A lot of catching up

Eek seems I have been forgetting to update the blog, so have a fair amount of catching up to do!  First a lovely picture of Zuni (Elbereth Halti) at fourteen, she is by Carlacot Azure out of Sulyka Mischa at Elbereth, the dark puppy of the four.  Much loved by Anty, she doesn't look her age.

Another oldie - E Lusa - just short of her 12th birthday - she is of course Toive's sister from THE pet passport litter.

Then onto some show news - in Luxembourg - Matka and Kia did the double, two CACIB, and CACL, which gave Matka his Luxembourg Champion title.  With Kia taking BOB.

Then in the new year Marian and I took the two to Mouscron in Belgium, under Finnish judge Elina Haapaniemi, where they were the only two lapphunds to be graded excellent, and were awarded the CACIB again - this time Matka taking BOB, he was then shortlisted to the last 6 in the group.

A week later Sue and I headed off to Holland for the Eindhoven show, little were we to realise what an experience/adventure that would be!

Podium 3 photo

First the SatNav got us to with half mile of hotel, but we found that the direct route is closed (google earth never showed that) so have to wing it and try and guess the right diversion sign for us, get to hotel with minor detour, and then plan for easy trip to show next morning.  Guess what other end of road from hotel is also closed for road works so have to take a guess and head vaguely in direction we thought we needed, ignoring SatNav telling us to do numerous U turns! Find venue easy enough but then it’s a game of spot the car park – took three laps around the venue to find the underground car park which was to ultimately to cost 14 euros for the stay – and we complain here at £8 for NEC.

We load up the show trolley and walk in very cold weather to venue, to then find we have lost the all important folder containing all Matkamies’ papers; entry pass for show and more crucially pet passport, so have to bluff way into show handy not speaking the language, and consider my options on replacing pet passport, thoughts of leaving Matka in Holland to return to UK to get copy passport, or just sit down and cry.  Two trips back by both Sue then I to retrace steps back to car and we still don’t find the folder.  So we ask the show secretary if by any chances it has been handed in – you can imagine the relief that we find that a couple in local apartment block have found the folder and we can go and collect it.  So big thanks to Jordie Holtman who phoned the locals and got directions, so we could rush off and retrieve the all important documents.  The couple who had picked it up were lovely, and wanted us to stop for tea – but we had to rush back to the show.  So have to say by the time I got in the ring I was somewhat high on adrenaline/relief, but delighted to win the CACIB and CAC, and best dog with Matka and Kia taking res BB and bitch CACIB. The fun did not stop there – as the afternoon progressed the snow started to fall and temperatures dropped further – it was soon apparent that our journey back to our hotel would not be easy, and we had to stay for the group.  Well the group was judged by Mrs E Upmeijer and I was delighted that a day that started so stressfully should end this well with a FCI Group 3 placing.

When we got out of the venue the snow was thick on the ground and a 4 mile trip took nearly an hour as we followed snow ploughs galore and navigated back still avoiding the road closures.  Then on the Saturday we had the journey home, whilst there was no new snow and the motorways had been cleared well, the minus 11C temperature meant for careful driving and the three hour outgoing journey became five hours on way back.