Team GB Training Show

Team GB organised a Training Show for Sunday 18th August - held at Tomlinson's Canine Centre, Leicestershire in order to help those entering HTM competitions to perform without the stress of real competition and of course to raise funds to help the Team finance their travel and stay in The Netherlands.

The Team set up the hall to replicate a competition with a full sized ring and seating for the audience.

 Lots of other fundraising at this show - this was the Team GB Stand. 

The book stall - any book just 50p.  Thank you for the donations and to those who bought!

Lesley drew the dog with a numbered grid for the "Spot The Flea" competition - won by Anne Shuker.

The ever popular GB Coloured Tuggys and the huge bear with chocolates which was the prize for naming the bear.

 Name the Bear - only 50p per square and won by Kay Dunn.

And a Silent Auction for a £75 voucher for a photo from a local photographer - Coach House Photography.  

Jacqui Beale and Hector

The Team received entries for the show from people all over GB - and everyone attended and everyone took all their four runs!!!  100% successful show.

Happy to be back in Freestyle

Christina Oxtoby and Ru

Jill Davis with Matisse

Great opportunity to train her young dog (15 months old)
in competition environment
Thanks to everyone who entered the show. 

The Team really appreciate your support. 

T Shirts by Sheldrake

Thank you to Sheldrake for supplying the Team GB 2013 T Shirts with Union Flag and Handler's names embroidered on them

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The Team really appreciates your support.

Thank you Fylde K9 Dancers

Thank you Fylde K9 Dancers for allowing The Team to have a "Fund Raising" Table at your event this weekend and for the donation made on behalf of the club.  The Team is very grateful to you.

And of course many thanks to everyone who bought tuggies and had a go on the Name The Bear and the Find a Flea competitions :-)

Made To Measure!

Underworld it is not!  (Corrie fans will get the joke)

All dog coats are now made and so Team Member Lesley is busy  sewing for Jackie de Jong who needs a blingy waistcoat for her "Sharp Dressed Man" routine!

 

It is all go for the team getting ready - fundraising and training their dogs as well!!

Eze gets Passported

Eze was a big, brave boy today for his passport. He was so busy trying to persuade the vet to give him the treats that he'd found in the vet's pocket, that once he was given one he was so busy and happy eating it he didn't even notice his jab! 

Thank you, from Christina Oxtoby (Freestyle) to David from Stamford Vets for being so lovely to him and for the donation of worming tablets to get Eze back into the UK after his competition! 

Welcome to Christina Oxtoby

Christina first dreamt of doing HTM 10 years ago when she saw Mary Ray on the TV performing at Crufts. Christina re-watched the recording several times and then started to teach the moves to her young Great Dane, Caleb and rescue German Shepherd, Asaph. She owes both of these dogs a huge debt of gratitude for teaching her what she knows today as well as being such loving friends for so many years. This then led to her fulfilling a life-long dream of working with animals when she re-trained from being a violin and piano teacher to working in dog training and behaviour. She started ICC Dog Training centres and as they grew she ended up working as Head of Training and Behaviour before a number of house moves meant that she no longer taught weekly classes. Today she loves teaching a variety of workshops in various aspects of dog training and behaviour as well as teaching her violin and piano pupils. She is also Choir Director for Stamford Gospel Choir and plays in a number of modern church music bands working alongside her supportive (and patient!) Husband who is a Vicar. 

Christina shares her life with 3 wonderful dogs, Ru, Shai and Eze. Ru is a 6 year old Great Dane who Christina rescued when he was 6 months old (this was the 3rd time that he had been re-homed.) He is an absolute sweetie, being great fun to work with, very loving and a big baby! He currently competes at Intermediate level in both Heelwork and Freestyle and is the only Great Dane in the UK to compete at HTM. He is affectionately known as the 'Dancing Dane' when he has performed as part of the Dog Activities Display Team at Crufts. The newest member of the family is Shai, a 2 year rescue Border Collie who joined the family in February of this year. He'd had no training before arriving and LOVES his training sessions in obedience, agility and HTM. Christina has high hopes for him in the future and he's also a very sweet (if somewhat enthusiastic!) boy. 

Finally, it is my pleasure to introduce Eze or to give him his full name, 'Legacy's Eze Ezekiel'. Eze is a 7 year old Border Collie who competes at Advanced Level in both Heelwork and Freestyle and also competes in agility. He is duel registered ISDS (both his parents work sheep) and KC and arrived as an extremely challenging and strong willed 8 week old puppy. After much hard work he has blossomed into Christina's dream Border Collie who she wouldn't change for the world. He's qualified for the Crufts semi finals in 2012 and 2014, and Christina is delighted to have been invited onto the British Team for the Open European Championships with her lovely boy. Christina would like to thank the many people who have helped and encouraged her over the years to reach this point, in particular her wonderful husband for his encouragement and support, and also wishes to thank the rest of the team for their help too. Eze and Christina realise - 'The Hard Work Starts Here!'

BBC Radio Lincoln visit Team GB

BBC Radio Lincolnshire heard about Team GB 2013 and took advantage to interview Carol Mortimer (Team GB Leader) along with Team Members Christina Oxtoby with Eze and Dylan Smith with Chance and some very willing volunteers from Louth and District DTC!!.

Willing because this interview was scheduled to start on a Monday morning at 6:30am, meaning an arrival time of 6:00am and then all had to be available for more interviews and action until 9:00am.  Unfortunately the interviewer couldn't find the venue but when she did at around 7:00am, it was a busy time for all involved.  

She loved all the routines and moves that were demonstrated to her.   So much so that at noon, Carol received a phone call to say that they wanted to do a clip on BBC Look North at 6:30pm  and it had to be THAT day.  They wanted Dylan to be the main feature but obviously he was at school.  Carol organised the TV crew to be at the Village Hall at 4pm and Jackie Clarke (an OEC Judge from 2011) would also come along to help set up at Authorpe Village Hall.  The cameraman arrived on time but the TV interviewer took a little longer.  Whilst the team helped her find the hall,  the cameraman took shots of Dylan, Grace and Jackie's routines.  The  lady interviewer arrived just in time and did her interviews.  Dylan did a great job of promoting Team GB.

At 6:00pm the filming and interviewing were done but the editing had to be done before it could be uploaded onto the internet for BBC Look North to show the end product that evening!  Unfortunately, Authorpe is the coldest spot in the country for getting Internet connection so the BBC Crew were invited to Jackie's house and allowed to use her internet connection whilst she made them cups of tea.  They finished uploading it at 6:40pm and it went out at 6:50pm.  

Thank you to all volunteers, to BBC Radio Lincolnshire and BBC Look North for the interest shown in the Open European Championship Team GB. 

Welcome to Karen Sykes

I have 4 dogs, 3 Working Sheepdogs and 1 rescue crossbreed.

Kes is 15 years old Working Sheepdog and has been very successful in the sport.  Although she no longer competes, she does still enjoy her training and performing for the public.  She is amazing for her age, I am so lucky to have her.

Midge is my new baby, born on 6^th April 2013.  She is lovely Working Sheepdog puppy with lots of potential for the future.

I have 2 dogs on the team this year. 

Erin is a 4 year old rescue crossbreed.  We don’t know what breeds are mixed into her but she is a great comic with an amazing personality.  Initial illness & behavioural problems made for a slow start in the sport but with consistent training and help she has done well enough to be invited onto the Team as a reserve for the Freestyle Competition.  I am very proud of my achievements with her as she has been a very challenging personality. 

ERIN  Team GB Freestyle Reserve

Fly, my 12 year old Working Sheepdog, won the Heelwork to Music Individual and Team Championships in 2011.  Fly is a very fast and intense dog who anticipates everything which makes training a real challenge and lots of fun.   Around the home you could not wish for a more loving and well behaved dog, she is a real joy to live with.  Fly has competed at Crufts every year since the very first competition, placed highly every year and won the Crufts Heelwork to Music competition in 2008.  We were unable to compete at the OEC in Prague in 2012, so we are looking forward to trying to win back our title this year! 

Fly - Team GB Heelwork To Music Member

I first competed in Heelwork to Music and Freestyle back in 2001 when Kes and I won the Starters Freestyle class.  I also had my first judging appointment in that year too.  I have judged both at Crufts and around the world and I was the Lead Judge at the Inaugural Heelwork to Music World Championships in 2010 held in Denmark.  I have continued to compete, judge and teach but never did I imagine when I first started where this sport would take me.  Thanks to HTM I have travelled the world with my friend Kath Hardman, judging and holding seminars which has resulted in our making many great friends all over the world through this fabulous sport.

Karen and Fly when they won the HTM in 2011

What I love about Heelwork to Music and Freestyle is that it is the only dog sport where you can do exactly what you want to within the rules and let your imagination run free.  You can show-case the individuality of your dog and never have to perform a move that the dog doesn’t like.  Dogs, dancing and music are a magical combination which gives so much joy to many!

I cannot finish my profile without mentioning my constant companion, Allan.  He has been by my side since 1983 encouraging me in everything I have done, looking after our dogs, taking wonderful photos and helping me to achieve things that I never thought I was capable of. 

To represent your country is a huge honour and I shall do my very best with Fly and Erin but whatever the result, I can be sure of taking the best dogs home to my wonderfully supportive family and friends!

Welcome to Dylan Smith

Dylan Smith and Chase (Corridhue Chase, Border Collie)

Reserve :  Team GB  Heelwork To Music

Dylan is the top Junior Handler, under 12 years, in Heelwork to Music in Great Britain.  Aged 11 years, he is already competing successfully in the Young Kennel Club Heelwork To Music, Freestyle, Obedience, Flyball, Grooming and Handling and he is also competing well in the Official Kennel Club Heelwork To Music Classes..

Dylan is a good all rounder and he and his dog make a formidable team.

The Team GB Leader

Welcome to the HTM Team GB Leader, Carol Mortimer.

It was Carol's ambition to take a team of dogs and handlers to the Open European Championships and 2013 has given Carol this great opportunity.

Carol has worked German Spitz for twenty years in Heelwork to Music, obedience, agility and achieved a minimum of Intermediate in Freestyle and Heelwork with them.  She has also worked Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen in  HTM, obedience and agility.  Her original breed of choice was German Shepherds.

She has spent the past twenty years training Junior Handlers in all three sports and in flyball, grooming and handling.  In 2013 she was honoured to be invited to judge the HTM, Freestyle and International Freestyle competitions held at Crufts.