Galway Bay FM presenter Valerie Hughes was all smiles when her dog, a homebred Bernese Mountain won top honours at the prestigious Crufts dog show in the NEC, Birmingham, on Thursday, March 11.
The Irish flag was certainly flying high at Crufts, an event which attracts hundreds of top dog breeders and owners who present their pets to the judges in the hopes of winning some of the coveted awards.
Ms Hughes, who presents the popular Saturday morning country music show on Galway Bay FM, was delighted when her homebred Bernese Mountain dog, GB Ch, Ir Ch, Int Ch, Carraigbern Miss Alice won the Open bitch class before going on to take the Challenge Certificate for Best Bitch and Reserve Best of Breed.
Speaking after the win, Ms Hughes said: “It is an incredible honour to win the CC at Crufts and is probably one of the greatest aspirations for any exhibitor. Alice has gone from strength to strength achieving her GB Champion title almost a year ago. Although I had qualified her for Crufts, I never for one moment entertained the thought of getting the CC. I am absolutely thrilled.
“There was a very large entry of 206 Bernese Mountain dogs from all over the world and I knew I would not only be competing with the crème de la crème of the breed but also with professional handlers who are flown in from the US and Europe especially to exhibit dogs. It is the ultimate accolade for me and something which will be very hard to beat. I was also delighted when my younger 21-month-old Bernese Carraigbern Alpine Princess (Sophia ) took second place in the Yearling Bitch class.
“I would like to sincerely thank the judge Mrs Linda Stephenson, a breed specialist, for thinking so highly of my girl. I would also like to thank the fabulous Irish contingent who travelled over for the show and who gave me so much support. The champagne was flowing, needless to say, and let’s just say we were all a lot more subdued next morning,” she said.
Orla Joyce from Cloughanover, Headford, who, although relatively new to the breed, also did extremely well, scooping the second prize in the Post Graduate Dog category with her Bernese Mountain dog Fujitsu Major, Razzle Dazzle.
