Photo by Gill Holland
Pictured with judges Joan Scarll, Ida Watts and Bob Gregory are the puppy winners,
Lisimo I Love to Boogie and Avonbourne a Touch of Spice.

THE LHASA Apso 2001 Inter-clubs Memorial Challenge Competitions, which are hosted by all six breed clubs, took place at Honiley Court Hotel, near Warwick on Sunday May 5. There were several committee members and officers to welcome everyone to this popular event, and with the ‘benching’ in the same room as the ring the atmosphere was, as usual, relaxed with everyone mingling and chatting as they prepared the dogs.

This was the thirteenth anniversary of the competitions for which dogs and bitches qualify at all of the club (open and championship) shows during the year. There were 52 entrants, 21 of whom had qualified more than once; unfortunately there were a number of absentees, understandably many of them ‘puppies’ who were perhaps ‘changing coat’.

Much thought and effort had, as usual, gone into making this a special day, with flowers, balloons, ribbons and rosettes all in the now familiar green and orange colours.

Before the competitions began the qualifiers did a lap of honour, introduced to the ringside by Juliette Cunliffe. Only then, just minutes before the start, were the three judges announced: breed specialists Joan Scarll and Ida Watts and all-rounder Bob Gregory.

There are three competitions, one for adults, one for veterans and one for puppies, all judged on a match basis, the pairings for which are drawn by the ringside as the competition progresses. The judges, too, are ‘selected’ by the ringside before each pairing, so nobody knows who’s judging whom until the last minute! However, the final decision for the overall winners is a joint one involving all three judges.

The Thelma Morgan Trophy, for dogs and bitches declared Best and Reserve Best of Sex at club shows during 2001, attracted an entry of 25. The winner from the three finalists was last year’s top dog in the breed, Hazel Gay’s four-year-old dog, Ch Hazgaye Red Alert; runner-up was Ann Waterhouse’s bitch, Chtaura A Perfect Ten, who followed this special win with her first CC at Birmingham National.

The Brackenbury Memorial Trophy, which is open to dogs and bitches who have won a first in veteran at any of the breed club shows, was won by Rick and Lyn Church’s bitch, Tirkane Daffy Duck (handled by son Shaun), who will be eight in June; runner-up was Anne and John Reynolds’ 71/2-year-old dog, Ch Jardene Cantona, who was made up at BUBA last year.

After much deliberation, winner of the Daphne Hesketh-Williams Memorial Salver was Teresa and Alan Wiehe’s bitch, Lisimo I Love to Boogie, who won BP at Crufts; runner-up another bitch, Geraldine Young’s CC-winning Avonbourne A Touch Of Spice.

Stuart Mallard and Rodney Oldham were there, introducing the new addition to the Simply Fine Art range of limited edition prints, which seemed to receive universal approval. One of the prints was up for grabs in the super raffle, which also included a colour television.

The evening dinner/dance was, as usual, greatly enjoyed, with the majority getting a good workout on the dance floor until the early hours - many seemingly reluctant to end a fabulous day.

Photo by Gill Holland
The Veteran winners, seen here with judges Joan Scarll, Ida Watts and
Bob Gregory, Tirkane Daffy Duck and Ch Jardene Cantona.

Photo by Gill Holland
The adult winners, Ch Hazgaye Red Alert and
Chtaura a Perfect Ten, pictured left with the judging panel.