Five proud dog owners officially have top pooches after their dogs came out as winners in their categories at the prestigious Crufts’ dog show held at the NEC, Birmingham, between March 8 and 11.
Clive and Linda Walker from Blackwood are beaming after their two-year old Shar Pei called Hurry Up Harry, or Harry for short if he is in the park,won first place for his category.
A proud Clive explained that Harry competes with much older dogs,although he is very young, because he has already started winning competitions.
Last year at Crufts, Harry won best puppy and earlier this year he won best in breed in the Utility Breeds of Wales show.
The Walkers have been breeding Shar Peis for years and have been entering them at Crufts for 15 years.
“We are extremely proud and Harry is a lovely dog to live with.”
Clive explained that Harry has a lovely temperament and is particularly fond of children, especially those with disabilities.
“If he spots a child in a wheelchair he will go over and put his head in their lap.
“We have three Shar Peis at home, including Harry, a puppy and Gypsy, who has retired now.
“All our dogs are named after songs and poems and Harry is named after a 1970s Sham 69 song called Hurry Up Harry.”
A Caerphilly town dog groomer and his Polish lowland sheepdog won top prize in the post graduate bitch category.
Paul Lang has been running dog grooming parlour Cutz 4 Mutz in Caerphilly town for 14 years and has been breeding Polish sheepdogs for 22 years.
Six-year-old Tilly won first place in the postgraduate bitch class but owner Paul explained that she will be entering the veteran category in future.
“We have high hopes for one of her puppies and we will be entering her daughter Darcy,who lives with my son.”
Chris Moes and wife Rhian Williams, from Gilfach, have competed at Crufts for the past 15 years,entering their dachshunds and scooping four separate prizes.
The couple’s dogs won: Reserve Dog Challenge for smooth-haired dog; first place for open smooth-haired bitch; third place for mini wire-haired dog and first place for mini smooth-haired puppy bitch.
“Our Rusha won first prize for best mini smooth-haired puppy, but we did not do as well as we should have,” Mr Moes said.
The couple have been breeding dachshunds for almost 30 years from their Gilfach kennels and are one of the world’s leading breeders.
“We sell our standard and miniature dachshunds around the world, as far afield as Australia, Canada and Japan,” Mr Moes said.
There were 22,000 dogs competing for the overall title of Crufts’ Best In Show, but the award ceremony was controversially interrupted as animal rights campaigners stormed the arena to protest at dog breeding.