It looks like the Staffs Beagle group might have a new home at Meir Freedom Fields. A snowy meet today, but the hounds had a great time, and Eddie made a new best friend. Of course the rubbish dump was a prime focus of attention! One of the few shots that Merry graced with her appearance. (Back view rearing). My OH's opinion of exercising your Beagle. There were about 30 hounds present! Eddie and his new friend(s). I found myself with a non-Beagle devotee - she knew I had Schmakos in my pocket. Merry just whizzed past from time to time en route to sorting out any differences of opinion, or the next unmentionable snack. A treat for her, she so rarely gets off lead in new places.
That looks like an ideal place Carole - were you not cold standing around while the Beagles were enjoying themselves [and the treats!]? My feet all of a sudden turned to ice just looking at those pictures!
How lovely to see such lovely photos & everyone enjoying themselves Thank you for taking the time putting all that together
Not too cold as it was a sunny morning. I've been looking at everyone else's photos and 'found' Merry, happily settled in with another couple and milling around with a group of six Beagles! The wanton hussy.
So far we have only had the two meets in Staffordshire, but all being well, it looks as if it could be monthly. The Shropshire division seems to be meeting monthly, near Telford. I would like to be able to make them all, but we have had shows the last two weeks, and have another one next week. I think OH is starting to feel a little overdosed! The West Midlands have a group which meets every Sunday near the NEC, and often attracts up to sixty Beagles.
I gave up between 1990 and starting to work Tweed in Trials sometime around 2005, but the pull was always there and I spent some of the time odd-jobbing with the Bouvier Club. I don't know how much longer I can keep running round rings though, and Merry will be ten in June, and even getting a bit elderley for Veteran classes. I would like to try for one of the new Veteran Warrants, but that has to be from AV classes at Open Shows - breed classes don't count. Sod's Law, she could have almost got it if it had started last year, but points have to be gained from 01.01.19. A query for you. I found us a corner by the Pastoral ring while we were waiting for our Veteran class last week, and was able to watch the GSD judging. All but one of the exhibits were stacked in the traditional way, (the natural stance Shepherd came 3rd), and none of the exhibits were gaited in advance of their handlers - but the ring was probably too small to allow that anyway. Is my memory faulty, or was there a KC directive that GSD's should be stacked foursquare? If so, are most people ignoring it? Having had the chance to see both, I still prefer the traditional stance.
As far as I am aware one can walk their Gsd into the stance then shown free standing with no hand placing. The majority of the times when mine are off lead or are looking at something they tend to free-stand themselves with one hind leg forward and the other back as in un-exaggerated show stand. It is very unlikely that the ‘Germanic Type’ will enter general open shows, so am guessing it was the English type you saw.
