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The English Deerhound wide Show.

After we left Ostercappeln on Monday 31 March, the preparations for the Deerhound wide Show in Telford, England, started immediately. Sonja was driven back home with her camper and she would stay here for the intervening days. Of course we had to go in between a garden centre, which is actually standard when she is here, and Sonja bought some nice rhododendrons and both of them took a Chinese witch hazel along, beautiful! Also we had to go past the vet for the necessary stamps, worms pills and signatures for Brandir and Bernice. Simon would stay at home and fit on Calhoun, Caintha, Lavinia and Silva, so few hounds he has never had as Sonja and I were gone! On Friday morning, April 4, we were early out of the feathers because we wanted to catch the train of 10.50 hours with a check-in-closes at 10.20. Were previously we had to go past the chip and union control but the trip went smoothly so we were beautiful on time. But…. After Bernice's's booklet was checked and Brandir's turn, it turned out that Rens, my vet had forgotten to put one signature! Well, I could have dicks like brugers but we had to put Calais in, to a vet and a signature. This cost all in all a thick hour and €11. Next time yet again, still in practice, check everything! After all, it all went pretty well, but it was a bit of a traffic jam. At half past four we arrived at the hotel in Telford. After we had checked in, the room had been decorated with dog beds and our stuff and the hounds had been exhausted, it was time for ' a pint of bitter '. Delicious! After that we fed the hounds and made us ready for dinner. Well, this was really English again; Almost not to eat! It turned out that the vegetarian dish and the dessert were still the most delicious! The next morning at 7 o'clock, because Brandir was in one of the first classes. Luckily it was still good weather and the show was kept outside. Judge was Björn Fritz from Germany. The Yearling class was a large class of 11 entries and Brandir found it all beautiful again. But I had to be careful because there were a lot of knorrepotten around and I didn't want to have that Brandir would be bitten in his nose. It was striking that nobody corrected his young male in a good way, a very bad thing. All the other males in his class looked much more mature than Brandir and Björn did not place him as expected. Also Bilbo, Brandir's brother, had been reported. He stood in the Limit class. Bilbo has grown very differently than expected and looks very mature, but perhaps he has changed over the years. In the course of the morning it started to rain a bit and at lunchtime it was decided to continue the show inside, in the dining room. Very sorry, because it was much too hot and stuffy so people and animals didn't feel very comfortable. At the end of the afternoon it also appeared that it had not rained any more, but a pity that we did not remain outside. As usual, the quality of the males fell, but there were some nice girls to see. It is striking that here in England the Deerhounds are still real Deerhounds, but different from type and also with quite a lot of mistakes but real Deerhounds. Only one foreign dog ran in between and this was an Australian import. What was also noticed was that there were quite a lot of hounds totally stressed, absolutely not accustomed to being in a room and behaving downright frantic. Among other a bitch of Mrs. Gow was unhandled and the owner made himself so busy and gave himself so much effort to show the bitch a little bit that Sonja still said; "That gets another heart attack"! Unfortunately, she was later admitted to hospital with a heart attack. At the end of the afternoon Björn Cotherstone Shot and Steel made of Morton and Morgan BOB and Greyflas Just peachy from Bailey became BOS. Best puppy was Ehlaradawn Tilla at Kilbourne of Peach. Thanks to Jan Scheer for these two beautiful pictures!                                                                                                      For the Sunday I had been reported to Brandir in the ' Special coursing/Lure chasing Dog or ' class. 11 entries and 2 absents. To my great surprise, Mrs. Clean Brodwall Brandir First placed! What an honor!   He earned a pair of beautiful, red, knitted, Norwegian socks for Simon, one and a half pounds and the Pentlands coursing Trophy!!!   This Trophy is not allowed to leave England, so we left him on the way back at Gill and Toby where we would spend the night.     Also I had Brandir reported in the very large class of 23 entries ' Special Not Bred by Exhibitor '. He was here Fourth! Before the show was started, we had cleared the room and checked out. So once the last class was approved we could say goodbye to friends and acquaintances and we left for Dorset. After three hours of driving we arrived at Gill and Toby. Brandir and Bernice recognized their birthplace and were able to uitrazen with little sister Bell. After cheering on Brandir's successes and a very pleasant evening we first shot a series of pictures of the trio the next morning.

    After that they were allowed to stretch the legs before we would leave towards the Eurotunnel. Sunday afternoon it went fine, with his three at the same time loose but now the ladies decided to attaqueren Brandir once more. Then release only two at a time.  

Then soon in the car and hope that we would not get a delay because we were almost too late for our train. Unfortunately, we did not get the net and the first one we could only go over an hour. Pity. When we were in our line before we would ride the train, the departure times changed and at some point our letter was no longer on the board! There was apparently something good wrong! Hours we were waiting to end up celebrating the train, and so we only arrived against the six in France. Always highly annoying, that hour time difference! In France, it soon began to rain and once it was well on the way it came out with baking the air, including hail and thunderstorms. Almost the whole way back we had this again until after Antwerp I could leave the mood behind me. But not for long…  Three hours later than planned we were again unscathed home and the home stayed hounds were very happy that their roommates were there again. We could just get the most stuff out of the car with dry weather, then the mood also burst into rijsbergen.