Animals in Our Lives - Crufts

TAYTINJA AT CRUFTS

Crufts Dog Show is every exhibitor’s dream as it is known the world over and is to dog showing what Wimbledon is to tennis. Every dog entered at Crufts has to qualify. Qualifying Championship Shows are held throughout the year around the country. Each year Crufts hosts more than 25,000 dogs, from all over the world, over 4 days. Dogs participate in many activities, not just breed showing, but activities like agility, obedience, heel work to music, demonstrations of police dog work, medic alert dogs and much more.

Blaze at Crufts

I own three pedigree Border Collies. I’m not a breeder, but I do have a Kennel Name, and that is Taytinja, a phonetic version of my first Border Collie’s pedigree name, Foxbarton Taittinger, named after the French Champagne. When we decided to get our first dog he was to be my companion and I thought I might do agility with him. I never dreamt I would be running on Crufts’ green carpet, as not all dogs have what it takes to be a show dog – each breed has a “Breed Standard” against which exhibits are measured by the judge. Blaze was of excellent conformation, a potential show dog, and so the journey began. I learned to handle dogs by travelling to shows with his breeder, attending ring craft classes at Burgh Heath village hall and finally taking over the lead and handling at Championship shows myself.

Blaze (Foxbarton Taittinger JW ShCM AWB) gained his stud book number by winning a Junior Warrant title. This qualified

Cufts Place Card & Rosette

CONTIUNUED FROM PAGE 40

The Collies on a Kingswood footpath

him for Crufts for life. Bred locally, by the Foxbarton kennel in Epsom, he has won two Reserve Challenge Certificates at Championship shows and has been placed 3 times at Crufts over the years*. He has a bronze agility warrant. At 13 years, he is now a retired gentleman, enjoying his golden years with the family at home.

Chase (Laceway Phoenix With Taytinja AWS) comes from a strong show kennel in the Midlands. His litter mate is regularly Top Border Collie of the Year at the Border Collie Club of Great Britain. Chase has done more in agility than the show ring, working from Grade 3 all the way to the top Grade 7. Crufts 2020, which was held in early March, saw Chase placed 4th in Limit Dog under breed specialist Rachel Spencer, who trained and owned the UK’s 2nd full Champion Border Collie. To be a full champ, a dog must not only be a show champion, but must pass the Show Border Collie Herding Test as well. It must be able to work sheep.

Skyla (Jupavia Midnight Secret By Taytinja) is Blaze’s baby girl. Despite being qualified for Crufts 2020, she was not able to go due to an injury. At Crufts 2019, she was awarded 4th place in Undergraduate. The world-wide pandemic has played havoc with all aspects of life, including the show world. Qualifying championship shows have had to be cancelled but the Kennel Club has announced that 2020 qualifications (excluding 3rd places) will carry forward to Crufts 2021 to be held in July. This means Skyla is qualified for Crufts 2021 but due to the pandemic, entries will be capped so I hope our entries will be accepted!

I’m proud that my dogs are versatile dogs, confident in the show ring and successful at agility, but above all fabulous family pets. We owe it to our dogs to make life fun for them, whatever we choose to do with them. Win or lose, young or old, makes no difference as they are a muchloved part of my family.

Valerie Hawker

https://valhawker.wixsite.com/ taytinja

Information on owning a Border Collie at https://bcbreedcouncil.wixsite.com/bcbc

* Stud Book Number: Register held by the Kennel Club. Each breed is placed in a Band which will determine which awards will qualify the dog for entry into the stud book. For example, Border Collies must be placed 1st, 2nd or 3rd in an OPEN class or 1st in a LIMIT class at a Championship show.

* Challenge Certificate: Awarded to Best Dog at a Championship Show, reserve is awarded to the runner up. Three Challenge Certificates are needed for a dog to become a Show Champion.