Crufts: Chorley dog and her ‘Sanderson Sisters’ keep it in the fur family with three awards

French Bulldogs Lila, Danger Mouse and Ebony who all live with different owners reunite every year at the popular dog show held in Birmingham. Lila, who lives in Ackhurst Lodge in Chorley and goes under the show name Fangorn She Strikes a Pose, came first in her class for the Yearling Bitch which is judged in accordance with breed standard and movement.

She is trained by her owner Parklands High School pupil Tamia Cardoza, 12. Lila qualified for Crufts 2023 in June 2022 at Blackpool Championship Show where she came second in yearling bitch – a class that was won by her sister Danger Mouse. Danger Mouse, aka Fangorn First Lady of Rohan, also showed at Crufts and placed second in the same class, shown by owner and breeder Emma Livesey.

Third Sanderson sister Ebony, owned by Tracey Massey, named Leyenda Uptown Girl Hot to Trot for Chareve, placed third in a separate class (mid-limit bitch) shown by John Cutts.

Tamia and Lila who will be two next month have been training with Joanne Barclay at Warrington Ring Craft training club since Lila was five months old.

Proud mum of Tamia, Melanie Cardoza, 40, told the Post: “Lila showed in the puppy class at Crufts 2022 when Tamia was 11, but didn’t place. They continued to work really hard for Crufts this year and hard work paid off with one of the judges even saying that Lila was a lovely dog.”

Melanie, who works for Barclays Bank, added: “We call them the Sanderson Sisters as they are all black. Lila is Sarah as she is the diva of the group, Danger Mouse is Winifred as she is bossy and Ebony is Mary as she is very sweet and loving.”

Even more impressive is the fact that Sanderson Sisters were breeder Emma Livesey’s first litter and all have qualified for Crufts two years in a row – as the old adage goes “good luck comes in threes”.