Champion pooch home for big event after taking America by storm (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)
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Champion pooch home for big event after taking America by storm
9:00pm Thursday 7th March 2013 in News
Five-year-old Seiso will be at Crufts
OWNERS of Seiso, a dog who has taken the UK and America by storm, are hoping he will be as successful at Crufts this weekend.
Five-year-old Seiso, jointly owned by Sonya Hillier of Charlton St Peter, is the first British Briard to be a UK champion and USA grand champion.
He spent the last year living and competing in America, as he also has US owners.
Among his many successes was winning best of breed in the Westminster Dog Show in New York (which is the American equivalent of Crufts).
He was jetting all over America, competing up to three times a week.
He returned to Ms Hillier just after Christmas and after not competing at Crufts last year she is hoping he will improve on his achievements at the show – in 2010 he was third in the open class, and second in the puppy class in 2009.
Ms Hillier, who owns Devizes Dog Parlour in Monday Market Street, said: “Seiso came back from America after breaking all records.
“He is a really happy dog – he is full of himself but he is more mature after his year in America. When he went out there he was still young.
“The show circuit is a lot more intense over there and he did enjoy it.
“Seiso thinks nothing of getting on a plane and he is used to going to lots of shows. When he is at home I think he just taps his claws on the floor by the door waiting to go out.
“Seiso loves showing, he’s a natural show-off. He can get a bit cheeky in the ring but on the other hand that’s what makes him stand out.”
Ms Hillier did not want to break up the successful partnership between Seiso and his American handler, Joan Scott, who will be flying over from Baltimore to show him at Crufts on Sunday.
More 4, which is televising Crufts, will be filming Seiso.
Also showing at Crufts will be Seiso’s son, Neyo, who is eight-and-a-half months old and will be competing in the puppy class. Ms Hillier’s partner, Howard Jones, will be showing him in the ring.
