Month: August 2022

CHESVALE DTC Open Obedience Show
Sunday 28th August 2022

I must start by thanking the Chesvale membership for their support and hard work setting up on Saturday and working all day Sunday to make our show such a success. Special thanks to Clare Williams for all the work as show secretary before, during and after the show.

There were no incidents to report apart from the ridiculous site of Daniel Thompson and myself trying the put the Yumove banner back in its bag, together with an audience of admiring observers who didn’t offer any help as they were too busy laughing!! Clare Williams suggested that this might be an additional competition we could run every year … enter early to avoid disappointment!

Thanks to our super judges and their stewards who gave their time freely, with many competitors giving thanks for their efforts and for the help, advice and the time they gave to everyone who came into their ring. Our entries were 22 in Pre-beginner, 23 in Beginner, 120 in Novice split over 3 parts.

The weather was perfect although a little hot at times which made the doggie spa paddling pools popular with our braver canine visitors. Our fantastic caterers were on hand to not only cater for the competitors but also offering doggie breakfasts and home-made doggie biscuits (the biscuits sold out early!!) As usual our ladies that do lunch produced a feast for the judges and helpers at lunchtime and an amazing cake display at teatime. One thing Chesvale is renowned for is our catering and no-one goes home hungry!

The training rings were manned by Donna Bastin and Laura Wiley who worked tirelessly throughout the day with Sheila Rodger keeping tabs on the running order. Thank you for all your hard work, I know you were exhausted by the end of the day. Interesting that no-one kept them waiting to go into the training ring but some did unfortunately keep the judges waiting in their classes.

The tombola and training ring takings of £224.00 will be donated to Valgrays Animal Rescue.

We would like to thank YuMOVE for their support and donations of a supply of their super product for 1st, 2nd and 3rd places and sponsoring the rosettes and trophies for each class.

I have already posted a few photos of the day on the ObedienceUK facebook page. The atmosphere at the show was fantastic, relaxed, friendly with a huge carpark allowing plenty of room and options for where you wanted to set up camp. We were touched by the number of wonderful remarks and thanks given to us on the day and in some posts on Facebook, it is always great to hear that you have done a good job.

Final thanks go to all the competitors who came to the show, it was lovely to see so many old faces and many new ones. We look forward to welcoming you at our 2023 shows on Sunday 7th May (not the bank holiday weekend in 2023) and Bank Holiday Sunday 27th August 2023.

Carol Spencer
Show Manager and proud Chairman

Many, many congratulations to Ditton Dog Training Club on their 50th Anniversary, and for giving us another two-day competition to remember.

I was there for both days. On Saturday I competed, and on Sunday I stewarded.

Saturday was hot. An early arrival at the show, I was soon sheeted up, checked in, and ready to present myself promptly at 9.00 a.m. for a running order with Eric in the B ring under Denise Harrild. I’m not quite sure why I entered B – a moment of confident over ambition! Anyway, I trained as we are nowhere near ready, but we came out to nice comments particularly from experienced, higher-level handlers who had come to see the round and watched us do the heelwork and retrieve. I am often dismayed to read that people have less than positive experiences in and around the rings, perhaps I am naïve or too thick skinned, but I have always found the camaraderie of Obedience very positive.

I also trained A under Wendy Hanlon and worked Novice under Gill Winyard and, by my own yardstick, I was pleased with our work.

The infamous Dermott McSquirmott also worked Novice under Pat Burford and was not last. I was outraged, we are losing our edge, we fully expect to be unassailably last and we were usurped by ¾ of a point!

Sunday, I stewarded Ticket for the lady dogs for Linda Baldock. This was hugely good fun, and we had a cohort of lovely handlers and for the most part, from my perspective, it went smoothly. It’s sad that people baulk about volunteering. I always enjoy my stewarding and I work on the assumption that I am very unlikely to kill anyone or, worse still, their dog. If I make a mistake, I make it a policy to be quick to own up and apologise. Today I managed to get completely tongue tied in calling one turn for one handler finally spitting it just about in time, and there were two more minor blips all duly reported to the judge and deemed sufficiently immaterial to change anything in respect of the scores. If you judge, steward, scribe, or scoreboard you are giving up your time, you are only human, and shows cannot happen without volunteers. I work Novice and A, I’ve learned a lot as a steward and would commend anyone to be brave and have a go!

In general shows look after their volunteers, but Ditton really pushed the boat out for us today. A sit-down English breakfast to set us up for the day, a goody bag for the judging tent, roast chicken and all the trimmings followed by a dessert at lunch, and tea and cake for after judging. I need hardly eat for the next week! Plus, Ashford Rugby Club seems to have a cohort of good and cheerful cooks and helpers who deliver man sized portions with a smile! There were speeches at lunch to mark Ditton’s 50th anniversary, Barry Fitter’s retirement as a Ticket judge, and Linda Baldock’s first appearance as the same. All in all, it was quite a celebration, topped off in the afternoon by a fly past from the Red Arrows. Very fitting I thought.

As mentioned, this was Linda Baldock’s first ticket judging appointment and I must highlight the work that went in. The round was designed well in advance, laminated, and given to me to learn. On Saturday, armed with a can of white spray paint operated by Linda’s long-suffering husband, Nigel, we walked and walked and walked the round marking the ground for reference as we went. Maddie, our scribe, her equally long-suffering husband, Dave, and Nigel “worked” it so I could see the turns in action, and then Maddie’s dog was pressed into service, at the end of a long hot day, to work the round so we could get approximate timings. It really was an operation of military proportions. Finally, just to reinforce the thought and effort, the send-away markers flanked by angels were made by Nigel. The back markers represented Linda’s past working dogs – Jedi, Jessie, and Jay Jay now, sadly, over the Rainbow Bridge, and the front markers each represented a pet dog now, also, sadly no more. How poignant is that in terms of a story attaching to the ring? I was very impressed.

So, all in all, a really lovely, enjoyable weekend. Thank you, Ditton, for all the hard work. Here’s to the next 50 years!

Katrina Arnold

Monday 24 October 2022 

Advert

 The Kennel Club is staging a series of special lunches to celebrate either particular breeds or activities. 

Here is an opportunity for up to 45 ‘Obedience enthusiasts’ to meet and enjoy lunch in like-minded company. This is an ideal opportunity to see the Kennel Club London premises and meet key staff and members working to support the discipline. 

The timetable for the day is; 

10.30 Suggested arrival 

11.00 Meet the Clarges Street Teams 

11.30 Tour of Art Gallery 

11.45 Tour of Library and Obedience updates 

12.30 Bar for pre-lunch bubbles 

1.00 Lunch 

2.30 Coffee in the Bar Lounge 

3.00 Opportunity to re-visit Art Gallery/Library to research 

4.00 Departure 

The Cost for the day is £45.50 per person, payable on booking to secure your place. 

Dress Code: Guests are expected to dress appropriately when visiting the Club’s dining room, bar and lounge areas. 

The requirement for gentlemen is a suit or jacket, trousers and tie; while a similar standard of dress is expected 

of the ladies (smart trouser suits are acceptable). 

Jeans, leggings. fleeces and trainers are not acceptable. 

Unfortunately, numbers are limited to 45 guests and places can be booked for this occasion with 

Pat.ford@thekennelclub.org.uk or by phoning her directly on 0207 518 6894 

Bank transfer details are; Kennel Club A/C no. 80771643 

Sort code 20-95-87 

Ref. Obedience Lunch 

Please let Pat know by email if you are paying by bank transfer 

Phew, a heatwave leading up to the show but thankfully a lot cooler on the day. Thank you firstly to the Rugby Club for kindly allowing us to again use this beautiful venue, right opposite the beach which as usual, our campers made the most of.

Our grateful thanks to all who helped us put the rings up, there was quite a crowd which made short work of the job in hand. Thank you all so much. Thank you to our judges and stewards for giving their day up to cast their expert eyes over the competitors and their dogs, thank you to Paul Middleton for sailing the ship smoothly.

Congratulations to all of our winners, and to our ticket girl winner Kathy Russell and our ticket dog winner Julie Rowlands, all the best for Crufts 2023.

Personally, I would like to thank Jackie Muir and her friends for selflessly giving up her day to raise £1000 for the British Heart Foundation, such an amazing achievement.

And this is where I let you all know that I’m now stepping down as Show Secretary, after about 40 years in the job – apart from a short break in the middle – I’m now finding the responsibility increasingly difficult, especially after the year I’ve had, I find I now don’t have the same commitment which is paramount to running a successful show. I’ve invited Jackie Muir to take over, which thankfully she accepted. She will still of course, have my full support and that of the rest of the team, but I’m sure she’ll be involving her own club members too, so as you can imagine, I’ve left it in very safe hands.

Thank you to Wendy, Anne, Richard and Karen. You’ve been amazing and I’m sure you will continue in the same vein.

See you round the shows. x

Karen Davies