Local Crufts winners praise top dogs
Triumphant dog owners from West Berkshire and North Hampshire show pride in their pets
DOG owners from the area have returned from Crufts laden with rosettes.
Among the winners in the gundogs gamekeepers classes on Thursday were local dogs from Highclere, two flatcoated retrievers, Wendur Wildwoodcock and Maddistream Mars Black at Wendur, together with golden retriever Glennessa Contraband of Crowshott, who together won first in the BASC regional working gundog competition. The three were representing the Enborne Valley shoot, owned and run by Andrew Pocock.
The flatcoats, owned by Mark Kettel and his wife, were shown by Mr Kettel and his daughter Lucy, while Christine Morrell owns and shows the golden retriever.
Also successful was Emma Legg of Newbury, whose curly coated retriever, Gladrags Martell at Jecadie, Shirley, a two-and-a-half year old bitch, was awarded a first place in the post graduate bitch class.
John Crooks of Hungerford said: “This was my first Crufts with my younger bitch Maddie (Walkon Maid With Style for Uftonponds) competing in the Breeders Team Competition last Thursday and both Maddie and Molly (Clarkenwells Trade Secret for Uftonponds) competing in their breed classes last Friday.
“Maddie was placed third in junior bitch and Molly second in graduate bitch.”
Karen Pike, of Ramsbury, who won reserve champion bitch with her four-year-old rotweiler Maris (Champion Rostock Christmas Cracker), said: “We won the same title in 2009. I never thought I would get it again. I couldn't believe it.”
Laura Clark, of Thatcham, failed to triumph with her boxer bitch CH Clarkenwells Vogue Trader JW (Dottie) but she was philosophical.
“My second homebred champion is nearly four years old and has had a great year so far being judged the second best bitch in the breed last weekend at our national Dog of the Year competition, but not our year at Crufts I'm afraid although Dottie has had a second twice before she was not placed in an open bitch class of 10 this year – but that's dog showing for you,” she said.
The four Tibetan mastiffs Caroline Hughes of Kingsclere did well, including Jampo (5th open dog and 3rd in good citizen dog), Milo (4th post graduate dog and 2nd good citizen dog), Casper (1st good citizen dog) and Saffie (open bitch and 1st good citizen bitch).
Nerolie de Lavis Trafford, of Highclere won the veteran class for the second year running with her Manchester terrier Fudge (Tyburn Faedra), and her younger Manchester terrier Lottie (Tyburn Lotis) won a fouth reserve in her open bitch class on Saturday.
Adrian Hollister of West Ilsley took his Finnish Lapphund dog Rauhan (Finnish for peace) to the show, to win 2nd place in his breed.
The four-day show opened last Thursday at the NEC Birmingham and finished on Sunday.
