|
Salute
to the Juniors!
Sadly,
this week there is no room for me to gloat about recent football
results as this is the junior special – dedicated to you,
the Richmond semi-finalists. Just scan the relevant pages to
see how your advert looks, pour yourself a cup of coffee and
come back to me here as there is lots to tell!
Let me start with seventeen year old Louisa Rogerson who won
the 12-16 Working class with a Siberian Husky. The judge for
this class was Lisa Bridges and when the judge pulled her out
first Louisa was amazed, she said having won a semi in 1999
she didn’t think she’d win again. In preparation she
has been training at her local club and also with her Mum.
Louisa says she was a little nervous before entering the ring
but to combat her nerves she just thinks about much fun she
is having with her dog. For luck she wore a ring belonging to
a family member and she says that when she wears it, it brings
luck in both breed and handling competition. Her parents are
her biggest support and the handlers she looks up to are Gary
Upton, Michael Coad and Geoff Corish. Louisa is going to do
her best at the final and when it comes to proud moments in
the world of dogs there are plenty to choose from, including
making two dogs up on the same day, winning second in the group
at Southern Counties this year and having current Top Dog and
current Top Puppy with father and son.
Other things that Louisa has set her sights on include showing
Siberian Huskies and Russian Black Terriers and she would like
to become a professional handler. She is currently at college
studying for a BTEC National Diploma in Animal Care and Zoology.
She supports Leeds United and her favourite pop group is Madhouse
and she also enjoys listening to dance and R&B. Finally
Louisa would like to wish all the other finalists good luck
as they are all winners.
The 12-16 Pastoral class was judged by Gary Gray who found his
winner in seventeen year old Jane Cryer handling a Border Collie.
When the judge pulled her out first she was just really happy
and couldn't believe it. Jane says she hadn't done much preparation
as she is too old for junior handling now and she has been busy
with school work, although she did practice with Denver on the
morning of the show as she'd never handled him before. Jane
was a little bit nervous but by concentrating on her dog helped
her forget about it so she could enjoy the experience. As far
as lucky charms go Jane didn’t have one specifically although
the lead she uses seems to be quite lucky. Her Mum has been
her biggest support, encouraging her and driving her to all
the shows!
There are also many other people in the breed who have helped
Jane out with dogs to handle. Jane says there are lots of handlers
she looks up to but to name a few, Helena Hutchings, Hannah
Boutell, Mike Gadsby and Mikael Nilsson. She is really looking
forward to the final but says although she will be excited she’ll
be very nervous on the day. Jane’s proudest moments were
both at Crufts 2002 when she represented the UK in the International
Junior Handler of the Year finals and came 2nd and won the YKC
Pastoral Stakes final with her bitch Wanda (Locksbridge Reminscing).
In the future Jane would like to make up a champion and after
that, to handle a dog to a champ show group win. Jane is hoping
to go to vet school next year and she supports Manchester United,
and at the moment Jane’s favourite pop stars are Vanessa
Carlton and Alicia Keys. Finally she would like to thank Judith
Gregory for letting her handle Denver in this year’s semi
finals.
The Terrier 12-16 class was won by Joanne Bettis with her Sealyham
Terrier, the judge for the class was Gemma Alpe. Joanne says
her initial reaction was ‘fantastic’ as well as feeling
shocked! Her preparation has been practising at home and watching
experienced handlers, before the class she felt nervous and
excited. She didn’t have a lucky charm and says her Mum
and Dad have been her biggest support. She looks up to Rebecca
Barber as a handler and she is really excited and looking forward
to the final. Her proudest moment prior to this was winning
a really large junior handling class at Welsh Kennel Club. Her
aims for the future are to make up a champion and to eventually
breed her own dogs and Joanne would also like to work with animals.
As far as football teams go Joanne supports England and her
favourite pop stars are those Pop Idol boys Will Young and Gareth
Gates.
Gary Upton judged the 6-11 Gundog semi final and his winner
was ten year old Nicholas Rihoy with a Cocker Spaniel. Nicholas
says he was surprised when the judge pulled him out first and
in preparation he has been going to ringcraft and practising
in the garden. Prior to the competition he was panicky but didn’t
think he would do anything so he was just looking forward to
enjoying his day! His lucky charm was a Cocker Spaniel ringclip
and his biggest support in the dog world is his Mum. The handlers
he looks up to are Louise Morgan from Guernsey who first trained
him and also Lauren Vincent. His first thoughts on the final
in January are just to enjoy his day. His proudest moment other
than this was winning his class at Portsmouth & Southsea
show and he would like to compete at Crufts one day. He supports
Sheffield Wednesday and his favourite pop star is Will Smith
and Nicholas really enjoyed his day at Richmond and says it
was worth all the practising and training.
The 12-16 Utility class was won by sixteen year old Lucy Dixon
with her Miniature Schnauzer, the judge was Matthew Bostock.
Her first reaction was when she heard her Mum scream that realised
she’d actually won it and then she says she couldn’t
stop shaking!
Before she went in the ring Lucy says she felt sick and her
Mum had prescribed her some rescue remedy and Bach Flower remedies
to help calm her nerves. Her biggest support is her Mum and
she says she really looks up to Hannah Boutell as a handler
with her calm manner and ability to get the best out of every
dog she handles. Her proudest moment in dogs was coming third
at the final in 1998 and winning a RCC with her Standard Schnauzer.
In the future Lucy would like to make up a homebred Schnauzer.
Her favourite football team is Liverpool but she says she mainly
supports Michael Owen, she is also a big fan of Robbie Williams!
Lucy would like to say a big thank you to her Mum and also to
the Boutell family and Emma Bugler for introducing her to junior
handling and for all their support over the years. Finally she
would like to wish the other finalists good luck.
Relaxed
The judge for the Toy 12-16 class was Shona Grieve and she found
her winner in Julia Gilchrist who handled a Papillon. Whe the
judge pulled her out first Julia says her first reaction was,
“er, who? Me?”. She also says she was very relaxed
as she had done so little showing this year that she felt she
had no chance of being placed. Her biggest support has been
her Mum and the handlers she looks up to are Helena Hutchings
and Glenn Robb. Julia is looking forward to the final but says
she’s going to do some practise! Her proudest moments in
dogs prior to this have been coming second at Richmond the previous
two years and also winning her first championship show class.
Her main ambition was to win at Richmond although she had convinced
herself she would never do it, so now she has got to think of
something else! Julia thinks she would like to study music and/or
English at university and then maybe become a professional bassoon
player, she has achieved Grade 8 and has been a member of the
National Children’s Orchestra. With this in mind she would
like to achieve her diploma for the bassoon and clarinet and
pass Grade 8 on the piano. Julia isn’t a football fan but
her favourite bands at the moment include No Doubt, Counting
Crows, Goo Goo Dolls, Sublime, Mad Caddies, Reel Big Fish, Live
and Save Ferris to name a few! Finally Julia would just like
say that she is very honoured to have won and she is pretty
excited about Birmingham.
The 12-16 Hound group was judged by Gavin Robertson and his
winner was Toula Lucas with her Saluki. When she was pulled
out first she says she was overwhelmed and felt a mixture of
emotions, particularly as the competition with the other handlers
was high. As far as practise goes Toula has been handling her
other peoples dogs in breed classes as well as her own dogs.
Prior to judging Toula was happy to be there, feeling comfortable,
not too nervous and concentrated solely on her dog. She didn‚t
have a lucky charm, although the dog she showed belongs to her
sister and has always been lucky for her. Her family have always
supported her handling career and she has also received a lot
of support from friends in Leonbergers and Salukis. Toula says
she looks up to top handlers in all breeds and as she has been
to the final once before she is not so nervous but still looking
forward to the strong competition from the other handlers and
she hopes to achieve a good result.
Her proudest moment was winning one of the first Leonberger
CCs with one of the dogs she regularly handles for her friends.
She would like to do well and win the final in Birmingham and
also be the first to make up a Leonberger champion as well as
being recognised as a top handler in several breeds. In the
outside world Toula would like to work with children and travel
the world. She supports Ipswich Town and she hasn‚t really
got a favourite band as she likes such a wiode variety of music.
Finally Toula would like to say good luck to all of the other
finalists in January.
|
|
