User:Maggie Gallop

Maggie Gallop


I am very pleased to be Secretary of the BCDS. Unlike other members I have not been involved with horses or dogs all my life! In fact I was a ‘cat person’ and had a wonderful Siamese for 18 years. My conversion began when husband Ron bought me a carriage driving lesson for my 53rd birthday. I was hooked. I bought my own horse and carriage as a retirement present. Steep learning curve! Ron said he wanted a dog for his retirement! Quite by accident I found the BCDS website and we discovered an activity we could enjoy together.

As if by magic, our first Dalmatian, Mr Darcy, appeared at the local vet’s to be ’put down’ by his owner. We could not allow that! In 2007, we competed at our first trials and he achieved his Bronze Carriage Dog Award. Three years later, he got Gold with 100% in his obedience tests.

In 2008 we rescued Mollie, a liver-spotted bitch. She has strong inclinations as a road dog and achieved bronze with daughter, Jenni, in 2009. However, at the 2010 trials, she preferred to visit the hot dog stall to taking her bronze obedience test as a carriage dog! Both our dogs, while being very different in character, have achieved their Kennel Club Good Citizens Gold Awards and Best Rescue Dogs at the trials. Soon after joining the society I became editor of the Trailblazers newsletter – a great way to learn from others about training dogs and horses. I then took on the development of the DaliMiles programme. This not only promotes the endurance capabilities of the Dalmatian, it highlights the vital importance of sufficient exercise for the breed – something we take very seriously as owners.

Most of my life has been spent working in education: teaching including headship, and developing national curriculum, qualifications and approaches to assessment. This meant writing, editing, working with professionals, presenting at conferences and organising workshops. I am hoping some of these skills can be used to benefit the society in the future.