Show Placings
Driffield Championship Show
30th Sep 2017
Judge: Mrs Janet Lee (Tythrop)
Apologies to my exhibitors , my technology has failed to send this when first done.
Trying conditions for the society due to heavy rain meant that parking was a long way from the rings unlike the behind the tent easy access we are used to. The ground underfoot was very trying, but thankfully our ring was only churned up in a couple of places. Once again I thoroughly enjoyed my day and appreciated the tenacity of the exhibitors for coming and their sporting acceptance of my decisions. Only one o two fine showers marred the day.
A diversity of size and construction came forward, and I was struck by how many took a rather short stride going round the ring. Some paid the price on the day for lack of coat, but mainly for being big in rib and heavy when picked up.
I was very pleased with my line ups and thought them a good representation of what I consider "essentially working terriers" being lithe in body with narrowness, free moving soundness and good type to fulfil the criterion of the standard.
Puppy - Bitch /
First Place
Name at show: Alcumlow Heather
Placing Critique
Nice size and balanced outline light grizzle. Head is balanced in proportion, but still needs to broaden to balance slightly heavy ears. Good topline, equally angulated at both ends so moved soundly with accuracy. Excellent coat and pelt. Spannable, but could lose a pound to advantage.
Manchester Championship Show
18th Jan 2018
Judge: Mr Frank Kane (Hirontower)
Many thanks to my stewards Alan Small and Susan Kannangara.
Junior - Bitch /
Reserve
Name at show: Alcumlow Heather
Crufts
9th Mar 2018
Judge: Mr.Carl Gunnar-Stafberg
Good Citizen - Bitch /
First Place
Name at show: Alcumlow Heather
The Border Terrier Club Championship Show
31st Mar 2018
Judge: Mrs Lesley Gosling (Akinside)
My grateful thanks to the BTC for the invitation to judge the annual Championship show and my thanks to my efficient stewards who were kept busy. I was astonished to see from my catalogue, as I prepared my critique, how far exhibitors had travelled, particularly with the unpredictable weather we are experiencing. Thank you all for coming.
Movement is improving. There are still are some upright shoulders and poor rear angulation. Size is incredibly variable and as this breed has a strong working heritage some exhibits would struggle to get into any fox earth. I would like to see more muscle tone on back ends. The opportunities to work Borders may have diminished, but the breed standard is our template and we should stick to it or we will have classes filled with ‘showing fools.’
Don’t chalk coats to harden them. Your judges will find it. It’s unnecessary - don’t let it become a fashion. A good coat needs no embellishments and good coats on the day were excellent coats. Coats will grow but in the process may miss out on top honours at a Championship show. We all want our dogs to have their best coats on a show day, but the two things don’t always coincide. I also appreciated that coats kept going for Crufts recently had then been stripped out.
Quality and breed type were lacking in some exhibits. Young heads need time at puppy stage but some young males were disappointing. One puppy dog was chronically thin. Puppies should be puppy-ish, carry a bit of weight and be happy in the ring and socialised. The Exhibition Hall is noisy and some pups are phased by unusual sounds, but I’m pleased to say that temperaments were excellent. I dislike seeing youngsters being strung up - dancing on their toes - and having their leads jerked to keep their attention, or to get them walking in a straight line. Try talking to your dog on the move and loosen those leads.
I have expressed an opinion on baiting before, and I will keep doing it until exhibitors take note, or I die pleading. Baiting a dog on the table unbalances the dog, gets in the way of the judge doing his/her job properly when it comes to checking the bite, and distracts the dogs completely. Borders are especially curious of strangers who approach, so the table contest for them becomes ‘bait’ or ‘stranger.’ A judge doesn’t want to waste time getting the dog’s attention away from bait. Practice getting the stance correct on a table without bait. Please - keep your bait until the dog is on the floor.
All males were entire; scissor bites generally were very good but some varied from a level bite, to the odd missing or chipped tooth and a couple of slightly wry mouths, but teeth were well presented and clean. There was just one kinked tail.
The best exhibits were exceptionally good. Eyes were dark and of good shape, bright and healthy. The good coats were tight, crisp and of great texture. Movement was impressive on the whole – straight and true - and almost all dogs were spannable. Sadly, not enough cards to go round and in some of the senior classes of both sexes, there were beautiful exhibits in tremendous condition, which could change places at any time. Their owners are to be congratulated.
Junior - Bitch /
Second Place
Name at show: Alcumlow Heather At Sensevalley
Placing Critique
Another good sized bitch with attractive head and correct scissor bite. Coat of good texture, spannable and had enough bone, with good tight feet.
Leeds Championship Dog Show
29th Jul 2018
Judge: Mr Brian Baxter (Beenaben)
Post Graduate - Bitch /
Third Place
Name at show: Alcumlow Heather At Sensevalley
Paignton
4th Aug 2018
Judge: Professor A S Milton
I suspect I shall retire from judging now. I certainly have no intention, when it comes into effect, of paying the Kennel Club to get on their judging lists. I have always assumed, though I may be wrong, that I have been invited to judge because people wanted me to. I have no intention of 'prostituting’ my art by paying money for the privilege. If I may reminisce, I have never sought a judging appointment, indeed in the beginning I had never even thought about judging. Then one day a letter arrived from the secretary of a large open show in Scotland. Would I judge the terrier breeds and the terrier group at their next open show? I have, to this day, no idea who suggested my name. I had never judged before, not even a match or a limited show, I was on no judging list, they didn’t exist in those days, I had never stewarded, and have never done so to this day, I have to this day never attended any hands on or assessment seminar. After my first appointment invitations came at fairly frequent intervals, including two breed clubs, and eventually I received an invitation to judge at a Championship show. However, when I replied, with my judging cv, the committee told me that they couldn't continue with my appointment, as the Kennel Club would not accept the nomination owing to the 'parochial' range of my judging, which had, with one exception, all been in Scotland. Notwithstanding that for example two of the shows had been over 200 miles apart, and from my home to the breed club show in England over 500 miles. Peter Thompson (Thoraldby) and Sybil Churchill came to my rescue and I found myself judging at LKA.
A few thoughts on Border Terriers. Size has always been a problem, right from the beginning of the breed, with there being far too many large dogs, outside the weight standard, and the numbers seem to be getting larger (forgive the pun). I blame the breeders for this. In one class at Paignton, there was only one dog, which I could span. Movement is another problem; the trend at the moment seems to be very narrow hindquarters, with the feet nearly touching. In 1991, I made a video of Crufts with the late R.A. Williams judging. Almost without exception all the dogs are in full coat. (A few years ago there was a pirated video made of this tape). In the book 'About the Border Terrier', Walter Gardner says 'It is difficult to judge Border coats today because so often the dogs are stripped, well nigh skinned'. Two personal gripes, Border should be walked on a loose lead, not strung up, and should stand naturally, I do particularly dislike those exhibitors who are continually fussing with their dogs, moving a foot a cm here, a cm there and the like.
I should like to thank the committee of the Paignton show for inviting me to judge. They were all very helpful, and also the vets at the show who kindly looked after my young puppy which I had, perforce, to bring with me, whilst I was judging.
Post Graduate - Bitch /
Third Place
Name at show: Alcumlow Heather At Sensevalley
Darlington Championship Show
14th Sep 2018
Judge: Mr Chris Wallace (Hobholt)
My thanks to Darlington Dog Show Society for the opportunity to judge my first Championship Show and to the exhibitors for bringing your Borders’. My stewards John and Carol were very helpful and kept the ring well organised. Despite feeling somewhat nervous before judging started I thoroughly enjoyed the day and thank the exhibitors for accepting my decisions.
Our standard mentions moderate 4 times in its current form, it also provides guidance on size (weight) and body (spanning). I mention these points as there were a surprising number of Borders’ that were impossible to span, were too deep in chest, big, heavy and exaggerated in a number of areas. Movement became a key criteria when placing my Borders along with being moderate and not exaggerated. A lot of Borders were “Knitting” in front movement or flicking their wrists outwards, probably best described as erratic compared to the Borders that moved well. Mouths were good overall, one chipped tooth which was of no consequence. Coats and pelts were excellent overall, and the dogs were complete.
Overall, we have a number of promising youngsters coming through and it’s unfortunate judges only have two “tickets” to hand out.
Yearling - Bitch /
Third Place
Name at show: Alcumlow Heather At Sensevalley
The Birmingham & District Gundog & Terrier Club
20th Oct 2018
Judge: Mrs Jill Stevens (Cobstoneway)
I would like to thank the committee for giving me the honour of judging at this lovely show, and for the hospitality shown on the day. Thank you also to my 2 very efficient stewards, Lesley and Judith, but most of all I would like to thank all the exhibitors who gave me such a lovely entry of quality dogs which were a pleasure to go over. I found no bad mouths, no kinked tails, and all the dogs were entire. Coats were at various stages, as to be expected, but none of the exhibits were without the correct double coat needed by a working terrier.
Post Graduate /
Second Place
Name at show: Alcumlow Heather At Sensevalley
Placing Critique
Grizzle and tan bitch with so much to like. She has a feminine head with correct bite and keen dark eye, narrow body lines and good angulation front and rear. She moved well, keeping her level topline and carrying her well set on carrot shaped tail nicely. Her coat is correct but just going slightly past it’s best.
Midland Counties Canine Society
27th Oct 2018
Judge: Mrs. Margaret Bailey (Grindelvald)
IT WAS AN HONOUR TO JUDGE THE MIDLAND COUNTIES CS ON THEIR 50TH ANNIVERSARY.
ALSO MANY THANKS TO THE EXHIBITORS FOR ENTERING THEIR DOGS UNDER ME & MY STEWARDS KEPT THE RING RUNNING SMOOTHLY, WITH SUCH AN EXCELLENT ENTRY.
ALL DOGS WERE ENTIRE, 1 OR 2 DISAPPOINTING MOUTHS. I’M AMAZED THE AMOUNT OF TIT-BITS SOME OF THE EXHIBITORS GAVE THEIR DOGS, ESPECIALLY ON THE TABLE MOST WERE BEING REWARDED FOR BAD BEHAVIOUR, THE WORSE THE DOG BEHAVIED THE MORE FOOD THEY GOT. I FOUND SOME OF THEM ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO EXAMINE, MAYBE MORE RING CRAFT CLASSES WOULD HELP!
IT IS VERY PROMISING TO SEE SOME QUAILITY PUPPIES COMING THROUGH. STILL A FEW DODGY FRONTS. OVERALL THE QUALITY IS IMPROVING. PLEASED TO SEE NO AGGRESIVE BEHAVIOUR IN THE BREED, IN OR OUT OF THE RINGTODAY.
NICE TO SEE MY BOB WINNER WENT ON TO WIN THE TERRIER GROUP. I UNDERSTAND FROM THE OWNER THIS WAS HIS LAST SHOW AS THE DOG IS BEING RETIRED FROM SHOWING .A DELIGHT TO JUDGE HIM.
IT WAS A REAL PLEASURE TO JUDGE ALLTHE DOGS WHO CAME UNDER ME.
Post Graduate - Bitch /
Second Place
Name at show: Alcumlow Heather At Sensevalley
Placing Critique
NOT THE HEAD OF 1, LONGER IN EARS. GOOD LENGTH OF NECK, CORRECT FRONT & REAR ASSEMBLY, NARROW THROUGHOUT, MOVED WELL, IN GOOD COAT.
Burton On Trent Kennel Association Open Show
2nd Dec 2018
Judge: Lynne Greenhill (Arudu)
Reserve Best Of Breed
Name at show: Alcumlow Heather At Sensevalley
Post Graduate /
First Place
Name at show: Alcumlow Heather At Sensevalley
Manchester Championship Show
18th Jan 2019
Judge: Mrs. Kathy Newsome (Kighill)
My first judging appointment at a Championship show and what a lovely day I had. Firstly I would like to thank the Manchester Dog Society for inviting me to judge their show, and also to all the exhibitors for showing their support.
I had a lovely selection of dogs and I was very pleased with the quality that came before me. All dogs were entire and mouths were good. Some dogs could have done with being tidied up a little more.
Post Graduate - Bitch /
Reserve
Name at show: Alcumlow Heather At Sensevalley
Litchfield CS Open Show
26th Jan 2019
Judge: Mrs Julie North (Northborders)
I would like to thank Lichfield Canine Society for inviting me to judge the Border Terriers at this lovely very well run show
Open /
First Place
Name at show: Alcumlow Heather At Sensevalley
Placing Critique
2 year old Grizzle bitch , Lovely bitch with good head and expression , nice lay of shoulder and angled nicely throughout , she`s slightly shorter than my BOB but she has a super jacket and pelt and moves soundly with reach and drive and little show girl RBOB
Crufts
9th Mar 2019
Judge: Mrs Trak Fryer (Irton)
A very great thank you to the exhibitors for giving me such a superb entry, I hope that I did it justice. My thanks must also go to my Stewards who worked very hard to keep the classes moving well.
This was a very challenging entry with some very big classes filled with quality dogs all the way through, there were no easy decisions. I tried to pull out all the dogs that I felt were in contention to give those exhibits a closer look. This meant that those out of coat or condition paid the penalty. particularly in the upper classes many super quality dogs had to go out without a place - I just didn't have enough cards.
On the plus side all the exhibits were good tempered and happy in the ring. Most dogs came with a good coat on and a decent pelt. There were plenty of good heads and neat well balanced Borders, the key to the Standard. The Breed Standard asks for a dog that can run, requiring heart and lung room, and that can go to ground, requiring a good rib carried back without exaggerated angulations, a rather challenging blueprint to fit into a fairly small package.
There were quite a number with rather heavy or thin ears, round eyes and I was surprised to find quite a number of “winter noses”; I did not necessarily penalise these if the rest was OK. There were a number of heads with weak jaws framed by sticky out ears, a worrying trend. There were some heavy bitches well beyond spannable.
The biggest problem is movement with the forward angulations mostly at fault, this has been a problem in the breed for some time but there are now a significant number with tied in fronts waving their forelegs about, a new variant!
A well made dog will just cover the ground without any fuss or flipping – a joy to see. In order to do this they also need a reasonable build of muscle and it is a constant concern of mine that so many that come into the show ring do not have this.
Post Graduate - Bitch /
Reserve
Name at show: Alcumlow Heather At Sensevalley
Good Citizen - Bitch /
First Place
Name at show: Alcumlow Heather At Sensevalley
Placing Critique
Reserve in PG, quite a showy little bitch, lacks strength in head, good construction,
Class Critique
A bit of a mixed class from the previous entries.
The Border Terrier Club Championship Show
30th Mar 2019
Judge: Mrs Denise Townsend (Llanishen)
Thank you to the officers, committee and members of the Border Terrier Club for awarding the honour of judging this prestigious show and for giving me such a warm welcome. The show had a wonderfully friendly atmosphere and I hope everyone enjoyed the day as much as I did. Many thanks to all exhibitors for their entries, and for allowing me the opportunity to go over their dogs, something I consider a privilege. My stewards Judy and Judith looked after me perfectly and kept everything moving smoothly.
I was very pleased with my winners and with the overall standard of the entry. Some causes for concern included a small number of wry mouths in the early dog classes, exhibits with barely any undercoat and some heads which were lacking strength in their under-jaw.
Post Graduate - Bitch /
Reserve
Name at show: Alcumlow Heather At Sensevalley
Bath Championship Show
27th May 2019
Judge: Miss Felicity Freer (Felfree)
Many thanks to the Officers and Committee for my invitation to judge this superb breed. The weather was not on our side to start but it warmed up and made for a superb day. I have owned or shown this breed for over 20 years and found a real mixed bag today. I found the youngsters to be really pleasing which is promising for the breed. Many thanks to all the exhibitors for taking the time to show under me.
Post Graduate - Bitch /
First Place
Name at show: Alcumlow Heather At Sensevalley
Placing Critique
A close class. Very nice shape and body. Preferred the outline on the move of this bitch
today
The Southern Border Terrier Club Championship Show
8th Jun 2019
Judge: Mrs Jayne Gillam (Orenberg)
Many thanks to the Southern Border Terrier Club for inviting me to judge at their Championship show, it was an interesting day going over the dogs and I thank the exhibitors for their good sized entry and the sporting way in which they accepted my decisions. Thanks must also go to my excellent stewards, Tina Morgan and Felicity Freer who kept me on track and everything running smoothly throughout the day.
Coats were at varying stages of growth and there was a wide variety of types, and a few with heavy shoulders and short, round oversprung ribs and poor toplines. I was quite surprised to see some faults in the entry which I wasn’t expecting, I found a young male with only one testicle descended, three with teeth out of line, one whose mouth didn’t close correctly and two kinked tails.
I judged the entry as I saw the dogs on the day, and as always I was looking for a dog which excels in breed type, fits the standard and appears capable of doing a day’s work. I value all the essentials required in a working dog and also those who have that extra something as a show dog. I was pleased with my winners and look forward to watching show careers with interest.
Post Graduate - Bitch /
Third Place
Name at show: Alcumlow Heather At Sensevalley
Placing Critique
G&T, not just as good in the head and expression as my first two, very fit when handled, in good coat.
The Northern Border Terrier Club Championship Show
13th Jul 2019
Judge: Mrs Laura Illingworth (Thorneyhurst)
A big thanks to The Northern Border Terrier Club for there invitation to judge their club show, my first club open show was for the Northern many years ago, and the friendliness and hospitality has not changed. Thank you to the exhibitors for such a good entry and great atmosphere around the ring, and most especially to my two capable stewards Carolyn and Graham Richardson for keeping every thing flowing, and not putting a foot wrong all day. The quality of exhibits was second to none and many good dogs had to go home without a card, teeth were excellent and not one kinked tail or missing testicle all day, nice to see so many of the borders looked capable of doing a days work.
Post Graduate - Bitch /
Second Place
Name at show: Alcumlow Heather At Sensevalley
Placing Critique
Slightly rangier bitch, easily scannable, liked her movement, bit short of coat today
The Midland Border Terrier Club Championship Show
4th Aug 2019
Judge: Dogs: Diane Bullen (Fevstone) Bitches: Sally Leslie (Risdene)
*Judge: Dogs: Diane Bullen (Fevstone)*
I would like to thank the Midland Border Terrier Club for inviting me to judge their show and making me feel most welcome. I would also like to thank my Stewards for a sterling job.
A good exhibit entry on the day with couple of them forgetting to remove their carpet slippers judging by their feet, and also a couple that I felt they were impersonating Austin Powers international man of mystery judging by the amount of chest hair left on! But on a more serious note, yet again underweight dogs with some having barely a covering of flesh which was disappointing, some dogs also un-spannable.
Both of the above reflecting in my placing’s. On a more positive note some excellent specimens shown today both in coat, movement and good old fashioned strong otter type heads.
*Judge: Bitches: Sally Leslie (Risdene)*
Thank you to the Committee and Exhibitors for a super day. It must always be a pleasure and honour to judge at a club show where the depth of quality is clearly high and this was especially appreciated after so many had also made the long journey to Devon the day before.
I’m not going to lecture. After all we are all on the same side and want our breed to thrive. However I think I should mention that movement is not generally true and accurate fore and aft. I did see some strange limb and joint placement. Notwithstanding less than perfect gait I still sought something that did not make me uncomfortable to watch and importantly for me exhibited easy freedom using the whole of the foot and leg assembly to take energy from the ground not jolting or with feet flipping limply but fluid placement with reach and drive. That does not imply exaggeration and wasted energy just simple low to the ground daisy cutting propulsion and economy which is a thing of beauty to behold.
Mouths and jaws generally were pleasing. The small pearly dentition of a while ago were not in evidence and I enjoyed the large teeth that never fail to surprise and please. For this reason I have not felt the need to remark individually.
I never penalise stacked exhibits but I Ioved the preponderance of handler’s free showing. Relaxed, well made examples do stand nicely naturally and it often seems to me that exhibitors know less than their charges when it comes to limb placement and balance.
Coats - I really appreciated those exhibitors who felt able to leave coats in place even though a little past their sell by date. I can happily judge through a good coat which enables me to ascertain texture and quality whereas however neat an outline the lack of any evidence of coat in this working breed must be a negative.
Happily my fellow judge and I agreed on most of the main placings and I did not trouble the Referee as for me the prime consideration for any exhibitor must surely be the CC.
Post Graduate - Bitch /
Second Place
Name at show: Alcumlow Heather At Sensevalley
Placing Critique
not quite as well-knit as winner, combines strength with femininity, deep enough in body but spannable, good back line and tail set, ideal coat and pelt, good head properties but just a little plain in ear
The Midland Border Terrier Club Open Show
9th Feb 2020
Judge: Mrs. Carolyn Richardson (Staynorwood)
I would like to thank Midland Border Terrier Club for inviting me to judge and to thank my Stewards Pete Armstrong and Sue Baxter. Unfortunately, the entry was somewhat reduced due to the awful storm conditions keeping many at home, but I was pleased with the quaity of dogs present for me to go over and very happy with my winners.
Open - Bitch /
Third Place
Name at show: Alcumlow Heather At Sensevalley
Crufts
8th Mar 2020
Judge: Mr Simon Jackson (Clipstone)
Firstly, I would like to thank the Kennel Club for allowing me the honour of judging this Border Terrier Centenary year. I also thank my excellent stewards for keeping me on track and to everybody who gave me such a fantastic entry, both in numbers and quality across all classes. To be blunt, I don't think I have ever seen and enjoyed such a very high quality entry before. Unfortunately many good exhibits went home unrewarded. Several classes the placed exhibits could have all stood in first place. I really was splitting hairs. I can honestly say that I really enjoyed myself and hope everybody else did too. I'd also like to thank Joyce Martin and my son, Laurence Jackson, for the excellent photographs which has made the writing of this critique so much easier. I understand Laurence also live-streamed the CC's and BOB – technology far above me – but thanks!
Good Citizen - Bitch /
Reserve
Name at show: Alcumlow Heather At Sensevalley
