Page 12 - Real Rochdale Issue 18 Summer 2023

Darcie & Domino: taking the
dog-showing world by storm
Photo: Gregory Couzens
Whoever said diamonds are a girl’s best friend
– and that dogs are man’s best friend – hasn’t
met Darcie and Domino: a formidable duo
taking the dog-showing world by storm, despite
being relatively new to the scene.
10-year-old Darcie Fleming has already
realised one of her life dreams, after showing
her own dog at the world-famous Crufts Dog
Show.
REAL ROCHDALE - SUMMER 2023
After looking online for a Whippets, she informs us,
breeder, Domino came to join
the family for Darcie’s eighth
birthday, and got her name
not only for her distinctive
black-and-white colouring,
but also because Domino’s
pizza had been enjoyed that
evening!
In order to qualify for Crufts,
Darcie and Domino – known
as Kentwone Darkest Star at
shows – began competing in
the Young Kennel Club
handling classes.
Darcie began showing
Domino when she was just
nine months old (the minimum
age limit is six months) and
quickly gained enough points
to qualify, even bagging
herself a sponsor,
Wellies.com.
“I didn’t think I’d get to Crufts
in my first year,” Darcie said.
“It was a lot bigger than the
other shows and I didn’t think
I’d get round it all.”
Her mum, Lucy Abbott, added:
“I think she was a little
overwhelmed because it was
so different.”
Darcie appeared at Crufts in
March, showing Domino in the
Young Kennel Club handling
hound category.
Young Handling classes are
Her family have been attending the prestigious comprised of showing a
show as spectators since she was six years old, particular breed; whippets are
with a young Darcie telling her parents that she to be shown on a table (Darcie
wanted to be there one day with her own dog. and Domino are more than
happy to demonstrate, with
With the family already owning two Domino jumping onto their
Patterdales and a Chihuahua, it was decided home practice table
that a whippet – a child-friendly breed suitable immediately).
for showing – would be perfect for Darcie to
call her very own.
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When asked how she felt to
should be “stacked and
square” and moves Domino
into the appropriate position.
Whilst she’s found training
Domino fairly easy, the
hardest bit has been
keeping her still when Darcie
has to move round her for the
judges.
After the judges have checked
over the breed, they are
required to perform a piece of
pattern work, which will get
harder as Darcie moves up the
age ranks.
“I was scared in the ring, and
I thought we had done
rubbishly. I didn’t think we’d
be shortlisted, but when they
said my name over the tannoy,
I started to think that maybe
we’d done well. I didn’t think
we’d make it into the top six,”
she explained.
“When they were waiting,
Domino was sat on Darcie’s
knee, and it came over the
tannoy that ‘that whippet is
having the time of its life,”
Lucy said.
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place fourth out of 13
contestants at her first Crufts
show, Darcie said: “I was so
happy and excited – and I was
so proud of Domino. I gave her
the biggest hug!”
The pair have already
qualified for Crufts 2024 – as
has her new edition who is a
papillon called Checkers –
after winning a string of shows
since March. At the time of
writing, Darcie returned from
the National Dog Show in
Stafford with a fourth and
fifth place with Domino, plus a
second place for Checkers.
If that hasn’t been keeping
them busy enough, Darcie also
raised £285 for bone cancer
research by walking a mile
after school over two months
in honour of her grandad, who
has the disease.
When asked what her goals
for the future are, Darcie said:
“I want to win Best in Show at
Crufts, and I’d like to be a vet
who specialises in dogs, or a
professional groomer.”
REAL ROCHDALE - SUMMER 2023