Crufts triumph for Ballynahinch trainer

Crufts triumph for Ballynahinch trainer

20 March 2019

A BALLYNAHINCH dog trainer has become a double champion at Crufts on her first attempt.

Puppy power proved the order of the day for Nichola Moore’s two rare breeds, terriers Bobbi and Jimi, who took top honours in their categories.

Another of Nichola’s dogs, 15 month-old Zeta, also shone at her first Crufts by being placed third. 

Nichola has entered her beloved rare breed dogs in shows all over the UK and Ireland for the last 15 years, but had always chosen to give the UK’s most famous dog show a miss.

“I’d thought that Crufts was so expensive,” admitted Nichola,”It was also the time involved and the amount of people involved as you have 22,000 people entered and then all the foreign entrants as well. It can be quite a lot for the dogs with all the travelling and very tiring for them.

“My dogs had qualified for Crufts before but I just never bothered taking them until this year.”

Her two Crufts winners have only been living with her for the last four months.

Bobbi is an eight-month old grey/black Skye terrier and won best puppy in her breed. She was imported from Sweden to Nichola in December.

Nichola said: “Bobbi is my first Skye terrier. I got her as I particularly like rare breeds and of course terriers. I’m also love the story of Greyfriars Bobby [the Scottish Skye terrier renowned for staying at his owner’s grave for 14 years until he himself died and that is why she’s called Bobbi and she’s the same colour as him.”

Jimi is 16 month-old Cesky terrier who came from Russia to Nichola about a year ago. 

Not only did he win best junior dog in his breed at Crufts, he also won the Celtic junior and Celtic champion titles in last weekend at the All Breed International Dog Shows hosted by the Irish Kennel Club in Dublin.

Zeta is also a Cesky terrier. She came from Wales and came third in the junior bitch class of her breed.

Nichola, who runs the Smart Pets International Animal Care College in Bangor, has had three other national champion dogs in the past who were all mini Schnauzers.

While she likes to show the dogs and revels in their success, they are mostly much-loved pets to her.

“I keep the dogs all their lives as they are my wee pets, more like children really,” said Nichola, “Because I run a grooming salon and a grooming school, I use them a lot in grooming demonstrations.”

Nichola has three more dogs at home — a wire haired fox terrier called Vixen, a Coton de Taleur called Dot and a little crossbreed called Chanelle.