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May 2009

 

Dear Irish Terrier Friends,

We've had some very warm weather and walks in the park have been adventurous. We all know the Irish Terrier delight in talking to everyone, picnics, school parties, gardners - we miss no-one! Fortunately we've given up football at last and even Tessie walks past a noisy game without interfering and bringing the whole show to a halt.

But last week they spotted a young man stripped to the waist pursuing some sort of vigorous fitness regime involving ab-crunches, one arm press ups, back rolls into verticle springs - all very impressive stuff. He was sweating profusely and we must have been down wind as Zuli, Beeg and Tess streaked towards him filled with amorous intent. By the time I caught up they were circling round him like pole dancers wildly excited rolling on his pile of clothes and joining in the exercises. Most fortunately the young man laughed as much as I did  and when I had at last managed to catch them and head off for a cool down paddlling in the lake he called out 'bye girls, come and see me again, but please after the London Marathon'. We're still looking for him!

The AGM at Shottery was well organised as usual and went like clockwork. It wasn't combined this year with any activity for pet owners and I, for one, was disappointed that the puppies didn't come. I think we'll have to come up with some ideas for next year. There was a fair amount of discussion about the Breed description regarding the Irish Terrier temperament. I've been complaining for years that the old World War 1 descriptions as 'Red Devils', 'Dare Devils', 'Courageous Unto Death', 'Never Say Die' etc ring serious alarm bells in today's PC world. Of course they're Terriers and will stand their ground but these descriptions were originally meant as an affectionate tribute to their courage in the trenches. I think we're getting there and the piece about Irish Terriers in the catalogue for the last Kennel Club Exhibition of pictures and memorabillia had an excellent description of Irish Terriers as they are perceived today. I am always teased about being a great romantic about Irish Terriers, well, why not, I've loved them all my life and have never had one that was troublesome or mean.

We have met Izzy and Nonny's baby girl Virginia. She's now ten weeks old and smiling broadly. Nonny seems more grown up and settled and they both watch the baby routine with great interest. Beegie went into 'governess' mode immediately sitting very still and keeping her eyes wide open. I think she was mindful that Virginia is not really her baby. Virginia is such a joy to us all.

We were at W.E.L.K.S. (West of England Ladies Kennel Society) this weekend - surely my favourite show held every year at the Three Counties Show Ground at the foot of the Malvern Hills. It gives wonderful opportunities for walking on the hills which give miraculous 360 degree views from the highest points. The bluebells this year are stunning and I'm always amazed at how beautiful England is in the spring. We had a very exciting mixed bag of weather - bright sunshine, streaming rain, high wind, utter stillness with little migrant warblers singing - nothing dull about April.

Ferelith Summerfield judged. She replaced Judy Averis who sadly was not well. Feffie is a famous judge with years of experience. Her concentration is amazing. Everybody loves to show under her and her quiet professionalism and wonderful kindness towards the dogs is so good to watch. I feel we all learn so much from observing her in the ring. She has a lifetime's knowledge of Irish Terriers. The Oudenardes was her family's Irish Terrier Prefix.

Little Hazel won her puppy class and I'm waiting to read Feffie's comments about her. There's a picture on the Children and Puppy Gallery on the website of Conker, her mother, playing with a puppy and we're sure it must be Hazelnut. I had a chance to play with her and walk her round the show. We bought a large hide chew which she carried back to her box with huge pride.

Onto the summer - my garden beckons. I keep threatening to redo the lawn - I must be mad! The last time we had a shot at turfing it Zu and Beeg turned the slabs into a ploughed field. They were quite young at the time but it never recovered.

Hope to catch up with you at some of the shows.

Many greetings, my love to the dogs,

Lucy