Cruft's 2005

International Junior Handling final 2005!                                 
This year I had the great opportunity to represent Sweden in the biggest Junior Handling competition in the world, since I won the Swedish Championship in december 2004. 32 competitors from all over the world were there and everyone of them were very good handlers. I went with my mum and we arrived on friday to our hotel, Premier Travel Inn. It was our first time at Cruft's and it was really something special. Huge show areas, big show rings, agility, obedience, shopping, breed show-cases, not to mention the 22000 dogs that were entered!

    At friday night they held a banquet for the Junior Handlers with the judge Luis Pinto Teixeira from Portugal och Liz Cartledge who is the one that took Junior Handling to Sweden. Everyone gave a short presentation of themselves and exchanged the gifts that everyone had brought from home, something that represented their country. At saturday we were at the show all day, shopping, watching the Golden retriever judging and the magnificent group finals.

At sunday it was finally time for the competition. At 9.00 am the dogs that we were going to show arrived. My first choice of breed was of course Golden retriever and my second choice was Siberian Husky. I had the great fortune to get a lovely golden bitch, Sophie, owned by kennel Gloi. Sophie is 8 years old but in very good condition and with lovely temperament and movement. She was really sweet and gentle and I felt happy showing her. The final was held in a ring called Special Events Ring, where also the agility and obedience were held. We began with running into the ring one by one. Sophie and I really worked together and we had good contact. The judge had a good look at everyone and then he went through all competitors one by one. Mr Teixeira asked me to show the dog's teeth, do a triangle, up and down and stand her up. The day before the speaker had intervued me and he now presented me as I was showing Sophie.
   
    After that we went out to exchange dogs. My swap-dog was a Whippet bitch, a breed that I have shown before, luckily. She was really pretty and sweet and I was very pleased with her in the ring. We went into the ring again and the judge went through everyone one more time. This time he asked me to go up and down with my Whippet. After that I got Sophie back and the judge made a shortlist to the semi final. I hardly believed it when he pointed at me to come into the middle of the ring. He picked out eight of us and placed three. Third place went to Malta with Beagle, second place went to Monace with Australian Shepherd and the first place went to Slovenia with Malteser. I shared the 4th place and was really happy. All competitors got very nice prizes from Pedigree, the sponsor of the competition. I was very pleased with my performance and the whole journey was a fantastic experience that will be a memory for life!

Enthusiastic tourists at the Birmingham airport