o'cockaigne

On Thursday 19 April, Sonja and I left with Vision, Chidish and Cytaugh in the direction of the Breed Show in England. When we arrived at ‘The Tunnel’, it turned out that our ticket was on a wrong date! That meant a new ticket for a lot of money! Fortunately we were able to take the same train and we had no delay. From Thursday on Friday we spent the night at Tanner Park Campsite, a delightfully quiet campsite with huge hiking opportunities south of London, a place to go more often. Friday morning we packed up everything again and left for Sutton Scotney where the wide Show was held this year. Arriving at the hotel and having parked the camper and having walked with the hounds, I went to the reading of Emily Dutton concerning the front rings in the field of heart research. A number of interesting announcements but also some exciting issues. Later I talked to Emily about this and I hope she will contact Andrea Vollmar in the near future, because of course it has a lot of information. I have promised to send some pedigrees and medical data from the hounds that I have had with heart problems. Saturday’s wide Show, Judge Tim Finney. It was exceptionally good weather, plenty of sunshine and it would be thick in the 20 degrees. So we looked for a nice spot under a large tree so that we were in the shade all day long. The Ringmaster, Chris Arthur, came to tell us that we had to move in there, he wanted to have the ‘ collecting ring ‘ there. After some talking back and forth and what to have been shoved we could happily stay there anyway.

Chidish was in the Open Class (11 reported – 2 absent) and was placed fifth. First became the beautiful French male infidel-et-Ram du Triple Bois by Madam Vinen. Which to my knowledge for the first time on a wide show in England is with her Deerhounds. A very surprise! Vision and Cytaugh were both in the very strong Open class (12 reported) and when the judge went to select he also chose Cytaugh. Normally 5 are placed but he had selected 6 and Cytaugh was placed sixth! Despite her geëzel. Hilarity everywhere.     Eventually, Infidel became best male and Hyndsight In your dreams of Hector Heathcote and Sue Finnett from the Limit class best bitch and BOB. For Sunday we had also registered our hounds in different classes. The judge was Mrs. Marie Bryce-Smith. To start all three in the ‘ Special coursing/Lure chasing dog or ‘ class (13 reported). Now, of course, we needed a third handler and we found the Council in Marjan. Cytaugh is not really the easiest but she was allowed to bring herself neatly by Marjan and was placed fifth. A whole surprise! Vision was even placed third!     Then had to Cytaugh and Chidish in the torque class (14 reported). Here I was expecting nothing from the Judge Chidish in the previous class, but expected to be second! This because of their similar gait work. We also reported Vision and Chidish in the ‘ Special not bred by Exhibitor ‘ class, but both were able to leave the ring undone.       Afterwards everything is packed again and left towards ‘ the Tunnel ‘. It turned out that this booking was not entirely correct, rather than for a motorhome there was a ‘ hígh vehicle ‘ booked. That meant paying back and because we were too late, we had to wait one and a half hours for our train. All in all, we were against Nines, tired but met, back home.