Belfalas Podengos

Our first trip to Wales and luckily the weather stayed fine so we could appreciate all the views once we crossed the bridge.

It was a true family day out with Dad, Mum and Son all making the most of their trip to foreign parts.

CC - First Post Grad Bitch, Best Bitch, Best of Breed

Kimchi - First Post Grad Dog, Reserve Best Dog

PJ - First in Junior Dog, Best Puppy, Best Dog, Best Opposite Sex

Lily - Second Open Bitch

Cassie - Second Post Grad Bitch

Ronnie - Third Open Bitch

We seem to be getting lucky in Group rings, Hounds first in again, so hardly any hanging around.  CCs first time in the Group ring (also her handler's!) and she acquitted herself really well. She managed not to eat the Pharaoh hound next to her and stood and moved perfectly - of course, she didn't get a second look!

Meanwhile PJ was being pre-judged, or 'pre-thrown out' as we like to call it.  He couldn't have done any better, but we still failed to make the cut - oh well. 

A reasonably early finish, so not too late home. I think we might be going to Wales again next year.

*A Great Day Out In Wales

Don't try to get from the South Coast to Ripon on a Friday afternoon! Multiple accidents, road closures and traffic jams conspired to slow us down, but eventually we arrived at Wetherby for a night on the service station. Just PJ for this trip, an overnight stay required so the rest of the crew stayed behind.

Our first time at Darlington, what a lovely show. Easy access, lots of space in the tents, more trade stands than I have seen for a while, lots of nice people, fresh cooked doughnuts and everything well organised.

Our Judge, Albert Easdon, took one look at the puppy line up and said he hadn't seen so many smooths in one class before! We are taking over.

Diana took BoB and we took BoS and Best Puppy. Gillian had a good day with Res. Best Dog, Res. Best Bitch and Best Veteran

PJ - First in Puppy D or B, Best Puppy, Best Dog, Best Opposite Sex

We hadn't planned on hanging around for the Group, but the Hound Group was kicking off before we finished breed judging, so it was a simple stroll across the showground and straight into the ring. Of course, the eye-line never dropped and we got chucked out so we could get back to the van and off home in good time.

A tiring weekend, but worth it.

A relatively short trip along the coast into Sussex for a day out at Hickstead. Always a lovely show, well run in really nice surroundings. Park the van at the edge of the ring, put the gazebo up, get the chairs and tables out, and just add cake!

I don't think we could have had a better day?

One of our dogs won every class, so with the help of Anna, Eileen and Simon all four dogs in the BoB Challenge were ours.

PJ - First in Special Yearling, Best Puppy, Best of Breed

Young bitch of pleasing type and good proportions for her age. Wedge-shaped head with dark pigment and erect, well-set ears. Good body proportions with a nice neck and topline, straight forelegs and round, compact feet. Nice tuck-up and developing rear quarters. Good coat and high-set tail. Moved nicely with a light, free action and good balance for her age. BOB & BPIB (Spot the mistake!)

Kimchi - First in Post Graduate

Very smart, masculine dog with excellent breed type. Wedge-shaped head, dark pigment and erect ears. Medium-length neck into well-laid shoulders and straight forelegs with tight, compact feet. Level topline, deep chest and well-sprung ribs. Moderate rear angulation and good muscle. Correctly carried high-set tail. Moved soundly and freely, holding his topline well.

Lily - First in Open, Reserve Best of Breed

Feminine, compact bitch of excellent shape and type. Lovely wedge-shaped head with alert expression and well-placed erect ears. Clean neck into well-placed shoulders, excellent front and rear quarters. Deep chest, good spring of rib and level topline. Moved soundly with purpose, but in the challenge she would not stand correctly. RBOB 

CC - First in Limit

Feminine bitch of pleasing type. Head of correct proportions with a good muzzle and erect ears. Clean neck into an excellent front and good topline. Good depth of chest with well-sprung ribs and a short loin. Moderate rear angulation with good muscle and tight feet. Gave her handler a hard time on the move.

Cassie - Third in Post Graduate

Ronnie - Second in Limit

Feminine bitch with a pleasing head, dark eyes and well-carried erect ears. Good neck and deep chest with well-sprung ribs. Short loin, tight feet and moderate, well-bent stifles. Moved soundly with a good, steady action.

So, three Groups to enter, as there was a Reserve BoB Group, and as usual we got nothing in any of them. Considering what we did win on the day, it sounds a bit ungrateful to complain, but it would have been nice for the Judge to drop her eyes to look at the dogs in the line up to actually give the impression that we might have been worthy of consideration. A 7 month old puppy that has won Best Puppy 5 times and Best of Breed twice has to be worth considering surely?

Thanks to our Pod friends and the SE Hound Club for making it a lovely day out.

Hooray...!    We're not going to Stafford. 

Driving to Stoneleigh through the rain, not a common problem this summer, but fortunately it had stopped by the time we got there allowing us to get everything out of the van in the dry. A well run show with plenty of space to get set up and allow all the Pods to be together.  

Our Judge, Mr Jerry Robertson managed everything with a smile and it was nice, once again, to see the present crop of puppies in the ring, everyone seems to be coming on nicely.

PJ got Best Puppy Dog and then went on to get Best Puppy, this is his fourth in a row. He performed beautifully in the Group ring with the Group Judge commenting on what a happy little boy he was - unfortunately not happy enough to get pulled out for further consideration.

PJ - First Puppy Dog, Best Puppy

Kimchi - First in Post Graduate Dog

Lily - Reserve in Open Bitch

CC - Absent, in season

Cassie - First in Post Graduate Bitch

Ronnie - Second in Limit Bitch

Having rained all the way up it stayed dry for the rest of the day so a nice easy drive home for a late tea and sleep. 

A super early start to get on the road for Stafford as there were only a few dogs in the ring before us, but as usual, very little traffic on the road until we joined the back of the queue winding its way up the hill to the showground.

Our first time in The Pavilion at Stafford, nice and quiet but a little bit out of the way so difficult to get the full 'show experience'.

PJ is getting used to being first in, but he had to wait for the Veterans before strutting his stuff and getting first in Minor Puppy. He then went on to get Best Puppy, beating his friend Truffle. In the Dog challenge he had to accept defeat to Fonzie, but we were all very pleased to get Reserve Best Dog.

Kimchi's brain was elsewhere, being more concerned over what his girlfriend CC was up to, she was in season!

The girls did well, with Lily doing us proud and being pulled out as Reserve Best Bitch.

PJ performed really well in the Group, but got turfed out in the pre-judging - maybe one of these days...

PJ - First in Minor Puppy, Best Dog Puppy, Best Puppy, Reserve Best Dog

This is a super young dog, cocky and confident both stacked and on the move, I loved his head and the lively, almost cheeky expression coming from his well placed eyes, he stands true in front on strong pasterns with a correct length of body and moderate spring of rib, moderately angulated in the rear and moving out soundly and easily around the ring. A very promising young dog.

Kimchi - Second in Post Graduate Dog

A smooth coat who appealed greatly for his overall shape and proportions, I really liked his lean wedge head and well used ears and he stands true in front on straight forelegs and tight round feet, unfortunately he was rather unsettled on the move and quite uncoordinated behind. Such a shame as there is a lot to like about him.

Lily - Second in Open Bitch, Reserve Best Bitch

Plushcourt Gloriana At Belfalas I liked this smooth coated girl a lot and she pushed hard for the class, pleasing head shape with large mobile ears and presenting a super balanced outline and well proportioned body, ample lay of shoulder and moderate hind angulation, sound an accurate all ways, I just preferred the body condition of the winner today

CC - Absent, in season

Cassie - Third in Post Graduate Bitch

Ronnie - First in Limit Bitch

2 yr 9mth b who was presented in good harsh coat and overall condition, she has a proportionate wedge head with well placed eyes and tight fitting lips, moderate in neck to ample lay of shoulder with a good depth of chest and moderate spring of rib but for her age I would have liked to see a stronger topline. In profile she moves out soundly but tends to flick her feet out as she goes round

A late arrival at home with a late tea for all after a good day.

Probably our closest Champ show, we head off into the New Forest for Bournemouth, not expecting very much after our spectacular day out at the Hound Show. We are in mixed sex classes, which is never our favourite.

A bit of a wait to get into the ring and a bit of a squeeze to find space out of the sun, then we eventually got going. First the Vets, then Puppies. 

Firstly, it is really good to see so many puppies entered, there were six of us in the line up. PJ performs pretty perfectly, he is still a bit fidgety on the table, but we are getting there. Then, he gets pulled out into first place, which, as it is mixed sex, means he is also Best Puppy as there are no puppies entered in later classes. Go PJ!

Not wishing to be outdone by his son, Kimchi goes in Limit with a little something to prove and, just to show the lad how it's done, gets pulled out in first place beating some well known dogs on the way.

Father and son then battle it out in the Dog Challenge and the younger generation is triumphant. PJ gets Best Dog. Kimchi misses out on the Reserve, but I don't think he minded in the circumstances.

PJ then goes up for Best of Breed against this year's Crufts winner. Of course PJ has never heard of Crufts, so he isn't phased at all, struts his stuff and gets pulled out as Best of Breed.

We don't get anything in either Group of course, the Judge's eye-line never drops from the Otterhound on one side and the Ridgeback on the other side, but at least we were there representing the breed.

PJ - First in Puppy, Best Dog Puppy, Best Puppy, Best Dog, Best of Breed

Kimchi - First in Limit Dog

Lily - Second in a very strong Open Bitch class

CC - Fourth in Limit

Cassie - Unplaced

Ronnie - VHC in Post Graduate

Big thanks to those that stayed to support us in the Group, it was appreciated!

Another good day for the Belfalas Pack.

Up to Stafford for the first time in a couple of months for the Houndshow. We only had 10 Cirnecos in front us so it had to be an early start, up at 4:00, on the road by 5:00. At least there was no-one else on the road at that time of day. Some puzzled Pods in the back of the van wondering why, despite forming an orderly queue, they had not been given any breakfast.

Really nice to see eight exhibitors and twenty four dogs entered, including some youngsters.

This was PJ's first Championship Show.

Lily -First Open Bitch

CC - First Limit Bitch and Reserve Best Bitch

Ronnie - Second Limit Bitch

Cassie - First Post Graduate Bitch, Best Bitch and Best of Breed

Kimchi - Third Limit Dog

PJ - First Puppy Dog, Reserve Best Dog and Best Puppy

Cassie went into her first ever Group judging and was a bit tired and overawed by the whole occasion but did her best.

PJ was still full of energy (when is he not?) and did his stuff in the Puppy Group, he is such a performer! However, as usual with Pods in Group, he didn't make the cut.

A late night for all but what a day.

Another hot one with everyone camped out in the shade of the trees. A few of the regular Pod folk missing but a decent entry. Lily managed to win the biggest class of the day, Open Bitch, then she went on to get Best Bitch/Best Opposite Sex and a CAC.

PJ got Best Baby Puppy and made it through to the Group but he had had a long day by then and would rather have been anywhere other than a hot show ring.

Kimchi won Open Dog and CC was placed down the list to her Mother in Open Bitch.

A good day overall, nice to catch up with everyone.

In order to repay some of the hospitality that we have received from our Portuguese hosts we decided, in conjunction with Simon and Anna, to invite everyone round to ours for an afternoon of food, drink and good company.

The dogs behaved themselves impeccably and the humans weren't too bad either!

Hopefully a good time was had by all, no-one ventured into the pool, deliberately or otherwise.

Due to the heat, most people chose to remain inside in air conditioned comfort, but we managed to get everyone outside just long enough for the obligatory team photo.