Show Type: Championship
Venue: Stoneleigh Park, nr Coventry CV8 2LZ
Judge: Mrs K Wilkinson (Otterkin)
Entries: 122 dogs making 144 entries
Thank you to City of Birmingham for the invitation to judge this show, for the very large ring provided to the breed and to all the exhibitors who entered under me – I was very pleased with the overall quality of the entry of 122 dogs making 144 entries in these days of falling entries, with very few absentees (16 from “new dogs” by my count).
The ring stewards did an excellent job of keeping everything running smoothly – so thank you to John Gardner and Ken Francis.
I would like to send my best wishes to Anna Duxbury (Ridgebow) who had initially been under contract to judge this as her very first Championship Show. Having seen Anna judge at the Border Terrier Club’s Open show in February 2022, I know she is a very experienced and knowledgeable judge as well as an excellent breeder and hope in time that she is able to take on another Championship Show appointment in the future. I had originally been invited to judge this show in 2024 and had sent my acceptance letter, but when the Secretary contacted me, I agreed to bring forward the appointment to 2023.
I have taken the name/s of the owner/s and the dogs’ names direct from the catalogue. Some may have other owners or Kennel Names added, or awards such as Ch or JW added now, but I must use the details from the catalogue.
Handlers – please do not stuff food/tubes of treats into your dogs’ mouths just before the judge needs to look at their dentition. Those who stood behind their dogs and held the lead, I had no problem examining their dogs’ mouths, but a small number of others who were stuffing food into their dog’s mouth as I approached, once they moved away, some dogs were up on their hind legs trying to get more food/treats from you. I had to examine the rest of the dog then come back and look in the mouth again when the dogs were not fidgeting about looking for food. If you are doing it to avoid the dentition being checked, it won’t work as a judge will just come back to it!
It was quite hot in the hall. Kudos to all the dogs as they were not put off by the noise made when judge and/or handler stood on whatever was under the carpet making a “clunk” noise. I found when spanning dogs, almost all of them were hot underneath. Never felt that before, even when judging in 90 degree heat outside in America, so just be aware that your dog may be getting overheated.
Best Of Breed: TG2, CH Awbrooksky Never Back Down JW
Pleased to see he then went on to win Terrier Group 2 from judge Richard Allen. Congratulations.
DCC: CH Awbrooksky Never Back Down JW
RDCC: Barkanellie Blackadder
BCC: CH Glebeheath Button It (A.I.)
RBCC: Orangebox A New Hope At Itsaso
Best Puppy: Stineval Sasha
Pleased to hear she was later shortlisted in the Terrier Puppy Group under judge Mr Barry Day. Well done
Best Veteran: Mysulan Going Solo JW
Special Beginners in Breed: Mysulan Easy Street
Best Junior: Dassett Upsy Daisy JW
Entries: 1 Absentees: 0
1st - Mysulan Easy Street (Mrs V Hall)
1st and Best Special Beginners – 3 year old Grizzle and Tan. Otterlike head with straight narrow front. Lovely narrow body, easily spanned. Thick pelt and good coat. A little proud of his tail. He moved really well and true both coming and going.
Entries: 2 Absentees: 0
1st - Mysulan Going Solo JW (Mrs S J Baxter)
Excellent length of body on this 8 year old blue and tan dog. Narrow, spanned easily and ribs carried well back. Well off for bone without being overdone. Very attentive to his handler, he moved very well. Just lacking a little in undercoat.
2nd - Glebeheath Smash N'grab At Jordith (Mrs L.M.I & Mr A.M. Jordan-Smith)
Liked this 9 year old grizzle and tan dog very much. Smaller all round and a little lacking in foreface, but he moved well on good small feet and has a cracking coat and thick pelt. Lovely carrot tail well set on, with good bend of stifle.
Entries: 5 Absentees: 0
1st - Bluebabel Border Song (Mr K P & Mrs N B Yates)
Liked this grizzle and tan 8 month old puppy as soon as he came into the ring. Lovely length of body and moved very well for a youngster. Lovely otter head and a good reach of neck. Tail well set on.
2nd - Flegato Fidelio (Miss K Tuffin)
7 month old Blue and Tan. Another with a good length of body Good harsh coat and excellent bone structure. Could do with a little more fill under the eye
3rd - Beaconpike Caelus (Mr S & Mrs K Golding)
Res - Awbrooksky Time For Retribution NAF TAF (Mr R and Miss L Goddard)
VHC - Botterox Flint (Miss S L Hillman)
Entries: 4 Absentees: 1
1st - Digmoor Turn The Page (Mr M P & Mrs S V Regan)
Almost 10 months old dark grizzle and tan. Good ear placement, dropping forward close to the cheeks. Dark eye with keen expression. A difficult decision between first and second here as I liked them both, but preferred the bend of stifle on this one, who also had a cracking coat and a lovely otterlike head. Moved quite well during the class.
2nd - Jordith Roll Up And Shine (Mrs L.M.I & Mr A.M. Jordan-Smith)
A lighter grizzle and tan 11 month old showing very well. Excellent coat. Lovely otter head. Good tail set with short, carrot tail
3rd - Ravenside Play The Game Kersfell (Mrs M Sneddon)
Entries: 7 Absentees: 2
A strong class of good dogs, especially the first
1st - Dassett Igglepiggle (Mrs S Spafford)
Outstanding dog who stood away even in this good class. Lovely otter head with ears dropping forward close to the cheek and a lovely dark eye. An excellent mover. Well off for bone but not overdone in any way. A workmanlike dog with a harsh dark grizzle coat and good undercoat. Tail straight off the top of the back.
2nd - Redesholt Han Solo (Mrs S McKay)
A smaller dog all through. Loved his head and varminty expression. Cracking coat. Good tail set
3rd - Goxfell Gotcha (Mrs J Stamp & Mr D Joyce)
Very much like the first dog in stamp but just falls away a little under the eye. Good bone construction and good bend of stifle.
Res - Alcumlow Painter Man On Hobhill (Mrs S Pickerin)
VHC - Fevstone Polar Ajax at Saxheath (Mrs A Heathcote)
Entries: 5 Absentees: 0
1st - Goxfell Gotcha (Mrs J Stamp & Mr D Joyce)
Was 3rd in strong Junior Dog class and moved very well in this class. Liked his body shape and his dark eye. Perhaps could do with a few less face furnishings.
2nd - Alcumlow Painter Man On Hobhill (Mrs S Pickerin)
Was Reserve in Junior Dog. Just found him a little heavy when spanning him. Superb head with keen expression. Lovely ear placement. Excellent harsh jacket and thick pelt. Good tail set. A good all round dog.
3rd - Borderella High Tide (Mrs P South)
Res - Jordith Roll Up And Shine (Mrs L.M.I & Mr A.M. Jordan-Smith)
VHC - Ravenside Play The Game Kersfell (Mrs M Sneddon)
Entries: 6 Absentees: 1
1st - Glebeheath Oh Boy JW (Mrs J Guvercin)
Lovely dog – excellent head and expression with dark eye. He moved very well. Has just the right amount of bone. Tail a good shape and length. Excellent thick pelt and coat. Perhaps could do with more coat taken out on his front which might have made him look a little heavy from ringside, but when getting hands on him, that proved to be a misnomer.
2nd - Pipruda Dark Rum at Beckholm JW (Mrs A Sutton)
Really liked this dog. Would prefer more fill under the eye, but from that lovely dark eye, he had a good expression. Liked him for size. Possesses a good rib shape, easily spanned and that shape looks lovely when viewed from above. These first two placed were the best movers in the class.
3rd - Cedarhill Front Of House RL.1 (Mr F & Mrs H Freeman)
Res - Raedwulf Nightfall JW (Mr M & Mrs V Atkinson)
VHC - Borderella High Tide (Mrs P South)
Entries: 14 Absentees: 2
1st - Ravenside Helissio (Mr M Lowry)
The winner in a very strong class. Hard decision here as I liked both placed first and second. Lovely rangy dog, well presented. Excellent thick, double coat and pliable, loose pelt. Loved his varminty expression. Temperament excellent – not bothered one bit about other dogs outside the ring being a little obnoxious. Lovely straight, narrow front, good length of body and excellent rib shape – easily spanned. Topline and tailset of the best.
2nd - Cedarhill Dish Of The Day For Dexlin (Mr B & Mrs L P Inness)
Loved his otterlike head and expression, with good ear placement and dark eye. On another day, in different company, would happily award him a first. Good example of the breed. His coat was tight and harsh. Moved well fore and aft.
3rd - Cobstoneway Stand By Me JW (Mrs G Stevens)
Res - Beaconpike Dionysus (Mr S & Mrs K Golding)
VHC - Hartswelin Veritas With Oatberry (Mrs K Tuffin)
Entries: 8 Absentees: 0
1st - CH Awbrooksky Never Back Down JW (Mr R & Miss L Goddard)
Grizzle and tan dog of good size. Has a wonderful otterlike head, with dark eye and strong jaw. He was put down to perfection. He moved very well, straight and true. Not overdone in any way, he has all the component parts in the right order. Excellent thick, tight jacket. While being a smart show dog, he looks the part but also has good breed type – a worthy Champion. Pleased to award him the Dog CC and BOB.
2nd - Barkanellie Blackadder (Mr I & Mrs J Taylor)
This boy was so easily spanned and looking from above, his rib shape and length were of the best. Good tail, well set on. Liked his otter head and his bone – just right! Pleased to award him the Reserve Dog CC in hot competition. Although I had seen the dog’s name when doing breed notes, I had not seen him “in the flesh” before and did not know his name until I was completing the Res CC award card. Lovely narrow dog – he could get anywhere required underground. Moved very well. On the day after judging, I looked at BT.Org to check how he was bred for the breed notes and saw that he has 2 CCs to his name. Good luck for the 3rd – a lovely dog.
3rd - CH Otterbobs Tolson (Mr J R & Mrs H Gilpin)
Res - Stineval Lambert JW (Mr A & Mrs C Horner)
VHC - Kevrah Orion Seeking Orangebox (Mr M & Mrs T Anscombe)
Entries: 4 Absentees: 0
1st - Hartswelin Veritas With Oatberry (Mrs K Tuffin)
Was VHC in the strong Limit Dog class. Dark eye with good expression. Liked him for size. Lovely neck and shoulders and good ribshape. Good tail, well set on.
2nd - Jordith Roll Up And Shine (Mrs L.M.I & Mr A.M. Jordan-Smith)
3rd - Cedarhill Front Of House RL.1 (Mr F & Mrs H Freeman)
Res - Glebeheath Smash N'grab At Jordith (Mrs L.M.I & Mr A.M. Jordan-Smith)
Entries: 6 Absentees: 0
1st - Borderrush Clementine For Ardenholm (Mrs C Swain)
Grizzle and tan bitch rather fine throughout. Very feminine head with a lovely dark eye and excellent expression. Lovely rib shape. Good set on of tail Not overdone in bone.
2nd - Morley's Miss Zeva (Miss A Dawson)
Smaller bitch – just a baby at 6 months. Head needs to develop, which can come with maturity and needs a little more fill under the eye. Gorgeous expression with lovely dark eyes and good ear placement. Excellent thick coat and pelt. Good tail, well set on.
3rd - Onziemehurst Milly Earhart (Miss A Nettle)
Res - Umbala Sirocco (Mr & Mrs G J Fordham & Mrs G Cove-Print)
VHC - Howthwaite Times Gone By (Mr D, Mrs V and Miss E Clements)
Entries: 5 Absentees: 1
1st - CH Cobstoneway Love Song JW ShCM (Mrs G Stevens)
One of my favourites in the breed that I have judged before, she is still so feminine and so full of breed type. Grizzle and tan bitch with the most bonny otterlike head. Lovely make and shape. Cracking jacket, with thick pelt. A very happy showgirl.
2nd - Clydebeck Solitaire (Mrs S & Mr M & Miss J Taylor)
Longer cast bitch with a lovely rib shape, easily spanned. Would prefer more fill under the eye, but has a good dark eye. Nice short tail, well set on.
3rd - Puzzlers Hope Full Hattie At Broadsmill (Mrs E J Pinkham)
Res - Marizion May Flower At Ankietaz (Miss J Windsor-Hichens & Mr A Lee)
Entries: 8 Absentees: 1
1st - Morley's Miss Zeva (Miss A Dawson)
Was 2nd in Special Beginners bitch. Moved perfectly in this class. Nice tight jacket.
2nd - Awbrooksky Czechered Flag (Mr R & Miss L Goddard)
Excellent harsh coat with plentiful pelt. Good length of neck and topline, with good tail, well set on. She just falls away a little under the eye. Nice dark eye.
3rd - Carrock Complicated (Ms J Fawcett)
Res - Arunmere Nighthawk (Miss J Hughes)
VHC - Arunmere Artemis (Mrs A Parsons)
Entries: 11 Absentees: 1
Another quality class with very difficult decision between the first two.
1st - Stineval Sasha (Mr A & Mrs C Horner)
Light red grizzle bitch with a lovely neck and shoulders. Beautiful otterlike head. She moved exceedingly well both coming and going. Loved her ear placement. Dark eye, keen expression. Just the right amount of bone. Tight jacket. Tail straight off the top of her back and carried well. Pleased to award her Best Puppy in Breed
2nd - Ravenside Raise Your Game (Mr M Lowry)
Loved this puppy as well. Dark red grizzle bitch with a fantastic jacket. Feminine otter head. Moved really well both ways. Such a steady mover for a puppy.
3rd - Irton Marmalade (Mr D G & Mrs A C Fryer)
Res - Otterbobs Beatrix (Mr J R & Mrs H Gilpin)
VHC - Thistlestone Winter's Gold (Miss M Whisker)
Entries: 8 Absentees: 1
Some of this class were moving erratically and paid the price.
1st - Dassett Upsy Daisy JW (Mrs S Spafford)
Nice grizzle and tan bitch, totally put together the right way. Appealed as soon as she entered the ring. Loved her head. She has a good neck and shoulders. Super topline and tailset. Easily spanned. Moved well both ways. Liked her racy hindquarters and good bend of stifle, which gave the hair’s breadth of difference in the close decision for her to be awarded Best Junior in Breed.
2nd - Borderrush Clementine For Ardenholm (Mrs C Swain)
Was 1st in Special Beginners bitch. Narrower bitch and smaller all round, but has a lovely outline and good rib shape. Would prefer more strength in the foreface.
3rd - Borderrush Rambutan (Miss A J Hall)
Res - Starmix Candy (Miss J Feeney)
VHC - Chadbrook Astrid (Miss J Young & Mr P McCluskey)
Entries: 10 Absentees: 0
1st - Onthill Crystal Clear To Foxpaw (Mrs H Fulker)
Grizzle and tan bitch. Quite fine, but well put together. Lovely ribcage and good harsh coat. Lovely dark eye. Good ear placement. Lovely straight front and moved well on small, tight feet. Good carrot tail, well set on.
2nd - Torryburn Fidelity (Miss J Aldis)
Would prefer a stronger foreface. Has a lovely ribshape and moved very well today on small feet.
3rd - Olliesorchids Vintage Fizz (Mr R & Mrs D Symons)
Res - Barkanellie Flashheart (Mr I & Mrs J Taylor)
VHC - Borderrush Rambutan (Miss A J Hall)
Entries: 11 Absentees: 2
1st - Mysulan Rhapsody In Blue (Mrs S J Baxter)
Blue and tan bitch out of the top drawer. So very feminine with a lovely otter head with dark eyes. Nice reach of neck. Straight front and moved so well. She was so very easily spanned. Good carrot tail, well set on.
2nd - Clydebeck Tanzanite (Mrs S & Mr M & Miss J Taylor)
Longer cast grizzle and tan bitch. Another moving so well today. Rib shape of the best and another easily spanned. Would just prefer more strength of muzzle, but she has a lovely shape and set of ear and good dark eye.
3rd - Thistlemead Sundance JW (Mrs P M Heeley)
Res - Goldenmill Illusion at Vandamere (Miss J Singh)
VHC - Borderrush Magic Bean (Miss A J Hall)
Entries: 12 Absentees: 3
Two very good bitches headed this class.
1st - Earthtaw Making Magic with Clipstone (Mrs E & Mrs J Jackson)
This grizzle and tan bitch took my eye as she came into the ring. Made right, she stands over the ground well, so well balanced. Lovely otter head with good dark eye. Straight front, moving very well. Rib shape spot on. Excellent thick coat and pliable pelt. Nice tail, well set on.
2nd - Holteal Halfpenny Worth (Mrs G Vaughan)
Beautiful headed bitch with dark eye and keen expression. Strong muzzle. Excellent thick coat and pelt. Easily spanned. Good tail set. Covered the ground well.
3rd - Barkanellie Sirencraft (Mrs J & Mr I Taylor)
Res - Northborders Chianti (Mrs J A Fletcher)
VHC - Good Golly Miss Molly At Martifers (Mr M & Mrs J Sharp)
Entries: 11 Absentees: 1
1st - CH Glebeheath Button It (A.I.) (Mrs J Guvercin)
This grizzle and tan bitch possesses a lovely outline. She was in quite heavy coat but underneath, a lovely racy outline and easily spanned. Gorgeous otterlike head with varminty expression from dark eyes. Neat and narrow front. Lovely reach of neck. Not overdone in any way – a very typical and workmanlike bitch who looked like she could get anywhere required underground. Excellent level topline with good set on of tail, which was short and of good shape. Pleased to award her the Bitch CC in good competition.
2nd - Orangebox A New Hope At Itsaso (Miss L Tanton-Joy)
Really liked this bitch. Excellent tight, harsh coat with a thick, pliable pelt. Straight front and moved well both ways. Easily spanned. Nice length of body with ribs carried well back. Lovely head with nice dark eye. Would perhaps prefer a little more fill under the eye, but that could not detract from her excellent breed type and steady movement – was pleased to award her the Reserve Bitch CC.
3rd - Irton Sovay (Mr D G & Mrs A C Fryer)
Res - Barkanellie Sirencraft (Mrs J & Mr I Taylor)
VHC - Tarkaswell Sea The Stars (Mrs C E Sansom)
Entries: 6 Absentees: 0
1st - Gameway French Fancy Avec Orangebox (Mr M & Mrs T Anscombe)
6 year old bitch with lovely outline. Beautiful feminine head with ears well placed, dropping forward close to the cheek. Dark eye and strong muzzle. Narrow in body, she has a good rib and could still be spanned
2nd - Borderrush Clementine For Ardenholm (Mrs C Swain)
Was 1st in Special Beginners Bitch and 2nd in Junior Bitch.
3rd - Onziemehurst Milly Earhart (Miss A Nettle)
Res - Borderella Sunflower Seed (Mrs P South)