A dream come true...
 Holly
Davies always wanted a dog. She dreamt of the day when she be at Crufts with her own dog, but
she was never allowed to have one - and that was that! So she took up horse riding, but it
wasn't as good because you can't take a horse home! When a lady at the stables announced that
her dog was having puppies, Holly couldn't believe it. She went to see them when they were only
one day old. 'All sold - sorry,' the owner said 'but the little girl one. We want to find her a
better home.' And they did.
The puppy's owner turned to me and asked. 'What d'ya
think?'
'Wow,' I thought.
I raced home to tell my parents. After hours and hours of
whining, Dad gave in, 'Okay, okay,' he said. That was how Penny became my little girl.
When I collected her, she couldn't wait to get away from
her brothers. Can you blame her!
'She’s always wanted to get to Crufts,' my Mum said to
the bitch's owner.
'I think you'll have a job, being a mongrel,' she
laughed!
 A
difficult start
From then on I was even more determined. I had her jumping over canes in the garden,
running along walls and jumping through hula-hoops! I couldn't wait for her to grow up, so she
could join an agility club.
At the age of one, we bundled her into the car, and
arrived at a field to train her. I let her off, expecting her to be like the good little dog
that she was in the garden. Woof, woof, woof she went, rounding up the horses in the next
field, running through a tunnel and refusing to come out the other side. She even tried to
start a fight with a dog four times her size. I could've died!
'I'm not coming again.' I cried, Mum wiping the tears
from my eyes. But I had no choice. We'd booked the six week course! I took her along each week,
and she slowly improved.
We had her registered for the shows as Holly's Penny
Black, a name we chose as she was from Kidderminster, home of the famous stamp. Dad's idea was
'Little Black Bullet. You have to laugh!
 The
road to Crufts
She had her first show at Dordale when she was two years old. I was
so pleased with her, she soon started bringing home the pretty ribbons. She won her first
competition at the age of three. It was one of the happiest days of my life!
She went on to become Intermediate, then Senior and at
the end of 2001, Advanced. She has been to Crufts several times, winning her demonstration
classes each time. At 14" high Penny showed those Standards a thing or two, he he! She came
runner-up Junior Agility Dog of the Year, just one-tenth of a second behind the winner. For
which she was pictured in several newspapers. She did her first Championship class a few weeks
ago, and she was clear in the Jumping and Agility, but we didn't get anywhere in the final. She
is off to Crufts again in March having just won 16-18 year old Mini class at the YKC qualifiers
at Birmingham.
 Because
of our achievements, in the year 2000, we had another dog, Sophie, a blue and white Border
Collie. She's well... pretty useless at agility! Actually she's getting there... slowly. You
can’t knock her enthusiasm! Her forté is Obedience and Working Trials.
I’ll be lucky to get another Penny, but I’m keeping an
ear out for any pups from the riding stables!
 About
the author...
I’m Holly Davies, 16 years old from Kidderminster in the West
Midlands. I’ve recently started college after receiving my GCSEs - all As and Bs, which I was
pleased about because it meant I can do my BTEC National Diploma in Animal Care. I hope to go
on and either work for the police (the dog side of things – of course!), or work with sniffer
dogs - haven’t yet decided!
As previously mentioned, I started agility
at the age of eleven, and have been addicted ever since! My other dog related interests include
Working Trials, Obedience and the odd spot of flyball!
If you are ever out and about, you’ll hear
me and my dogs before you see us, we must be the noisiest trio about!
Feedback
From
Muriel Hayward
The article was well written and a good interpretation of a kind and understanding dog handler.
I am sure Holly will go on to even more successes.
(25/09/02)
From Jenny
Borriello with Tessa...
Great to read Holly's account of how she has achieved such good
results with Penny. She is a inspiration to any one trying hard to get it right! I started at
Kidderminster two years ago with my Border Collie Tessa and when I was in the Starters
class and could see Holly training with Penny, I realised what a lot I had to learn (and still
have!) Good luck with everything in the future and keep flying the flag for our small but
dedicated club at Kidderminster. .
(10/10/02)
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