Lesley Neville
Angus & Hamish

Lesley and Angus

As a child I always wanted a dog but that was not to be as I have a mother and a sister who are allergic to fur and feather, so I had to wait until I had a place of my own to fulfil my dream of owning a dog.My first dog was a lovely rescue Border Collie cross Golden Retriever who I called Max. Fortunately Max just wanted to be with me and so my ignorance about how to train a dog was not a problem!

However, I soon discovered the sport of Obedience and got the bug. For ten years I competed in Obedience, with Max, soon to be joined by another rescue, a Labrador called Sam. Another rescue found me with Moss, a little crossbreed puppy found in a ditch, and he was soon joined by Kiy who was not a rescue but bred by a lady called Paula Ackary.

We reached the dizzy heights of 'B' class then I changed direction and spent the next ten years competing in Working Trials.

Moss and Kiy got me as far as WDex but were aging so I started looking for another dog.

I had recently been introduced to the Working Beardie, fell for them hook, line and sinker, put my order in for the next litter, and became the proud owner of my first Working Beardie, Robbie, Highlander Red Robbie. You will find more details about Robbie by clicking on his picture. I competed in Working Trials for a few more years but was gradually being more and more intrigued by the new sport of Heelwork to Music, and just had to try it.

Robbie

Robbie and I entered our first HTM competition in 1998, but really started to concentrate on the sport in 2000.

In 2001 two important events occurred.  A new puppy called Angus, Choxxstart Dream Angus, nephew to Robbie, arrived and by 2001 both my husband and I were ready to join a group of friends with the aim forming a club dedicated to this sport and so Canine Freestyle GB was created.  www.caninefreestylegb.com

Angus

Although Angus did well in Working Trials the Heelwork To Music was becoming more and more important to me and Angus was loving the sport too, so Kath and David Hardman, Karen Sykes and Allan Brown, my husband Roger and I decided that as well as running the club, CFGB, and organising shows we would form a display team, Top Lodge Dancing Dogs, to promote the sport all over the country, and to help others who, like us, want to dance with their dogs.

Lesley, Angus and Hamish