Showing posts with label Karen Sykes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Karen Sykes. Show all posts

26 June 2016

Karen Judges at the World Dog Show

HTM World Championships 2016
Moscow, Russia

Karen Sykes was privileged to be invited to judge the Heelwork To Music World Championships 2016 held in Moscow, Russia from 24th to 26th June 2016.  She was particularly honoured to be appointed Head Judge of the competition.


Fabulous trophies were available to the winners of the competitions. 


The Team Freestyle Championships were decided on Friday and the Team Heelwork to Music on Saturday.
The winners of both the division were the host country, Team Russia!

On Sunday the Individual Championships were decided.  The top 10 competitors in the 2 divisions danced again and their 2 scores were added together to give the final individual results.

The Freestyle World Champion is Yvonne Belin from Switzerland with her beautiful Border Collie Bitch, Jewel del Mulino Prudenza Brains ‘n Beauty.

 Yvonne and Alice

The Heelwork to Music World Champion is Polina Ilina and her magnificent Belgium Shepherd Malinois Liniya Gracii Ilim Yan.

  Polina and Ilim

Karen would like to thank the organisers of the World Dog Show 2016 for all their hard work and magnificent hospitality.

The full results of the World Championships can be found here  http://wds2016.dogdance.ru/?lang=en&page=results

31 January 2016

Double Success For Lesley and Dewy

January is the first month in the HTM Competition year - and it was truly successful for Lesley and Dewy.

They were placed 9th in the Crufts Semi Final Qualifier for Heelwork To Music - with the top ten placed going through to perform in the final at Crufts in March.  A great position to finish in with plenty of potential to place higher!
And in the Crufts Semi Final Qualifier for Freestyle  they were placed 7th which this time meant they perform in the Freestyle Final at Crufts with again a chance to improve on this place!!!   GOOD LUCK LESLEY AND DEWY!!!!
Kath and Amber also competed in the Crufts Semi Final Qualifier for Heelwork To Music, After a very tough year with Amber sustaining two burst ear drums early in 2015, Kath knew her hearing would be impaired, and the KC Building with metal roof, busy chatter and lots of amplifiers could be overwhelming but she performed so well and reached a creditable 13th place sadly missing out on a final performance at Crufts.
Kath and Denby also competed in the  Crufts Semi Final Qualifier for Heelwork To Music however, Denby's confidence wasn't at its best and Kath withdrew from competition completing the routine to gain more experience for this sensitive dog and her.

Kath and Amber went on to be placed 3rd in the Advanced Freestyle Competition at the end of the day when sadly all the photographers had left the building!

Karen and Midge had a successful competition too as they were placed 3rd in Intermediate Freestyle.

2 August 2015

New Training Hall Floor

It is 10 years since the training hall was built and it was decided that the floor was now feeling a little more than springy - so a new floor was to be laid by the Top Lodge Team
 Whoops - it was time to replace some of the floor and lay a new floor on top.
 Roger and Lesley made a start looking for any damage the night before.
 More damage!!   Too much dancing on this part of the floor!
 And then the team came to work the next day.
 All the carpet tiles needed lifting and stacking - new floor panels brought in, screwed down .....
 and then the tiles had to be relaid!
 Time for lunch!
 The final corner of floor is screwed in place.
 Nearly all done - last piece to be cut to fit!
 Perfect!!!
Well if its OK for Spice - then its perfect for the rest of the team!!

25 July 2015

Bonsall Carnival

A super Summer's Day in Bonsall, Derbyshire where Top Lodge Dancing Dogs entertained the huge crowd from the village and surrounding areas.
After a very rainy Friday, the team had doubts about the weather, however, the forecast was good and it stayed bright and sunny all day.
Lovely to see families enjoying the day and sitting out on the grass.
The Floats arrived into the arena, led by the one carrying the Carnival Queen for 2015
The very colourful Alice In Wonderland float - whoops someone should have proof read the banners!!
The Team assembled ready to be introduced
Lesley with Tedi, Dewy and Hamish
Kath with Spice, Denby and Amber
and Karen with Midge and Fly.
First to "dance" was Kath with Spice, now the oldest performing member of the group to Michael Jackson's "Rockin' Robin".   
This is when everyone appreciates the dry ground!!  What a very happy audience.
Well done Spice!!   Enjoying every minute of her time in the arena.
Following on was Karen and her youngster Midge.   This was Midge's first public performance and she did do well.
"Dancing" to 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love' by Queen, they were obviously enjoying every minute.
The audience were captivated, No one wanting to leave their front row viewing point.
Now it was time for audience participation - four volunteers to work with four of the Team's dogs.  This lady chose to work with Hamish and she soon worked out how to get him weaving at top speed.
This young lady, Laura, chose to work with Spice, luckily Spice has been weaving a number of years so she taught Laura very well!
Midge was chosen by this lady, Emma - the two of them very elegantly moving!
And finally Amber was chosen by Richard.  Amber doesn't mess around - if Richard wasn't moving his legs - then she would just barge through!!
And the Winner of the Red Rosette - HAMISH!!!!   He has certainly won more weave races than any other dog on this team!
In second place was SPICE!!!   Her handler very proud to receive the blue rosette.
Third to cross the finish line was MIDGE - she is learning so well - she will soon be moving up the places in this race!
And in 4th place was AMBER - actually her handler coped very well on the first stretch but unfortunately, he couldn't get back into the rhythm after an about turn and he ran with Amber over the finish line forgetting that Amber should have been weaving through his legs! But he was happy with his 4th rosette and did a lap of honour!
To close the performances, it was the turn of Lesley with Dewy "dancing" to 'Puttin' On The Ritz'.
Once again, thanks to the good weather the ground was dry and safe for jumps and kept the handler's costumes in good order!
Well done Dewy making it through a super routine to the final pose.
There were one or two familiar faces in the audience!  Annette Lowe, fellow Heelwork To Music Competitor, had been invited by the Carnival Committee to judge the Dog Show taking part directly after Top Lodge finished their performance time.
And Joy Lowe also came to the Carnival to watch the proceedings!!
Three Classes for Annette to judge - Waggiest Tail, Best Behaved and Best Trick!
The Best Behaved class had a run off for second place between these brothers, very nice 15 week old Spaniels
And a super little Jack Russell performing his Best Trick!
A natural on hind legs - this little Chihuahua.
And this one year old Boxer performs a Roll Over - helped carefully by his owner.

Thank you Bonsall Carnival Organisers and Committee for inviting Top Lodge Dancing Dogs to entertain at the Bonsall Carnival 2015.