Tally was her dancing partner and she performed impecably showing some Freestyle and Dressage moves.
Tally and Penny were the proud recipients of the Paws N Music Novice Dog of the Year award for 2009. Congratulations Penny.
And here we have the entire HTM Team in the spotlight in the Main Arena.
Jenny involved young spectators in the demonstration in the Activities Ring in Hall 3, NEC.
The children loved being involved.
Heelwork to Music is the official title for the sport and includes two different divisions: Freestyle and Heelwork to Music. The Heelwork to Music class is performed with the dog in up to 8 official different heelwork positions around the handler and may include the forward, backward and side stepping movements, along with change of pace, all interpreting the music. Freestyle is the class where different types of behaviours are performed, eg jumps, leg weaves, paw work, walking back and many more moves depending on the imagination, creativiity and training ability of the handler. Props may be used in both divisions. 
For each of these classes the dog and handler perform a routine to a piece of music, chosen by the handler. This is where the magic happens, choreographing a number of behaviours together to the chosen piece of music. 
But the greatest thing about HTM is the amazing bond you develop with your dogs as you work, learn and grow together.
We have great fun in this sport and it is a way of really achieving something special when everything comes together on the day. There is nothing better than seeing a dog and handler working in harmony together.
Kath & Spice - not the dog with serious behaviour problems!
I enjoy the challenge of training my dog, and then working in partnership with her to create a routine inspired by the story in the music. It is a sport but also involves a number of other skills such as costume design, music editing and prop design being just a few of the skills I have learned along the way.
Everyone has their own style in this sport which makes it so diverse and on seeing some routines I often think “WOW, I would have never thought of doing that”. 
Jenny started in Heelwork to Music with the Paws n Music progress awards in 2007 and moved into competing with Tom in 2008. The pair now compete in Advanced Heelwork to Music, Intermediate freestyle, Novice Dressage and Advanced Dances with Dogs. Jenny also competes with her youngest collie Zac in agility, working at Senior level in UKA shows.
Shepwood Morning Sunrise FS N Ex, HTM I Ex (Tom) is a 6 year old Tri Border Collie who Jenny describes as “a show off, a gentleman and a brilliant companion”. Tom loves long walks with his friends, eating fish and cuddles in front of the fire! Jenny and Tom love Crufts and look forward to it every year!
Photograph courtesy of Allan Brown
Kath was honoured to be invited by the Kennel Club to judge the HTM and Freestyle Competitions at Crufts in 2006. In 2008, with her Crossbreed "Spice", she won both the Crufts Freestyle Final and went on to represent England in the Crufts International Freestyle Final which she is delighted to have won, beating the ten other countries competing. 
Kath is honoured to have been selected with Amber to represent Great Britain and will be competing enthusiastically for the GB Freestyle Team. Amber is also the named reserve dog for the Heelwork To Music Team.
Michelle is delighted to be able to compete at the World Championships with her Black and White Border Collie, Kamarda Doctor Foster FS A Ex. HTM I Ex., pet name Tamar. Tamar is a ten year old black and white Border Collie and a veteran of the sport. Tamar started out in Breed before deciding he wanted to do something more taxing to do where he could have the ring all to himself! For Tamar the more complicated the routine is, the better.
Having worked in Obedience and Heelwork To Music, Tamar and Michelle came third in the Crufts Freestyle Finals in both 2008 and 2009 and are looking forward to 2010. This will be Tamar’s last (but not least) year in competition having had a highly successful career so they are aiming to go out on a high. Tamar is a wise owl and has learnt hundreds of moves over the years which he will happily pull out of the bag for a piece of cheese!
Carole jointly runs the Cotswold Dog Training School where she teaches puppies basic obedience through to advanced Obedience, Heelwork To Music and Paws n Music progress awards. She is a founding member of the Cotswold Heelwork To Music Demonstration team and of K9HTM.com. Carole is the Treasurer of the West of England Border Collie Club and the Chairperson of the Paws in Music Association, the first and largest Heelwork to Music Association in the UK.
Years of dedication and success in the sport culminated in having the honour of judging the Crufts Heelwork to Music and Freestyle Finals in 2009, including the International Freestyle Final and Young Kennel Club Finals.
Carole will be teaming up with Kinaway Doctor Watson HTM A Ex. FS A Ex. B Ex., pet name Clifton. Clifton is a six year old black and white Border Collie. Clifton is working in both the Advanced Heelwork to Music and Freestyle classes and ‘C’ in Obedience. He has competed in the Crufts Finals for Heelwork to Music twice now and has also previously won West of England Versatility Award two years running as well as West of England Best Obedience Dog Award. If he were human he would be a Victorian Gent, complete with smoking pipe!
All who meet him can see he is one of those "once in a lifetime" dogs so Carole is over the moon to have the opportunity to show him off to the World. Clifton is going to be competing in the Heelwork to Music Competition and is reserve for the Freestyle Team.
Gina takes regular classes in Heelwork To Music in the south-east of England and has also taught the sport in Ireland, Denmark and Canada. Gina was also a trainer on the “Underdog Show” and “Richard and Judy”. She promotes the sport by being a member and Vice-Chairman of the Paws N Music Association for whom she is also their Show Manager for their three annual shows. Gina and her seven dogs have demonstrated regularly at Crufts in the YKC and Dog Activities rings. She has also demonstrated Heelwork To Music on various television shows such as the “Underdog Show”, BBC "Morning News" and "The Apprentice", as well as at numerous charity events across the south-east. 
Gina will be competing at the Inaugural FCI 2010 Heelwork To Music and Freestyle World Championships in Denmark with Bailey, a German Spitz (Mittel). Bailey was initially fostered by Gina and her husband, Gary, when he was just turning a year old. Within a week, Bailey found his way into Gina’s heart and has lived in the "Pink" household ever since. Bailey is a very loyal and loving dog and is a great ambassador for his breed, promoting not only his good looks but also the working side of the Spitz. His favourite past-times are chasing the collies and Bonio -time! Bailey is currently the only German Spitz to have qualified to work in the Advanced Heelwork To Music class in the United Kingdom.
Through to the Crufts Heelwork To Music Final are Carole Dodson with Kinaway Doctor Watson HTM A Ex, FS A Ex who were placed 3rd and Kath Hardman with Stillmoor Lady In Red HTM A Ex, FSI Ex who were placed 4th.
