Hi Fi,
wow it is a small world, I do believe my pup competed against yours at the show you mentioned, but I'm confused as I was chatting to the handler of your pup, a very nice lady indeed (your boy is golden and danish isn't he?) and she said that she wasn't the owner and was up from Andalucia showing him and a setter for the owner who wasn't at the show.
I do have to disagree about other pups not wagging tails
. My boy Luigi has a undocked tail and he was certainly wagging it! In fact he has caused quite a stir here in spain with his merry outgoing attitude for a pup, the British judge (nice lady indeed and knew her stuff) on the day she gave him "Merry" on his rapport for character as well as "typical" for movement,his low point was that he is still very fluffy and it's not ready to come out yet, so he looks like a fluffy black lamb, hence the only negative comment was "coat needs attention". We were up against professional breeders and tough competition that day, as it was the obligatory "point" (certificate), any dog wanting the spanishchampionship title, has to win 4 CAC, and one of them has to be at an "obligatory" show, and this year it was the alicante show, hence so many quality dogs being there, and the breeders brought along their youngsters for the experience. Luigi's nephew Falstack Draminksi beat him to win the male class that both our boys were in, and Draminski is poshly bred indeed (Lujesa Happy Too grandson,son of Sp. Ch Lujesa Mirage and Sp. Ch. Falstack Altagracia) and bred by Falstack, reknown spanish breeders, although he then lost out as best pup of breed to the female puppy bred by Corralet (a very famous breeder in Spain). Personally its nice to be in a class with other pups especially pups bred by the best Spanish breeders, etc!!, as the majority of shows there is usually just one or two pups maximum as you already know, and winning best pup in breed when you are the only pup doesn't exactly make me jump up and down as you then have to stay to the bitter end, in some cases an 6 hour wait to do the best pup in show, which is what happened atthe first big show (Torrepacheco) we went to, the excitement of winning best pup in breed (only pup), kind of wore off by the end of a very long day.....which ended past 8 at night.
Next time I hope to meet you in person, maybe at the Spaniel club show in February?
Regards
Shelley in Spain.
PS I have my pup on video, and your's appears in it as well, so if you are interested I can send you the clips.
P.SS we also have in common that we are horsey people, I take it from your comments, that you were into showjumping, my sport is dressage, i currently have a horse in training down in Chipiona with an instructor from the Jerez school.