Village top dogs take a bow-wow

Billingshurst has proved its canine prowess when the village’s Dog Training Club walked away with a major prize at the world’s biggest dog show - Crufts 2017 - this week.

Competing in the Agility Team Large Final, the quartet of Stacey and Charlie Osborne and Sue and Will Rolfe proved they were a cut above the rest as they clinched first place at Birmingham’s NEC on Thursday.

In fact, it was the second time that the club won the same class, but was none the less memorable.

Presented by the Kennel Club, this year’s Crufts marked the 126th edition of the show, which attracts dogs and owners from all over the world as well as thousands of visitors.

Billingshurst Dog Training Club won the same competition in 2012 but missed out on qualification last year.

But after righting those wrongs this time around at the world’s largest dog show, 65-year-old Sue could not be more proud of her team and their dogs, who were among 22,000 happy, healthy dogs expected at the four-day event.

“It’s amazing anyway, to win, but it’s special this year because Fonz was injured about six weeks ago.

“It’s been about getting him in rehabilitation and getting him fit so he hasn’t done a lot of training,” she said.

“Secondly, Scoot is retiring after today, so to win is just unbelievable - it really is a fairytale come true.

“We’ve got a lovely team and we get on really well. Because we run together a lot it doesn’t matter if one makes a mistake.

“We’re the best of friends regardless of the result.

“Crufts is very special and when you mention you’re going to Crufts everybody says ‘oh you must be good’.

“It is an amazing experience and, also, it is for dogs. It’s for people who appreciate the training that you have to put in to get here.”