Jody Hall, a dog groomer from Poole, is still in awe after her crossbreed dog, Chester, won the “Most Handsome Dog” trophy at the prestigious Scruffts competition held alongside Crufts. Unlike Crufts, which is reserved for purebred dogs, Scruffts welcomes non-purebred dogs, allowing them to compete in various categories.
Chester, a border terrier and cocker spaniel mix, claimed the top prize in the special crossbreed competition on Saturday. For Hall, attending Crufts was a childhood dream come true. She shared her disbelief: “I still can’t believe it. We’ve got our little trophy, we’ve got our rosettes. I just keep looking at it and thinking ‘wow, we just did that.'”
The entire experience was overwhelming for Hall, who described it as “just amazing from the beginning.” She recalled being stopped by spectators numerous times, with people asking about Chester’s breed and taking pictures. “We got stopped, probably 200 times,” she said.
The competition itself was intense, with Hall admitting it was “nerve-wracking.” As the first dog to compete, she had to lead the others around the ring. To keep Chester calm, she even used some trick training during their performance. “We were in our own little bubble,” Hall explained.
Chester had qualified for Scruffts through national heats, and on Saturday, he and Hall joined other shortlisted dogs at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham for the contest. “I don’t think it could get better than it did this weekend. We are happy with our win,” Hall said. “It was so emotional just getting there, and then for us to win – I can’t believe it.”
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