Date: 07/02/2009 |
Firstly my thanks to Lucie for inviting me and Paul Cook to judge. That was the easy bit…! As I flew last year with Kay to Belgium from Stansted I didn’t give it much thought…however as the time got nearer, it didn’t matter how many times I logged on to Easyjet, Ryanair, Stansted airport and Luton airport, it was obvious they no longer fly to Belgium at all! Trying not to panic I tried both London City airport and Eurostar, but they were both mega money (and to be honest the chances of me and Paul in a car successfully negotiating our way to a London car park were next to nil).
In the end I had to ask Lucie if we could stay with Trudy as we could get cheap flights to Holland, and thankfully Trudy agreed (apologies to Lucie though which meant the training day planned for the Sunday in Belgium had to be cancelled!). Many thanks to Trudy for putting us both up (although I do think you need a Stenna stair lift for those stairs!!) and thankfully I wasn’t stopped at Customs and asked why I had 48 washing up brushes in my suitcase!
As we flew on the Friday night, and were running a course at Stonham over that weekend, I decided to drive to Stonham on the Thursday and leave my dogs there, so I could drive straight to the hall Saturday night from Stansted. Henri and Lorraine both kindly agreed to look after my ‘children’….I was unimpressed to arrive Saturday night to be told that Chevvy behaved like an absolute angel whilst I was away (within 5 minutes of me getting back he sneaked in the hall and raided the bin). Although I admit to panicking like hell when we arrived back at Stansted and I tried to text both Lorraine and Henri to check on my brood, but received no answer. As we were waiting for our baggage I thought I’ll ring them – both phones went straight to voice mail. I rang the hall and Henri’s house – answer phones. Now to be fair, when you own a “Chevvy” you would start to panic…I thought ‘they’ve lost one of my dogs’ (Chevvy) and have turned their phones off whilst they are walking the lanes searching….more panic…more calls. Half hour later Lorraine answered – they were in the pub and couldn’t get a signal!! And of course we had to have just one more drama whilst trying to contact them…we went through to the carousels to get our luggage…my suitcase came out first….and then every size, shape and colour you could imagine…all except Paul’s!! (I did suggest he just swipe a posh looking bag and be done with it....). We reported it missing and I believe it turned up 3 days later!
Anyway….on to the actual show:
Class B:
Many thanks to Guus for stewarding (professional and good company as ever) and Benny for the efficient scoreboarding:
1st: Martine Verhoeven with Comanchero of the Two Roses (Doberman). Lost 6.
I judged this team in A last year, and I loved him then. I loved him even more this time round! The slow pace needs some working on (as the dog wanted to get going!) but the normal and fast were fantastic. You have really improved his position in heelwork, and his attitude is super. It is dogs like this that should be promoted up through the classes – he is a credit to you. Well done.
2nd: Krist Crommen with Jazz It Up v. Benvenida’s Joy (BC). Lost 8 ½.
This little dog won my A last year, and is coming along nicely. Keep working on getting her stronger and stronger, and she’ll easily take you out of this class.
3rd: Helen Braak with Quiet-Kuma The Lovely White Shepherd. Lost 12 ¾.
Lovely heelwork from this team, just silly bits and pieces lost in the sets that proved too costly. But they should have a bright future ahead of them.
4th: Anneke Hollemans with Quellyane Benvenida (BC). Lost 15.
Potentially a good team, but 3 ¼ lost on S/A and the handler losing 4 marks in heelwork was too much today. Best of luck.
5th: Ineke Hapee with Bright She Shall Be v.d. Wilbam (BC). Lost 17 ¾.
Very good scent and retrieve, but again 4 ¼ lost on S/A and too many bits and pieces in heelwork took the marks. Well done.
6th: Greet Vink with Kyrill v. Berlaere (BC). Lost 18 ¾.
Well done on your place. Similar comments to the above 2 dogs (6 lost on S/A) and some wide working in H/W, but worthy of this place in good company.
Class C:
Grateful thanks to Hans Bilieus for stewarding (you are far more efficient than I am!) Sincere apologies but I had written down the name of my scoreboarder, and now can’t find it! Many thanks to you both.
I have to say this class saw me on my backside for most of the time…23 entered, 22 worked but out of those 14 did training rounds. From the 8 that worked, 4 missed positions in either H/W or DC.
1st: Guus Scholten with Colliewood Velazquez Giovanni (WS). Lost 6 ½.
As professional as ever, they completed the test with ease. A dog you must be very proud of, he gives you his all and coupled with quiet and clean handling, it makes a lovely picture to watch. Congratulations on yet another win.
2nd: Trudy Groenenboom with Colliewood Grazy Legs Guiness (WS). Lost 10 ¾.
A dog with oodles of attitude and energy, he is very eye catching to watch. There was very little separating this team from the above (1 ¾ after the initial round), of which 1 point came as a result of Guiness anticipating the S/A just as one class ended their stays (the stay ring being next door). A dog who will make his mark I’m sure. Good luck with him.
3rd: Vink Greet with Sealight Boryck (BC). Lost 14 ½.
Very good set exercises from this team, just the turns need some work on in H/W. But well done on this place.
4th: Henneke Heideveld with Donna Fast Oranje (Malinois). Lost 20 ¾.
Apologies if your dog’s name is spelt wrong but it was hand written on the form and I’m not sure! Oh when this team started their H/W I thought they could be my winners! I may be wrong but I’m guessing he has been “re-trained” and after a few stretches started to revert slightly and dropped forward. If you can keep him back and up in the H/W he will be absolutely beautiful! Unfortunately also had 2 missed positions in DC (but then he is a BSD!).
5th: Margreet Mijnsbergen with Fleur of the Charming Stead (GR). Lost 27.
A dog certainly not showing her twilight years! What a poppet, she couldn’t have done more for you. Handler helped the dog several times during the test when needed, and still got 5th – can’t be bad.
6th: Rick v. Veeren with Sealight Flash of Lighning (BC). Lost 25.
A nice team with general bits and pieces in H/W to work on (mainly being forward, which of course doesn’t help with the turns), and a missed DC position. But very well done.
Worthy of a mention was Tamara v.d. Wagen with Nicky from Messua’s Home (SSD). With a loss of just 5 points in H/W this was another team that I thought could win, but then came a missed ASSD position and lets just say not the cleanest retrieve or DC. But wow what a dog! The H/W was fabulous.
Also Angela Kroon with Colliewood Blue Eagle (WS). I do hope you sort out those stays, he is such a lovely dog and you deserve to have success with him.
Finally my thanks to Paul for his company, and to Trudy, Angela and Danielle for taking us to dinner on the way to the airport (in order to have time for dinner, we had to leave the venue fairly fast…and I never seen anyone hand out rosettes quite like Trudy did….6 places in 6 classes, she dealt them out like an expert croupier…and as the last rosette was handed over (with handlers running in to get them) it was like a scene from Cagney & Lacey as she shouted “LETS GO” and we ran to the van to make the getaway (although Trudy it would have been nice if you could have waited for Angela to actually get in the van before you drove off!!!). Thanks for your hospitality and company, it was much appreciated.
Michelle Newman