Manchester Champ show

Nico in the ring yesterday

I spend the week wondering whether we'd get to Manchester Ch or not. The forecast here had been 95% risk of snow from about 3am through to this morning. But on Friday the risk was reduced drastically and I filled up the van with diesel, printed my passes and got my food cooked for the GSD exhibitors food table.
At 6am yesterday morning with no sign of snow or Ice I was off and arrived at the frozen venue in Stafford before 8.30am. (Yes Manchester Ch show is in Stafford!!!) The cold air hit us hard as we got out of the van, still it was bright and crisp outside and warm inside!
I was very surprised that Nico's breeder was at the show, it was the first time she had seen him since I picked him up from her in September 2012. When she did come and speak to him she was very complementary and said he had matured into a super adult. Did he recognise her? Hell I'm not sure, I can't see he greeter her with more exuberance than anyone else. I guess he was more pleased to see Debbie, Gail and Linda. To be honest I think he was more interested in bitches than people anyway!

Sammi looking great

Both Nico and Sammi gave their best in the ring, but neither were to the judges preference. Sammi for the first time in her show career went unplaced in a class of 15 and Nico was 4th out of 4. Like most people there I found the whole day's judging very strange and hard to follow, especially the larger bitch classes. Still another day another dog show and I guess it does us all good to loose sometimes, it definitely keeps us from getting complacent, it keeps us grounded!