crufts 2010

Yesterday I missed going to Crufts because I was otherwise occupied supervising the ever-growing Taika.  So, it was all for a good cause and everything, but I did spend all day searching for news and feeling left out nonetheless.  We were thrilled x 3 (or more!) when the Postgraduate Dog class was stuffed with Taika's Infindigo brothers.  Taito was 2nd and Karhu was Reserve and half-brother, the young Tarkka, who is only 19 months old, came 3rd.  Then, to top it all off, sister Keksi was Reserve in Postgraduate Bitch.  Wow, what a great day.

Yet another place in the Postgraduate Dog class was awarded to Keskiyo's son Arianrhod Kirrinkurri who was VHC.  Click here for full results for Finnish Lapphunds.

Inko and Rauhan were both there too, although I hear they left their coats at home.  Carrying on the family tradition - their mum Neka, apart from Crufts 2009 when she placed 3rd in Open Bitch, never ever managed to get the timing right and was always either in season or out of coat or both when March rolled around.

Dogs shows are certainly not the be-all and end-all.  In my book, they're just for fun.  The be-all and end-all are happy, healthy dogs who live with families who adore them.  But we do (in the main) have a great, fun bunch of people on the Finnish Lapphund show scene and so we have a terrific social time when we go.  Crufts is always a special show, with more dogs turning out looking their absolute best than at any other time the whole year.  We always have a top breed specialist judging too, and that's what makes it especially exciting to do well.

So yesterday was a great day.  If you'd like to watch the agility, obedience, flyball and other fun stuff, there is a live stream showing all day, in case you didn't catch any of my many, many Twitter updates yesterday.  And today I'll still be keeping half an eye on things as Neka & Keskiyo's breeder Toni will be competing in the Crufts breeder competition.  Go Team Elbereth!

In the meantime, we're gearing up a notch now that Crufts is out of the way for another year.  Last night Taika did a little bit of digging around and started investigating good dens, so she's getting ready too.  The cardboard & newspaper floorcovering is now down.  Lactol is in the cupboard.  Scales are ready & waiting.  So are we.