THE JEWEL IN THE CROWN....part 1
All the UK Cavalier Club shows are popular but the one that seems to attract the biggest entry and the most visitors is the CAVALIER CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP SHOWheld in the Kennel Club building at Stonleigh Park, Coventry. Saturday 1st March saw approx 420 Cavaliers entered many of whom took the opportunity to attend the Health Clinics as well as exhibiting in the classes and the Parade of Champions. There was lots of things going on in the side lines, raffles, book stall, photography, scores of items to buy.....trollies, leads, cages, drying coats, dog beds, grooming equiptment, bedding, toys, handpainted bone china, cushion covers, snoods...everything very tempting.
Judging bitches was Kirsty McMurray (Merryoth)who had travelled from Edinburgh along with her mum, Marie McFarlane (Cotterlee) who looked on with pride as Kirstie made her choices. In the dog ring was Lorraine Gillhespy (Lorphil) who hails from Co Durham and has been in the breed for over 30 years and has a vast amount of experience in breeding, judging and showing Cavaliers. Both judges I felt were very watchable and it was good to watch their proficiency and the positive way they took control of their individual rings and making what was sometimes close decisions. During the lunch break 42 Champions (21 males and 21 females) Paraded around the ring. As well as the UK, there were Champions with titles from several other countries. Switzerland, Monaco, Ireland, Sweden, Czech Republic, USA and Canada, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, Denmark, France, Portugal, Spain, Luxemburg. What an extravaganza and a feast for the eyes of the spectataors. Every Champion participant received a copy of the latest BOOK OF CHAMPIONS covering the years 2000-2012.
32 Veterans (14 dogs and 18 bitches) were entered in the first two classes of the day and it was heartwarming to see them lapping up the attention and applause they received. From these special Cavaliers emerged the oldest one shown on the day...CH WINNIE AT PASCAVALE who was born 17th August 2000 making her just a few months short of her 14th birthday. I hope she enjoyed the £20 Cavalier Chat award that Gordon and I gave as a "special". Well done, Winnie!
Steve does sterling work taking photos of the class and main winners at Ch shpws and I try to get a sense of the ambience by taking "people pics"...between us we hope you can relive the day or wish you had been there! Here is a taster...more to follow...
Cesar (COLOMBIA) gets dressed to the nines!
Carol Godwin, Carol Jenkins, Rick Aldous, Anna Fisk, Mark Smith, Gordon Inglis
Sandra Moger and Hollis Land (USA)
Zuzana and Hana Novakova (CZECH)
Wendy and Dave Taylor
?? Ivana Korosouva ?? (CZECH)
Liz O'Brien (USA)
Ellen Renaud, Norma, Hollis and Carol Land, Diane Whitfield
you should be taking it easy, Jo!
Jens Elkjaer-Gregersen (Denmark)
crowd stealers...
Catherine Rhodes
Diana Koster ?? Lucy Koster
Iris Souter, Katie Sloan, ??
Jean Salisbury
for the book worms...
Monique Tyler (USA)
Rob Bryant, Roxanne Hobbs and some overeseas visitors??
Veronica Hull
Italian Marco, Scotwede Jonathan, Scot Gordon, English Marilyn, US Richard and UK Lee
front....Swede Ralph and Paddy's Anne,Kitty, Evelyn and Miyuki
Jenny Wightman
Klaus Vorderstrasse, Karen Johnson, Andrew Rhodes
Dave Norris and Sue Leach
Marco and Elisabetta (ITALY)
Klaus, Norma, Ivett Szabo & Hano Zolt (HUNGARY)
Kathy Gentil and Richard Green (USA)
Rick Aldous and Jonathan McLennan (Sweden)
Des Jenkins (UK)
Jennifer Foster Flowers (USA), Gill Baker and Bill Moffat
Norma, Annette Jones, Ruta Towse, Michael Levy...all home bred!
Klaus (Germany) Hano (Hungary) and Lana Adair (USA)
...and the best groomed on the day....loving the hair
Aum from Essex
...and Ivan from Canada
lots more to come in Part 2....