It always rains on St Patrick's Day....but not this year!! This year the Irish Kennel Club's Celtic Winners St Patrick's Day Championship Show was held in bright sunshine, and the crowds poured in!
Flew out to Dublin on Monday 16 March to warm sunshine. After booking in to the hotel, Sarah came to pick me up and whisk me off to lunch at a pub, followed by a trip up to the National Centre showground where she and Cheryl, Pat, Liam and Frank were going to be doing some agility training. It was so good to see everyone again! And fascinating to be a specatator while Cheryl worked with Sarah on gettin Fionn to get his up contacts. At the end of the afternoon they all helped me to set up my Premier course for the next day - but without numbers! I left them with a puzzle - try to work out what the course would be when the numbers went on - none of them got it right!
Sarah dropped me back at the hotel in time for me to have a shower and change, and go down to a meeting with the other judges and the IKC officials. Except that this was Ireland, so the meeting turned out to be free drinks at the bar followed by a fabulous dinner in the hotel. And what excellent company too! Some amazing stories were being told, with much laughter and hilarity. The party broke up at about 11.00pm as we all had to be fresh for judging the next day.
St Patrick's Day dawned bright and sunny, which apparently is completely out of character, and we were taxied to the show ground to begin judging. Bob Beesley and Steve Rutter went off to set up the obedience, and I went to the agility ring - the rest were indoors so didn't get the benefit of sunshine (or the sneaky chill wind!).
It was lovely to see so many familiar faces - and quite a few new ones too! I was fortunate to have Mary (Bailey) and Mark O'Brien as my scribe and time keeper all day, and they were so efficient! People willingly helped to alter jump heights and courses as needed - that sort of support makes judging a real joy!
The courses I set were well received, though apparently a bit more difficult than they were used to.....got that wrong then!! However, the competitors all seemed to enjoy trying something that was a bit different to what they were used to. The only potentially down point was when a spectator's boxer dog came into the ring and repeatedly tried to attack the dog that was running - not a good idea when that dog is an entire male kelpie....luckily no damage was done to either dog, but obviously the incident had to be reported to the Irish Kennel Club just for their records. When the boxer was evetually caught and reunited with its owner, the kelpie completed its round as if nothing had happened - good lad!! He was so well behaved and restrained throughout the incident.
After the agility finished and all the presentations were done, I had to say farewell to all my lovely friends (Nuala, Liam, Sarah, Olive, Frank, Mark, Mary, Heather, Orma and many others) as I was going to do some measuring training with the new IKC measurers. BUT I will be seeing everyone again in a few months when hopefully I will have a bit of time to just chat with them.
The training went well too - lots of pertinent questions, and lots of inside information about the new regulations that come into effect in May. Again, it seemed to go well.
Luckily, we finished just as Best in Show was being judged - and the amazing Border Collie Sh Ch Tonkory Move Over to Huntly won again!! He is a truly fabulous looking dog, and was a popular winner.
Back to the hotel for another shower and change, more drinks and another fine meal, regaled with stories from Geoffrey Davies who is a wonderfully funny raconteur, and a very sweet man.
Late to bed, and early to rise for breakfast and departure to the airport at 7.00am - and the long morning's journey home.
It was very sad, again, to be leaving Dublin - but it was so lovely to see my own dogs again. I had really missed them!
(Photos of the Show can be found at Blackblur Photography at
Glad you had a good time and got to see the lovely Shane winning too...he's a really super dog isn't he?!
ReplyDeleteSo glad you had such a good time and really pleased you got to see the lovely Shane winning too...he's a really super dog isn't he?! I think he may go on to break more records...still a long show career ahead of him!
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