Crufts successes for breeders' top dogs
The most prestigious dog show in the world saw a number of experienced breeders from the locality singled as among the best in their class.
Joyce Miles of Burton Pedwardine had three placings with four of her Shetland sheepdogs, sometimes called ‘shelties’.
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Hide AdShe won best minor puppy dog with Luke, best puppy bitch with Misty, who was also best puppy in breed. Another of the dogs she has bred, Flinn, won the mid limit dog second place prize and Summer, a former champion, came third in the veteran bitch class, making an appearance on the sofa with TV presenter Clare Balding for Channel Four’s coverage of the event.
“I was just off camera,” said Mrs Miles. On her placings, she said: “I’m thrilled to bits. It’s the biggest dog show in the world and just to get a first there is a great achievement. I have been breeding them for 40 years and have had best of breed twice and tickets three times, as well as judging my breed at Crufts.”
Pat Bayliss, of Heckington Fen, took Sophie, her Pyrenean mountain dog, who won the Bitch Challenge Certificate for her breed. She said: “She is only a baby at 19 months old and I didn’t expect her to do that well. I’m really pleased.
“I have been a breeder for 47 years and my old dog got best of breed in 2011.”
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Hide AdBev Dummett, of Leasingham was another success story with Herbie, her American cocker spaniel, who came first in the Good Citizen dog class.
She explained: “It is a standard breed class but he passed Good Citizen training as well, so he is not only a show dog but also good at obedience. He is also an agility dog and won prizes for that too.
“His half sister, Dusty, was second in the Good Citizen bitch class.”
Miss Dummett has been showing the breed for 30 years, breeding them as well for the last seven, and will appear as a judge at Crufts next year.
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Hide AdShe said the results were an improvement on the previous year but she has had four first places in the past. Her winning dogs share the same grandfather as the Best in Show winning dog.
Sue Baxter of Cranwell, a breeder for 35 years, took three of her border terriers in what is a tough class, with 250 entrants from around the world. She won a first place in the limit bitch class with three-and-a-half-year-old Jazz and a third place in the veteran bitch class with Jazz’s nine-year-old mum Tessa.
Mrs Baxter was pleased with the results, having only returned to this country five years ago after breeding and showing her dogs in the United States for 15 years.
Other success stories this year with first places included Mr and Mrs J K Donaghy of Sleaford with their English toy terrier, Mrs I M Charlesworth of Anwick with her Clumber Spaniel, Mr and Mrs C J Tipper of Sleaford with their collie rough and Mrs A Fenton with a Tibetan terrier.