Angus sisters and their flying four-legged friends are returning to the world’s greatest dog show in pursuit of flyball glory.
And Sophia and Jessica Herald hope they’ll hang on to the world record they set on the way to winning the junior title on their last visit there in 2020.
The siblings are part of the Tartan Tails team which will fly the flag for Scotland after qualifying for the Young Kennel Club showdown at the dog world’s biggest spectacle in Birmingham’s NEC next month.
All-action crowd pleaser
Fast-paced flyball is always one of the big highlights at Crufts.
So the young Scots have been putting in the training to try and regain the crown.
Alongside Sophia, 16, and Jessica, 14, will be Erin Scorgie, 22, from Brechin, 13-year-old Emma Fowler from Inverkeithing in Fife and Aboyne sisters Erin and Abby Laing, who are 12 and 10.
Bagpipe-playing Muirhead 13-year-old Lucas McBreatry is the team’s box loader and Rachel Caldwell, 21, from Dumbarton the joint team leader alongside Sophia Herald.
The Angus contingent are part of Star Paws flyball team, run by Sophia and Jessica’s mum, Mandy.
She said: “You can have maximum of six dogs, so we are taking five, including our Border Collies Yoda and Noah who were in the team in 2020.
The others will be Border Collies Yeager and Buck, as well as Black Labrador Austin.
“Collies have always dominated dog sports but a lot more of the whippet-type dogs are coming through. But there aren’t many Labradors so it’s nice to also see a Austin in there,” added Mandy.
Perthshire qualifying event
“There were qualifiers across the UK and we entered at Errol last November.
“Two teams go through but ours is the only all-Scottish one.”
But there’s no room for error if the Tartan Tails are to repeat their triumph of three years’ ago.
“The junior flyball competition is held on the Saturday of Crufts and it is a straight knockout competition,” said Mandy.
“It’s always such a crowd pleaser and is the best of three races.
“We know that they can all perform really well and we just need to put it all together on the day.
“2020 was fantastic – it was a real goosebump moment – so let’s hope we can do it again.”
The team kit had been sponsored and purchased by Erin Scorgie’s dad, C.Scorgie Joiners Ltd.
“Travelling down south is expensive so we have a set up a fundraising page and would be grateful for any support.”
People can donate to the Tartan Tails page at www.gofundme.com/f/tartan-tails-ykc-team-go-to-crufts
What is flyball?
The all-action sport is a head-to-head relay involving two teams of four dogs.
They race each other over a 55-foot course containing four hurdles to trigger a ball release and return across the gates.
When the dog passes the sensor gate, its teammate can be released.
But early release comes with the penalty of having to run an extra dog.
“It’s a fantastic sport and we have actually been lucky enough to grow our club since the pandemic,” said Mandy.
“Within a week of coming back from Crufts in 2020 we went into lockdown.
“Crufts did take place last year, but we decided not to go to the qualifiers.
“But we have done a lot of shows and events since then to let people see flyball and how exciting it is.”
Meet the team
Here are the dogs which will carry the Tartan Tails hopes at Crufts.
