Crufts Day 3….

I haven’t been writing as the Kennel Club and Crufts have had such fantastic live coverage in the Main Arena. I have sat here glued to my PC watching everything.

I have managed to take my dogs out for several good games during each day and my son has had them out for walks.

Who needs the BBC with the coverage we are getting? We don’t! When I’m at Crufts I sit and watch as much of the Obedience as I can. I watch the Inter Regional Team events on Thursday, the Obedience Championships on Friday and Saturday, followed by the World Cup on Sunday. I also wander around meeting up with friends I haven’t seen for a while and end up spending far too much money!

I never get to see any Agility or Flyball or anything else going on in other rings. This year everything has been videoed and apart from the events in the main area, you can watch it all the next day through Video On Demand.

I paid my £9.99 and can watch through till the end of March. It has been a great success. I have heard from people around the world who are watching.

The BBC only ever put on snippets of other events over four days with one hour programmes. Now we are able to watch the whole event. I can’t praise the Crufts video team enough for all they have done and are doing.

So if you have been busy and haven’t been able to watch too much, sign up and pay your tenner and you can see it all till the end of March.

Here is a video of one of the Championship Bitch rounds, Shirley Budgen’s round. She didn’t win but she and Reesa put on a fantastic show:

I asked a friend if the sun shining in the Obedience ring affected any of the handlers and/or dogs. This is her reply…

Hi Jane
I was at Crufts Thursday and Friday.

On Thursday for the Regional teams the sun was very off putting. My friend Sharron with her Labradoodle Mutley was first in for the Western Team Beginners. On one of the about turns - she turned into the sunlight and was blinded by it - indeed on occasion the judge - Hugh Wynne - could be seen holding his hand up over his brow as you do when the sun is shining in your eyes.

Also when Sharron left Mutley for the recall, when she turned she could not see him for the sun! Fortunately she coped ok and gained second place in the Beginner section of the Inter Regionals.

On Friday I don't think it was quite as bad somehow - maybe the sun wasn't quite as bright just a little more hazy - though there was sunlight.

I personally don't think it affected the dogs - only the Rottie seemed a little worried right at the very end of her round - she seemed to think she had to sort of step over the line between light and shade but this was very minimal.

I personally thought the bitch day was one of the best Crufts I have ever seen. Kim was a very well deserved winner. The round was flowing and interesting. The whole ring was used - not as in some years where I personally thought too much happened in one part of the ring and not another. There were no gimmicks - all the competitors had the round sent to them prior to Crufts so they could work it before hand. Not one bitch failed Sendaway - three black plant pots. Some were short of the back marker but they all went through the front two markers.

There were many handler errors - as there will always be at Crufts - nerves will always affect some handlers. When the competitors ran Herbie (the judge) ran - when they were doing slow pace Herbie did slow pace - and the same for the normal pace. Yes he was pretty close at times but this should not affect handlers at this standard.

He did the round every time a competitor did the round - he always seemed to be in the right place - nothing seemed to be left to chance. He never judged from one side of the ring while the competitor walked horizontally across in front of him - when you can't have a clue as to whether the dog is wide or not.

The scent was very straight forward - a line of cloths vertically in front of the handler - with a male and female decoy - it posed very few problems.

In my opinion Jane this Crufts was the whole package. It wasn't won or lost on one exercise as has happened occasionally in the past if a Sendaway proved very difficult for instance - as has happened. You had to do it all under the eye of a very knowledgeable and astute judge.

I was just sorry that I couldn't be there today.
Madge

Thank you Madge for allowing me to reproduce your email here.

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