Ray’s so proud to be top dog of Crufts judges...
ANIMAL LOVER REVEALS WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE ADJUDICATOR AT PRESTIGIOUS CANINE COMPETITION
WE’RE a nation of dog-lovers.
And in the competitive canine world, Crufts is the Champions League, Wimbledon and Olympics all rolled into one.
But what’s it actually like to be a judge at the ‘world’s greatest dog show’?
One man who knows is 68-yearold Ray Wakelin.
The retired bank worker, from Boothstown, Salford, was head judge in the obedience category at this year’s contest.
His selection, which Ray described as a ‘real honour and privilege,’ was the culmination of decades of hard work and dedication on the regional dog show circuit.
Ray, who has owned 15 German Shepherd dogs - plus several other breeds over the years - was in charge of a team of nine judges who officiated in the interregional obedience category at last month’s competition at the NEC Arena in Birmingham.
It’s a highly-skilled event which sees seven teams, representing regions from across Great Britain and Ireland, competing in a series of obedience trials including the ‘stay’ category where the dogs are required to sit motionless for two minutes and ‘retrieve,’ a competitive version of fetch.
With a crowd of about 200300 dog-lovers watching on intently and critiquing his every decision, Ray, who volunteers with the German Shepherd Rescue charity helping to rehome abandoned and unwanted pets, was required to run the rule over 49 dogs competing in five categories, ranging from beginner to the elite C class.
Ray, who met his wife Karen, 66, when he took his two German shepherds along to an obedience class she ran, told the Manchester Evening News about the big day.
“It’s like refereeing the FA Cup final, it’s a real honour,” he said.
“I was really nervous. The night before I didn’t sleep, and going into the arena I was really tense, but once the contest got under way I was fine and I just rose in confidence as the day went on.
“There is a bit of pressure. Everybody in the crowd is from the obedience circuit, they all know their stuff and they’re all marking the class as well, watching what the judges are doing.
“The TV cameras are there and it’s all recorded and put on YouTube.
“But I’ve watched it all back and I’m happy with my decisions – I got it right.”
Ray has attended Crufts as a spectator on a number of occasions, but this was his first time as a judge. And it’s fair to say he enjoyed it. “It was just a magical day,” he said. “I really hope I get the call again next year because it was just amazing.”
Ray, a dad-of-three and grandfather-of-eight, walks about 50 miles a week with his current dog Kash, a seven-year-old German shepherd,
He also spends most weekends judging at regional competitions.
He described how contestants in the obedience category are marked on several points.
Judges are looking for the position of the dog in relation to its handler, the accuracy of its movements, how well it obeys commands and, critically, they also want to see a pet with a bit of ‘personality and spark’ enjoying what it’s doing.
And if you think your pooch has what it takes to compete at the highest level Ray has this advice.
The first step is to take your pet – border collies, with their background as working dogs, invariably make the best competitors – along to a dog club to learn the basics.
Then be prepared to put in the hard graft. Every finalist in this year’s Crufts will have spent hundreds of hours training, and countless weekends competing in regional shows.
“It takes years to get a dog to Crufts standard. It doesn’t just happen overnight,” said Ray.
Then, and only then, you and your dog might be ready for the biggest stage of all.
And maybe Ray will be there to cast his expert eye over your efforts.