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Location: Ireland
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 3,922
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Munster Circuit - Never Again!
Well, I'm back - and it took the combined efforts of several people to persuade me to stay as I wanted to come home Monday night
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We had the Navan Group show on the Saturday, not strictly on the circuit but I had all 3 dogs entered and the weather was glorious. Taylor came 2nd out of 5, Polo did what Polo always does
and Polly got 3rd in Open bitch, better than she normally does against that degree of competition
Here is a pic of me with Taylor waiting for our second place card:-
Incidentally, he was the youngest there and the first male puppy.
He even managed to look reasonable while relaxing, waiting for our turn:-
Once we had finished, it was straight off to Clonmel for the show the next day (Sunday) where we had a disasterous day in miserable drizzle. Polly won Veteran (it was an FCI show) under the French judge but because she has some teeth missing she was not allowed to go forward for Best Veteran in Show, very disappointing as she has been placed in Veteran Stakes many times this year and the Clonmel show had Best Veteran on a Group basis so she might have had a good chance.
Despite wanting to go home and forget the rest of the week, I plodded on, off to Killarney next, appalling lack of organisation, rude officials and another set of bum results. Rained all day but not hard.
Off next to Limerick, driving past Tralee where we were due on the Saturday. The show was on Thursday and the rain was torrential and the ground a sea of mud. I held someone's Bulldog while she took the other in the ring, and he decided to get friendly which left me with an unusual pattern of muddy paw prints all up my orange jacket. Very fetching. We had a change of judge which didn't help us at all, so Polo was 4th out of 4, Polly was thrown out. Taylor wasn't entered but I took him out of the van afterwards and he added greatly to his spots by galloping through the mud gleefully. I had to change my clothes three times but luckily we didn't get the thunder until after the classes, or Polo would have gone beserk.
By this time, as well as rubbish results, three people had decided to have a go at me/my dogs no-one else had spoken to me and I was hell bent on going home immediately. Some delightful people in Irish Water Spaniels, Ian and Cate, took me in hand and persuaded me to stick it out. They were on the same campsite and very kindly took me out for a pub meal that night and it was most enjoyable. The next day at Tralee, they magically appeared and took Polly and my trolley up to the ringside for me, such a help so I owe them!
Tralee - the sun shone for a change, Polo went very well and managed a third behind two multiple champions, Polly was thrown out (French judge again, teeth again!) and was thrown out for the fourth time running in Veteran Stakes
but she went well so I was pleased with that.
I am now home (hurray!) the dogs have found the settee and are on their third dream, I have another show next Saturday but I seriously doubt whether I will do the circuit next year..... not an enjoyable week AT ALL!
On the upside - me and three dogs in the van worked very well, apart from my glasses snapping two on day 1 (didn't bring spare) and yesterday the ignition on the gas bit of the fridge stopped working
and I left the lead that goes between the camera and the laptop behind so I couldn't upload the day's pics and make room for more....... but that's about normal!
Gill