Page 62 - K9 News Digital - Issue 11 May2020

A Chat with...

about it, but more the way it was or wasn’t done! pulled out for RBIS, the ecstasy of the occasion is
However, Peter was really touched when the lost, for both exhibitor and audience. (This being my
Kennel Club invited him to give out the BIS trophy. own personal view)
It seemed especially appropriate that it was Maisie,
I remember when this was carried out for the first
the Standard Wirehaired Dachshund who should win
time, the audience were whooping in delight and the
BIS, with Peters’ involvement, owning one himself. happiness on the exhibitors’ face, suddenly changed
We’ll forget about the little ‘accident’ afterwards!
when they realised they had not in fact achieved BIS.
Since then, Peter has moved onto to become the RBIS is an excellent achievement but how many
Brand Ambassador for Lintbells Yumove®, a joint people remember the RBIS?
care company, who approached him soon after the
Crufts should be the world’s biggest dog show,
information became public. He accepted the role, as
covered by television, NOT the other way around. It
he uses the product for his 12½yr old Dachshund
is to be hoped that the Kennel Club/Crufts team can
who has “livened up no end” and could be honest as
get the television company to change it around so
to how well the product had worked.
that the euphoria of BIS returns! After all exhibitors
We’ve already discussed that prior to and as well pay a lot of money to enter their dogs, in whatever
as his Crufts involvement, Peter was also an actor/ discipline, and therefore this should be taken into
singer, but also saw him take a career change, account. I’d hate to think how many thousands it has
to become a Television Presenter. In fact, for a cost me over the years!!!!
continuous 10½ years run, Peter was one of the Blue
Peter presenters, as well as presenting a number of
other shows, one of which was Crufts.
Did Peter enjoy this new role? “Oh yes” was his
reply, Peter had a lovely time meeting and greeting
customers, with many being very complimentary.
Apart from being a Brand Ambassador, Peter is
looking forward to being involved in other animal
television work including a mini-series on rescue
dogs.
It seems to me that Peter has adopted the “glass
half full” mantra, looking at more projects which were
offered to him immediately after Crufts. As he says,
he is both lucky and appreciative that other people
have felt that he still has a great deal to offer.
In conclusion we chatted about over the years, how
Crufts had changed. Peters’ view is that when the
BBC were involved in producing the programmes,
there was less coverage of the many and varied
trade stands, there were less ‘frivolous’ items and
what there was, was much more about educating
the viewing public, plus more on the actual showing,
which is the mainstay of the show. The emphasis
on these aspects and the flyball, has meant that the
obedience championships have featured much less.
Showing activity seems to have little importance until
the group stage.

The televising of the “live” final is terrific as those
watching at home, actually see it, as it happens. We
Hoping that you enjoyed this Chat With… and I hope
chatted about the awarding of Reserve Best In Show
you will read my next one, A Crufts Chat With…
before BIS. There are seven dogs in the ring and the
dog pulled out, for what is the second placed award, Simon Rimmer of C4 Sunday Brunch. Stay well, stay
safe and we will see each other again when the next
goes against everything Crufts has been and is about.
dog show arises.
Even though exhibitors are advised beforehand, in
the razzamatazz of the BIS competition, they don’t Jan Fiers
necessarily take the information on board. When

62 - K9 NEWS DIGITAL