BillGates, Zazz, & Ray-Lynn's Canadian Travelogue

June-July 2006

Photo #1

The Sarnia Kennel Club circuit ran the first 4 days of my show trip to Canada.  This is a picture of the outdoor show rings, two on each side of the tent, where the sporting dogs were shown. Note the red and white maple leaf insignia on the near side of the rings which I thought was a nice touch.  Toy dogs and obedience were shown in the building at the back of the picture
which was a sports complex in Mooretown which contained what looked to be an olympic sized pool in one wing.  In another wing of the complex, the inside show rings were set up on the cement floor of a hockey rink with cement bleachers on either side of the rink oval.  I sat up crates for the dogs inside because I could access electricity (called "hydro" in many places in
Canada) and be sheltered from bad weather if it occurred.  It misted and lightly rained several sporatic times over the 4 day Sarnia circuit, but all in all the weather here was most accommodating temperature-wise.  It was briskly chilly in the mornings at 5-6 a.m. when I exercised the dogs.  I would wear a long sleeve tee-shirt under a sweatshirt and sweat pants and still be chilly until I warmed up from walking.  As the day wore on, the temperature moderated and sometimes was quite warm in the sunny afternoons. 

Surrounding the Sarnia showsite were hardwood trees where RVs and cars and vans parked in the shade.  I was very surprised at the large number of simple round camper tents where it seems exhibitors spent their nights! Inside the sports complex were shower rooms and a burger/hot dog/chips/soft drink type snack bar, so I guess the campers had access to some of the comforts of home. And there was peace and quiet, as beyond the RV's and hardwood trees lay a well manicured and peopled  golf course (off-limits to dogs), though I don't know which course holes we entertained beside and behind the sports complex.
 
Across the 2 lane street from the Sarnia showsite was a quite large well cut several acre grassy field which led to trees and then a wide active ship channel where quite large freighters would frequently pass. Because of the treeline at the water's edge, from the showgrounds sometimes you would look up and see just the top sections of an ocean liner or freighter.   What caused you to look up was that in the middle of judging you would suddenly be a loud low "whistle", sounding as if it came from whales, which eminated from these ships as they signaled each other of their presence. Never let it be said that the Sarnia Kennel Club showsite lacks character!

I have to admit that I am particularly fond of Sarnia as it is the location of my very first Canadian dog show, at which Bill Gates went Best of Breed and got a pull in the group, and also where Zazz took her Match Sporting Group 3 on the first day of the circuit after Best In Show, and then on the second day of the circuit won her Best Puppy In Match!

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