My 9th Show in Leeuwarden
/ Netherlands, April 2004
One could spend Easter with the family; one could also go to a show instead
...
The week before Easter, that is to say before the show, was stressful: Monday I was put into the bathtub, Tuesday I went to the vet (for my health certificate), Wednesday - Master announced that he could not go with us. That made Mistress call her sister, who then joined us. Thursday we went to the Agility training and Friday Mistress remembered that I was still wearing my "slipper-paws" and that I needed a "pedicure". Saturday we drove to Mistress´s dad from where on Sunday after Easter breakfast, we started towards the Netherlands.
Thanks to Mistress´s "Emergency-navigation-system" (I am referring to her sister), we reached Leeudwaren after 3.5 hours. It then took us some time to locate the room that Merlin´s human had booked for us. After stowing our stuff we went to see the town. It being Easter Sunday (which is a holiday) there was not all that much to see.
At about 10.00 pm we went to bed. The day had been a bit taxing and we wanted to start the next day at 6.00 am. Mistress was happy when the alarm sounded, since she had not slept well. She can´t really sleep in strange beds and I had an important job to do: growling whenever I heard something. And I heard a lot of things ... Oh well, neither of us slept well, only Mistress´s sister said she slept like a corpse.
When both of them had used the bathroom, I had munched my food. I also had been brushed several times and used the trees before at 7.30 am the humans carried our stuff towards the car again. Just before 8.00 am we arrived on the parking lot of the hall and went to stand in line with the others. Soon I had passed the veterinary control and we went to the dog boxes.
The judgement started at 10.00 am and Mistress was happy that the shopping booths were already opening. So we passed one hour with shopping ... Mistress was still eyeing our new bought goods and I was napping when we heard a cheerful "Good morning". Merlin and his human had found us and the ritual greeting took its course.
As the judgement for Aussis took place in a different part of the hall, a sheer exodus commenced at just before 10.00 am. There were 21 Aussies entered all of whom, complete with their respective humans and supporters, now made their way towards the ring, ploughing a path through the visitors.
I was brushed numerous times before I slipped into my show collar and Mistress even managed to film Merlin and his human before I entered the ring. (I just hope the Photos are halfway decent?!). Merlin was judged excellent 2 and so made second place in the group of the junior males.
There were 4 other girls in the ring with us. Even though Mistress had made some exercises with me beforehand, I slipped a lot on the very slippery floor. (Just how did the others manage? Were they using super glue on their paws?) Ok I could have gone more slowly but Mistress was not able to correct me that day. I believe she was dreading the long drive home, wishing she had already put that behind her.
I presented my self as always in front of the judge´s table and he patted me down. At the following gait check I was still going as if the floor had been soaped. When the judge had looked at all the other girls to "compare" them he shook Mistress´s hand saying, "Thanks for being here" ... We were the first to leave the ring.
The judge awarded me a very good 5 (want to read the judges statement?). Mistress was content with this judgement. I can trot much better and I had already shed most of my winter coat and Mistress jokingly called me "scrawny chicken" ... .She had already thought of not showing me with this kind of coat.
The afternoon we spend with Merlin and his human. We went shopping some more and I pawpicked a large rawhide and was content with the world and me as was Mistress.
The rawhide was a symbol of standing and I did not eat it until we departed. That had to wait until about 4.00 pm when we sat in the car after taking leave of Merlin and co. Then I started to eat it. The result was that we did not depart put Mistress rolled down all the windows and her sister was sick. I´m sorry ... but it´s the truth. Even Mistress said the rawhide smelled disgusting ...
