WELKS - Finally!

2nd, Orin (3rd) and 4th in OD

 Our journey to Malvern was not the best. I set off from home at 4am, with an arrival time of 7.35am. giving me loads of time to get the trolleys and dogs to the ring in time for 9am judging. Owen was 10 mins late for the meet up at Maentwrog; well, 7.45am arrival, no problem. The A470 is among the most scenic of routes, and even at that early hour it was stunning. As usual the Sat Nav wanted me to go through Welshpool. As ever, I said, "No." The route through Newtown may be 5 miles longer, but it's a lot more straightforward. We were about 15 miles south of the Welshpool roundabout when with no warning we came to a full stop, "Police" - Road Closed. Shit, where did we go now, Google maps gave no ideas other than to head for Builth past Llyn Clywedog, and I knew that would bring us down much further south than I needed, so I opted to go the 15 miles back to the Welshpool roundabout. Our arrival time suddenly became 8.25am - and yeah it was that time when we arrived. With hindsight, maybe I should have continued past Llyn Clywedog down to Rhayader, that would have made the journey a total of 163 miles, (4hrs and 12 mins) so just 13 miles more than our original route, but at the time, and with no help from Google Maps, I made an executive decision!!!! I must admit I did giggle at one point when Owen said,"Rhian, I think we are going a little too fast!" 

Meerah when she was still 3rd

The judging of Veteran dog and MPD had finished by the time we set up, but there was still enough time to get Orin organised. I was happy with his third, he simply was not going to be any higher in the class and apart from the air scenting, he did great. 

To be honest, seeing Meerah pulled out third was a shock to me, I was really chuffed, for me and for her handler and number 1 fan, Owen. He is new and inexperienced, but he has the potential to be a fantastic handler. Sadly Meerah lost one place on the last lap, I guess she paced at the wrong time, maybe an experienced handler would have noticed, maybe the judge could have pointed it out to the handler, but it's not her place to do so. Anyway to be honest, it didn't matter that much, Owen and Meerah did a great job and I was thrilled.

Miss Beti

I thought back to the last time Meerah was exhibited at Malvern and, travelling alone that day, how I cried most of the way home. I recall how she looked that day; she was like a giraffe in the ring with other nice females of the same age. I was honestly embarrassed and regretting my decision to put her in the ring for scrutiny; I envisaged people taking the piss out of me for showing her and out of her for how she looked. But now a year on, she really does look so much better, and with luck and good fortune, she'll look even better again in another 12 months time. She has plenty of scope for maturity, and I do believe taking her out of the ring for those 8 months was the right thing to do.

Baby Beti was out in her PJ's, lol bless her. She was second to large LSH in full bloom. She went well and I do hope that on another day, the class could have been hers. Though I would have thrown my toys out of the pram should either of the other two entries have been in front of her. 

Judging was finished in our breed by lunchtime, but we chilled and chatted before leaving for home. What makes me travel so far to watch GSD go round a ring? Well, the love of the dogs, the breed and the love of like-minded people. These be my peoples! 😉

The journey home didn't go to plan either. Sat Nav said turn left out of the field, I said NO! I don't want to go home via the M5/M6/M56, it's 50 miles more one way, and I've sat too many times in crawling traffic on those motorways. I set off right, went up the hill and turned left for Hereford to get onto the A49 - within 10 mins "Road Closed."  As Victor would say "I don't believe it!"  I've no idea where we went then, but we crossed the M50 😲. I was totally at a loss and Owen was snoring. Eventually I got onto the A49, put Ed on for company and made my way back home. Despite the road closures, it was a lovely day, and I saw some "extra" beautiful countryside.