FEBRUARY 2020
Welcome to the February update, unfortunately this will be brief as we don't really have much news to tell for this month but as I didn't post a Blog about the trip to Germany that we did in January I thought I would add that into this months news also, but more on that later.
We have been keeping up with the ring craft training at our usual clubs but I also went along t the new club being held by the Southampton & District Canine Association that is now being held at Wickham which is only a 15 minute drive from us. it is being held in the community centre that has a large hall and when we went in they had two training areas set up which is good, numbers where high as like I people wanted to see just what it would be like. Overall it worked well but needed a bit more organising on how many dogs and types were to be seen on each area. I joined up as a member as if I am late from work on a Monday I can get here in time for some training. I attended the Committee meeting at our usual club the Chichester & District Canine Society and a bit saddened to hear that numbers are falling and also how we are struggling to gain any new committee members, Its a great club with an amazing venue but it would seem that if we cant get the support we need then club Ring craft training will maybe have to cease. The biggest problem for the local clubs is that although people want to train and attend the shows they not always quite so keen to lend a hand to help out and some forgetting just how much time the committee give up to make these events happen.
Show news for February is a bit light with me attending just two shows, East Kent Canine Association and the Swindon and District open shows. At East Kent we were placed Reserve with Autumn in Post Graduate and 3rd with Summer in Open, we entered some of the stakes classes but were not placed in any of these. Always nice to meet up with fellow Gordoners and although a long day waiting for the stakes classes I had a great day.
Swindon and District show we were placed 3rd with Autumn in Post graduate and 3rd again with Summer in Open. I had entered Autumn into a yearling stakes class but unfortunately we were not placed in this class. This was the first time I had attended this show and I have to say the committee did a great job of running it, all went smoothly and I will look out for future shows from this club.
Moving onto our European show in Dortmund. We attended the Setter & Pointer CAC show in Dortmund on the 24th January, I travelled over with Summer & Autumn on the Friday setting off at about 08:30 heading off the Folkestone and the channel tunnel, we arrived just in the nick of time but the friendly staff ushered us straight onto the train and before we new it we had landed in Calais. we set off towards Kamp-Lintfort and stayed in a lovely hotel that evening, the journey was good only taking 7 1/2 hours from home to the hotel including pit stops for both the girls and I. The roads are much nicer in Europe and that Im sure helps make the drive easier Our friend Silvia took us out to an Italian restaurant where we had a great meal while the girls were chilling out in the hotel room. (I did leave the TV on but not sure they understood the language, just like me), Saturday morning I left with Silvia to set off to the hall in Dortmund and set up ready for the show. This was my first time showing in Germany but I have to say that the show and all the other exhibitors were very relaxed and friendly even with my poor knowledge of the German language. Our judge for the day was Mr Ronnie Blomme, I was not the only exhibitor from the UK as also in attendance was a fellow Gordoner Mrs Jean Collins-Pitman with her young girl and show champion Vegas.
We were very pleased when we were placed 1st with Autumn in the Intermediate class and then placed first with Summer in Open class, Jean, after winning her class went on to win Best in show so all in all a great day for the visitors. After about 1000 miles of driving we arrived back home in the early hours of Sunday morning, I was impressed just how well we had done in the show and just how quick the journey was, I have had trips to Scotland that have taken longer. I will be entering Autumn into more shows in Germany with our next shows being in April at Lingen (Germany), a two day show over the weekend which I have just entered and sent the booking over so watch this space for more overseas showing news. With Crufts looming so close now our next months news should be interesting.
Thanks for taking the time out to read the news of February and I hope I can put in more content for next month.
Written by Keith Whiting