Month: June 2019

Well, what a fab weekend we had for our very first double championship show and celebrating our 60th anniversary. Weather was terrific, though a tad too hot on Saturday then a downpour albeit for a short time, on Sunday evening.

Once again, we received many lovely comments both about our Show and the delicious lunch, once again provided by the fab Paul Burbridge-Grant – thanks Paul ! also the famous yummy Kathy Mangan cakes for afternoon tea.

We would like to thank the Judges, Stewards, Scribes and Scoreboards Stewards for giving up your time which is very much appreciated and to the Committee and members of CDTA who, without your help, would not have been able to put on such a successful weekend show.

We would like to congratulate our Ticket winners – Jodi and Fia and Mary and Frankie on Saturday and Jodi and Fia and Dot and Zyco on Sunday – good luck at Crufts 2020.

The dates for our double championship show next year is Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th June.

Lisa Stock
Secretary

Thank you to everyone who came yesterday to our lovely little show.After all the rain of the previous week, I think everyone was shocked how good the ground was. Near perfect actually. Apart from a couple of quick showers, the weather was great almost perfect to work the dogs.
Apart from a few little moans( which will be rectified for next year) I got some lovely feedback from competitors & judges alike.
I hope everyone was happy with their placings yesterday.
Now onto the thank yous…..
Firstly our lovely judges & stewards for giving up their day to work for us at the show.
I got some lovely comments after especially from Nigel Slater , Julie Rowlands, Joan Kent, and more.
Thank you to Graham wellings & his stay team keeping everything in order in the stays.
Thank you to all the judges who stepped in at the last minute, we had 5 judge changes this year more than we have ever had.
Thank you to Linda Wild for the Rosettes as always, were lovely.
Huge thanks to our saturday night team who got set up in record time, and all our club help on sunday.
Two people who are not committee my husband Paul who supports me in my hobby at the shows & training, and my daughter Hayley who was marshalling at the playground first thing, Thanks guys .
Finally a pat on the back to the4 plus me on Chalfield committee, We keep doing it year after year,its fabulous !!!
See you all next year 21st June 2020.
Apologies if I have forgotten anyone.
Kind Regards
Sheila – Chairman of Chalfield DTC ????

The Newbury Open Obedience Show – Sunday 9th June 2019.

Well what a show it was this year. Everything was going according to plan but then The DIVERSION hit us. Yes, the M4 was open, the A34 was open but the two couldn’t meet as the Roundabout at junction 13 which joins them was Closed!! Oh my word, that ‘fan’ soon became clogged with ‘it’.

I rang the Highways Authority (HA) and liaised with Andrew Dicker from the Agility show – which was being held on the same weekend and only half a mile away. Unfortunately they couldn’t change anything but did say they would put a ‘Diversion/Showground’ sign at the Robin Hood Roundabout and the B4009. They were also most helpful sending maps and clear instructions to me for issue to whoever wanted them, and there were lots who did.

I also rang the Kennel Club to ascertain what we could do with regard to the Booking-in time and they granted me special dispensation to extend it! They also said it was up to me, as Show Secretary, to amend or make any other adjustments I thought necessary to aid the smooth running of the Show, despite the inconvenient diversions. . In fact, the only thing I thought necessary was to re-schedule the first Stays. The KC couldn’t have been more helpful and I thank them very much.

Some of the other people who were a huge help to me at this time were Bernice, Les, Rebecca, Sue G, Heidi, Joan, and the man with all the answers, our Supremo, Roy. Thank you All so much, you really helped to ease my problems.

Then there are the usual prolific and willing workers who knuckle down and produce the ‘nuts and bolts’ every year which culminate in our usual happy and efficient show. ie The early Saturday crew of Angie, the inimitable ring planner, laminater and notice provider; the Ever-Ready champion Gofer Carol, who is only happy when she’s working, paint spraying and bashing in the wobbly posts, and me with my can of paint. The rest of the crew arrive about 10.30am and carefully venture into the container, sorting, removing, and then erecting the ropes and stakes. Joan organises the hall together with the flower ladies Wendy and Diane. Pet Needs provides us with the trophies. Ellie, Sue and Martin provide the bacon butties. Karen takes on the rolls, the cakes and the cream teas. Val W is the caterer who provides us with our delicious 3 course lunch.

Then on Sunday THE day of the Show. Judges and stewards, more family and friends were added to our already brimming list of helpers. There was Jane in charge of car parking and Kate, under Alan’s direction, in charge of stay stewards and Val D keeping her eye on the Rules and Regulations. Thank you all. All this help makes me happy and all my prior admin work worth while.

Whilst I’m at it I would also like to thank my committee at NDDTS who allowed me to run the Show again this year and for their continued support on both days. How can I possibly thank all the people who helped to run our show. Thank you seems so inadequate but that is the best I can offer. So THANK YOU to you all – committee, club members, family, friends, et al.

Last but definitely not least I would like to Thank You, the contestants, for entering and working at our show and never complaining. I really appreciated your company. You were Brilliant To be honest I did expect some adverse comments about the diversions but there was nothing. Yeah!

Doreen Davies
Show Secretary

Well that’s another year over show wise!!! All of us at West Suffolk DTS would like to thank all our Judges, stewards, Chief stay Stewards/Chief Stewards and stay stewards for their support in helping us keep our show alive and kicking. We had a very hot weekend, typical Blighty, freezing cold one minute and then sweltering the next!!! Nevertheless everyone seemed to cope well and thankfully we had no incidents of over heated dogs or people to my knowledge. 🙂

Thanks to John Westell and Steve Parmiter who stood in at the last minute as First Aiders, we are most grateful and thankfully you weren’t needed. 🙂

Thank you to all competitors who respected the ‘On Lead’ rules (one or two needed reminding) and therefore kept the venue management very happy indeed. The venue was left spick and span after a bit of a ‘sweep’ from us – no issues on the camping/parking area but there were a few dog poos on the main showground? How can this be when you have your dogs on leads? PLEASE, I implore you, be vigilant as this kind of thing WILL lose venues! We have a very small team here at West Suffolk and non of us are getting any younger! I alone clocked up 23.29kms on Saturday, that’s a lot of walking and Friday and Sunday were similar. The whole team worked their socks off all weekend in whichever capacity they were asked and for that I sincerely thank them as I know how hard they all work. A special mention to Rob Summerfield who is not a member of our club but who tirelessly helped us set up (her motor scooter is very useful 😉 )

and also Judged for us. Also to Jacky Roddick for coming to help with the rings and to Helen Jermy and Gloria Fountain for organising all of the camping spots and parking up the campers. My main gripe of the weekend was that some folk thought it was acceptable to be rude to our Car Parking team – NOT ACCEPTABLE whatsoever. I don’t care who you are, you DO NOT treat folk like that, they are only doing as they have been instructed and if you think its so easy, come on, come and volunteer your services – I bet you don’t! Finally, congratulations to all our winners and to those who had their first taste of competitive Obedience 🙂

We hope to see you all again next year – 6/7 June 2020 I believe – as long as I can secure enough Judges

Sarah Connell