A FORMER Croft girl – now a grandmother – is currently in Denmark, competing in the World Championships of the internationally recognised sport of IPO.
It is the second time Joanne Bridge has won a place in the UK team and on the first occasion, in Spain, she helped the team finish in eighth place – the highest position it had ever achieved.
The former St Lewis’ Primary and St Aelred’s Secondary School pupil achieved the best overall position in the UK team – 18th. This has only been bettered once before in the past.
IPO is International Working Trials for Working Dogs and can be described as canine three-day eventing, with dog and handler teams being examined and graded in three different disciplines – obedience, tracking and protection.
The sport originated in Germany about 100 years ago as an evaluation of German Shepherd Dogs but is now practised in 46 countries with many different breeds of dog taking part. The World Championships are both individual and team contests with teams consisting of five competitors. The scores of the best three go forward to make the national total.
Joanne and her husband Chris Bows have been involved in IPO for many years and train at the South Cheshire IPO Club near their home in Moore – one of the most successful clubs in the UK.
Her success in the last World Championships was regarded as a great success as it was the first time she had competed at the highest level – and also a first for her dog, Xam, who was four years old at the time.
