news - 30/01/2004 Hot Choice to win Champion of Champions - Finland
by Jetta TschokkinenThe most succesfull show dogs from 2003 gathered together again in the snow-filled evening of 31st January, 2004, on traditional Champion of Champions and Veteran of Veterans gala. The gala was hosted by the Helsinki Kennel Club at Dipoli Congress Center in Espoo, a few kilometers from Helsinki. In the finals, the applausing audience saw four beautiful show dogs on the stage.
The two finalists for the Veteran of Veterans were the well known Saluki, a previous winner of Champion of Champions, Ch El Hamrah Farraar, and the well-merited Afghan Hound Ch Exxos Crusader. The judge for this competition was Mr Karl-Erik Johansson from Sweden, who had examinded all the participants in the pre-judging ring. The owner-handler of the Saluki, Minea Collan, almost burst into tears of happiness when she received the winning rosette from the hand of the event«s patron, Mrs Anja Toivanen. The almost 10-years-old black Saluki is the owner«s first dog.
The panel of judges from three countries, Mrs Monique van Brempt from Belgium, Mr Karl-Erik Johansson from Sweden and Mr Harri Lehkonen from Finland, judged together the Champion of Champion competition.
The last two Champions were the Flat coated Retriever, Ch Blackleader«s Donttellmenomore, and the maginificent Great Dane, Ch C«Mon Hot Choice. The beautifully moving Dane was voted as number one by the judges.
The CoC and VoV is a match show where two dogs are on the stage at the same time. Each dog stand on either the black or the red carpet, and when given a signal, the judges give their votes by showring the special colour signs. The one who gets the majority of votes goes on to meet another rival in the next match, until only two dogs are left in the final... (continued)
