Updated 14/9/01

JUST JUNIORS RICHMOND SPECIAL

I hope you all enjoyed Richmond this year, I certainly had a good time and I know there were plenty of smiles around the ring sides!

One thing I find hard to avoid as I write this report is the usual cliches surrounding the semi’s! It is pretty difficult to explain the atmosphere without using the words ‘nervous’, excitement, disappointment, joy, etc. So I will endeavour to let you fill in the atmospheric cliches and I will let you in on some of the deep dark secrets of the winners!

Similarly to last year I handed out some questionnaires for each of the winners to complete. To do this it was of course necessary to try and find them, as after all when you win something like this you have to run around and show everyone what you have won! Thankfully my mother, who as you know has a lot to put up with, helped out, particularly on Saturday when I was judging (thanks Mum)! I have had nearly all of them returned, so I’d better stop rambling and tell you what, other than good handling, is behind this years Junior Handling Association’s Semi Final winners!

I will start with the Terrier 6-11 class, judged by Michael Bruggenburg-Rothschild, who found is winner in Daisy Jones with her Sealyham Terrier. You may remember Daisy winning last year, so she is gaining quite a taste for success. This is something which she is of course very proud of and throughout the year has been winning consistently at open shows this year. Her biggest aim is to win a CC and BOB at Crufts and she tells me she has already represented Wales in the KCJO handling at Crufts. Daisy is looking forward to showing her Nan’s new puppy in January 2002 and she is definitely going to enjoy her day at the finals, especially as she now knows what to expect!

Gary Mason judged the 12-16 Terrier class chose Laura Smith with her Parson Russell Terrier, called Robbie. having previously been placed 2nd and 3rd at richmond she says she can’t believe she won, and she is very pleased. In the future Laura would like to work with animals, but she hasn’t decided exactly what yet, so if you’ve got any suggestions! Laura informs that she is Manchester United fan and says they will, of course, win the premiership this season. No comment!! Laura is a Bon Jovi fan and she is very grateful to everyone who has helped her, particularly Vera & Terry.

Onto the 6-11 Pastoral group, judged this year by Robin Newhouse and won by Daniel Petrie, another of last years winners! he showed his GSD Flint and is one very proud young man. His good luck charm was a miniature good luck card, which he kept in his pocket and it certainly did the trick! Daniel’s biggest influence in the dog world is his Dad and he is putting his money on England to be tops this year in the world of football (I hope he’s right)! He says he feels very lucky to share his hobby with his Dad and Nan who are letting him go in partnership with them, so things are really looking bright for Daniel!

Sam Dean, with his Rottweiler, won the Working 12-16 age group under Miss Sue James. He says he is exceptionally pleased to have won on such a special occasion amongst tough opposition and his good luck charm was a lucky broach with the Welsh flag on it. Sam has previously won a semi final back in 1999 when he was in the 6-11 age group and has also been third twice in the KCJO Show Handler of the Year competition at crufts, so as you can see Sam has had a wonderful handling career so far! Sam is another Man Utd fan (again no comment!) and he thinks this season’s premiership is going to be closely run between Man Utd, Arsenal, Liverpool & Chelsea with Utd being the eventual winners. Sam has had some outstanding breed wins with his Rottweiler Abigail, winning a CC, a RCC and he won his class at Crufts this year and also at crufts came second in his KCJO Stakes final, no mean feat by any stretch of the imagination.

Of course it wouldn’t be my style to reveal all of the winners secrets in one week! Don’t miss my delve next week into some of the other winner’s backgrounds and premiership predictions! If you are one of the winners who hasn’t had a chance to fill your questionnaire in yet, please send it completed to my home address (shown below).

Nancy Bassant
Cranford Cottage
Award Road
Church Crookham
Hants GU52 6QD
nbassant@breathe.com
01252-621435