AT her Bentworth home she is simply known as Roxy, a beautiful eight-month-old border collie, but at Crufts, where she won best minor puppy bitch on Saturday, she goes by the grand title of Foxbarton Princess Royal at Falconmoor.

Not only did she win a rosette and certificate, Roxy has now qualified for next year’s Crufts and for Puppy of the Year at the NEC in Birmingham, where the show was held.

For her owners, Gina Croft and husband Clive Peters, of Falconmoor Border Collies, it was a proud moment but not unexpected as they have been breeding prize-winning border collies for several years.

Crufts is almost home from home to Gina as she has been showing prize-winning dogs there since 1984, and she qualified for the first time at the show in the early 1970s with her German shepherd.

Another time another collie not only won best bitch but was runner-up to the winner of best in show.

Back home in Bentworth, where the dogs have five acres to run in, Gina admits Roxy, who is “a delight to live with and we are very proud of her”, is a little spoiled.

“She sleeps in the house and Clive is giving her treats, but she shares the household with two Shelties, five collies and a rescued cross breed,” said Gina.

Roxy qualified for Crufts when she was six months old by winning a show in Boston, Lincolnshire, but Gina admits a lot of the dog’s success is down to Val Tiller, who bred her and who takes her through her paces at the show, as she did on Saturday.

“We all got a marvellous surprise when judge Joe Bravin called out Roxy’s name as the winner,” she said.

Sadly Gina, who in her 20s used to be a model as well as a sharp shooter’s assistant, has MS and has difficulty getting about.

“I have had it for 30 years and it is progressive and it makes life difficult,” she said, but it hasn’t stopped her becoming a well-known breeder of border collies and an animal trainer.

“I couldn’t do it without Clive, who does so much for me and the animals,” she said.

Gina’s love of animals began as a child in Berkshire when she rode horses but her fascination with dogs and dog shows began when she was 10 and a family friend asked her to show a dog for her.

“It won and I was so excited. The owner gave me a shilling (5p) as a thank you!” said Gina.

In recent years, animals she has trained have become stars, such as the 300 rats she provided for a Harry Potter film, and one of her dogs appeared in a recent episode of television’s Last Detective.

“Training any animal is hard work and so is getting them ready and groomed for shows,” said Gina.

“Don’t let anyone tell you there is money in it. Even the top winner of Crufts only gets a few hundred pounds and a lot of the prize money is wiped out by the vets’ bills.”

However, because of the pleasure and pride they get from it, Gina and Clive will continue to enter their dogs for shows and next year they will be back with Roxy at Crufts.

Meanwhile, using her training skills, Gina is training Roxy for possible film and stage work.

“She can already do a marvellous salute and some other top tricks,” said Gina.

Roxy will be making her next appearance at a show in Dunstable in Bedfordshire on Easter Monday.