Report by Sheila Baldwin

Photos by Mark Baldwin

The U.K Handlers Association held an International Team Match at Southern Counties Championship Show for the fifth successive year; special thanks go Angela and David Cavill and Southern Counties Championship Show Committee for their kind invitation to house this event again. We are also very grateful to our sponsors who contribute so much to making the event such a success, this year our main supporters were again Pedigree Petfoods and Cromessol with their generous gifts of specials for the competitors and to all the other trade stand holders and friends for the many donations of prizes for our raffle. Not forgetting Eurodogshow; Belgium for donating sponsorship towards the Tour to the Eurodogshow Championship Show and Handling Competition in November for our major winners in each section of the competition.  This year the weather very nearly caused a catastrophe, when everyone arrived at midday on Wednesday to set up, we had no marquee; the severe weather of the preceding days had upset the contractor’s programme.  The marquee was set up that evening so an early start was needed for Thursday morning to be ready for the start of the Training Day and despite heavy rain and hectic start the day ran smoothly.  Luckily the weather improved as the week wore on and Saturday and Sunday proved to be very hot and sunny.

Training Day

The twenty-nine students were sorted into groups according to whether they were doing the Judges, Trainers or Handlers section, an excellent learning and social experience for all.  The trainers were Bob Boutell, Stephanie Lansdell, Sorelle LeCornu, Elinor McFadden, Alexander and Jacqui Hurley, who put the students through quite a gruelling schedule from 9.00am to 4.00pm with two short breaks and a longer break for lunch. The day was rounded off with a very informative discussion session and the presentation of certificates of merit for attendance for the Handlers or certificates to Train or Judge Handling Competitions.

The following Students successfully achieved their Judging Certificates:

Lauren Elcocks, Gail Storie & Keith Langdon;

The following their Trainer’s Certificates:    

Lindsey Ellis, Teresa Fennell, Malinda Thomas, Melanie White & Mrs Williams;

and these achieved their Handler’s Certificates:

Paula Burge, Chloe Brutto, Jodie Brutto, Rachel Chamberlaine, Karen Cummings, Rachel Fludder, Sally Gibbons, Trudie Hewitt-Taylor, Stephanie Jefford, Hollie Kavanagh, Charlotte Palgarno, Clare Palgarno, Jessica Palgarno, Jayne Perks, Judith Prigg, Rebecca Rowe, Marcelo Souza, Pat Walsh, Amelia Whipps, Aeron Williams, Abbie Williams

Medal Awards Day

On Friday the U.K Handlers Association ran a Medal Award Scheme, the awards range from Bronze up to Member Teacher & Examiners awards and the handlers are assessed individually against a standard rather than in a competition situation, these tests were continued over the weekend.  The examiner this year was again Jaxson Manser, ably assisted by Ethel Shaw &, Joan Taylor, they spent a busy three days putting twenty-one handlers through one or more assessments and on Sunday afternoon the following awards were presented:-

Bronze – Paula Burge (honours), Lindsey Ellis (honours), Laura McDonald (honours); Amelia Whipps (commended); Rachel Chamberlain (pass), Chloe Brutto (pass), Jodie Brutto (pass), Brydee-Mae Mills (pass).                         

Silver - Laura McDonald (honours); Chloe Brutto (commended), Lindsey Ellis (commended), Hannah Hadfield (commended), Amelia Whipps (commended); Brydee-Mae Mills (pass).                        

Gold - Lindsey Ellis (commended), Hannah Hadfield (commended), Amelia Whipps (commended); Katie Stewart (pass), Miss J Page

Intermediate – Rachel Fludder (honours), Lindsey Ellis (honours); Hannah Hadfield (commended), Katie Stewart (commended), Lily Warren (commended), Amelia Whipps (commended).

Advanced - Rachel Fludder (honours), Hollie Kavanagh (honours); Lindsey Ellis (commended), Hannah Hadfield (commended), Lily Warren (commended); Jane Perks (pass).

Gold Star 1 – Hollie Kavanagh (honours); Rebecca Rowe (commended), Sally Gibbons (pass)

Student Teacher - Georgina Ferguson (pass)

Teacher Award – Stephanie Lansdell (honours)

International Team Match

The Handling Match took place at the weekend, starting on Saturday at 8.30am with the handlers arriving, signing in and selecting ‘from the hat’ to make up teams of three in the following age groups Under 15 years, 15–20 Years, Youth – 21–40 years and Adult – over 40 years. The team selection system provides a social platform for competitors to meet and encourage new competitors and for some inter-team coaching for everyone. There are awards for the winning and runner-up teams in each section so team members have to work together plus individual awards for the best six in each age group. 

The judges were Elinor McFadden (Chairman) from Jersey, ably assisted by steward Sue Whitehead; Jenny Clifford with John Bailey; Lauren Vincent with Wendy Bassant; Mhari Aikman with Sarah Vincent; Sorelle LeCornu with James Thornton and Emma Bugler with Debbie Boutell.  Each team showed under each of the six judges an equal number of times and meets many of the other teams, this proved to be quite a gruelling day in the heat, but we had been provided with a chilled cabinet stocked with cold drinks by Plyvine to prevent anyone becoming dehydrated. Scores are awarded to the six competitors in the ring each time, under each of the Judges and these are added throughout the weekend to find the final winners. A summary of the judges’ reports stated that the venue was very good; the hospitality was brilliant; the awards and prizes were excellent (again a grateful thanks to our sponsors); the general standard of the handling could be improved with more concentration and, in some cases, less use of the voice; a lot of thought had been put into the dress of the handlers so that they complimented their dogs; the only downside comment was the distance to the toilets.

Dinner in Judges Marquee

On Saturday evening we had an excellent dinner for over 100 guests again provided by Plyvine in the Judges Dining Marquee, this year we were joined by a number of our sponsors.

 Towards the end of the meal Jacqui Hurley announced that following the presentation last year of the first Honorary Life Membership to Brian Cummins, now sadly too ill to be able join us, a second such award was to be made.

“This year I would like to make a presentation to someone who has been working with me for the Junior Handlers for even longer than Brian. 

They have helped unstintingly at weekly Training Sessions from the late 70’s ~ for over 30 years. In that time they have supported and worked at all Junior Handling events; a. Handling Displays; b. Pat dog sponsored walks and events; c. Fund Raising events.

They have put up with Jaxson from the age of 3 years???

Helped countless Junior Handlers manage their weekly spending money at club training nights. Undoubtedly the backbone of the work of the Jersey Junior Handlers and more recently that of the U.K. Dog Handlers Association.

I would like to make the award of Honorary Life Membership to someone we all know as Nana” (Mrs Ethel Shaw, Jacqui’s Mum).  She was presented with gift and bouquet.

The meal was followed by the annual Frog Racing where there was again hot competition at the auction sale for some of the frogs.  The two races, to the sounds of ‘the Crazy Frog’ attracted some heavy betting and loud support for the jockeys with the two winning owners and some punters receiving handsome payouts.  In the first Race for junior jockeys the winning syndicate were Nuggets, who made a handsome profit thanks to their jockey Jayne, sadly one jockey had to be disqualified and banned from racing for 12 months for kicking a competitor’s frog. The competition in the second race is always keen with the more experienced jockeys, with the winning jockey being Katie.

Photo

The evening was rounded off with a disco with dancing late into the night. A very good and enjoyable evening.

On Sunday morning it was back to work again, and the competition was soon underway, missed classes were caught up (some handlers had been showing their dogs in the breed during the two days) and all the classes were completed by lunch time, which just left the hardworking recorders Sheila Baldwin and Norman Ames assisted by Garry Hurley to complete the records and double check the results before the presentations at 2.00pm.

Jacqui Hurley started by introducing Ethel Shaw, who we have all grown to love as an honorary Nana. Special thanks were made to our sponsors and everyone who had contributed to the specials, prizes and raffle, the judges and officials who were all presented with a thank you gift. The presentation of medals came next, followed by the awards for the team match, every winner receiving a gift from our sponsors.

Best Novice Team

Lyndsey Ellis, Stephanie Lansdell, Laura McDonald

Runner-up Novice Team

Carole Bull Jane Ferguson Judith Prigg

Best Novice Individuals

1st - Judith Prigg, 2nd - Jane Perks, 3rd – Carole Bull, 4th – Mike Ellis, 5th – Katie Stewart, 6th – Chloe Brutto

Best Dressed Female - Michelle Alders (pictured)

Best Dressed Male  - Alan Small (pictured)

Under 15 years

Winning Team -

Jodie Allan, Becky Rowe

Runner-up Team

Hannah Hadfield, Lily Warren, Amelia Whipps

Winning Individuals

1st - Jodie Allen, 2nd - Holly Kavanagh, 3rd - Paige Allen, 4th - Hannah Hadfield, 5th - Amelia Whipps, 6th - Becky Rowe

15 – 20 years

Winning Team -

Michelle Alders, Emily Thornton

Runner-up Team

Georgina Ferguson, Rachel Fludder, Alex McBain

Winning Individuals

1st – Emily Thornton, 2nd – Stephanie Lansdell, 3rd – Rachel Fludder, 4th – Georgina Ferguson, 5th – Michelle Alders, 6th – Lindsey Ellis

Youth Section 21 – 40 years

Winning Team -

Hannah Boutell, Paula Burge, Kate Vincent

Runner-up Team

Kathy Alders, Nicole Bailey

Winning Individuals

1st – Hannah Boutell, 2nd – Kate Vincent, 3rd – Nicole Bailey, 4th – Paula Burge, 5th – Kathy Alders

Adult Section

Winning Team -

Jane Chapman, Sally Gibbons, Malinda Thomas

Runner-up Team

Alan Small, Mary Small

Winning Individuals

1st – Sally Gibbons, 2nd – Jane Ferguson, 3rd – Jenny Thornton, 4th – Mary Small, 5th – Malinda Thomas, 6th – Alan Small

The winning teams and the first three individual winners from each age group assembled beside the BIS ring, we had to wait until the stakes finals had taken place, then all the winners filed into the main ring where the overall winners were announced with Angela and David Cavill kindly taking time out from their busy schedule to present the awards to:-

Overall Winning Team

Hannah Boutell, Paula Burge, Kate Vincent

Overall Runner-up Team

Michelle Alders, Emily Thornton

Overall Individual Winners

1st – Emily Thornton, 2nd – Hannah Boutell, 3rd – Kate Vincent, 4th – Stephanie Lansdell, 5th – Nicole Bailey, 6th – Rachel Fludder

Three of the younger competitors presented Angela and David Cavill with thank you gifts and a photo call was taken in an empty ring beside the BIS ring. All that was left was to clear our site and the last of us finally wended our way home on Monday.

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