Footballers have the World Cup, tennis players have Wimbledon, and dog trainers have Crufts.
It's the holy grail, the big one, and for those lucky enough to win their name will be forever immortalised in the pantheon of dog training greats. That is the hope for Julie Rowland and her eight-year-old, Blue Merle Border Collie, Yoshi.
Julie and Yoshi have been training since October last year for the big day, which takes place today (Sunday, March 12) in Birmingham and Julie said she is going there to win.
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The 55-year-old from Moreton set up her dog training business eight years ago after being made redundant and has competed in Crufts since 2009.
However, her dream to compete in the competition began when she was 19, after going to watch the show with her pet club she turned to the person sitting next to her and said: "I’m going to be on that green carpet one day.”
Julie said: "I am competitive, everyone who enters a dog show is, I’m hungry for it and the eye of the tiger is there. I’m out every day, in every type of weather to train Yoshi and also it builds up a good relationship between us which is the most important thing.
"I hope this is our year it would be lovely to win there have been people who have gone for 40 or 50 years and they have never won. Then there are people who have done the ultimate and won it twice."
Julie said Yoshi is in the prime of his career and like a boxer before the big fight is being rested until the competition on Sunday. Now they must hope that their hard work has paid off.
Julie told the ECHO said: "It has got to be the ultimate bond, he has to trust me and he always knows that I’ve got his back. He would walk through a brick wall for me, and I would do it for him.
"People say he is just a dog but he is not just a dog, he is my best friend. I have been working over the winter preparing Yoshi’s training and I have to get myself ready too. I have to make sure I’m getting it right for Yoshi."
Like every great athlete, Yoshi has been kept on a strict diet ahead of the big day and Julie feeds him predominantly fish-based food. Along with, turmeric, bone marrow, Manuka honey, and Greek Yoghurt.
Julie a mother-of-two said: "I get very excited, but to be honest with you I will get nervous, I don’t think you would be human otherwise. I don’t get myself into a state of thinking I can’t cope I just believe Yoshi and I can do this.
"Crufts is what it is you can never really prepare for it, even with as much training as we do. I just know that Yoshi will do his best for me and I’ll do my best for him."
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