City of Birmingham Canine Association General championship show.
Awoke 5.15 am and out of the house with clean Farley by 5.40, deciding to go via the rec so that he could have a leg stretch and finish what he hadn't done in the garden. He chose do spend the time playing "catch me if you can!" , nose on front paws bum high, and running away. Resulting in me being 1. late! 2. puffed! 3. irritated! 4. pondering how to catch the monkey! 5. dirty feet 6. Hairy balls and spikey seedpods all caught up in his feet hair. ummmmm and he looked perfect to me last night.
Eventually arrived at friend, Beau's & Sheila's place (she having woken Jezz a second time that morning to ask where was I!) , left her place at 6.20 am, arriving in Stoneleigh Park, near Coventry, around 8.20am. Grass was wet and the long gravel lane was so dry & dusty so the dirt stuck to his feet, Farley ended up for a second time that morning with grubby legs. It's not going all that well at this point in the day! Feet were washed in the dogs small water bowl and copious amounts of talc powder etc chucked on afterwards to get him dry for a 9 o'clock start judging time. Then long walk to find the main toilet block closed and at the other location, a queue for the ladies, made me see the red mist.
Luckily for us, the judging time was delayed by the organisation until 9.30 am giving just enough time for a reasonable re -grooming and drying time, with the fabulous help of Sheila (I hope she had her ears closed at that moment - I was not a happy companion!). Dare we say it, my hairy baby is beginning to turn into a handsome young man at 2 years and 5 months old- he's filling out, getting a six pack, got a sticky willy, and he now doesn't introduce himself to the front end of the girls! He's taken up hind leg investigations rather too eagerly! That and the constant singing/barking with excitement, I wasn't having any expectations of having a good class.
However, it just goes to show that I can be wrong, because he pulled himself together and was motoring and well behaved in the ring, and secured himself first place in the Graduate class against 7 others. Thank you to breed judge Denise Barley, We are very pleased, thank you!
We left the show around 3-4 o'clock, via the long way round as "Mrs Satnav" was on form and directed us north via Coventry, Birmingham, (instead of south to Warwick and M40 home) and at that point I overruled her and insisted we went back via M42/m40. I thought technology was s'posed to help but the old fashioned way with a paper map seems to suit me better? This little detour added an extra half hour to the journey time, and after dropping Beau and Sheila off, eventually got home at 6.50pm. A very satisfying days result.