springy

Well done to all the winners!

This is a nightmare! hurry up!

Thankyou! The suspense is killing me! LOL!

Thanks folks for your results! Now just the waiting waiting waiting for BIS!!

Thankyou very much :) what was grp 3rd??

Any more results yet??

Congrats Mel & Co! yes! She looked a treat out there to! A great result - well deserved

Yep! We will be there!

Love this idea! Fantastic!

I saw it! Thought it was the cutest thing I had seen in ages!

We have coated breeds (Welsh & Eng Springers), in full coat & live in the mega Tropics & we use the 'cool champion' ones. We have quite a few per dog & each dog goes through at least 2 per show. Our shows are mostly held at night in temps averaging around the 25'C+ mark & this time of the year 80%+ humidity. It is heaps cooler in the dry. Anyway, if we are 1st group & with the ESS amongst the 1st breeds in the ring - in temps of nearer 30' (it cools as the sun drops), we have found the coats quite adequate. We also do Trials & Gundog stuff - the coats can be wetter for trials of course - 'cos if the feathers are a bit damp it doesn't matter as much. With the 'Cool Champs' ones, we do them the night before the show, wring them out REALLY well (we even give them a quick light spin in the machine sometimes - although the makers say DON'T! we have had no problems & they work just as well & have never come apart). We then bag them & place in the fridge until we leave the next evening. They are then put into an esky with ice - either those frozen blue brick jobs or actual ice. I prefer the block ice as the cubes melt quicker & can wet the coats to much again (usually 'cos we haven't shut the coat bags properly! LOL!). They are icey cold & the dogs will stop panting & settle fairly soon after they go on. It is so hot & as they lose their 'coolness' quickly (due to our high temps) it has never caused any chill issues with the dogs. We change into fresh coats as required - the old ones getting put back into the esky in their sealed bags in case we need them again, as they cool quickly enough to be used again. I have seen ours sitting on their trolleys, calm, looking about & not panting, & other short coated breeds on the showground panting away like mad - so - they do work. The secret is to get them fairly dry, but cold, for the coated breeds - the Springers don't look good wet for the ring (although they love being wet) - plus after all the blow drying/grooming etc I would personally go mad! LOL! We don't use the mats at shows as the dogs get too damp - maybe we are doing it wrong? Anyhow, the coats work brilliantly. I have seen the Golden people soaking the same brand under the taps then rolling them into towels & with a person each end, wring the coats really hard out that way & that works well for them. Hard to do that one on your own effectively though. A two person job. You can use the coats on long haired breeds - just a bit more effort required to get sorted & find out what works best for you. We wouldn't go to a show/trial or travel without them - they are as important as drinking water etc! If travelling (& we can travel 3000 kms round trip for a show from here), they go into the car fridge, always, just in case we need them, or get stuck on the road or some drama happens. When dried out, they can be used in reverse - to keep the animals warm if needed.

I WON I WON! Received an email from Kylie yesterday! I am soooooo excited! Can't wait for it to arrive! Thanks very much - they look just great! Looking forward to seeing the Agility themed ones when they come in too! Congrats to all the other winners - we are very lucky I think

Re-entering from the NT! Just sent you the confirmation email as suggested.

Me too! They look fantastic! All fingers & paws crossed here

Thanks for all the best wishes folks. Yes - the judge exclaimed "I nearly had a heart attack' as it all went off - she also jumped back laughing! It was chaos for a split second! We even started to leave the ring & RUIG hadn't been judged! LOL! When I was hanging onto the Welsh beastie right at the end of Group lineup - Megz trying to keep me calm as the judging seemed to go for ever & she had been in the same shoes herself. Always seems to take a long time when you are last in the line up (I was also last dog of the show) & I was preying that Peter wouldn't 'drop the ball' in his workout. I couldn't see him & Meazle at the other end of the line. I must say that as I ran the Welsh Dragon out & back, it must have been the first time ever that I didn't want him to win BIG! Madness! It was fantastic to top off the Grand thingo with a RUIS & another BIG in Ring 2 + 2x ABIS! Meazle showed his socks off, tail lashing - he will do anything for the magic bait! Thanks Megz! A huge thanks to all those that have encouraged, advised & helped us get to the elusive Title - especially as some competitors have loudly called him "shark bait", "deformed", "Pet Quality" etc when he has beaten them in the past ! Some have even loudly abused the judges! I ask you! Like you'd even say that to anyone! Makes me laugh! Rude twats! Good job we have a sense of humour, thick skins & been involved in 'elective judging' for decades! Thanks again to all the good honest competitors we are lucky to have as friends

I agree - it must have died Sooz. There is no way she would not have let us know ASAP! Same here - thanks everyone & goodbye cyber world - back to the real world to do some work

Yes. A huge congrats to all the winners & their connections. Must be HUGE to get through to the final line ups! Thanks to all those who took the trouble to keep us sorry tragics here at home informed too ! Hope the show was a huge buzz guys! Yes - maybe next year - would be worth the trip - would have loved to be there!

Me to! I was very pleasantly surprised! A very nice trophy for Ch Sunspur Zuess CD ET (ESS) - Top Gundog NT. Loved it :D Thankyou very much DOL

Hopefully we will be there - jammies for the dogs (new one's made by Dollop's mum - although not to many so they may grow some more coat! LOL!) & jammies & ugg boots, usual Alice in July uniform, packed for the humans! Let's hope it doesn't rain this year! Every time we went down last year it poured! Then the rain froze. Always clears up in time for the first group in the ring though?