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Jyväskylä international show Nov 18. 2007
We had planned to enter our three younger dogs and take Noora with us to the show site as tourist, but they wouldn’t let any non entrants inside the show premises because of lack of space.
So we entered almost 11 year old Noora at her first ever official show, thinking that she would not have to participate, as long as she can come with us to the show site.
We drove the 200 miles up to Jyväskylä on saturday doing some shopping on the way up.
 We spent the night at hotel Alba in Jyväskylä next to a lake and we had a great view in the evening. (Click on the picture for a bigger photo)
On Sunday when we arrived at the show site we found out that Noora was the only Gordon Setter veteran entered, so after thinking it over and with encouragement from our friends we decided to let her have a go in the ring too.
The fact that Field Spaniels and Gordon Setters were competing at the same time forced us to concider how to be in two places simultaneously. We found out that a junior handler we know called Mariikka Ala-Maakala was at the show and she agreed to show the fields so Juha could concentrate on the Gordon ring.
Nelli got a rating of excellent (the best rating a judge can give and only dogs with excellent rating can compete for best of breed) and finished third in her open bitch class. When Juha was leaving the ring with Nelli to get Noora, he saw Mariikka coming up ringside with her hands full of rosettes. Roosa had gotten a honorary award becoming BOB puppy and Essi had taken BOB and gotten a CACIB. There wasn’t much time to celebrate as Noora had to go in to the ring, and that’s where the BIG surprise came. Noora also got an excellent rating and became BOB veteran and then competing for best bitch placed fourth just after Nelli. The judge was strict as only one male out of seven and four bitches out of six got excellent rating.
 Our show bag has never before been this full of rosettes after a show.
Puppies do not have group finals at official shows here in Finland, but both Noora and Essi got to show off in the big ring. There were no group placements to expect for our girls, but they  had a great time with the crowd cheering. Nelli got to go to the auditorium with mom to watch Essi and Noora perform, but she fell asleep despite of all the noise around. It is after all a hard work being beautiful. |
