Show Placings
The Southern Border Terrier Club Championship Show
29th Jun 2024
Judge: Mrs Margaret Sneddon (Kersfell)
I would like to thank the Committee for offering me this appointment, I was honoured to be given this opportunity. Thank you also to my stewards for all their hard work keeping the show running as smoothly as possible, for which I was very grateful. There were some lovely dogs present but front movement and lack of correct length and angulation of the upper arm continues to be a problem in some exhibits as well as size and correct coat . We should not forget the first line in the breed standard “essentially a working terrier”.
Minor Puppy - Bitch /
Third Place
Name at show: Foxchapel Appleby Fair
Windsor Championship Dog Show
29th Jun 2024
Judge: Mrs Sandra Girling (Benattivo)
Thank you to the officers and committee of Windsor Championship Dog Show for the invitation to judge at this level for the first time at such a prestigious show. I must also thank my two very experienced stewards Bill & Trish Gray who were a great support to me with their calm, friendly and pleasant manner. I would also like to express my sincere thanks to all the exhibitors who entered their border terriers under me and accepted my decisions in a sporting manner.
The weather became very hot as the day progressed with some dogs flagging a little on the move. Fortunately we had some shade via the marquee, the grass had got quite dried out and I felt a few exhibits didn’t move as well as others on it but generally movement was better than I have observed in the past. I must also mention how disappointed I was to find so many exhibits with dirty teeth, cleaning them should be part of a dog’s care and grooming routine.
I was so delighted with my top winning border terriers that I felt had exceptional breed quality and were presented and shown to best advantage.
Many quality exhibits were in some classes down the line or unplaced due to the depth of quality present and on another day may change places.
Minor Puppy - Bitch /
Second Place
Name at show: Foxchapel Appleby Fair
Placing Critique
Just 6 months this grizzle/tan puppy has a nice head developing with keen dark eyes. She is of handy size and has good bone and a narrow body; she was shown in a good depth of jacket and thick pelt. Her movement was good she had a good top line and a carroty tail which was well set and carried correctly. Very much a baby and will look forward to seeing her mature.
Boston & District Canine Society
5th Jul 2024
Judge: Julie Green (Breckgreen & Stowthorney)
I would like to thanks the officers and committee of Boston and District Canine society for inviting me to give my first set of tickets in Border Terriers. It was such a well-run show and in such a lovely setting. I would also like to thank the exhibitors who entered under me. Thanks also to my two stewards who kept the ring moving for me on the day.
All in all, I was happy with my entry. I found all males to be entire and no kinked tails on the day. A couple of mouths that were not quite correct.
Minor Puppy - Bitch /
Reserve
Name at show: Foxchapel Appleby Fair
Vale Of Clwyd Canine Society Open Show
14th Jul 2024
Judge: Mrs Jane Morton-Shaw (Fehmarn)
Junior /
Second Place
Name at show: Foxchapel Appleby Fair
Placing Critique
very close to the first placed bitch who was in better coat. moved ok but again close in front. Nice head, expression. Good carroty tail well set on. good bite and spannable
Oswestry & District Kennel Association Open Show
21st Jul 2024
Judge: Mrs V Atkinson (Raedwulf)
Thank you for inviting me to judge at this friendly and well run show. It was a pleasure to go over some lovely dogs and to see my decisions taken sportingly.
Puppy /
Second Place
Name at show: Foxchapel Appleby Fair
Placing Critique
7 month old raw puppy bitch, another that needs to grow into herself. Grizzle with harsh coat and good pelt. Moderately broad skull with well set ears, again, a tad large at present but this will change with age. Nice length of neck and straight front. Easy to span and good top line but close behind on the move. Lost out to my winner on confidence and maturity
Llandysul DCS Open Show
27th Jul 2024
Judge: Mr John Scanlan (Pantycelyn)
Puppy /
Second Place
Name at show: Foxchapel Appleby Fair
Paignton Championship Show
2nd Aug 2024
Judge: Tracey Anscombe (Orangebox)
Thank you to the officers and committee for my first-time appointment at this level. This show is my ‘local’ which made it even more special, If you have never been it is worth the trip down the M5 a warm welcome will meet you.
I was thrilled with the quality of my entry, one observation I did find a lot of untidy feet, splayed toes, long nails and thin pads, I did however find no kinked tails and only one mouth fault.
Minor Puppy - Bitch /
Third Place
Name at show: Foxchapel Appleby Fair
Placing Critique
Grizzle and tan puppy still needs time to develop and mature and couldn’t match 1 on movement or 2 for coat today but has all the correct building blocks. I will watch these three pups with interest.
Vale of Glamorgan Agricultural Society Open Show
7th Aug 2024
Judge: Mr Gavin Robertson (Soletrader)
Best Puppy
Name at show: TPG2, Foxchapel Appleby Fair
Post Graduate /
First Place
Name at show: Foxchapel Appleby Fair
Placing Critique
Nicely balanced puppy, pleasing head, with neat ears, still to develop in muzzle, straight forelegs, compact feet, ribs of fair length, short high set tail, places her feet well on the move
Welsh Kennel Club Championship Show
16th Aug 2024
Judge: Mr Stuart Plane
Minor Puppy - Bitch /
Reserve
Name at show: Foxchapel Appleby Fair
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 /
Very Highly Commended
Name at show: Foxchapel Appleby Fair
South Wales Kennel Association
13th Oct 2024
Judge: Mrs Trudi Baird (Dowgri)
I was honoured to accept SWKA's invitation to judge at their championship dog show where I received a warm welcome,even on cold day!
A Big applause to my two fabulous stewards ( I’m so sorry I forgot to make a note of your names – you were so appreciated by myself and the exhibitors)
It was such a very cold day inside the halls ,though myself being on my feet continuously moving,I kept warm.Unsurprisingly some dogs were feeling the chill and shivering on the table which showed how cold it was.
I was honoured and humbled to have such a fabulous entry both numerically and in quality, especially the limit & Open dog classes where I can quite rightly use the old cliche “I wish I had more cards to give out “, it's unfortunate when you have to let some dogs go unplaced that had great appeal, but such was the quality today .
Before my journey back to Cornwall that day I managed to stay and watch the groups where both the BoB & BPIB gave fantastic accounts of themselves, the exciting puppy gaining PGrp 1, he went back for the final day to go all the way to BPIS.
We were sadly unfortunate to have a large Terrier breed crated close by who's owners seemed unaware of the their unattended dogs behaviour ,every time human or dog traffic went by it caused them to “ kick off “frequently .This isn't fair on dogs on the table being examined or dogs on the move, therefore I had to stop judging twice until attempts to quieten the offending dogs were made.
A few points of note were-
A small handful of youngsters lacked body condition, I could feel ribs with no covering teamed with thin pelts. I believe diet & exercise comes into play here so consider what & how much you’re feeding , plus good exercise regime
Mouths were disappointing ,some with very small teeth & more untidy bites than I've encountered in the past.
Movement was ok in the main though it let down some otherwise beautiful exhibits who looked a picture stood but sadly fell apart on the move, we had the odd flicking out front foot , plaiting fronts, crabbing , wide rears & some loosing their top lines.
Lastly a plea – it would help immensely if exhibitors didn’t use excess bait on the table while a judge is trying hard to get a good clear look at bites ,it meant a fight to get a proper view of the mouth while a dog is having bait pushed in or the dog is busily chewing . Holding off baiting until the judge has got past the head would be most helpful.
Puppy - Bitch /
Reserve
Name at show: Foxchapel Appleby Fair
Midland Counties Canine Society
25th Oct 2024
Judge: Professor A S Milton (Baillieswells)
Puppy - Bitch /
Second Place
Name at show: Foxchapel Appleby Fair
Amman Valley CS Open Show
2nd Nov 2024
Judge: Mr Joe Ashe (Ebrooks)
Puppy /
Third Place
Name at show: Foxchapel Appleby Fair
Junior /
Third Place
Name at show: Foxchapel Appleby Fair
