Page 18 - K9News_Issue13_October2020_download_Neat
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AN INTERVIEW WITH
CURRENT JUNIOR HANDLER
Meabh Briscoe
Tell me about yourself: (your age/ where a completely different love for a
you’re from/ are you in school /college new sport! I started training in Mixed
/ job) Martial Arts in Monsterboice under my
My name is Meabh Briscoe and I am coach Connor Dillion. It was completely
fourteen years old, I am from County different ball game to showing dogs but
Louth and am currently a school I enjoyed every second of it even if I did
student. cry after every session for two weeks!
At first my Mam just wanted me to train
When and how did you become involved and nothing else, fighting in a cage for a
in dog shows and junior handling: living or on the mats was definitely not
When I was born my parents already in my Mams head but when I was told
had a litter of Bullmastiffs so I was about a competition coming up called
raised with dogs , when I was seven the Dublin Open I wanted nothing more
I started begging my Mam for a new than to fight and after weeks of begging
dog, the Bullmastiffs were too big and I was allowed, I was terrified the day of
strong for me to be able to show. Since it but after some kind words from my
my Grandad trained Greyhounds and coach and teammates I did, I medalled
my Mam was raised with dogs around, third at my first competition and I was
I wanted a Greyhound but after some delighted and I think my parents were
research my parents decided on getting more surprised that I actually did it
me a Whippet, that’s how the journey more anything, after that my love for
of Junior Handling started, I started Brazilian Jiu Jitsu was born!
training at night classes in the National
Show Centre with my Whippet, Ricky, and What have you been doing during
once I turned ten my parents allowed lockdown, both in relation to dogs and
me to compete in Junior Handling and I your other interests, have you tried out
[
loved every show I got to go to. any new skills?:
During the Covid lockdown, BJJ training
What breed/s do you currently own: was cancelled and so were dog shows; I
I currently own Whippets and think I was more gutted about the shows
Bullmastiffs with my family under our as I had a litter of Bullmastiff puppies
‘Belwood’ affix. who I was excited to get in the ring and
I was gutted I couldn’t train anymore
Tell me about your Interests/Past times: as BJJ isn’t a recognized sport by the
After three years of just showing government, so we all knew it would
dogs in Junior Handling and years of be some time before we were allowed
showing in the Breed Ring, I developed back training. I spent most of my time
18
K9 NEWS DIGITAL / OCTOBER 2020
