HTM Team GB - the Cabaret Night

Tuesday 27th April 2010 - the Big Fund Raising Event. Held at The Kennel Club Building, Stoneleigh. A beautiful evening - and an enthusiastic audience. What could be better?

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.

All photographs featured on the blog are thanks to Allan Brown, who was kept busy from the moment he arrived!

Firstly the GB Heelwork to Music Team were introduced.
Gina Pink with "Bailey" Daradala Piccolo HTM I Ex German Spitz

Carole Dodson and "Clifton" Kinaway Doctor Watson HTM A Ex. FS A Ex. B Ex Border Collie

Kath Hardman and "Amber" Stillmoor Lady In Red HTM A Ex, FS I Ex Border Collie

Then was the GB Freestyle Team - Michelle Dodson and "Tamar" Karmarda Doctor Foster FS A Ex, HTM I Ex
Jenny Deakin and "Tom" Shepwood Morning Sunrise FS N Ex, HTM I Ex Border Collie

Sadly missing from the evening, due to work commitments, was Penny Draper with Delark Gavotte FS I Belgian Shepherd (Terveruen). She was in our thoughts though!

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 .

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!

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.

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.

The team was very honoured and grateful that Mary Ray also joined in the night's entertainment performing her 2010 DFS Crufts routine.

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.

This was followed by the very popular auction which raised over £500. Thank you to everyone who bid for items and those who gave items for the auction.

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.

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.

And Jenny with Tom performing to Pencil Full of Lead by Paolo Nultini.

An upbeat number that leaves Jenny rather breathless at the end!!! Tom won't be – shows Jenny up!
Jenny is a secret (not anymore!) country and western fan from her many trips to the USA in her childhood and where her Dad now lives for most of the year! This is where the theme of this routine was inspired from…

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!

Once again - thank you to everyone who supported this event.