Caroline's breed notes are also available from www.pedigreedogs.co.uk.

23 July 2006

Those of you who follow my column may remember I talked previously about Pines Saxophone. Well guess what? He has just won Best of Breed at Paignton Championship Show and at the Working & Pastoral National at Great Malvern. Congratulations to Elaine Betts and John Sharpe who bred him and to Lloyd and Maggie Spencer, his owners.

It was the first time that we had breed classes at Paignton but the entry was quite poor. I think that reminded us that we are still a rare breed in this country, which we’d probably forgotten after having such a good entry at the Birmingham National earlier this year. And it can be difficult for people to go to shows on a weekday. There were also 2 absentees on the day which were our own dogs as we did go to Paignton, but on the Thursday, to find ourselves surrounded with hounds, toy and terriers. A nice lady explained to us at the entry that the working dogs had been judged the day before. At least the rest of the “hovawart gang” had a good laugh at our expenses on the following Saturday at Great Malvern when we told them we went to Paignton on the wrong day. But they then all confessed on turning up on the wrong day or even at the wrong venue at least once in the past. It looks like we’ve all done it once… This time it was our turn.

We had the pleasure at the Working & Pastoral National to meet for the first time a nice blonde boy called Hugo Salutaris, a Polish dog whose owner have come to live in the UK. He did well at his first show in the UK as he won the male open class.

It is nice to know that we are going to see a few more blonde dogs on the show ring in the coming season as Min Inches in Scotland kept a blonde boy from her last litter. She told me he is not a bad looker so I’m looking forward to see him at the Club Show in October.

Let’s make sure we show a good entry at Richmond in September where we have Hovawart classes for the first time this year. The deadline has gone to enter by post, but you can still enter online.

And whatever you’re planning after the summer, make sure to keep the week-end of the 1st of October free for the Hovawart Club of Great Britain show which always prove to be a great event with a very friendly atmosphere. Even if you’re not into showing, you will have a good time there. I expect club members will receive information in the post about the show at the end of the summer.

And finally, who said that if you want a fast dog you need to get a border collie? I entered our Hovawarts at the scurry fun competition at Foal Farm Country Festival last week-end and Venka was awarded a rosette for a place. Watch out collies, the hovies are coming!

Read the previous breed notes