smelly socks and red rosettes

Apparently hiking socks are very expensive.

I bet they're worth a lot more once they have vent holes in them and they've been thoroughly aired in the garden.

It's ok though... I decided Mum had paid the price for giving too much attention this week to the SkInvader... (who I am still watching verrrry carefully for signs of mutiny)... and I thought I'd get back in the swing of this showing lark.

So, even though Mum was amazed I'd qualified this year for our Ringcraft club's Dog of the Year competition, we gave it a go on Friday night.

There was a lovely lady judge there who thought I was quite handsome. First, I won our Yearling Class. Then we waited around for all the other classes and then went up against all the other winners. The lady gave me a huge rosette and a nice trophy for Mum to polish for the next year. Apparently that means I'm Detling Ringcraft Club's Dog of the Year!!

So, I was on a roll. We were up for a 4.30 am drive to Stafford where there was the British Utility Breed Association's Championship Show. I was in the Junior class and the Yearling class. Junior class had ALL my old adversaries in it. The dogs I've been competing against since I started showing back in February. Two of those dogs win lots and lots and lots and one of them has a Challenge Certificate (which is a very very big prize). I beat them hands down!! Let's not mention Yearling class 'cos the judge obviously overlooked my handsomeness in that one - but never mind I beat the entire lot in Junior!!

I might just be in Mum's good books.