Team GB historically won both competitions in the Open European Championships 2017 – in Heelwork To Music and also in Freestyle - held in Balen, Belgium over 25th, 26th and 27th August.
The whole team work incredibly hard with members of the team also winning at Crufts this year - they travelled to Belgium on Tuesday 22nd and arrived back victorious on Tuesday 29th.
Team leader Kath Hardman told sponsor CSJ Specialist Canine Feeds, “This is an unprecedented achievement in the history of Open European Championships for Great Britain as Team GB not only won the Heelwork To Music Championship for a second time, but the Team also won the Freestyle Championship for the first time, to complete a first time double for Team GB.”
Here’s how they did it………
All four members of the Heelwork To Music Team were placed in the top twelve out of 51 competitors from 14 countries and the top three GB scores were totalled to give Team GB first place.
Lucy Creek from Warwickshire with Harriot Skiffle King (Skiffle - Border Collie) finished in 3rd place, Caroline Garrett from West Sussex with Wildsea Phoenix Of Fire (Fawkes - Border Collie) in 7th, Kath Hardman from Derbyshire with Stillmoor Extra Special (Denby - Border Collie) in 8th place and Karen Sykes also from Derbyshire with Kingsfarm Spring Surprise (Midge - Working Sheepdog) in 12th place. HTM Reserve, Lucy Heath from Lincolnshire with Stillmoor Winter Sun (Indie - Border Collie) was able to present her routine as a demonstration during a break at the event.
In the Freestyle Team Championship there were 54 competitors from 17 countries and again, the top three GB scores were totalled to give Team GB first place.
Lucy Creek with Harriot Skiffle King finished in 2nd place, Kim Lyddon from Cheshire with Canen You Said What (Tyler - Border Collie) in 10th place, Karen Sykes with Kingsfarm Spring Surprise (Working Sheepdog) in 16th place and the final member of the team was Kath Hardman with Stillmoor Extra Special (Border Collie). Freestyle Reserve was Lucy Creek with her Beagle Dialynne Making Waves - Teasel.
Kath Hardman went on, “We knew the selected team would be strong and we are extremely proud of the results in the team events and also in the individual performances. Lucy Creek with her dog Harriot Skiffle King achieved a fabulous 2nd place in Freestyle and a 3rd place in Heelwork and should be congratulated for contributing such high scores to the team results.
The team worked well together fully supporting each team member. Our grateful thanks go to the HTM community back home along with the team’s travelling supporters for their enthusiasm, fundraising and support. Our success would not have been possible without the financial support of our Major Sponsors.”
