Go to top of page
2007 in detail
Rupert will be having a light year in the show ring in 2007 so we can concentrate on the working side. However, he will do a few shows including Manchester and Crufts. He started the showing year at Worcester and Malvern Canine Society's Open show on the 6th January. He had a very good day coming 3rd in a very strong AVNSC Gundog Open class and then first in the AV Rare Breed Open class.
Yet again Rupert qualified for Crufts at his first outing of the year - four years in a row now! He was 2nd in Post Graduate under judge, David Hutchinson. It was a good day for the family with Dad, Arni, hitting his half-century with 50 BOBs - a record I don't think will be beaten in a hurry. Precocious baby brother, Ari, was Best Puppy and Reserve Best Dog, brother, Glen, was Best Rare Breed and sister, Florrie, was Reserve Best Bitch in the Rare Breed classes and 5th in the Special Beginner stakes - well done everyone!
Rupert bought home two yellow cards from United Retriever Club's February Open show. He was third in the breed Post Graduate class and then third in the AV Retriever Open class.
Rupert was in the cards again at Crufts and got his first ever Crufts rosette this year from the Kennel Club Good Citizen Dog class. He also did very well in a strong Post Graduate class making the shortlist with a Reserve. It was another good year for the family with Dad, Arni taking his 4th BOB at Crufts, RBD was big brother Stig. Best Bitch and Best Puppy was little sister Caoimhe and half sister Puddle was RBB.
On Easter Monday we were off to Nuneaton show at the Sports Connexion. Rupert was 3rd in the AVNSC Gundog Open class.
Two days later we were off to Windsor Gundog where the Toller judge was Ann Moss. Rupert was 2nd in his class. Precocious baby brother Ari was RBOB behind their brother Stig. Ari also went on to get 2nd place in the Junior Stakes under John Thirwell.
The Saturday of May Bank Holiday weekend was Mid-Western Gundog. Rupert won the Post Graduate class under judge, Sylvia Bunting and then went on to take RBOB behind baby brother Ari.
Rupert won the Post Graduate Dog class under Babs Harding at the Birmingham National Championship Dog Show. Well done to brother Glen, who won BOB, baby sister Caoimhe who was BOS and finally sister Florrie who was RBB.
A week later we made the long drive up to Edinburgh for SKC. It was a windy miserable day and Rupert was entered in both Obedience and Breed classes, the timing worked out well with the Obedience in the morning and they were just doing the Beginner presentations when Simon phoned to tell me that the Golden Retrievers, who were in the ring before us, were on Limit. Rupert worked well and got a KC Obedience Award of Merit in Beginners then he went onto to win the Post Graduate class under Ray Strudwick, this was his 5th Post Graduate win in breed at Championship show level so now I will move him up to Limit. Tollers are a non-CC breed so, strictly speaking, can't win out of Post Graduate but common sense has to prevail and where is the fun in remaining in a class where you have already beaten your rivals at leat 5 times. The challenge was a family occasion as Ari had won the Junior class and Mum, Gypsy won Open. This left me with no back-up handler so Simon had to take Bear in and he did a very good job. Rupert showed beautifully for his Dad and didn't look back at Mum like he did last year. Ari went Best Of Breed (his first at Championship level) and Gypsy took Best Opposite Sex - all in all a fun day out and well worth the long drive.
The first day in June saw us heading down the A34 to Newbury for Southern Counties. Our judge was Peggy Beisel-Mcilwaine from the USA and she pulled a good entry of 35 Tollers. This was Rupert's first real bash at Limit, he was still under the magic 5 Post Graduate wins when we entered but I decided to create some swap-over space by entering Rupert in the Limit class instead. Definitely a good decision as he won the class! Ari had won Junior so for a change I handled Rupert in the challenge, handing Ari over to his Breeder, Carol. Both dogs behaved beautifully and we were very pleased to come home with two red cards for the second show in a row.
From Southern Counties it was onto Three Counties, our local Championship Show. Our Judge was Colin Mackay and he gave Rupert the Post Graduate class, he had also given Ari the Junior class so I let Carol handle Rupert this time round. Congratulations to his litter brother Glen who was Rserve Best Dog. This was our third show now when our boys did a double and Rupert's fourth class win in a row - and this is the dog that I wasn't going to show much this year! We will continue to balance Obedience and Showing but I have proved to myself that I can handle two dogs at a Breed Show so if we are showing this year then I will have both boys with me.
Mrs F A Somerfield was judging Tollers at Blackpool. She gave Rupert his 5th class win in a row - Limit Dog. Rupert's litter brother Glen took Best Dog and Best of Breed - congratulations! This was our first time at Blackpool and its a nice show plus a good opportunity to catch up with some more northernly Toller friends. Rupert's little brother (and Ari's litter brother) Teddy qualifed as well as second cousin (?) Rio. It was a good day for the Shoredancer girls with Koda 1st and Rio 2nd in Puppy Bitch then Koda crowned it off by getting Reserve Best Bitch and Best Puppy - well done!
Next we were down the M5 to Exeter for Paignton where Jean Lanning was judging the breed. She placed Rupert in the Reserve (4th) slot in the Open Dog class. Ari was 2nd in Junior Dog.
August brings round United Retriever which is always very close to my birthday, we have traditionally done very well here and 2007 was no exception with Rupert taking the Limit class under Michaela Edridge with litter sister, Tomi, second. Ari won Graduate with his litter sister, Madjik, second which is almost a repeat of SKC earlier in the year. I handled Rupert in the Dog Challenge and he behaved impeccably but it was Ari's day winning Best Dog then going onto to take Best of Breed. Ari was handled by his breeder in the Dog Challenge - thank you Carol! Congratulations to Fergus on his Reserve Best Dog plus Rupert's litter sister, Ellie - Best Bitch and Reserve Best of Breed and proud Mum, Gypsy - Reserve Best Bitch.
Onto the end of August and the Bank Holiday weekend saw us at the Sports Connexion in Coventry twice. First up on the Saturday was Coventry (Foleshill) CA Open show who, I think, were scheduling Tollers for the first time. Unfortunately there were only my two Tollers entered. Our judge was Jonathon Daltrey and he gave both boys first in their classes then awarded BOB to Ari and RBOB to Rupert, who was handled in the challenge by Lisa - thanks Lisa! Precocious baby brother Ari went onto to get Group 4 under Trudy Short (Parkmist). Congratulations to Lisa and her Labrador Paddy who was Group 2.
Two days later on Bank Holiday Monday was Leicester City CS Open Show. There were no Toller classes this time so both boys were entered in the AVNSC Gundog classes under Ray Strudwick. Rupert was 3rd in Open, slightly outshone by baby brother Ari who was 1st in Yearling and went onto to take Group 3 also under Ray Strudwick. All in all a very successful weekend. We celebrated in the evening with a very muddy walk!
September saw us heading off down the M40 again for Richmond. The judge was Valerie Foss and Rupert won the Limit Dog class and Ari the Junior Dog class.
Then in October it was back to Great Barr for the Birmingham and District Gundog and Terrier Open Show where the Judge was Elaine Thomas (Claramand). Both Ari and Rupert won their classes so Phil Goodall did the handling honours for Rupert in the challenge. Ari took Best of Breed but the judge complimented both boys on their condition and how well muscled they were.
The following Friday we were off up the M6 for Midland Counties. There was no Limit class so Rupert was entered in Open dog and Judge Ruth Barbour made it a family affair with brother Glen first, Dad Arni second, brother Stig third, Rupert in the Reserve slot and then cousin Louis (Newfanova Elysium of Avonwharfe) VHC. I was thrilled! It was a good day in general for the family, Ari took his class then Caoimhe and Madjik did a 1,2 in Post Graduate bitch, Ellie took Open Bitch with Tomi third. 2nd and 4th in Open bitch went to half-sisters Sky and Puddle. Glen took BOB and Caoimhe Best Bitch - congratulations all!
Our final show of the year was the NSDTR Club of UK Breed Show, the 2nd they have run. Rupert was 3rd in Limit dog and then won the Special Working class and the newly donated Tivalake Trophy for Best Special Working. This was really special as he won this class at the inaugural show as well - it was a lovely end to the year and possibly Rupert's showing career as 2008 will definitely see him concentrating on obedience and agility while he leaves the showing to baby brother Ari.
Rupert, winner of the Tivalake Trophy for Best Special Working at the 2007 NSDTR Club Show.
Many thanks to Ray McDonald for permission to reproduce this photograph
