DOG Sports UK Magazine

16/12/2024

I thought you might like to see that the DTW Crufts Edition is starting to take shape. At least the cover is done. Or is it?

01/04/2024

DTW / DSUK April Issue.
Oh, Easter is early this year so for once the printers have actually shut down for 4 days.
We are therefore running a few days late with getting the April Issue out to you.
Whilst doing some filing I realised that DTW did in the old days switch backwards and forwards between A4 and A5.
I decided to make this issue an A5 format as opposed to A4 and also to give you two covers. I will not publish the digital issue until the print version has been sent out.

01/04/2024

Crufts 2025

As some of you may be aware there were a lot of issues with photographers this year, and not just in the Obedience Arena.
The Kennel Club (KC) terms and conditions that photographers must abide by are quite interesting, particularly when you also consider the requirements of the Data Protection Act (DPA).

In the KC Terms and Conditions Paragraph 2states
a) The film/photographs/recordings should not be used for any commercial purpose.

Paragraph 3 states:
b) Not to film/photograph/record any specific dog without the consent of the exhibitor and to inform the exhibitor of the intended use of such photographs and where the photographs may be published e.g. specific websites and so on.

As Dog Training Weekly Magazine Limited does not sell the images it takes para 2. a) is not an issue.

Para 3.c) is a little bit more demanding because the DPA does have something to say on obtaining consent.

So, after a lot of thought we need to tidy up a few things to ensure that we have covered all the issues of the Kennel Club and the DPA.
We will be producing the DTW Crufts guide for 2025.
And don’t see any reason why we would stop as long as there is a demand for it.
We are however going to have to give some serious consideration to which competitors we take photographs of during the show. For example, in Obreedience with 10 teams of potentially 6 dogs per team photographing this activity at Crufts would require 60 signed pieces of paper. One for each dog and handler.
At which point the DPA steps in and tells me exactly how to store those pieces of “personal information”.

Whilst I consider those challenges, which are on the “to do” list for Crufts 2025 I thought you might like to know the various date for the DTW Crufts Special 2025.

12/03/2024

I would like to thank you all for your very kind comments, but take the opportunity to clarify a few issues some of you have raised.

My daughter acquired DTW in 2014, and the first Crufts special we produced was 2015. That would have been A4 in black and white. 2015 was the first year we applied for press passes and took photos at the show.
So yes we have been taking photos for a long time.

Did we have press passes?
Yes of course we did. My wife and I both had photographers passes.

Were we using flash?
No we weren’t both our cameras were in modes where flash was switched off.

In the Obedience arena only one of was taking photos at a time.
At the shows we go to we usually go off in different directions.

Do we charge for photos?
No, we don’t charge for photos. We don’t consider ourselves competition for the professional photographers as we are really looking for pictures for the magazine.

And now in defence of the Kennel Club Press Office.
They have to my knowledge always been able to ask for proof that you are a real journalist or photographer involved with dog sports.
This year was no different although they did ask for photos for the passes as well. They also reserved the right to ask for proof that you had done something in the dog sports world in the last 12 months.
For us that was relatively straight forward to prove, all the issues of the magazine are available online, so I just sent them the links. The KC Library also has issues going back nearly 60 years.
They can also see the photos we take on the Dog Sports UK website see link below.

https://www.dogsportsuk.com/photo-albums

I have just realised that site is not quite up to date as I have not posted the photos from the Solihull Limit Show. It also goes back to 2021. I think that needs a tidy.

So that gives me something to do whilst I wait for the judges reports for the April Issue (Results) of the magazine. Just need to track down some Championship photos, but I think I know where to go.

A selection of photos from Dog Shows around the UK

11/03/2024

The aim was to try and geta photo of every dog and handler in the Inter Regional Obedience Competition. I did of course fail.

Here are the last few pictures.

I hope you enjoy the new season.

11/03/2024

Friday 8 March Crufts 2024 - Day Two

Well as hundreds of you will have seen, on Friday 8th March I had the ignominious experience of being chucked out of the audience at the Inter Regional Obedience Competition at Crufts this year.
The NEC Arena team member was very pleasant about it, but she did have two heavies on standby in case this 75-year-old pensioner and his wife cut up rough. The NEC arena steward said, “The Kennel Club has requested that you stop taking pictures and move as you are putting the handlers and their dogs off”. She also said, “We realise that you have not been using flash all day and it is the Kennel Club and not the NEC that want you to move”.
The reality of course was at that time of day there were no seats left to move to, so the only choice was out.
I would explain that this was in the afternoon just after lunch at about 2:30 and only two handlers had worked. If you are interested you can see me and my wife quite clearly on the livestream, in the front row. I am the old man wearing the red jacket.
I did take some pictures in the morning so I thought I would share them with you. These will be the last Obedience pictures that take. I find the thought that my photography has actually been putting handlers and dogs off extremely distressing. It has never been my intention to upset anybody. And I must apologise to any the handlers who I have upset.
I first got involved with DTW in the May of 2014 when the ownership changed. The first DTW Crufts Special we produced was in 2015 and since then it has evolved into quite a special guide.
It has been an interesting and predominantly enjoyable experience.
But at the end of the day all I am really doing is editing it. I would like to take this opportunity of thanking all the Regional Managers whose hard work each year has made this guide possible; Wendy Birch, Michael McCartney, Lou Jackson, Karen Otto, Emma Lavender, Gill Walker, and Emma Galbraith, who collate all the information from the handlers and get it to me in some sort of usable format. Of course, all the Championship handlers who send their profiles and pictures largely before Christmas must also be thanked. A special thank you must go to Richard Keeble who over the years has provided invaluable help and support.
It has also been fun working with Debra Lavender each year trying to make sure that the Obedience Information Desk has everything she wants in terms of score sheets etc.
Over the years as I wandered around the shows I have meet some fantastic, show secretaries, stewards, judges, handlers, and their dogs. I will save the show secretaries the embarrassment of having to ask me as a banned photographer not to attend their show by saying that I will not be attending any further Obedience shows.
I wish whoever takes on the challenge of producing the next generation of DTW Crufts Special the best of Luck.

10/03/2024

Thursday 7 March - Crufts 2024 Day 1

The Obreedience Competition took place at 11:45 am in the Obedience Arena.

I find it quite a challenge to get a good set of photos of every dog because when the dogs do the Set Exercises it is impossible to be in the right place for all dogs.

But here are a few photos I managed.

10/03/2024

I will do my Obreedience pictures next and then give some thought about what to do with the pictures I took on Friday before my eviction from the Obedience Arena in Hall 5.

10/03/2024

Thursday 7 March Crufts 2024 Day 1

Last year we had snow. This year the weather is much kinder and after a good, cooked breakfast at 6:30am, by 7:45am we have got to Crufts and registered. I say hello to a couple of young ladies I know in the Crufts Press Office and as I am old enough to be their Grandfather wonder whether next year I should bring a packet of Werther’s Originals for them. I suppose the sugar free ones would be best.

At this stage, the thought that I might not be here next year has not entered my horizon as it is still 31 hours before I, and my wife are removed from the Obedience Arena by three NEC Arena Stewards.

After leaving the press office I realise I have left some stuff in the car park, go back for it and eventually by 10:30am we are sat in the Media seats in the Main Arena for the Heelwork To Music Competition.

I do not really need to be here because I know Richard Moss will be doing the heavy lifting as far as HTM pictures are concerned.
Although HTM is the only Activity that is required by the KC Regulations to have Spectator Appeal we have the peculiar situation that whilst the handlers are required to work to the judges, the Media seats are facing the judges so most of the time the view is of the handlers’ backs. I did however promise Richard Moss that when he qualifies for Crufts I would come and take some pictures of him. So, it is probably a good idea that I get some practice.

The pictures here are of the view from the Media seats, and perhaps give you an inking of what is to come from Richard Moss. That is pictures from the front as he is taking his pictures from behind the judges.

05/03/2024

Working Trials

Crufts is without doubt the biggest Dog Show in the world and the one thing that there are plenty of is Champions. Whether it is Breed, HTM, Agility, or something else by close of play on Sunday when the show finishes there will be many new Champions.

Over in Hall 3 there is an Activities Ring and there will be some unsung champions there as well by the end of Sunday.
Twice a day demonstration teams for various activities will give half hour demonstrations of their sport.
So, we have Agility, Heelwork to Music, Rally, Showing and Ringcraft, Obedience, Gun Dogs, Bloodhounds and of course Working Trials.

In such a small ring it is difficult for some of the activities, which normally take place outdoors, to highlight their sport properly, but the Working Trials team do an excellent job of making most spectators thinking “I wish my dog could do that”.
Last year for the first time we tried to produce a small guide for the Working Trials demonstration team. And by small I mean small. We have done it again this year and we thought we would share it with a wider audience, so here goes.

Introducing the Crufts 2024 Demonstration Team for Working Trials (WT). Meet the dogs and their handlers who will be demonstrating WT in the Activities ring in

05/03/2024

Obreedience
Apart from the main “Best in Show” competition that is running throughout Crufts there is another battle of the breeds that will take place in the Obedience Arena in hall 5 on Thursday at 11:45 approx.
Ten Teams of four handlers with their dogs will battle it out to be the Obreedience Champions of 2024.
There are 5 exercises altogether including the Synchronised Heelwork Pattern where the four handlers and their dogs form one seamless team. After each team has showed off their heelwork they then have 4 individual exercise, each dog and handler doing one exercise.
The exercise are Send to Bed, Stop and Play, Retrieve, and Scent.
The competing teams are:

Clumberjacks Spaniel (Clumber) Gun Dog
Cool Cockers Spaniel (Cocker) Gun Dog
Golden Acorns Retrievers (Golden) Gun Dog
Labrapaws Retriever (Labrador) Gun Dog
Manchester Reunited Manchester Terriers Terrier
Russellers Jack Russell Terriers Terrier
Shepherd’s Delight German Shepherd Dogs Pastoral
Stafford Stars Staffordshire Bull Terriers Terrier
Wagtails King Charles Spaniels Toy
Woodcockers Spaniel (Cocker) Gun Dog

You can read all about them in Dog Training Weekly guide.

https://www.flipsnack.com/dtwpremier/crufts-2024-obreedience/full-view.html

05/03/2024

Trophies

I don’t know when it was first started but for many years on the Saturday at lunchtime in the Obedience arena in Hall 5 some trophies get presented. If you have ever wondered what they are for here we go.

The DTW Top Dog prize is for the dog that wins most tickets and has the highest number of KC merit points.
The DTW BOS award is for the dog of the opposite s*x with most tickets and the highest number of KC merit points.
The requirement for KC merit points is a useful way of ensuring that there can never be a draw for either of these prizes.

The other two awards are the Ob Ch Polzack Purdey Trophy and the Ob Ch Yvo Yvonne Shield which are for the dog with most tickets and the dog of the opposite s*x with most tickets.

If you are watching the presentation in Hall 5 the big trophies are fairly easy to see. Although quite what the winners do with them I don’t know. Display them at their club, put them on the sideboard, or more likely the back of the wardrobe.
But the smaller “keepsakes” are more difficult to see and slightly more of a challenge as we try and make them slightly different each year. Here are some pictures of this year’s awards.

05/03/2024

Heelwork to Music

If you enjoy the HTM competitions that take place over the first 3 days of Crufts you need to be aware that the times have changed, and the order of events has also changed.

Thursday at 10:30 is the Crufts Heelwork to Music (HTM) Competition.
Friday at 11:55 is the Crufts Freestyle Competition.
Saturday at 11:50 is the Crufts International Freestyle.

Dog Sports UK has produced a guide with profiles and photos of all the competitors and the judges.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Gina Pink for the consolidation and editing of all the profiles and Richard Moss for the use of his photos for the UK competitions.

You can see the guide in full here:

Profiles and pictures of the judges, handlers, and dogs for the Crufts 2024 HTM Championship. This guide covers Thursday 7 March HTM, Friday 8 March Freestyle,

26/02/2024

DTW Obedience Crufts Special 2024.

Now that the dust is settling and we can put away all the packaging materials, for another year, I have realised that we have 10 copies looking for a good home.
I have opened up the website so if anybody wants one they can get one there. I have increased the price by 50p as we will ship by courier using a next day service.
https://www.dogsportsuk.com/product-page/dog-training-weekly-crufts-special-edition-2024

Now to spend a few hours trawling through some photos to select for the Obedience Information Desk.

The "Blue One", this edition covers the Inter Regional Obedience, Obedience Championsips, and the GCDS Special Pres-Beginner Obedience Stakes Final.Good Luck / Congratulatory Messages, dog and handler profiles and photos. This will be shipped in time for Crufts 2024

24/02/2024

Both the Obedience & Obreedience DTW Guides for Crufts 2024have have now shipped.
We started shipping on Wednesday morning, and some of those are already landing, and finished on Friday afternoon.
Along the way we had a few problems with the Post Office who banned us from coming in the following day, which was Friday. They wanted us to wait until Monday. Felt we should know that the end of the month is very busy for them, what with people renewing their car tax and collecting their pensions…
So, to cut a long story short we decided to ship a quantity of guides via EVRI. We chose those that were multiple copies and all over the nations, so Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales & England. That way we would see how they coped.
Hopefully everybody should have their orders complete by Wednesday the 28th next week.
Whilst typing this I have just noticed a Heron in the Garden, who appears to have had the fish in the pond for lunch.

19/02/2024

Here is a quick update re the various guides we produce for Crufts.
Currently they are all at the printers. Delivery to us is due this week. We will do our best to get them turned around and into the post as quickly as we can.
Once they are with the Post Office typically you should allow three days for them to reach you.
Hopefully therefore you should be seeing delivery next week (Week commencing 26 Feb). Well in time for Crufts we hope.

10/02/2024

I can see that some people dont know how to order the DTW Crufts Special Obedience edition.

You can do it on this link. I will leave it open up until Noon. But it will close then.

The "Blue One", this edition covers the Inter Regional Obedience, Obedience Championsips, and the GCDS Special Pres-Beginner Obedience Stakes Final.Good Luck / Congratulatory Messages, dog and handler profiles and photos. This will be shipped in time for Crufts 2024

09/02/2024

DTW Crufts Special Edition Obedience 2024
Editing this edition is a bit like one of those plate spinning tricks you used to see at the Circus. The edition is actually created in 5 sections so as “print day” approaches each plate stops spinning and the whole things get pulled together.
As our printer works 24 x 7 this weekend we will go to print.
After 8:00 am on Saturday you will no longer be able to order copies or messages. And if you have not sent your photos or text in it will not get included.