Proud of my boy!

jen_23

Hey guys,

I'm so delighted with Gunnar today that I just have to brag about him

We went to an open show in Kerry and well he did his mommy proud today!
We won....
AV group 5 puppy
Breed class
Group 5! (and got a nice plaque for it!)
Won ladies handling (and got a trophy)
2nd in Gents handling with his Daddy! ( and got a trophy)
Then came 3rd in Best in Show!!

And FINALLLLLLLLLLLLllllllllyyyyyyy!!

WON - Best Puppy IN Show!!! (and got a perpetual cup and pretty rosette!)

We had such a good day and we both enjoyed every second.. Each time we got a rosette he jumped up in delight - i'm so so so proud of my boy

Just want to thank www.topdog.ie and our ringcraft instructers for helping us out so much with the training and information for the shows!


Here's my Gunnar after a quick groom before his ringcraft class


And in ringcraft class with me waiting our turn to be seen by the judge

CreedonsDogDayc

WOW good on ya girl!!!! He is absolutely stunning in the pics!

Must be so rewarding that ye won so much, were ye expecting to do so good?

I'd say it's given you such an apatite for more shows!

lrushe

Well done, hope there's many more to come

jen_23

CreedonsDogDayc wrote: »

WOW good on ya girl!!!! He is absolutely stunning in the pics!

Must be so rewarding that ye won so much, were ye expecting to do so good?

I'd say it's given you such an apatite for more shows!

Thanks

We weren't expecting it at all!! we would have been thrilled to just win our breed class and get another point towards the junior diploma but I could never have in a million years guessed the outcome today.

I can't wait for the next show. It gets so addicitive!

We were all just beaming coming home! I think we'l be sitting up on cloud 9 for a while to come yet

lrushe wrote: »

Well done, hope there's many more to come

Thanks

Magenta

That's great, well done, he looks smashing in the pictures

CreedonsDogDayc

Jen how does the whole show system work? I must admit I know nothing about it (except for the movie 'Best in Show', a classic!!), but I find it very interesting!

jen_23

Magenta wrote: »

That's great, well done, he looks smashing in the pictures

Thanks

CreedonsDogDayc wrote: »

Jen how does the whole show system work? I must admit I know nothing about it (except for the movie 'Best in Show', a classic!!), but I find it very interesting!

Oh that is a good show - very funny!

Okay - first of all the dog/bitch must be IKC reg and also unspayed/unneutered.
Then you have a few classes of shows - open and champion (there are match and limited too but i'm not too sure of what they are myself.. i'm pretty new to all this show stuff )

Open shows are less pressure and are more for training and fun. You have a few more classes than the champ shows such as the junior/ladies/gents handling, any variety not bred by exhibitor, bred by exhibitor, having won a greenstar, not having won a greenstar etc etc.. but you also have your breed class in puppy/junior/veteren or open depending on the dog age and there is usually a puppy stakes class.

At open shows you can gain points towards your junior diploma. You need 12 points total where you get 1 point for each breed class win or 2 points for a group win. (you can only get this once). You have to get 4 points from champ shows as well. (you get 2 points for breed class win so 2 champ show wins).

Dogs are placed into groupings 1-10. for e.g Group 5 classes most of the huskies and samoyeds and group 9 would class the toy and companion breeds.
For example today I won my breed class - samoyed. Then I had to go up against all the group 5 breed class winners in order to win the goup.
At the end of all the judging all the group winners go up against each other for best in show.

Best in show puppy is again all the group winner puppies go up against each other and the best puppy in show is then chosen by a judge.

When your dog is being judged you bring your dog into the ring and "stack" him. Stacking is how you stand your dog in the show ring which for gunnar is squarely and still.
Then the judge will go over him -
The teeth are checked for the bite.
The body is felt for bone structure.
Males - testicles are checked (they must have two!)
Other things are checked according to the breed standard of that particular breed then as well.

After that then the judge checks the "gait" or movement of the dog. This is done by either walking or trotting (depeding on breed) in a triangle around the ring and then an up and down usually though the judge can change this if they want.

You then go to the back of the exhibiting dogs and await the judges decision.

Champion shows are pretty much the same though they don't tend to have the variety classes and this is where people can earn titles for their dogs. As I said before you can gain points here for your junior diploma but this is also where you earn junior champion titles (7 excellent gradings (you get a grading card at champ shows saying the potential your dog has) in junior breed class is a junior champion title) and Irish champion titles. The breed class winners in champ shows earn greenstars. 7 greenstars = Irish champion title.

I think that's the majority of it Nancy. It's all a bit confusing at the start so if you have any questions shout and i'll try to clear up what I meant

The main thing for me with showing is that after every show regardless of outcome i'm bringing home a winner and Gunnar always gets treated the same (though today he did get an extra treat ). He also loves it as much as I do. All the people at the show came to see him sure

CreedonsDogDayc

God it's very interesting! There's so much to it, now I understand how well Gunner really did! Fair play to ya for putting in the work, he really is a gorgeous dog. My aunt has a Samoyed too, Ben. They're fab dogs, fab gait. He's massive but when he runs he floats!

I'd say the dogs love it alright, there must be a great buzz to the place.

Let us know when he has his next show in Cork, I'd love to pop along (get his autograph ).

theghost

He's a beautiful dog. Well done today

jen_23

CreedonsDogDayc wrote: »

God it's very interesting! There's so much to it, now I understand how well Gunner really did! Fair play to ya for putting in the work, he really is a gorgeous dog. My aunt has a Samoyed too, Ben. They're fab dogs, fab gait. He's massive but when he runs he floats!

I'd say the dogs love it alright, there must be a great buzz to the place.

Let us know when he has his next show in Cork, I'd love to pop along (get his autograph ).

I know a samoyed called Ben. He's about a year old in the south side of Cork.. It's not him is it
Thanks again It was our first big win today so over the moon doesn't do it justice. Gunnar has just flopped with all the excitement. There is no waking him now till the morning!

There usually is a fabulous buzz to the shows. Lots of like minded people all there for the love of their dog - it's really nice! Were only doing it a few months but so far we really enjoy it.

Oooh we have a show in Limerick next week but the following week there is an open show in cork marts in Fermoy. If your around it's the Sunday. Judging is starting I think around 1pm so we will be there from about 12 setting up and getting Gunnar settled for the show

theghost wrote: »

He's a beautiful dog. Well done today

Thanks a mil