Hunter MacDonald, 22, is a groom on the Highland equestrian yard Achilty Sport Horses in Contin, Ross-shire, and has also twice won Dog Groomer of The Year at Crufts.
Here’s what Hunter had to say about his four-legged friends:
I’ve had dogs all my life, border terriers and cocker spaniels. I started off showing dogs when I was six. Growing up, we showed horses and dogs.
This year we had our first litter of cocker spaniels. We kept two and my mum hand-reared one as she was a poorly little puppy.
The vet didn’t think she would make it but five months later, she’s thriving with life, so it’s amazing. She’s called Ellie.
Now we’ve got four cocker spaniels and three border terriers. They are called Bonnie and Travis, Ellie and Dora, Minnie and Pip and Ton.
‘It’s not a job, it’s a way of life’
I think with what I do it’s not a job but a way of life.
I’m very lucky, my grannie and grandad have always been very passionate about breeding horses and my mum’s a dog groomer.
I left school and started working on my grandad’s yard with the horses.
Now I run the yard. We’ve got a team of about 40 horses, all show jumping and show horses.
We work horses, sell horses, breed horses. Every day is different and it’s hard work.
‘I’m going back to Crufts’
I’ve been so lucky. I’ve won Dog Groomer of The Year twice at Crufts.
In 2017 I won young Kennel Club Dog Groomer of The Year and two years later, I went back and won it again.
I said I’d never compete in that class again, but I am going back in 2025 to compete one last time.
I’m taking back Travis, he’s a cocker spaniel and is three. He is my best friend.
He’s my dog, you know one of those dogs, they just dote on one person, he is that dog.
Bonnie, also a cocker spaniel, and Travis are both going to Crufts. Both qualified in their breed classes.
Travis is going into Dog Groomer of The Year with me because he has the best coat so he’ll give me the best chance.
He’s got a long, thick coat pretty much to the ground now. In the ring he’s a real showman. He loves the show ring.
He is clever, but you know spaniels can really test your patience. But he is a very good dog.
I’ve been to Crufts a few times now. The build-up is more nerve-wracking than being there. You want everything to be right, you want your dogs to look well, you want their coats to be right.
‘We are surrounded by a great team’
Meanwhile, there are 46 horses in my care. I don’t really sleep! We are surrounded by a great team of people. You wouldn’t be able to do it without everyone else.
On a daily basis, at 6.30am we feed and hay all the horses then they get turned out.
We exercise and groom them. Before you know it, it’s 3pm and you’ve got start feeding them again and changing their rugs for night-time.
I try to be finished for 6pm each night but in the summertime, on a night before a show I could still be on the yard at midnight, it’s crazy.
Some nights we’re leaving the yard at three in the morning to get to a show for 7am and so it does it takes an army of people to get ready.
‘I’ve got an exciting team for next year’
Showing horses, it’s not about what you do at the show. The work is done at home before you get there.
I couldn’t say I have a favourite because every horse means something different. I could tell a story about each horse.
It takes a lot of effort for me to leave the yard, everyone gets left a hundred notes!
To compete on Horse of The Year Show, that would be my dream. Especially if it was with a horse that my grannie and grandad have bred.
More Pet Tales: Moray dog trainer Megan tells how ‘mantrailing’ helped her anxious springer spaniel Jaffa.
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