The Team are in the final stages for preparing for their travel to compete in Denmark next month with House Sitters booked to look after the handler's non competing dogs whilst they are away.
In just over four weeks, the entire Team GB will set off to Harwich to catch the ferry to Esbjerg in Denmark. The DFDS Seaways Harwich-to-Esbjerg ferry service connects Essex in South-East England to Esbjerg in the pretty Ribe region of western Denmark. Travelling on DFDS's newest ferry the DANA SIRENA.
This 17 hour journey will have set times when the dogs are allowed out of the cars for a little exercise, and as it is an overnight ferry there will be a good stretch of time when all will be sleeping.
Once in Denmark, the Team will then drive for approximately 90 minutes to the house they are renting on the West Coast and arrive there on Tuesday 22nd June.
Wednesday will be a very welcome free day for the Team to rest and practice before competing.
Thursday the Team will be visiting the
Messecentre Herning, the venue for
The World Show. There are
19,354 dogs entered at this show!!!! Thursday afternoon will be practice time (15 minutes for each team of three) which will be allocated for each team by the organsers followed by a
Dinner for all competitors and their partners.
There is a
catalogue available showing all competitors - but no running orders given yet - the team has to wait for the draw to be made on Thursday before the competition.
On Friday at noon, all the teams are invited to the opening ceremony.
This will be followed by the Heelwork To Music Competition when Carole, Gina and Kath will be competing.
Saturday is the Freestyle Competition when Michelle, Penny and Jenny will be competing.
The Competitions then conclude on Sunday with individual handler competitions for both HTM and Freestyle - ie the Top 10 highest individual scoring dogs taken from the Team Competitions.
Monday the Team will be starting their journey home - again taking the DFDS Ferry from Esbjerg to Harwich and then onwards back home.
The Team will endeavour to keep the Blog updated during their time away.
This is the Stats report for 10th May 2010 - thank you for visiting our Blog.
Thank you for your support - it is truly appreciated
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The Team were proud to be introduced into the ring wearing their HTM Team GB uniforms to open the show. Jackets supplied and designed by "Crazydogs" with a superb Union Jack Paw Print on the back, featuring the four Main Sponsors of HTM Team GB - Rugby DTC, Belgian Shepherd Dog Association of GB, Paws N Music Association and Canine Freestyle GB.
Many thanks to Dave Ray who gave up his time and supplied the PA equipment and great commentary throughout the evening..JPG)
Gina Pink with "Bailey" Daradala Piccolo HTM I Ex German Spitz.JPG)
Carole Dodson and "Clifton" Kinaway Doctor Watson HTM A Ex. FS A Ex. B Ex Border Collie.JPG)
Kath Hardman and "Amber" Stillmoor Lady In Red HTM A Ex, FS I Ex Border Collie.JPG)
Then was the GB Freestyle Team - Michelle Dodson and "Tamar" Karmarda Doctor Foster FS A Ex, HTM I Ex.JPG)
Jenny Deakin and "Tom" Shepwood Morning Sunrise FS N Ex, HTM I Ex Border Collie.JPG)
Each member performed a routine or two - this is Jenny and Tom - they are the Reserve Dog and Handler for HTM, dancing to "Sing Sing Sing" by The Spitfire Band. Jenny loves this track and is avid fan of Strictly Come Dancing, where she first heard a version of track. Jenny has already qualified, with this routine, for the 2011 dfsCrufts semi-finals to be held in January 2011 by Rugby Dog Training Club, one of the main sponsors of Team GB ..JPG)
Followed by Carole Dodson and Clifton - the Reserve handler and dog for Freestyle performing a "Pirate" routine. Clifton got a big cheer from the audience when he found the treasure!.JPG)
Gina with Bailey performing an HTM Routine. Bailey and Gina performed to some very moving music - demonstrating all the different positions which the HTM team will need at the Champs..JPG)
Michelle and Tamar - performing a Freestyle Routine to "Busker Alley". The track is from a musical and tells the story of a busker called Charlie who spends his life entertaining the crowds on the streets of London..JPG)
The team was very honoured and grateful that Mary Ray also joined in the night's entertainment performing her 2010 DFS Crufts routine..JPG)
Kath Hardman also joined in with another of her dogs, crossbreed Spice with their Crufts 2008 winning Freestyle Routine to "If I Only Had A Brain". This helped show how GB also has some great non-pedigree dogs working in the sport..JPG)
After the short interval, Michelle and Tamar completed another Freestyle routine, performing to "Another Cup Of Tea". The crowd, mesmorised by the storyline, could see how much Tamar loves this routine - this team were placed 3rd with this routine the first time they ever performed in the Crufts Freestyle Finals..JPG)
Kath and Amber performing a Heelwork To Music routine to "No More Tears (Enough is Enough)" by Donna Summer and Barbra Streisand. A piece of music which lends itself to Heelwork To Music with its forever changing of pace and phrasing. Kath and Amber have already qualified for the DFS Crufts 2011 Semi Finals with this routine and they were placed 2nd at the DFS Crufts HTM Final held in March 2010..JPG)
And Jenny with Tom performing to Pencil Full of Lead by Paolo Nultini..JPG)
And to close the evening's entertainment, Carole and Clifton took to the floor performing their Crufts 2010 winning HTM Routine to "Escala". Carole’s interpretation took us into the world of a Russian Secret Agent, which does not know whether to run and hide or stay and fight. But of course she eventually is saved by her trusty dog Clifton!
