WT Club Open Show

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Mummy was VERY nervous about this show.  The two shows I’ve been to before didn’t have any other Welsh Terriers entered for the judge to compare against.  We know I’m not a perfect-perfect Welsh.  My tail curls over more than it should, for example.  But i’m the right size, colour, face, build… it’s just my tail.  And we are working on massages to straighten it up a bit over the next 10 months before Crufts.  It can be done.

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This is a breed-specific open show, so only Welshies, of all ages.  We’ve been a member of the WT Club since I became a Bennett, so over 3 years.  We know the committee members and have attended lots of fairs and Discover Dogs events with some of them.  I was always a pet dog.  So this was my first entrance as Tough Cookie at Bolhaus rather than just ‘Chuck’.

I entered 3 classes, to give myself the best experience of a breed-specific show.  Because I’m very new, I was able to enter Special Beginners Dog, Novice Dog AND Postgraduate Dog.

I won them all. By default, you might say, as  I was the only chap entered into those classes.  BUT, this doesn’t mean if you enter a class with no other entries you automatically win…  A judge is entitled to place you 4th if they think you’re not deserving of a win.  But I won.  So that was good news indeed!

I didn’t have to run round 3 times – because they were consecutive classes without competition, the lovely judge simply awarded a “repeat” after my first trot and stand.  i think everyone appreciated moving swiftly through the programme too…

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I’m on the left… This was in ‘Best Dog’, after I won the 3 Classes

So that meant I therefore was eligible for Best Dog, up against all the other Class Winner Dogs.  I came 3rd I think?  So I didn’t get Best Dog or Reserve.  That’s ok, though.  I’ve never got through to Best Dog before!

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My rosettes!

I got lots of handy tips from judges, other exhibitors etc.  I had a lovely time and mummy calmed down by the end of it.

What we learned:IMG_0563

  • I walk too slowly – but if mummy tries to speed up, I break out into a run… We need to learn to trot at a decent pace
  • NO NOISY CLICKY SHOES.  This is mummy’s fault not mine.
  • Groom to accentuate features.
  • Now I’ve won a certain number of classes (5), I can’t enter the lower classes anymore.  I’m no longer a Special Beginner or a Novice – I’m a Postgraduate.

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