The Crufts Semi Finals

It’s that time of year again - the Crufts Semi Finals held at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire.  Four of the Top Lodge dogs qualified for the semi finals during 2012.

For Heelwork To Music - Karen Sykes with Fly and Kath Hardman with Amber

For Freestyle - Lesley Neville with Angus and Kath Hardman with Spice.

The first class they competed in was the Heelwork To Music Semi Final and with great results.

Kath Hardman with Amber were first of the Top Lodge Trio to perform and they placed 5th with their Irish dance routine to "Celtic Kitten" from Michael Flatley's Celtic Tiger.

Karen Sykes with Fly were the next team to compete and they finished in a magnificent first place with a fabulous routine to "Roxanne" from Moulin Rouge

The finalists - those placed 1st to 10th -  who will be performing at Crufts in the ARENA on 8th March 2013.  Please let the Top Lodge Team know if you will be supporting them.

After lunch was the Freestyle Semi Final.

Kath Hardman and Spice just missed out on a place in the final by finishing in 11th place, but although disappointed, they enjoyed performing their routine to The Puss Suite from the film score of Puss in Boots.

Footnote:    The weather forecast was dreadful for the Friday night - with snow drifting in towards Derbyshire and the Midlands.  Karen and Kath decided that there was no alternative but to book into an hotel on the Friday evening to ensure the journey to Stoneleigh was passable!   On contacting home Saturday morning, it was revealed that 12" had fallen overnight blocking the roads from home to the venue!!   Thank goodness it hadn't snowed near Stoneleigh so the short journey from hotel to venue was easily done.

Sadly, Angus was diagnosed with arthritis in the latter part of the year so it was Lesley's decision to withdraw him from competing at the semi final.

The Derbyshire Telegraph photographer contacted The Top Lodge Team before Christmas asking if there was anything in particular happening in the Team's Diary.  The team have 4 dogs which have qualified for the Semi Finals for HTM and Freestyle at Crufts - so practice and training is on the top of their priorities.

Kate Lowe, the photographer wanted something a little different to publish and the team, always ready for a challenge, put her creative ideas into practice.  Karen and Fly were to be the cornerstone of the action photo.

Then Lesley and Angus joined in with Kath in the centre - OK Fly had her own ideas as to what looks good!

All in place and she's off to a flying start - well done little Spice!  She completed this long jump quite a few times before the perfect shot was taken.

Followed by a static photo of the team's nine dogs.
Left to Right: Kes, Erin, Fly, KAREN, Denby, KATH/Spice, Amber LESLEY, Hamish (front), Dewy, and Angus.

The article was printed in the paper 21st January 2013 asking for help finding somewhere local and large enough to train.  And one venue has been suggested!  Thank You.