Page 201 - K9News_Issue12_July2020

the breed to BOB at Bournemouth and given
he was sometimes a handful, I took him into
the group where he won his first Group 1 from
Gordon Rual. However, Best In Show wasn’t on
for another 2 days, which meant driving back
to Scotland to come all the way back again for
Best in Show 2 days later. As I mentioned in
Viva’s article, it was at Bath earlier the next year
where Barrie Croft was judging, he awarded
Seb (Italo) & Tracy the Dog CC followed by
BOB, and Viva her first CC with Tor. I then took
Seb into the group where he won his 3rd group.
We returned the next day and he was awarded
Best In Show from our Group & BIS Judge Mrs
Kari Wilberg. Although I had co-owned Zena,
who had an All Breeds BIS, this was my first All
Breeds BIS where I was handling, making it an
incredible moment for me.
In 2017 I was honoured to be nominated and
From then on I have handled for the Jojaviks, then go on to win Exhibitor of The Year against
where we have made up multiple champions, some very worthy exhibitors at the Pawscars - I
gained Top Breeder All Breeds, Top Dobe, Breed am hugely grateful for the award and for the
Records, All Breed BIS, Groups etc. opportunities that it has brought with it.

The Dynamic Duo act that is BIlly & Viva, who Since a very young age I have been immersed
have each amassed over 40 CC’s - it has been in breeding & exhibiting dogs - I find a certain
a rollercoaster journey and now VIva’s daughter fascination in studying the different kennels
Ivy, who is also a champion in her own right, & pedigrees that make up a breed’s history,
seems to be following in Viva’s footsteps. All anyone who knows me will know this is based
three of which are co-owned by myself, Jackie & on my rather extensive library! Dogs are and
Tor. always will be my first love, and I have no doubt
that in years to come I will be writing additional
I started judging when I was 16, my first articles for future breed features. The rest as
appointment was at Lisburn (a local open they say is history.....
show) judging Dobes and Rotts. From then
I progressed through the ranks and have At It’s Best Photography
awarded green stars in Dobes, Dogue De Josh Henderson
Bordeaux, Neapolitan Mastiffs, Leonberger, Mini aibphotography@yahoo.com
Schnauzers, Newfoundlands, Great Danes &
Boxers. I am a B list judge for Great Danes and
due to award my first set of CC’s in Dobes ‘21.

Over the years I have also pursued my other
passion, photography. I set up ‘At Its Best
Photography’ and regularly photograph shows
& hold 1-on-1 sessions for different clients. The
photographs, both at shows and from private
shoots, have rapidly gained in popularity & I’ve
now photographed dogs not only in England, but
also Ireland, USA, and across Europe.

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