Hi Bill, hereby our answers to your questions. Obviously some questions apply to us both, some to only one of us and some to both of us but with separate answers. So, we have answered the question one by one headed by answers from Brian, Ria, Brian and Ria, or both of us. Hopefully this works for you.
1. How and when did you start your obedience journey?
Brian: I joined our local pet club in or around 1968
Ria: I attended pet dog classes at our local Kennel Club in Holland in 1980.
Both: We were two of the founding members of The Dutch Obedience Society which was founded to promote UK style Competitive Obedience to Holland in 1982
2. Do you remember which was your first show that you went to. Where and when?
Brian: I started competing around 1968 or 69.
Ria:: My first UK Style obedience show win was in 1984 under Mary Gasgoigne.
3. Do you remember who you trained with when you started and was it at a club?
Brian: My first club was Corby DTC. Trainers were John O’Hare and Brian and Dianne Lewin.
Ria:: I attended a pet dog Class at the district Kennel Club instructed by Brian
4. Who do you recall watching who inspired you and thinking, yes, that is my idea of obedience. I can do that.
Brian: Back in the early days then Sylvia Bishop, Sandy Wadhams, Jenny Lunn and many others come to mind.
Ria: Living overseas meant that I didn’t know who was who. But Jenny Lunn and Billy was lovely to watch.
5. When and where did you win your very first rosette?
Brian: Details are foggy, but it was around 1969 and Paula Ackery was the judge.
Ria:Mary Gasgoigne in a place called Koewacht.
6. Tell us where you won your first ticket and how you felt.
Ria:: 21st of June 2015 at Surrey Ch Show under Roy Neal. Proud of myself for keeping it all together and of course of Vito for being just the best dog in the world. I felt happy, elated and stunned.
7. You have had many successes over the years including winning Crufts, but which do you remember that brings the most satisfaction and why
Ria:: Winning Crufts simply because it is the highest award in our sport and is held at the biggest show in the world.
8. You have seen and competed against the best teams over the years and we all have a favourite team for one reason or another. Which do you consider the best and for what reason?
Both: People like Mary Ray, Kathy Russell and others have been at the top so long and with so much success with so many different dogs, they must get the accolades of “all time best”. But there are many teams that have won much less but simply watching them work also put them into the “great” category.
9. When you stopped going to shows did you think that you would return to the ring and did you find it difficult to get started again?
Both: We have never stopped and hopefully never will. We still love going to shows.
10. Over the years you have had some lovely dogs but which did you find the most difficult to train and for what reason?
Brian: For obvious reasons I don’t complete and never will again.
Ria: Genie my youngest. Without doubt a problem child with extreme environmental issues. I have never owned a dog like her, and she continues to be a problem, but there is improvement, so onwards and upwards.
11. Since you started going to shows do you think that the standard has improved.
Both: Most definitely. The quality of training principles and methods has taken giant leaps forward.
12. What do you enjoy the most about shows?
Both: Everything, meeting up with friends, general good fun and banter and (for Ria) competing.
13. Most people have a favourite show. Which is yours?
Brian: Hatchford Brook (that whole week)
Ria: Halstead and Culverstone week
14. Finally a big ask. What is your idea of heaven when you are not at shows.
Brian:: Still being here!
Ria: Brian still being here
Thank you Brian and Ria for your interesting Obedience journey,