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The UK Joint Cairn Terrier Club

World Cairn Terrier Symposium

 

Held at the Royal Court Hotel,Coventry.

Aug 29th to Sept 1st 2013 

 

 

The Symposium Weekend

Please click the links for photos of each event.

 

 

The UK Joint Cairn Terrier Clubs were proud to host the Cairn Terrier World Symposium at the Royal Court Hotel, Coventry at the end of August 2013 when in excess of 150 delegates from world wide attended, I think we can be excused from saying that the two most senior people among them, Margaret Hill and Rosemary Boyd came the farthest distance – Australia and enjoyed the whole weekend enormously. Other countries represented included Sweden, Holland, Belgium, France, Germany, the USA, Russia, Norway, Denmark and Austria.

 

Sadly several people were unable to attend for health reasons, among them Jean Hudson, Robert Bartram, Satu Stenroos and Andrew Brace, we wish them well and hope they are soon feeling better.

 

We would like to thank our very generous main sponsors, Jean Hudson, Ferelith Somerfield, Victor Malzoni, Audrey Dawe, Jim Cameron, the Towers Family and all the UK Cairn Terrier Clubs, without this support we would not have been able to arrange such an event. To the many others who helped in so many ways we are very grateful also.

 

Fund raising had been undertaken by the Steering Group and thanks must go to all those who donated items for the Auction and Grand Draw, in particular Barbara Hands who so kindly donated an original painting of Cairn Terriers which was won by Christine Marshall.

 

List of Draw Winners

 

Thursday 29th  Welcome Evening

 

We started on Thursday with a Welcome Evening and were treated to a fine display of national and international Cairn Club information put together by Sybil Berrecloth together with a video of Cairn Terrier history. The Symposium actual took place on Friday and we were welcomed by the Chairman of the event, Ferelith Somerfield. She in turn introduced the keynote speaker, Professor Steve Dean, his subject had the somewhat ambiguous title ‘Health Matters’ deliberately chosen to encompass different aspects. As usual his interpretation was thought provoking. Steve was followed by a group presentation by Chris Roberts, Sybil Berrecloth, Feffie Somerfield and non breed specialist judge Ronnie Irving on certain aspects of the Breed Standard. Following lunch saw the first of the overseas speakers in Jack Smith from the USA whose presentation was titled Rationale behind proposed breed standards in the USA and then Mats Lindborg from Sweden on the subject of Restrictive use of stud dogs in his country which proved extremely informative. Unfortunately Robert Bartram from Australia was unable to be with us and his presentation, Lessons from the Past was given by Fiona Ward. The final Speaker was one of our few younger exhibitors Dawn Inett on the subject of The Next Generation, Dawn had undertaken a great deal of research and gave us much to think about.

 

The very full programme was kept smoothly running by our Master of Ceremonies Jim Pollock and with the aid of Brian Mears and Ian Kettle there was plenty of delegate participation with lively debate and discussion. The whole day was rounded off by Anthony Osborn in the form of an overview of the subjects presented.

 

Friday 30th -  World Symposium

 

Saturday 31st Birmingham City Dog Show

 

On Saturday many of us attended City of Birmingham Championship Show at Stoneleigh where Sally Latto had an entry of 98. Just as we were giving ourselves a pat on the back for a successful previous day an organiser’s worst nightmare evolved when we learnt that our Speaker for the Gala Dinner that evening, Andrew Brace, had been taken into hospital and would be unable to attend. A hasty consultation resulted in a team of three formidable ladies (assertive but not aggressive as the Breed Standard states) being despatched to the Lancashire Heeler ring where we understand the judge in situ displayed a somewhat apprehensive look when noticing them at the ringside. What a wonderful substitute Frank Kane proved to be, a witty and amusing speaker most of his speech having been written in the taxi on the way to the hotel.

 

 

Prior to the Dinner a Reception was held in memory of our colleague Fiona Cameron who had contributed some much in the preparation of the Symposium and sadly died earlier this year. Her husband Jim joined us and very kindly provided ‘something bubbly’ together with putting all the wine on the tables for the following Dinner. The evening culminated with a presentation by Mary Towers to Feffie Somerfield for all her contribution to our breed over so many years.

 Saturday 31st Symposium Champagne Reception In Memory Of Fiona Cameron

 

Saturday 31st Symposium Gala Dinner

 

On Sunday The Midland Cairn Terrier Club held their Championship Show at the Hotel, the judge being Mats Lindborg from Sweden who drew and entry of over 140, we witnessed a new UK Champion on the day in Yvonne Catto’s Birselaw The Thrill Of It All.

 

Sunday 1st MCTC Championship Show

 

And so four years of planning came to an end, the feedback has been very favourable and everybody seems to have really enjoyed the event, so thank you all once again from the Steering Group.

 

Frances Goldfinch