Crufts Super Stars 2016

Crufts 2016 has just finished. Although I was unable to attend this year I watched as much of the coverage on Channel 4 as possible. The Agility Finals on Sunday were particularly exciting. My ambition is to one day qualify in agility to compete there. Its is always good to have a dream…..

As you know my true passion is photographing dogs, that’s not to say I don’t enjoy photographing other subjects I do, but from as far back as I can remember having a dog of my own was a dream. I now have three! I am lucky to be able to combine my love of dogs and photography together.

So I am thrilled to be able to say along my journey of dog photography I have captured a few of the winners at this years Crufts!

The first ever commissioned job I had was photographing a litter of Border Collies in 2009. Nothing like a challenge. Eight feisty pups all eager to do everything but what we wanted them to do! We had to resort to having them held for individual pictures. Who would have thought that I would be photographing a superstar!

Congratulations to this beautiful girl Scandal.

Open Large Agility Winner 2016 to add to her numerous outstanding awards.

Scandal with her Litter siblings 2009, boy did we have fun getting this shot. I wonder what the other pups have got up to?

Those of you that follow my blog know that I recently got two Mini American Shepherds.

Earlier in the year the breeder of my dogs and her friend came to see me to get some photos done in the Studio. It was quite a crazy session with all three dogs. They are a breed I have never captured before and certainly a breed that would win my heart over. The Lagotto Romagnolo.

The name of the breed reveals its origins; the expansive marshes of the Romagne district of Italy, where Lagotto (Italian dialect for curly coated duck retriever) were valued for their ability to retrieve ducks from water. The draining of the marshes in the early 1900s led to the decline of duck hunting and there was less demand for dogs to work to their traditional purpose. However, an alternative use was soon found for him: his natural scenting ability made him ideal as a truffle hunter and in his native land that is now seen as his primary purpose. – See more at: http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/services/public/breed/display.aspx?id=2158

The breed gained KC recognition last year with Crufts 2016 being the very first time they were able to be shown in their own class and go for the group.

I had no idea that the dogs had qualified for Crufts. So hugely impressed when I found out that Mum on the right won the Veteran Bitch Class at 12 years of age!

Doesn’t she look well for her age! Almost puppy like here.

Her Grandaugher, (below & right in group above) the puppy for the breed. You don’t get much cuter than this!

A huge congratulations to their owner.

Finally I had the pleasure of doing some photography at Devon Dogs at the end of January (Blog to follow soon) and got to meet and photograph this gorgeous Cocker and her owner Tash Poddubecki. They had a great time at Crufts and came first in the Medium Final Jumping.. so well done to them.