Wishing Jamie a Speedy Recovery

Jamie - the little black sheltie from the Dutch team - was brutally attacked by a German Shepherd Dog 5 days ago. He got a puncture wound in his neck and he has been very stiff and sore. Yesterday an abces underneath his wound burst open during a walk - another visit to the vet for Jamie and owner Esther.

Dear Jamie and Esther, we wish Jamie a speedy recovery and hope he will be back on his dancing feet very soon. We do hope he recovers from this without permanent physical and mental injuries.

Feel better soon!

Interview with the Head Judge

Karen Sykes, Derbyshire, GB

How many dogs do you have, which breed/s and what do you do with them?
I have 3 dogs, 2 Working Sheepdogs and 1 crossbreed.

Kes (After Lady Karen’s Prozac) is 12 years old; she is a farm-bred collie from cattle working lines. In her younger days we competed in Obedience, Agility, Working Trials and sheep herding but our relationship and teamwork really flourished when we took up Heelwork to Music. She has been in the top 10 Freestyle dogs in the UK for many years and has competed at Crufts every year since the Finals began. She is a strong minded dog and has taught me a lot about motivation and team-work! To achieve 6th at Crufts in Freestyle this year was wonderful for a dog of her age - I am so proud of her!

Fly (Iatka Spring Spangle) is 9 years old. Fly couldn’t be more different from Kes, after learning to motivate Kes I had to learn how to keep Fly calm; she is a very fast and intense dog who anticipates everything! Sadly Fly has had problems with skin allergies for years which have been very difficult and expensive to manage but I still wouldn’t swap her for the world. Like Kes, Fly has also competed at Crufts since the very first competition in her speciality of Heelwork to Music. Our proudest moment in HTM was winning Crufts in 2008.

Erin (Our Irish Second Chance) is a 1 year old crossbreed. We don’t know what breeds are mixed into her but she is a great comic with a super personality. Her training is great fun for both of us and she has just started competing. At the time of writing she had competed once in Heelwork to Music and came 4th in a class of 16. I was amazed and thrilled!

Why do you like HTM?
HTM is the only dog sport where you can do exactly what you want to within the rules and let your imagination run free. You can show-case the individuality of your dog and never have to perform a move that the dog doesn’t like. Dogs, dancing and music are a magical combination!

When did you start judging?
I judged my first competition in 2001

Why do you judge?
I judge because I enjoy it and I think that judging can have an influence over the way that the sport evolves. I like it when a competitor asks me to explain to them why I gave them certain marks so that I can help them to make improvements and compliment them on the good points of their performance.

What do you consider to be a HTM judge's greatest responsibility?
Impartiality. No matter who the dog and handler are they deserve to be judged fairly on their performance that day.

Can you tell us about a judging experience that made a great impression on you?
I have been invited to judge abroad on many occasions and it is a great honour to receive recognition for my judging outside of my own country. However, the biggest competition I have judged so far was Crufts 2007. The biggest ring and the biggest audience with the best British and International competitors, it was a wonderful experience!

What do you think it will be like to judge a World Championship?
I have judged in Denmark before and I know that the Danes are great hosts. To combine that with the best dog and handler teams in the world and the best seat in the house is a wonderful prospect. I don’t expect it to be an easy job but I know how lucky I am to be there and it is a fantastic honour!

Any other thoughts you would like to share with the WC handlers?
To represent your country is a huge honour and everyone has done very well just to be at the World Championships. Try to enjoy your time in the ring and remember that no matter what the result, you are taking the best dog home!

A Freestyle Entry From Finland

Finland has chosen to enter just one dog and handler team - Sini Eriksson & her Shetland Sheepdog Mutkis Onnensoturi. Sini and Sonic have won the Nordic Freestyle Championship 2 years in a row and they have done well at Crufts too. We are looking forward to see them at the World Championship and are sure they will make Finland proud.

Wishing you the Best of Luck
Sini and Sonic!

Photo: Randi Gregersen

Interview with the Belgian Judge

Marleen van Hees, Belgium

How many dogs do you have , which breeds and what do you do with them?
I have 5 dogs at the moment:
3 Bernese Mountain Dogs, 1 Australian Shepherd and 1 Sheltie.
3 of my dogs are dancing at Advanced level.

Working Stock Adventure Gino is a 9 year old Australian Shepherd. Gino qualified 4 times for Crufts, 3 times to represent Belgium in the International Freestyle Competition in 2007 - 2008 - 2009 and he also qualified for Crufts British Heelwork To Music Final in 2007 which no other International dog had done and made me very proud of my Aussie boy. At the moment Gino is not competing because of his health problems so we are just training for fun by doing some Frisbee and freestyle trick training which he loves.

Gino

Amordoro's Dannouella is a 6 years old Bernese Mountain Dog. She is also Qualifield to dance at Advanced level and is really a funny dog, she is quite athletic for a Bernese Mountain dog and she has the brains of a Border Collie. Dannou does also do some Obedience training and of course trick training.

Cedi Little Fantasy is my little Sheltie who at 7 years old is doing Obedience,
Fun Agility and also some Freestyle trick training. Cedi is also an Advanced level dog.
Cedi is not an easy boy to work with, I have to motivate him much more than my other dogs, but he is a great little dog.

6 months ago I Adopted a 2 year old Bernese Mountain dog named Ginizidane L'Hamiau du Mont known as Siebe. He is a problem dog with a lot of fear of people. He lived for 2 years in a kennel and did not see much of the world. Because he was not socialised properly nobody could touch him and the first 2 months where terrible! At first he did not know how to do anything, he did not know what I wanted from him so I had to teach him very slowly, but after 6 months he really likes to work and at the moment I am teaching him some tricks and he loves it.

Finally there is my young Bernese Mountain dog. His name is Ishtar Easy Living, pet name Bamse. He is 6 months old he's doing some Obedience and Freestyle tricks maybe in the future we will enter some Freestyle Competitions.

Why do you like HTM?
I started the sport because I used to have big problems with my Bernese Ximba.
When I was training Ximba to do HTM and teaching him tricks he really loved it and he improved so much.

I probably would never have come in contact with this lovely sport of HTM / Freestyle if it were not for Ximba.

We did our first competition after 10 months and from that time I was hooked on Freestyle.

I love dancing, I love music and I love to train my dogs. HTM/Freestyle is all of those things together; it is just fun to do!

Ximba

When did you start judging?
In 2005 I judged my first competition

Why do you judge?
I started judging in the first place because there were no judges in Belgium with experience and then I began to love it.

What do you consider to be a HTM judge's greatest responsibility?
I think as a judge you have to be absolutely neutral. Whether it is your best friend or your worst enemy, you have to judge the dog /handler as a team. This is very important.

Can you tell us about a judging experience that made a great impression on you?
All my judged experience are wonderful, but when I was asked to judge the Czech Republic Championship last year I was really proud and everything about the competition was so fantastic, the atmosphere, all the handlers, a great experience for me and I always admire the handlers when their dogs don't work well on the day, but they still manage to keep up a big smile on there faces. Well done to them, I think we can learn a lot from these people

What do you think it will be like to judge a World Championship?
A very hard job to do but I am looking forward to seeing all those lovely routines.
I am also very proud and see this as a great honour that I have been asked to judge the first World Championship in Freestyle and Heelwork To Music.

Any other thoughts you would like to share with the WC handlers?
I would like to say to all handlers, Have a Great Time, danced like you never danced before and remember being at the World Championships means you all are super handlers already!

The White Dogs

We have invited a 'white dog' to open the competition every day. The white dog's job is to go into the ring and perform as the first dog on the day. Hopefully that will give the judges a chance to settle and get into the right frame of mind before they start judging and it will give the first competitor a guideline as to when he/she is going in.

Also it will make sure that any flaws in the ring, carpet, speakers or music will be noticed before the competition starts. The white dog will be the 'test run'.

And of course it takes the pressure of the competitors... No one has to go first!

Annette & Neo

Friday's white dog will be Annette Dalgaard with Border Collie Danish HTM Champion Kløverbakken's Jack Sparrow (Neo), who are reserves on the Danish HTM team.

Annette and Neo will be performing just after the Opening Ceremony. Hopefully their performance will give the first competitor a bit of time to settle and get ready between the opening and performing.

Sofie & Quincy

Saturday morning it will be Sofie E. Hjorth and Border Collie Fæhunden's Quincy Lad - the Danish Freestyle reserves - that will entertain us and open the show for us.

Marianne & Blondie

And on Sunday morning little Blondie will be there to tell us the story about Meyer and Huset på Christianshavn... Read more here!

Brigitte van Gestel with Twizzle from the Dutch Team

Brigitte and Twizzle from Team Holland entertaining at Animal Event 2010.

Great Performance Brigitte and Twizzle!

Cabaret Night

Good Luck to

HTM Team GB & Mary Ray

with the Cabaret Night tomorrow!

Entries Close on 1st Of May

Less than 61 days to the Opening Ceremony and the first competition day. I can't wait!!!

The Danish Dog Dancers are looking forward to welcome British, Russian, Swedish, Belgian, Czech, Dutch, French, Finnish and Norwegian (yes, there will be Norwegians in the audience even though they have not entered a team) friends to Denmark, but there are room for more...

It is not just another HTM Show... It is a celebration of our wonderful dogs and the fantastic sport that we all love! Join us at the FCI HTM & Freestyle World Championships 2010 in Denmark.

Entries close on 1st of May, so time to get your entries in!

A Special Treat

We have a very special treat for you on Sunday morning just before the individual finals. Our 'white dog' for the Sunday will be a talented young Cavalier King Charles Spaniel 'Lykkedragen's Dee Dee Blondie' performing a special Danish routine.

Blondie is just over 2 years old, but has already qualified for Freestyle Class 3 (advanced) and won her first 2 CCs. She needs 3 to gain the title Danish Freestyle Champion.

Blondie and her owner Marianne Blesky will entertain you with a freestyle routine to the theme from 'Huset på Christianshavn'.

Huset på Christianshavn (The house in Christianshavn) is a Danish TV series produced in 1970 - 1977. It is one of Danish Television's biggest successes of all time and has become an important part of Danish Cultural Heritage. It follows the residents of an old property on Amagergade in Christianshavn, Copenhagen.

Marianne impersonates one of the series' main characters 'Vicevært Meyer', the property's old, self-righteous, unlucky but good as gold caretaker.

Vicevært Meyer - self-righteous, but difficult not to love!


The 'Huset På Christianshavn' theme.

Ruby from the Dutch HTM Team

Ruby (Scotia Dog Tolling Retriever Ruby From Nova’s Power) is a TV Star as well as a member of the Dutch HTM Team! She is staring in a series of Dutch TV commercials.

Ruby will be dancing with Brigitte van Gestel at the World Championship.

The Opening Speech

We are very proud to present our speaker for the World Championship Opening Ceremony.

President of the FCI Obedience Commission Mr. Johann Kurzbauer has accepted our invitation to open this first ever FCI HTM and Freestyle Championships. We look forward to welcoming him to Denmark, World Dog Show 2010 and the HTM World Championship.

I was born on October 28th 1942 in Vienna, Austria. I am married and have one daughter.

I have been a judge for Obedience and IPO (Police work) for 16 years, and a judge for sheepdog trials for 4 years.

I started Dog training in East Africa in Kenya in the German Shepherd dog club, where I worked as the trainer for English obedience and Schutzhund. After my return to Austria in 1981, I joined the ÖGV Austrian working dog sporting club (Österreichischer Gebrauchshundesport Verein) which is the largest association in the Austrian Kennel Club (ÖKV).

I had a Border collie Cap with whom I made Schutzhund – III and Trackerdog – III. Cap also worked on sheep and went with my wife to several European championships. I had him on seven Trackerdog winner competition and he was the second dog in Austria with an International Obedience Qualification.

I started in Austria 1981 as a trainer and in several functions in my local club. For the last 3 years, I have been the General Secretary of the ÖGV. I am representing Austria in The FCI – Obedience Commission since 1998 and since 2000 as vice-president. Since October 2006, I am the president of the FCI Obedience Commission.

Now I work with a shorthaired Border Collie Buckham Laddie in international obedience class and on our own with sheep and goats. I am also the Chief trainer for Obedience of the ÖGV since 1990 and for German Shepherd dog club SVÖ for 3 years.

Greetings
Johann Kurzbauer

Source: http://www.inventasoft.hr/kossp/obedience/sudac1_eng_E.htm

Jules & Matisse from Belgium

We are looking forward to see Jules and Matisse perform live in Herning. They are one of the independent Belgian teams.

Hall J3

The FCI HTM and Freestyle World Championships are just a small part of World Dog Show 2010. There will be lots of activity - breed, obedience, agility, rally obedience and lots of demonstrations and special events - during the 4 days in Herning.

Messecenter Herning, which is where it is all happening, is one of Scandinavia’s largest fair and exhibition centres with 15 halls in sizes from 2000 to 14,000 m2, 110,000 m2 indoor areas, 400,000 m2 outdoor areas, meeting and conference facilities, several restaurants and bistros, outdoor concert arena, 10,000 free parking spaces and own station for fair trains in cooperation with DSB (Danish State Railways).

Click on the maps to enlarge them.

The FCI HTM & Freestyle World Championships will be held in Hall J3 - it is marked with yellow on the maps. Hall J3 is very close to the main entrance, which is located between hall 33 and J1.

Ring 66 is the warm-up ring. It will also be used for Rally Obedience on Thursday and Friday morning. Ring 67 is the World Championship competition ring and it will not be used for any other activity.

Susanne Jaczewski & Oscar on Swedish TV4

Susanne Jaczewski and Oscar (Labrador Retriever Guideline's Lucky Number) are reserves on the Swedish HTM team and they have been performing on Swedish TV4's 'Stjärnbesök hos Cirkus Förkväll'.
They performed along with the dancing pig Fanny and the 1 year old rooster Cowboy, which is trained to perform on stage in a play (theatre).

Susanne and Oscar looked great and definitely outshone the other performers.
Enjoy their performance below... They are the first act and on from about 8.30 mins - just after the interviews.

Susanne was interviewed about Freestyle in genral and about the World Championships in Denmark. She says that they will be travelling to Denmark in June for the World Championships and she believes Oscar is a great dancing dog because he is clever, very flexible for such a big dog and have a positive outlook on life.

Well done Susanne and Oscar!

Important information!

There will be a briefing for all teams following the teams' practice time on Thursday the 24th of June in the afternoon/evening. We recommend that all participants are present for the briefing, but if that is not possible, please send your team manager or another team memeber to represent you.
The teams' running order will be drawn at the briefing.

We are hoping to arrange a dinner for all participants on Thursday evening the 24th. It will be at the participants' own expense, but we do hope you will join us, to make it a festive start to the World Championship. It will be a nice opportunity to get to know each other and talk about our wonderful sport.
More information to come...

The Opening Ceremony will commence on Friday the 25th of June at 1 pm. All participants should be ready outside the ring 15 minutes before at 12.45.

There will be a presentation of the winners in the ring each day after the competition.
Team HTM results and the list of qualifiers for the individual HTM final will be announced on Friday evening.
Team Freestyle results and the list of qualifiers for the individual Freestyle final will be announced on Saturday afternoon.
The individual HTM and Freestyle results will be announced on Sunday afternoon.

Individual running orders for the final will be drawn at the presentations Friday and Saturday.

Photos from Russia

Olga Kuzina with Labrador Retriever Tutta Larson
Representing Russia on their Freestyle Team

Tatyana Gette-Kishinevskaya with Entlebuher Zennenhund Korolevstvo Gornih Psov Karamel
Representing Russia on their Freestyle Team


Polina Il’ina with Malinois Flint (Freestyle reserve)

Polina Il’ina with Malinois Shteffi
Representing Russia in HTM

Changes on HTM Team GB

The GB Kennel Club has decided to make a few changes on their teams for the World Championship.

The main changes are that Kath Hardman with Stillmoor Lady in Red will be on the HTM team and Jenny Deakin with Shepwood Morning Sunshine will be on the Freestyle team. The reserves have been adjusted accordingly.

HTM Team GB will be as follows:

HTM:

• Kath Hardman with Border Collie Stillmoor Lady in Red
• Carol Dodson with Border Collie Kinaway Dr. Watson
• Gina Pink with German Spitz Daraydala Piccolo
• Reserve: Jenny Deakin with Border Collie Shepwood Morning Sunshine

Freestyle:

• Jenny Deakin with Border Collie Shepwood Morning Sunshine
• Penny Draper with Tervueren Delark Gavotte
• Michelle Dodson with Border Collie Kamarda Doctor Foster
• Reserve: Carol Dodson with Border Collie Kinaway Dr. Watson

Kath Hardman with Stillmoor Lady in Red is now on the GB HTM Team

Jenny Deakin with Border Collie Shepwood Morning Sunshine will be representing GB in Freestyle

Photos: Allan Brown and HTM Team GB

The Belgian Freestyle Dogs

According to the rules each contry can be represented by 3 HTM dogs and 3 Freestyle dogs. The Belgian Kennel Club has chosen only to enter one freestyle dog, therefore we have accepted entries from 2 independent competitiors.

Jules O’dwyer with Matisse (independent)

Saskia de Graaff with Shenna (independent)

Linda De Smet (KC)

Two Independent Belgian Entries

According to the rules each country can be represented by 3 HTM dogs and 3 Freestyle dogs. The Belgian Kennel Club has chosen only to enter one freestyle dog, therefore we have accepted entries from 2 independent competitiors. The 2 independent competitors and the handler representing the Belgian Kennel Club will not compete as a team, but they will compete for the individual world title.

From Belgium - competing individually:


Jules O’dwyer with Border Collie Fjurdyhoeve Flynn (Matisse)

Matisse is my second dog qualified to work the advanced class in Canine Freestyle. He is still young at 3 years old. He loves showing off and is a real teddy bear. He has a golden character and is a joy to live with.
When he is not busy with his freestyle hobby he can be found curled up in bed with the 10 year old daughter of the household!
It will be an honor to represent Belgium in this event. Matisse and& I will do our best not to let the family down, his brother and Grandma are also competing for Belgium and Holland.
We are really looking forward to meeting the other teams and hope to learn a lot from the experience.

Good luck to everyone involved, enjoy yourselves...

Saskia de Graaff with Rustling Hurricane Akuna (Shenna)

Shenna is my first Border Collie and also my first Canin Freestyle dog.
We started our Dog Dance training when Shenna was 4 years old. Now she is 8,5 years old.
Shenna is a very happy dog and will sometimes do her own thing, just to make people laugh and at her fun moves.
I’m very happy that we have been given this chance to represent Belgium on this first FCI World Championship. We won 5th place at Crufts 2010.
We're going to enjoy every single second of our time at the World Championship in Denmark and I’m looking forward to see all the other routines of the rest of the WC competitors!

Good luck to everyone and see you all in June!

Kath Hardman & Amber on Radio Derby

Kath Hardman and her Border Collie Amber from Team GB have been interviewed about the World Championships for Radio Derby.

Click here to listen to the interview! They are on from 40:00 to 52:30.

The Swedish Team

The Swedish entries are in!
And what a super team they have!

Representing Sweden in Freestyle:

Karolina Petterson and Hungarian Pumi Arbetsmyrans Amazing Ai
Click here to watch one of their routines!

Li Stenberg and Australian Kelpie Roscanaille's Real Star
Click here to watch one of their routines!

Linda Laikre and Dansk/Svensk Gårdshund (Danish/Swedish Farmdog) Youhais Holly från Hannas
Click here to watch one of their routines!


And as reserve...
Agnes Mohlin and Border Collie Pelle
Click here to watch one of their routines!

And the Swedish HTM team:

Karolina Petterson and Hungarian Pumi Arbetsmyrans Amazing Ai
Click here to watch one of their routines!


Li Stenberg and Australian Kelpie Roscanaille's Real Star
Click here to watch one of their routines!


Agnes Mohlin and Border Collie Pelle
Click here to watch one of their routines!



And as reserve...
Susanne Jaczewski and Labrador Ret. Guideline's Lucky Number


Congratulations to all the Swedish dogs and handlers on being chosen to represent their country and Good Luck in Denmark!

Photo: Ulf Kristensson och Yvonne Öster

The Winner of the Swedish Championship

This is the winning routine from the Swedish Championship. Agnes Mohlin and Pelle were on the Swedish team at the Nordic Championship in November 2009. Will we see them represent Sweden again at the World Championship????

Kath Hardman and Amber from Team GB

Read the Derby Telegraph's article about Kath Hardman from HTM Team GB. Click here!

Photo: Allan Brown

Welcome Russia!

The Russian entries are in!

The Russian Freestyle team:
Galina Chogovadze with Border Collie Moja Nadezhda Rolly Royce.
Tatyana Gette-Kishinevskaya with Entlebuher Zennenhund Korolevstvo Gornih Psov Karamel.
Olga Kuzina with Labrador Retriever Tutta Larson.
And as reserve:
Polina Il’ina with Malinois Flint.

Galina Chogovadze with Border Collie Moja Nadezhda Rolly Royce


Olga Kuzina with Labrador Retriever Tutta Larson

Representing Russia in Heelwork To Music:
Polina Il’ina with Malinois Shteffi.

Polina Il’ina with Malinois Flint (Freestyle reserve)


Polina Il’ina with Malinois Shteffi (representing Russia in HTM) on the agility course.

Best Of Luck to the Russian Team.
We are looking forward to see you dance in Denmark!

Opening Ceremony

There will be an Opening Ceremony on Friday at noon before the HTM judging commences and we hope all teams - both HTM and Freestyle - will join us to make it a memorable and festive start to the very first World Championship.

We encourage all teams to bring a flag, which can be carried in front of your team and a CD with your national anthem, which can be played when you are presented in the ring.

Question Regarding Barking

Q: Will the judges mark a routine down if the dog is barking?

A:
The rules state:

"Other things that will reduce points:
If the dog barks continuously or for the greater part of the routine. If the barking disturbs the presentation of the routine."

It will be the judges' decision when they consider it to be continuously or for the greater part of the routine and how much they will deduct.

The Swedish Championship

The results of the Swedish Freestyle Championship are in and it will be interesting to see how they will influence the Swedish Kennel Club's choice when they select their WC Team.

Top 10 at the Swedish Championship:

1. Agnes Mohlin with Border Collie Pelle (placed 8th at the Nordic Championship 2009).
2. Lilja Fredrikson with Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Ret. Duck Dog's Suzie (placed 8th at the Nordic Championship 2008).
3. Frida Binette with Border Collie Somollis Poppy (placed 10th at Crufts 2010).
4. Margareta Löfgren with Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Ret. Working Beauty's Excellent Energy.
5. Linda Laikre with DK/S Gårdhund Youhais Holly från Hannas (placed 9th at the Nordic Championship 2009 and 7th in 2008).
6. Lina Pettersson with Hungarian Pumi Arbetsmyrans Amazing Ai (Individual Silver at the Nordic Championship 2009).
7. Li Stenberg with Australian Kelpie Roscanaille's Real Star (placed 7th at the Nordic Championship in November 2009).
8. Renata Johansson with Australian Cattledog Hejastugans Häxa.
9. Yvonne Öster with Border Collie Borderminds Miss Valentine.
10. Karolina Niczko with Tervueren Breakpoint's King of Frida.

Photo: The Swedish Team for the Nordic Championship 2009
Photographer: Yvonne Öster

The Belgian HTM Team

According to the rules each country can be represented by 3 HTM dogs and 3 Freestyle dogs. The Belgian Kennel Club has chosen only to enter one freestyle dog, therefore we have accepted entries from an independent HTM team.

Simonne Lauwers with Laekenois (BSD) “Houdini of Dazzling Ruby”
Houdini is my own bred Laekenois and that is why we have a very strong bond . Both “Dini” and his mother Dazzle are competing succesfull in freestyle only, since there is no HTM competitions in Belgium.
I’m very happy that I’m offered the chance to perform in HTM at the World Championship. It also gives me the opportunity to promote the rarest Belgian Shephard variety - the Laekenois .
As you can see on the picture we always have a lot of fun together .
I wish all the competitors of the World championship a lot of luck and aspecially a lot of fun.

Arlette Cloes with Laekenois (BSD) "Ginger van de Duvetorre"
It was love at first sight when I saw Ginger, she was just 6 weeks old. However I really wasn't looking for a puppy, I already had 3 dogs at home. Over the next couple of days I couldn't stop thinking about her so I rang her breeder and said I would have her. A week later she came home to join our family. She is now three and competes in Obedience and Agilty events. She still has a lot to learn. She is young and still lacks confidence at times. It will be a challenge to prepare our routine over the next two and a half months, among other things she will have to learn more heelwork positions. Luckily she enjoys her work and always does her best to please me.
Just think, a team of Belgian Shepherds, all Lakenoises.
It must surely be a first on an International event.

Arlette Cloes with Laekenois (BSD) "Zingara"
Zingara and I have been together for 10 wonderful years.
She was born at home and I decided to keep her because of her independent and somewhat dominant charecter. When she was 5 months old I started clicker training with her, we did obedience and agility. When she was 5 years old we discovered Dog Dancing and it soon became our passion. Zingara is not always the easiest of dogs to work with and at times we have had our problems, but it has all been worth it and she and I have become a real team.
For me the chance to take part at these first World Chamionships is a dream come true.
I hope that everyone has a wonderful time and enjoys themselves whatever the outcome.

We wish the Belgian Laekenois the Best of Luck

and look forward to see you in Denmark!

Questions Regarding Use of Ring and Schedule

We have received a couple of questions regarding use of ring and schedule.

Q: I have seen that the ring size has now been announced to be 15x25 metres, can you tell me if the judges will take notice if you use the entire ring or not?? In my country "big" dogs have to use about 75% of the available space.

A: There is much more to 'making good use of the ring' than just covering a set procentage of the ring. The judges will notice how you use the available space - if you move in more directions, if you always move in straight lines or use for example diagonals or circles too and if you always move around the same way (e.g. always clockwise or always anti-clockwise) or have more variation. There is no set procentage mentioned in the rules.

Q: I have also noticed that it's possible to practice in the ring Thursday but we may arrive too late for that? Does the HTM competition start Friday and Freestyle Saturday? How many will qualify for Sunday?

A: You can book practice time in the ring on Thursday afternoon by sending an e-mail to Hanne Madsen (The Danish Kennel Club) at hama@dansk-kennel-klub.dk. You can ask for a time as late as possible. Otherwise there will be a warm up ring with the same kind of surface and in the same hall as the competition ring. You can use that all 3 days without booking time in advance.

Programme:

Friday the 25th of June 2010:

Team competitions in Heelwork to Music and qualifiers for the Individual Final.

All competitors perform their routines and are judged. The results count towards the team competition. At the same time the results are qualifying for the Individual Final.

Saturday the 26th of June 2010:

Team competitions in Freestyle and qualifiers for the Individual Final.

All competitors perform their routines and are judged. The results count towards the team competition. At the same time the results are qualifying for the Individual Final.

Sunday the 27th of June 2010:

Individual HTM Final and Individual Freestyle Final.

The ten teams that have acquired the highest score in each of the disciplines qualify for the Individual Finals (10 Heelwork to Music and 10 Freestyle).

These answers have been confirmed by the Head Judge.