for the day. Judging the Ch C bitch class was Herbie Watson and he awarded his top honour to Linda Rutherford and ‘Ob Ch Colliewood Confidential’, their seventh win of the year so far and a fantastic round as usual.

Continue reading “Championship Class Round Up – End of 2015”

By: Suasn & Gemma Henshaw

The fourth and final day of Crufts 2015 and for the obedience fans it’s the turn of the World Cup competition and this year we welcomed a new team all the way from New Zealand, the team have been over here for a few weeks getting used to handling the dogs that have been kindly loaned to them by British handlers. Hopefully they will have enjoyed their experience and return again in the future.

Nine countries represented here this year, eight with a full team of three handlers and dogs and Canada with just one handler and dog.

Promptly at 8.40am we had the judge for today, Kathy Russell and her ring party take up their positions to one side of the ring ready to wish the competitors good luck for the competition. The judge was wearing black trousers, a pale green top and a green/gold jacket, the ladies in the ring party were wearing black trousers and multi coloured tunic tops and the male stewards were in black trousers, black/grey waistcoats, grey and white shirts and a pale green tie.

Continue reading “Crufts Diary 2015 – Obedience World Cup Competition”

By: Susan & Gemma Henshaw

So day three of our annual pilgrimage to Crufts, it’s the turn of the dog teams today and by 8.30am the stands were already beginning to fill up. Ten minutes later and the judge and her ring party took up their positions at the side of the ring, and then to the music of ‘The boys are back in town’ the parade of competitors got underway to a chorus of applause and cheering. As each team entered the ring their ticket wins were announced by Gerard Paisley, as Mary Ray started off round the ring with ‘Levi’, Gerard had to ask her to walk slowly so that he would stand a chance of reading out all their wins before she got to the end of the parade, he managed all thirteen before she finished – just.

At 9am we had the introduction of today’s judge, Sandra Gordon and a brief history of her career in this sport with a special mention to her late husband Derek. For today the judge wore black trousers, a black top and a lovely satin look red jacket. The ladies of the ring party wore black trousers and jackets with red tops, which had a sparkling embellishment around the neckline. The gentleman steward was equally smart in a black suit, black shirt and deep red tie.

Continue reading “Crufts Diary 2015 – Dog Obedience Championships”

By: Susan & Gemma Henshaw

Before today’s competition got underway we were informed that three of the teams would not be competing for varying reasons.

Unfortunately Michelle Newman’s beautiful GSD ‘Kanya Keep Kool’ is still recovering from an operation which she had to have on an injured tail, hopefully they will grace the green carpet here in 2016. Jodi Lunn and her WS ‘Longhalves Fast N Furious’ miss their debut here as the dog’s puppies are due today and Ann Northfield has also withdrawn ‘Iatka Star Performer’.

Getting started at 8.40am the judge and her ring party took up their positions at the side of the ring so that they could wish the teams all the best at the end of the parade, then the music of ‘Here comes the girls’ resounded from the speakers and the parade got underway, already quite a good crowd in the stands and each team got a very enthusiastic greeting, with the contingent from Wales making their presence felt.

Continue reading “Crufts Diary 2015 – Bitch Obedience Championships”

By: Susan & Gemma Henshaw

So day one of crufts 2015 and for the obedience folk it’s the Inter Regional competition that gets four days of hopefully great obedience underway in the main ring in Hall 5.

Just before 9am and we had the judging party enter the ring ready for the parade of today’s teams, led in this year by the first team in the running order – the Midlands. People are beginning to take their seats in the stands and they greeted each team with enthusiasm and they certainly made themselves heard, especially the contingent from Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

Once the parade had finished there was a short break before the introduction of the judge for today’s competition, Steve Barnes, who started competing in obedience in 1981 and began his judging career in 1985. His ring party were then introduced and they received a big round of applause as they entered the ring.

Continue reading “Crufts Diary – 2015 – Inter Regional Competition”