A LITTLE piece of history was made in Herefordshire on Sunday, November 23, when the first Mondioring competition in the UK for dogs took place at Bridge Street Sports Centre, Leominster, organised by the British Mondioring Association.

Mondio Ring (World Ring) encompasses obedience, agility and defence work, with the main emphasis on the control of the dog. Competitors came from Belgium and France, as did the judges. The event was attended by around 400 people and was a great success.

The only 'blot on the landscape' was the article in the Hereford Times the following week, with the headline 'Cruelty denial on action dogs'.

Where the reporter got the slant on cruelty from I do not know, but for his information, there were two RSPCA Inspectors present, one all day (neither on duty at the time), the Senior Dog Warden for Hereford, two vets, and over twenty police officers, all either dog handlers or instructors, from various forces throughout the country, in fact one instructor was competing (and won first place) with his own dog.

It is a pity the report didn't look to the more positive side and to the spin-offs to the local community where rooms in hotels and Bed and Breakfasts were hired locally and local outside caterers used.

To finish on a more positive note, all of the foreign competitors and judges enjoyed the day and quite a few said what a beautiful part of the world we live in. This was the first Mondioring competition, but it won't be the last, and maybe next time the Hereford Times will come along and report what it sees, not what it is told.

JOHN RUMBLE,

President, British Mondioring Association, Stoke Prior, Leominster