Top dogs have their day at Kennel Club winter open show

Pekingeses had been preened, collies combed, and beards were blow-dried as everyone was on their best behaviour, most of the time, for the judges at Beau Sejour.

At stake was not just bragging rights at the park and on the beach, but a place at Crufts.

There were 98 dogs taking part in the seven different classifications – gundogs, hounds, terriers, pastoral, working, utility and toy.

The atmosphere was tense, but there was lots of camaraderie, wagging tails and ‘who’s a good boy’.

Chris Bligh, from the Kennel Club, said everyone was in it to win it, despite the friendships between owners.

‘All these dogs are family pets, owners show them because they want to do activities with their dog, and they’re proud of them, so that’s where the competitiveness comes from.

‘Personality is very important because you can have a dog that can be a right little tinker and it will always be that way, you’ve got some that show off, they really know they’re the best and you can almost see them looking at the judge in a way that says “go on, I dare you”. They have wonderful personalities.’

The way it works is that the dogs and their owners start by standing still in the middle of the green, the smaller dogs stand on a table, and the judges observe them.

Then the dogs and their humans trot around the low-fenced area, with the occasional toss of a perfectly coiffed mane.

Then everyone has to stand still and the occasional treat is snuffled, because some dogs appear to prefer the prancing around bit.

The judge gives one of the owners a rosette or cup, and everyone claps and says well done and all the dogs act as if they are winners basking in glory.

Ginny Heaume was showing her three-year-old clumber spaniel Florence, whose kennel name is Suelynda Diamonds R’Forever at Francfief.

They were chasing the title that lots of pups can only dream about.

‘It’s a passion, we all do it for the love of it and the fun of it. Primarily she’s a pet and, white as her coat is, we go out on the beach and in the mud. She’s not treated any differently because she’s a show dog, but she’s done very well and we’ve already been away to Crufts, and she’s not far off from being a champion dog and there are not many dogs from the Channel Islands that have achieved that.’