Show Placings
Joint Border Terrier Club's Championship Show
31st Aug 2024
Judge: Mr Graham Pickering (Picer)
Thank you to The Scottish Border Terrier Club for asking me to judge the Joint Show. It’s been a long time coming as I was invited to judge in 2019 and COVID 19 got in the way! I would like to thank the exhibitors who managed to attend the show after the problems caused by Storm Lilian at Driffield. I also appreciate that the absentees were higher as a result of many people having prior appointments on the day that the show was rearranged. The City of Birmingham Society where very accommodating, we had a lovely ring with plenty of space.
However, I had a super entry, and I had lots to choose from in the dogs that were able to show under me. Thank you to everyone – I really appreciate being asked to give an opinion on other people’s dogs, it’s a real honour. I would also give a special note of thanks to my steward Bill Shorthose who single handedly managed the ring and made sure everyone was in the right place at the right time. Particularly with the challenges of a partnership show and the clashes that this can cause across two rings. Thank you to all the exhibitors who managed to negotiate two shows with good heart.
When judging, I look for dogs with good heads, plenty of strength under the eye, very little stop and a good strong jaw – essentially a’ Head like that of an Otter’. I also like to see straight fronts, correct shoulder placements and tidy small feet. I found these characteristics in all of my top winners. Generally, mouths were good, although there were a couple of dogs with a tooth out of place. Movement was ok in generally, but as breed we do need to keep an eye on front movement as there were some dogs who did not move as well as they should walking towards me. All the males were entire. I was very pleased with all my placings and when choosing my top winners, I had some difficult decisions to make and so were some dogs that were very unlucky on the day.
Minor Puppy - Bitch /
First Place
Name at show: Cromlechs Blueberry Pie
Placing Critique
A well put together blue and tan puppy with lots of promise. Super body lines and good for type. Nice straight front with good shoulder placement, lovely topline and tail set. Well angulated rear which allowed free movement and plenty of drive around the ring. Coat ok but yet to reach its best. Her head needs to develop a little – I am sure this will come as she matures.
City of Birmingham Championship Show
31st Aug 2024
Judge: Mrs Clare Sansom (Tarkaswell)
I would like to thank the officers and committee of the City of Birmingham Canine Association Championship Dog Show for the invitation to judge at this level for the first time.
With storm Lillian resulting in the abandonment of Driffield, the JBTC were also able to hold their show in an adjacent ring. Hall 3 at the Royal Kennel Club building was light, spacious and an ideal venue. A certain amount of flexibility was required when classes clashed, and I am very grateful to my experienced stewards Chris Woolner and Caroline Wise for their hard work. They were calm, efficient and kept the ring running smoothly. With their help we finished in time to ensure that all those who had won major awards could get to their groups.
My sincere thanks to all the exhibitors for giving me such a quality entry and accepting my decisions in a sporting manner. We had very few absentees and I often had difficult decisions to make. In several classes, I would have liked some additional prize cards to award.
Coats did have an influence on the results, with those presented at their best, in a harsh, dense double jacket with thick pelt, being rewarded. A few exhibits would have benefitted from having their feet tidied to have achieved a neater picture. I found two kinked tails, two with incorrect dentition and all male dogs were entire.
I was delighted with my principal winners, who all fulfilled my interpretation of the breed standard on the day. It was a privilege to judge such an entry, and the lovely atmosphere, with applause and cheers for the winners, made it extra special.
I thoroughly enjoyed my day.
Minor Puppy - Bitch /
First Place
Name at show: Cromlechs Blueberry Pie
Placing Critique
A promising 7 month old blue and tan puppy, of lovely size and type. She had a feminine head with dark eye and keen expression. Her good reach of neck flowed into a level topline and well set tail which she carried correctly. She had a straight front, small neat feet and a good length of rib. Correct rear angulation enabled her to move positively with drive. She was shown in a double jacket with thick pelt. I will follow her progress with interest as she matures.
Darlington Championship Show
13th Sep 2024
Judge: Mrs L Roberts
Minor Puppy - Bitch /
First Place
Name at show: Cromlechs Blueberry Pie
South Wales Kennel Association
13th Oct 2024
Judge: Mrs Trudi Baird (Dowgri)
Puppy - Bitch /
Second Place
Name at show: Cromlechs Blueberry Pie
The Border Terrier Club Open Show
19th Oct 2024
Judge: Mrs Margaret Armstrong (Carrickfarm)
Thank you to The Border Terrier Club for inviting me to judge The Open Show at Low Hesket, one of my favourite shows and venues. As always hospitality was superb and a lovely enjoyable lunch.
Thank you to Judy and Andrea my two excellent stewards who kept proceedings running smoothly and on time and thank you to all exhibitors.
I had a lovely entry and some lovely dogs to judge. A very enjoyable day.
Puppy - Bitch /
Third Place
Name at show: Cromlechs Blueberry Pie
Midland Counties Canine Society
25th Oct 2024
Judge: Professor A S Milton (Baillieswells)
Puppy - Bitch /
Very Highly Commended
Name at show: Cromlechs Blueberry Pie
The Scottish Border Terrier Club Championship Show
9th Nov 2024
Judge: Mr A Horner (Stineval)
I would like to thank SCBTC and committee for the privilege of judging this years Championship show and thank my very capable steward Euan Castell for keeping the ring flowing and the exhibitors for their lovely entry. There were some really nice dogs for me to go over. But I must say that looking at them in general heads are starting to stray away from that of the border terrier, the other thing that I think needs addressing is the general cleanliness of their exhibits. I found three suspect mouths and two kinked tails . thank you one and all for an enjoyable day,
Puppy - Bitch /
Second Place
Name at show: Cromlechs Blueberry Pie
Placing Critique
B/tan she has a feminine head with dark eye and keen expression. Her reach of neck flowed into a level topline and well set tail which she carried correctly. She had a straight front, small neat feet and a good length of rib. Moved well
