Show Placings
East Anglia Border Terrier Club Open Show
15th Nov 2025
Judge: Mr Ken Fraser (Ycart)
I would like to thank the committee for the opportunity to judge their show, thanks also to my ring stewards for helping everything run smoothly and as efficiently as possible.
The breed standard calls for numerous elements which make up the border terrier and with that its ability to cover ground efficiently and economically with no exaggerations,it also states “essentially a working terrier” .I feel we are losing many fundamentals of the breed especially in front movement wide fronts, short upper arms,sprung ribcages,undesirable toplines, lack of drive from the rear quarters and poor feet all of which restrict the border to work efficiently. Weak and short muzzles, lack of fill under the eye are creeping in and are undesirable in a working terrier.
Minor Puppy - Bitch /
Second Place
Name at show: Borderrush Riscal Rioja
Placing Critique
Grizzle,nice expression,correct teeth,neat ear carriage,nice length of neck,narrow front, easily spanned, thick jacket and pelt, moved well.
Novice - Bitch /
Third Place
Name at show: Borderrush Riscal Rioja
Bridlington & DCS Open Show
30th Nov 2025
Judge: Mrs Val Mann (Lynsett)
Puppy /
Third Place
Name at show: Borderrush Riscal Rioja
Burton-upon-Trent KA Open Show
7th Dec 2025
Judge: Mr Kevin Yeates (Bluebabel)
Best Puppy
Name at show: TPG3, Borderrush Riscal Rioja
Puppy /
First Place
Name at show: Borderrush Riscal Rioja
Placing Critique
7 month grizzle bitch, dark eye, scissor bite, good head proportions, coat coming in, narrow throughout with ribs carried well back, easily spanned, good angulation and moved well. Pleased to award b.p.i.b. TPG3
Manchester Championship Show
15th Jan 2026
Judge: Dr Ian Gabriel (Gaybryl)
Many thanks for the lovely entry, both in terms of quality and quantity. I thoroughly enjoyed my day with the Border Terriers. When I last judged I felt there were too many with houndy large ears, this did not seem to be replicated in today’s entry which was pleasing and expression was generally much improved. What I did notice was that front action is something that we need to watch. Being Manchester and the last Championship show pre Crufts there were quite a few dogs who had been stripped in preparation and quite a few out of coat. In part that did play a part in some of my fineer placings.
Minor Puppy - Bitch /
Second Place
Name at show: Borderrush Riscal Rioja
Placing Critique
Another very typy young bitch. Different in type from 1. Another very promising bitch. Not quite as finished or as mature as the first placed bitch. Very pleasing head and expression. Neat small ears. Excellent front assembly. Good depth to the chest and narrow through. Well ribbed back for a bitch. Strong in loin. Excellent hindquarters. Movement was precise and has an excellent side gait. I thought these 2 bitches were excellent as were all those placed in this class.
Class Critique
This was a well filled class with a number of very promising young puppy bitches. There was a variety with regard to size, type and maturity.
Puppy - Bitch /
Very Highly Commended
Name at show: Borderrush Riscal Rioja
Class Critique
Another well filled class of quality youngsters.
Newark & DCS Open Show
21st Feb 2026
Judge: Mrs Mandy Kenna (Cynetkoy)
Best Puppy
Name at show: TPG4, Borderrush Riscal Rioja
Puppy /
First Place
Name at show: Borderrush Riscal Rioja
Placing Critique
9 month old red grizzle female, with a pleasing feminine head and expression, moderate length of neck into good shoulders onto a level top line with good proportions and correct tail set, small, neat feet completed the picture, moved well.
Wath, West Melton DCS Open Show
28th Feb 2026
Judge: Barry Blunden (Ucassa)
Puppy /
Second Place
Name at show: Borderrush Riscal Rioja
Crufts
6th Mar 2026
Judge: Mrs Hilary Gilpin (Otterbobs)
Thank you to the Crufts committee for inviting me to judge and bringing my appointment forward one year. Many thanks to Pam Cox and Judy Carr for the professional stewarding they provided.
I enjoyed a full day’s judging and was very pleased to hear the applause from around the ring when dogs were placed, good sportsmanship.
Out of 264 entries, I had one wry mouth, one kinked tail, 6 very underweight dogs none of them placed. Dogs that had no coat were penalised as were very thin pelts. As a dog groomer of 48 years, I know when coats are chalked, not nice to feel. One exhibit while on the table had only one testicle the owner was gobsmacked but felt it and agreed there was only one, I was blamed for having cold hands!!! what after handling dogs in previous classes, ten minutes later the said dog came back for me to check again and yes there were two. I was disgusted to find an exhibit with sores on both cheeks; I was told what happened. And I’m leaving it there.
Teeth were very clean, only one tooth lost in an oldie.
I thought movement really should have been better than it was today, as I said thin pelts and no coats were penalised.
If I repeat myself with the first two placings that’s because they were what I was looking for.
Puppy - Bitch /
Reserve
Name at show: Borderrush Riscal Rioja
Retford Canine Society Open Show
15th Mar 2026
Judge: Miss Mhairi Scrimgeour
Best Puppy
Name at show: TPG3, Borderrush Riscal Rioja
Puppy /
First Place
Name at show: Borderrush Riscal Rioja
