G for Goodwoof!

Is this the way to Goodwoof?

We went with Lloyd and Gizmo to the Sunday of Goodwoof. When we finally arrived just after noon, the place was buzzing – so many people, so many smiles, so many dogs. It must have been the happiest place on earth!

Mum loved the kennel pieces shown at Barkitect presented by Mastercard – an inspirational collection of 21st century kennels, designed by the great and good of architecture.  I tried them all out. Can you tell which one Mum liked the best? Rather, the only one that had some use for her. LOL!

And then it was time for Chien Charmant!

We were invited to participate, though Mum was hesitant for reasons she will explain in her comments.

Chien Charmant is the uniquely Goodwood spin on a traditional dog show staple. It is a concours d’elegance for the dog world and as opposed to a formal pedigree procession, this is a cool and diverse celebration of style, swagger and that special charisma that certain dogs and their owners exude. It’s not about breed, but a distinct and unique celebration complete with stories of fascinating characters.

With that reassurance, Mum and I joined the parade. There were three categories of prizes –

Union
A bond of grace and beauty that transcends the label of man’s best friend, it’s a combination of personality and story that makes this dog and human pair much more than the sum of its parts.

And Lloyd and Paz were the runners-up! Hooray!

Swagger
In possession of the trinity of personality, poise and presence, all are evidenced in that rarefied charisma and style that these dogs and their humans exude.

And Gizmo and Arti were the runners-up!

Spirit of Goodwoof
As unique as Goodwoof itself, this pair possesses individuality, distinctive personality and wit to match.

And we won!!!! Couldn’t believe it!

Three happy contestants and their much treasured pooches and prizes!

Niki Tibbles whom we know from Wild at Heart Foundation was one of the judges!

We were congratulated by the Duke and Duchess of Richmond and Gordon, the owners of Goodwood Estate.

And lots of champagne to celebrate!

What a lovely day it had been!

And then it was time to say goodbye to the first Goodwoof …

We can’t wait to be back next year!

May’s comment: Goodwoof (28-29 May) was a grand celebration of all things dog, dedicated to our canine companions in the beautiful surroundings of The Kennels at Goodwood.

There were exciting competitions for canine athletes across Field & Trail, demonstrations to play and pampering, wellness workshops for human and dogs, exclusive talks and discussion with well-known writers in the Canine Literary Corner, a celebration of dog-centric design with Barkitecture – a feast of family friendly fun.

We were simply delighted at how well it turned out – it was truly a class act.

But for me, it was also a lightbulb moment when I was posing for a photo standing in the middle of the GOODWOOF letters in front of The Kennels … and suddenly realised we were standing between the letters ‘D’ and ‘W’ – Darcy Wong’s initials.

It all came back to me just then that we had helped to organise a group of Instagram friends to attend a pre-birthday Afternoon Tea Party for Darcy’s 11th birthday scheduled for the 22-23 January. It was to be a promotional event for Goodwoof. Darcy seemed to have recovered well from her operation at the end of December. At the start of the week before the weekend, she seemed to have gained strength and I thought it would be so amazing if she did make it. Sadly, she suddenly lost the use of her back legs that Thursday evening and on Saturday, just as the group had gathered at Goodwood, Darcy left us. In a way, she was very much a part of this … and it was only fitting that she sent me another message today.

Darcy most definitely had a hand in us winning the “Spirit of Goodwood” prize. I have never liked entering dog competitions because I didn’t need someone to tell me my dogs were not the cutest nor the prettiest – and we never win anything anyway. But this time, we participated because we wanted to support the event and told ourselves it is not about winning. I had wondered if I would even go because Darcy was no longer. It is truly due to some divine intervention that we were even there and winning the prize.

As for the prizes, a Hermes cuff bracelet for me and a collar and lead for George, I see them as gifts from Darcy for us.