Top dogs display
Tomorrow and Sunday the lower field at Hoërskool PJ Olivier will resound to cries of “Over!… In!… unnel!… Poles!… Here!… no… NO!” as handlers encourage their dogs round the jumping and agility courses.
The occasion is the Grahamstown and Queenstown Kennel Clubs combined Annual Championship Show weekend.
Over 300 dogs have been entered in the various events, namely Breed, Jumping, Agility and Carting.
Participants are coming from as far afield as Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban, and many dogs are entered in more than one event on each day.
On the top field at PJ, visitors can watch some of the best pedigree dogs in South Africa being shown in the four rings. Some 50 different breeds will be on show, grouped under broader classifications such as Gundogs, Herding, Terriers, etc.
Anyone considering getting a pedigree dog has a golden opportunity to discuss with the owners and breeders the pros and cons of a particular breed and find out whether such a dog would fit into their lifestyle.
On the lower field there will be lots of activity. Here, breeding is not important and pedigree and cross-breeds compete on equal terms.
Jumping and Agility events are fun for both handler and dog and exciting for the spectators as well. Co-operation and understanding are tested to the limit as handler and dog negotiate up to 20 obstacles in a predetermined order.
Among the obstacles are hurdles, hoops, tunnels, weaving poles, a see-saw and an Aframe.
Faults accumulate for knocking off a crossbar, or for refusing or running past an obstacle, but the time taken also counts – so speed is of the essence.
The rate at which the top dogs negotiate these obstacles is almost unbelievable. Different classes cater for different abilities and sizes (from Maltese Poodles to German Shepherds), so every type of dog can participate.
Also on the lower field, Carting will be tested. This is much more sedate and caters mainly for the older dog retired from agility, though several youngsters are getting involved. Here the dog pulls a small cart along a series of "paths" under the guidance of the handler who has to load certain items into the cart at one point and deliver them to another place.
Events start at 9am tomorrow and 8am on Sunday and are usually completed by about 2pm on Saturday and around lunch time on Sunday.
Entry to the grounds is free for the general public and refreshments can be purchased. But please leave your dog at home!
Agility training is carried out in Grahamstown.
All you need is a socialised, obedient dog older than about one year, enthusiasm and lots of patience. If you would like to join in, further details can be obtained from Ron Cosser; 046 622 8708 (home) or 084 902 9999.