A FORMER Croft girl – now grandmother – is currently in Denmark competing in the World Championships of the internationally recognized IPO sport.
It is the second time that Joanne Bridge has won a place in the British team and the first time in Spain she helped the team reach eighth place – the highest position they had ever achieved.
The former pupil of St Lewis’ Primary and St Aelred’s Secondary School achieved the best overall position in the British team – 18th place. This has only been surpassed once so far.
IPO is International Working Trials for Working Dogs and can be described as a three-day eventing event for dogs where teams of dogs and handlers are tested and evaluated in three different disciplines – obedience, tracking and protection.
The sport originated in Germany about 100 years ago as a rating of the German Shepherd Dog, but is now practiced in 46 countries with many different dog breeds. The World Championships are both individual and team competitions with teams consisting of five participants. The results of the top three are included in the national overall ranking.
Joanne and her husband Chris Bows have been involved in IPOs for many years and train at the South Cheshire IPO Club near their home in Moore – one of the UK’s most successful clubs.
Her success at the last World Championships was considered a great success, as it was her first time competing at the highest level – and also a first for her then four-year-old dog, Xam.
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