THIS YEAR’S Crufts Gundog group winner has died following a short illness. We understand it was related to a tick-borne illness.

The Flat Coated Retriever, Miss Jonna Sanden’s Such/NuCh/Finu Ch/Pol Ch Almanza Far & Fly, (Simon) was in the UK competing and had travelled from his owner’s home in Oslo to he Three Counties championship show last week. Simon was taken ill during Border Union championship show and was immediately taken home to Norway by Miss Sanden.

There the vet diagnosed he was suffering from a tick borne infection which was affecting his nervous system and he was put to sleep to save him from further suffering on last Monday.