Page 131 - K9News_Issue16_May2021

ETT, under much respected Japanese judge
Satoshi Bessho. Two months later she was
awarded best Junior in Show at the Interra
Terrier Show in Belgium - another first for the
breed!

Since moving on to adult classes she has
already made her way on the Terrier Group
podium. She has gone on to become a junior
champion in Ireland/Netherlands/ Belgium and
Luxembourg. I am proud that both Mickey and
Minnie have made up to Multi / International
champions. Mickey also been awarded 2 CCs
and 6 RCCs in the UK.

However, I believe that there is more to life
than just showing and my ETTs are pets, living
I met Pat on my first visit to an International in the house with me. They are a very old and
show in Dublin. I had travelled alone, had no vulnerable breed and I am very keen to promote
idea about how FCI shows work, and was sitting the breed amongst the wider public. My dogs
next to the ring waiting for judging to start. She have been extremely successful in the show
was very welcoming and invited me to come and ring, but this is very small part of their very
sit with her and her friends - this was the start of varied life. They regularly take part in Discover
our friendship. Dogs at Crufts, the National Pet Show, the
National Game Fair and Living Heritage events,
Under FCI rules, ETTs are in the Terrier group giving demonstrations and meeting the public. I
- my personal opinion is that this is the correct am proud to say they are also Registered Pets
group for them. I have throughly enjoyed As Therapy dogs.
the experience and both my dogs are Irish
Champions. I have since regularly travelled to
Ireland, loving the ‘craic’, then decided to try
my hand in the rest of Europe. I have enjoyed
meeting people from different countries and
having the opportunity to have my dogs judged
by Internationally respected judges.

Minnie’s first all breed International show was
in the Netherlands. I thought that it would be
fun to have a little holiday with the dogs as I
love to travel. At not quite 8 months old I found
myself in the main ring. Preliminary judging was
for Best Puppy of each breed, all in the ring
together - I found myself standing between a
Great Dane and a Beagle. Everyone paraded
and I was thrilled to be shortlisted to the final 6
and couldn’t wait to ring Pat in Northern Ireland
to tell her. The top 3 places were called in
reverse order and I was stunned to be called
in first. Minnie was awarded BPIS, a first for an

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K9 NEWS DIGITAL / MAY 2021