The French Connection

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=200 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" background="097d2c03.jpg"> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <A HREF="http://www.yan-morvan.com/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.yan-morvan.com/"><U><IMG SRC="47778a00.jpg" border=0 width="120" height="160" ALT="Yan Morvan" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.yan-morvan.com/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.yan-morvan.com/"><U><B>Click Here</B></U></A><A HREF="http://www.yan-morvan.com/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.yan-morvan.com/"><U> </U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.yan-morvan.com/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.yan-morvan.com/"><U>T</U></A><A HREF="http://www.yan-morvan.com/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.yan-morvan.com/"><U>o visit the </U></A><A HREF="http://www.yan-morvan.com/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.yan-morvan.com/"><U><B>Yan Morvan</B></U></A><A HREF="http://www.yan-morvan.com/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.yan-morvan.com/"><U> website</U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#99CC99" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B>Linda Topliss</B></FONT>    |     <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Linda Topliss"><U>home</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id108.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Training Days"><U>Training Days</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id26.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Profiles"><U>Profiles</U></A>   |   <B>The French Connection</B>   |   <A HREF="id152.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Demonstrations"><U>Demonstrations</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id48.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Otterhound"><U>The Otterhound</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id31.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Training Tips"><U>Training Tips</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id58.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Top Dogs"><U>Top Dogs</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id46.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Diary"><U>The Diary</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id50.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Poetry Page"><U>Poetry Page</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id33.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Working Trials"><U>Working Trials</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id30.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Whats on"><U>What's on</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id60.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Fun"><U>Fun</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id52.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Captions"><U>Captions</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id44.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Notice Board"><U>Notice Board</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id18.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Letters"><U>Letters</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id157.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Switzerland"><U>Switzerland</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id17.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Guestbook"><U>Guestbook</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id55.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Food 4 Thought"><U>Food 4 Thought</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id154.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Ryton on Dunsmore"><U>Ryton on Dunsmore</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id66.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Crufts Photos"><U>Crufts Photos</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id105.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Crufts Story"><U>Crufts Story</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id83.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Crufts Two"><U>Crufts Two</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id54.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Newark Show"><U>Newark Show</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id57.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="All About Dogs"><U>All About Dogs</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id62.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Canine Supporters Charity"><U>Canine Supporters Charity</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id63.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Greyhounds"><U>Greyhounds</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id25.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="My Links"><U>My Links</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id112.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="LDTC"><U>LDTC</U></A></div> <div> The French Connection</div> <div> <IMG SRC="46630200.gif" border=0 width="48" height="32" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> While I was at Coventry I had arranged to meet at home with <B>Julien Fernandez</B> and <B>Yan Morvan</B> who was on an assignment to do an article about Heelwork to Music for their Paris based magazine. I said to Julien I would give him directions but he assured me that they could find their way to anywhere especially with the well respected photographer Yan driving. He was very nearly right and only had to telephone to enquire about the last half mile of his journey.</div> <bR> <div> The weather again was outstanding for this time of the year with the flowers blooming and the spring grass nosing its way through, everywhere was again looking very pretty, just as rural England should.</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="46800c00.jpg" border=0 width="256" height="192" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> Julien confidently informed me that the English love the Queen first and then their pets, whilst the French loved their president, cars, good food, with pets probably coming in at about fourth place.</div> <div> Julien and I had a little stroll round our parkland and I introduced him to the horses, he was brave really being as he wasn't used to horses.</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="47000c00.jpg" border=0 width="256" height="192" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> We had left Yan with Andrew and Stephen who appeared to be getting on like a house on fire, Yan was a very interesting person and they had a lot of common interests.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> After chatting for quite a while about Heelwork to Music, we started the photography session with Margaret and Emma being photographed with Katie then Bobby although poor Emma was suffering with a bad earache.</div> <div> <IMG SRC="46a00c00.jpg" border=0 width="256" height="192" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Yan had got very excited just before Margaret and Emma were ready as the horses had wandered into view, and he was afraid that they would wander off again before he could get the photographs. I told him not to worry, and went to fetched a portion of fresh hay that they dutifully stood munching.</div> <bR> <div> Next it was my dogs, first of all Guy and Murphy on their hind legs, Yan again got excited, saying there is everything he need here and he took lots and lots of pictures. Ricky on his hind legs again. </div> <div> <IMG SRC="474c0000.jpg" border=0 width="192" height="256" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> What did surprise me is how good the dogs were; usually Murphy is a little devil to photograph. Thinking back Yan really did get Emma to smile despite her very painful earache and Julien was so very sympathetic towards Emma's nervousness, they were both a real pleasure to work with.</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="47200c00.jpg" border=0 width="256" height="192" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> After the photo's we had a general discussion about Heelwork to Music.</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="46c00c00.jpg" border=0 width="256" height="192" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div>  By now they had been with us for several hours and they were due to take their hire car back to London and return to Paris. The boys were discussing weapons, battles and Andrew brought one of his swords and a musket out to show Yan and Julien, they were dutifully impressed (of course we didn't mention Waterloo)<G></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="476f5b10.jpg" border=0 width="245" height="177" ALT="Yan Morvan, Linda and Julien Fernandez" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Sadly they really had to go; hopefully we shall see our newfound friends again soon.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>