Lots To Say ..

Louis - Mr Amazing 

It was with great reluctance that I entered The Royal Welsh Dog Show this year. A great show with a fantastic run down to it .. but this year a judge who was not to my likening. She is a breed specialist in Belgian Shepherds and I'd seen her judge GSD's before and was really not impressed. But I think my main reason for taking a dislike to her was that she wrote a critique for Louis and said his head was incorrect, she said his muzzle was too short for his forehead. Well what a load of rubbish, he had a wonderful head and that's not rose tinted glasses as regards to the breed standard he had a very correct head. I later gave the judge another opportunity with Asha and Mikey, she didn't place either and she went onto my list of judges to avoid.
I decided to take Kaiah and Ross for the experience of a loud busy show which of course they took in their stride. Ross was second of two in puppy, I guess the other puppy was nice enough, but having seen her last at her previous shows I did start to wonder why she placed them as she did.  I think her biggest fopar of the day must have been in the junior class when the best dog stood last. I'm not saying this because he belongs to a friend, but he's a super youngster. Bella won PG easily and none of the Open dogs entered, including Loki, had bothered to get out of bed to turn up! LOL. Kaiah was in open bitch, only 2 of the entries present and the other bitch is one I have admired. I was shocked to win the class, not because Kaiah didn't deserve too but because I'd come to the conclusion that with this judge, my face just does not fit!

Kaiah and Bella in the challenge

We then stood in the line to challenge for BOB, Kaiah, Bella, (both Champ show winners) the junior class winner and the puppy class winner. As I stood waiting for the judge I was absolutely horrified to overhear the owner of the second placed bitch in Kaiah's class say .. "Well she didn't deserve to be beaten by that." I stated at the person who had her head looking down toward the people she was chatting too. What the feck? Kaiah is not rubbish, again honestly no rose tinted glasses, Kaiah is a quality young female who can challenge the best of them. I continued to stare at her and it was on the tip of my tongue to say something when the judge walked away from the table and into the center of the ring. I was seething as I stood Kaiah up to challenge. Did she not see me standing there? I thought she was my friend? I was in such a temper but I couldn't let myself down, ring etiquette and all that .. I stayed silent. Predictably the BOB went elsewhere and I stormed out of the ring. I later apologised to the BOB winner and told them why I'd left the ring in such a mood, bless him he'd been so pleased he hadn't noticed!
My friends kept me grounded, and being non confrontational as I am I said nothing. But still seething a while later I told the people she was chatting to that I had heard every word. They said .. "Oh you know what she's like, a bit nuts and rose tinted glasses." Well no actually, I didn't know she was like that and I guess considering her a friend of 5 or so years I was completely taken aback!

Barney

On the way home I had a text from her, and another later that evening. The long and short of it was that she said she thought Kaiah should have had BOB, well that added insult to injury. She had either realised I'd heard her, the other people she'd talk to had told her I'd heard, she's seen a post on Facebook and put  two and two together or she's blatantly two faced.
In future my fond memories of this show will far out way the one negative experience and the poor judging. I'll remember sitting under that tree chatting and laughing with my lovely friends, (though some where absent and missed) I'll remember meeting lovely new people who I'm sure will become friends. I'll remember Bella and Marco sitting by the fence wearing their halos, whilst Ross auditioned to be a JCB and Kaiah helped with the removal of branches. I'll laugh as I remember Jackie and Linda getting covered in the evacuated soil .. and how many times did I have to clean Ross down before the class? I'll remember Claire bring Barney .. Sammi's brother to see me, and her fantastic attitude towards her gran daughter and how wonderful all the dogs where with her. I'll remember Sari cuddled on Tish's lap and Tish arriving back wearing her ice cream 5 mins before she was due in the ring. It must be the way to do it eh .. top winner Sari. I'll remember the carpets of bluebells , the May Bug and the stunning Kites ...I'll remember Linda's face as we told her we were not going shopping, and those bikes .. OMG those bikes and Ian's profanities!!! Yeah despite the judging it was a lovely day, such a shame there's always one that tries to spoil it .. thankfully she failed.