It has been a very busy year so far for Top Lodge Dancing Dogs with more involvement in events than ever before.

At Crufts Karen Sykes and Lesley Neville were both invited to perform their successful routines in the Special Events Ring. Karen with her three year old dog, Iatka Spring Spangle, performing their Hall Of The Mountain King Routine (as seen on Faking It, Channel 4 TV, last February) and Lesley with Highlander Red Robbie to her popular routine “The Deadwood Stage”. On the last day the three of us, had also received an invitation to perform together, so Kath Hardman joined Karen and Lesley with her dog Copper Coin of Retcoll and performed their now famous Greek Trio which was very well received by the audience. Kath had also been invited to the Pedigree Stand at Crufts and Discover Dogs to demonstrate twice daily how to teach your dog heelwork and freestyle moves. Each day we also worked on the YKC stand, encouraging young people to work our dogs & get a feel for the joys of HTM.

April was the beginning of our Top Lodge Dancing Dog Displays at one of the many Game Fairs held around the Country. We were given two times to perform and once again we were placed in the Working Dog Arena. Last year was the first time many of the Working Dog followers had witnessed Heelwork To Music and this year the arena was lined with an audience who had noted what time we would be there. It has become obvious to everyone who works dogs, that Heelwork To Music is here to stay and the Working Dog folk are very impressed with the phenomenal amount of training that we have done with our dogs – so we are pleased to say that we have already been invited back to many venues next year where we will continue to promote this sport.

May brought the Canine Freestyle GB competition held at All About Dogs in Brentwood, Essex. We held a licensed Kennel Club Competition "courtesy of Climax Canine Training Club" thanks to them the two days were official Kennel Club Classes with an additional class on the Saturday for anything other than one handler and one dog.
The entries for this event poured in with over 180 for the two days and because Essex Dog Training Club provides a marquee exclusively for Canine Freestyle GB, we had no need to restrict the number of routines. However, the weather was awful - it had rained for many days before the event causing big problems on the showground. A tractor was hired on the first day and the work of towing on or off the field never stopped before the early hours of Monday morning.

Conditions such as those would have sent some organisers into a state of depression - but not Roy Dyer and his fabulous team who do all this work on a voluntary basis, they carried on until everyone’s needs were satisfied

Our competitors were wonderful, we decided first thing on the Saturday morning that there would be no practising in the ring. The grass had been mown to resemble a bowling green, but it was obviously still quite wet and with the number of people coming to dance in the marquee over the two days, we did not want to risk spoiling the area. Everyone accepted that this was the correct decision and the show went on. Looking at the catalogue, only six people didn't come along and the majority of those had sent apologies beforehand, so it wasn't necessarily the weather that stopped them. Many thanks to our wonderful supporters, competitors and judges over the two days.

We were asked to dance in The Main Ring on the Saturday and then on Sunday we held the World's Biggest Dance Class and invited everyone with a dog to join in. In spite of the atrocious weather, there were many more than last year taking part and everyone was smiling throughout. Afterwards these dogs were ready for the Largest Down Stay which took place directly after our dance!

Two days after All About Dogs, we travelled to Israel to train Osnat Laster and her beautiful 18 month old miniature poodle, Tessa, in Heelwork To Music. Osnat and Tessa have now become the first team ever to successfully perform a Heelwork To Music routine to a huge audience in Israel. Osnat is still in regular contact with us and they are continuing to enjoy the sport.

Directly after Israel came the two day event held by Paws N Music. We all spent time judging and competing so it was a busy weekend again.

In June we entertained at The Brentwood Strawberry Fair - another extremely well organised event run by Roy Dyer and his team from the Essex Dog Training Club. We were given two 20 minute spots to promote Canine Freestyle to the general public. The audiences were fascinated and most appreciative of our routines. We worked with six of our dogs who all gave fabulous performances.

On the Sunday we stayed in Brentwood and provided a Training Day in the Essex Dog Club's fabulous Training Hall

The rest of June & July saw us promoting and teaching the sport in Derbyshire, Northamptonshire, West Midlands and Worcestershire.

At the end of July we travelled to Cambourne in Cornwall for the first Kennel Club registered 2 day competition organised by Prancing Paws & Climax Clubs. The weather was very kind to us campers and very hot for both dogs and dancers. This was a very successful and well organised weekend.

During August we danced in Wales and Gloucestershire. We hardly drew breath before we were off again, this time to The Orkney Isles to perform at their annual show. You could say that we have definitely covered the country this year, taking this fabulous sport to as many people as possible!

Back to competition in Stoneleigh at the end of August, before travelling to North Yorkshire and Shropshire for more displays.

In October Canine Freestyle GB held an event at Ryton on Dunsmore where the format was changed, holding a KC registered competition on Saturday and a Funday on the Sunday. This proved very successful.

November saw us teaching beginners in the West Midlands and holding our first ever Choreography Training Day in Essex. Many people have requested help with their choreography and we are the first trainers to provide a whole day dedicated to this very important skill. The month ended with a performance in Brentwood High Street for the switching on of the Christmas lights.

December concluded the year on a special note as we travelled to Florida to Shadow Judge on Friday & Saturday at the competition run by the World Canine Freestyle Organisation. On the Sunday we treated the Americans to our own special brand of training.

So what does 2005 hold for us? Bookings are already coming in so -Watch this space!