Stubbylee Blog

After the euphoria of H.A.S. last weekend we went to Humberside Hound with Diva to try and collect a few more junior warrant points. We also gave Luka a trip out even though she is looking a bit bulky (yes I know I’ve no room to talk). DIva won both Junior & Post Grad classes but as there were only 2 in each collected no points. Best of Breed then went to Val Tuton with Barbara & Louis Baucutt taking RBOB. Luka enjoyed being back in the ring again  but seemed to spendf most of the day scrounging food of people in her attempt to compete with Adarka in our roundest borzoi competition.

At least by not winning BOB it meant that we could leave early as Liz was going out to watch Cleo Laine & John Dankworth that night.  She’s always wanted to see them and wasn’t disappointed when she came home she said that it was a superb night

Wow what a weekend - Hound Association of Scotland was fantastic.

Originally we weren’t going to bother entering then decided what the heck Diva might pick up points towards a Junior Warrant. Bathing and grooming on the Friday night the dogs were not in the mood, Diva in particular specialising in her own brand of awkward so by midnight none of us felt particularly enthusiastic about the show. Thankfully we weren’t first breed in so we managed to have some sleep.

Saturday morning greeted us with more whiteness than there should have been - we’d had a couple of inches of snow. So off we set for the drive up to Kelso, slipping a bit on the ungritted road. After the first few miles the snow disappeared and we had a nice sunny day with a scenic drive up the M6 through the Howgills & over Shap.

Arriving at Kelso the ground wasn’t exactly at its best - they were almost having to tow cars on to the field. The show ground itself generally wasn’t muddy - just where people and dogs walked.

Judging was inside Zorro was in first in Junior dog, by his standard he went well and won his class. Diva also won her class and with three dogs in the class she won 3 more JW points - we’re inching closer. But then things got a bit unexpected - Diva won the ticket!!! Liz just knelt there arranging Diva’s feet whilst the judge waved the card at her it must be a long while since someone seemed so reluctant to take a CC. 

Then it was the sniffles and the tears.

But that wasn’t the end Diva just kept going better & better in the challenge against the dog she won Best of Breed; neither of us could believe it.

 Then came the group and Diva was in her element - make an entrance on your own with people clapping you could just see her feeling special. People applauding as she did her individual moving. She lapped it up - talk about being aptly named she is a Diva. From the twenty odd dogs present the judge started puling out from the end of the line and by the time he got to the Dachshunds he’d pulled out about 8 dogs so that must be it but no Diva was pulled out as the last dog. Then the judge cut again to a final 6 - good grief we are still in there. As he placed the group - idgeback, Saluki, Elkhound 4th must be the dachshund a dachshunds always placed in the group still we’re stunned to make the final cut - hey what the borzoi 4th - I was gobsmacked to put it mildly, knock me down with a rolled up copy of Exchange & Mart sort of thing.

Liz & Diva went outside with the dog press to have their photos taken so I wandered out with Zorro to watch. Diva was now all bouncy and wanting to play, Zorro decided his sister deserved a big hug and managed to strategically place big black pawprints on both shoulders. It was then panic with tissues & a handkerchief to make her respectable for the photos - so if Diva doesn’t quite look immaculate in the photo in the paper its Zorro’s fault & mine.

probably the nicest thing is all the congratulations we’ve received from people at the show and since - many many thanks to you all. No doubt it will be a long time before we have another day as good again.

After the second time that my car had to be jump started in 4 days it was off to get a new battery fitted. As its a lease car everything has to be approved, signed for, written down in triplicate, authorisation codes approved, information given so the whole process takes three times as long as you could do it yourself.  Its back in the garage tomorrow for repairs - I flashed my lights when some moron in a van cut me up on a roundabout and the indicator arm broke off, leaving me waving it around.  As I was near London at the time I had to drive back sticking my finger inside the steering wheel sheath to move the stub of the arm up or down to indicate. Occassionally I’d forget & try to press the indicators where it used to be my hand flapping hopelessly next in thin air.

There’s just been an advert on TV for Vauxhall Astra - Fall in love with driving again. Yep - that will be the day when I’m finally shut of the lump of junk

It was a hectic week last week with the build up to the Championship show last Sunday., compounded by a lot going on at work that took me away a couple of times during the week. The week before a show, particularly the Champ show is taken up with final preparations, making sure everything is available and in order. It was even more important this show, as it was our first time at the venue we were likely to have a Field Officer’s visit.

Dog food specials arrived from Royal Canin so the hall and downstairs loo were filled with bags and cases of dog food, like a Berlin Wall partitioning the house. Then there are the catalogues, prize cards, rosettes, CC’s, all the show paperwork and other paraphernalia – all of it to be transported to the show. With the dogs to take we have 2 cars full of things and even more I could take if I had a bigger car – perhaps we should have a trailer as well.

It all seemed likely to be doom and gloom in advance of the show, the weather forecast threatened heavy snow showers and the entry was average in numbers. In the run up to the show I don’t think I’ve ever had so many people ringing to check what dogs they’ve entered.  The show itself went pretty well, despite the weather there were very few absentees. People seemed to like the venue and enjoy the day, its really nice at the end of the day to have people thank you for a good show. There’s a time as secretary when you wonder why you do the job but days like that make it worthwhile.

I should be doing the wrap up work for the show but instead I’m away again for a couple of days for work (I’m sat in a hotel near Heathrow writing this – isn’t life glamorous NOT!! ). With Scottish Hound at the weekend, and going out on Sunday there’s going to be a lot of catching up to do hopefully it should be finished by the weekend then its on with AGM preparation still, its not as if I’m missing anything interesting on TV.