Show Placings
Boston & DCS Championship Show
11th Jan 2009
Judge: Mrs Kate Walton (Enterlaw)
A great honour to judge the breed at this show where Borders were the only breed in the terrier group to have CCs on offer & for the first time. Thank you to all exhibitors who braved the exceptionally cold weather at Newark. Remarkably there were only 6 absentees in the dog classes & 19 in the bitch classes out of a total entry of 114 (2 late entries increased the published catalogue entry).
In general I was looking for skulls like that of an otter, the late Walter Gardner told me 30 years ago to place the ears of a Border back to really appreciate the shape of an otter skull & this holds true today. I was also looking for a Border who was easily spanned & most importantly one with good movement & of a size to enable this working terrier to go to ground. I have to say that front movement in many cases was worse than rear movement, with pinning-in & platting much in evidence, while a few were cow-hocked at the rear. All dogs were entire, temperaments overall were excellent, dentition in a few cases incorrect & essentially for the breed, thick pads were noticeably lacking in some exhibits. As always coats were in varying stages of growth, several toplines were not typical with low set tails, otherwise I was delighted with the first placements in each class, all of which were representative of the Standard.
Minor Puppy - Bitch /
Very Highly Commended
Name at show: Ragatam Jewel
Yorks, Lancs, & Cheshire Border Terrier Club Open Show
24th Jan 2009
Judge: Mr Kevin Green
Minor Puppy - Bitch /
First Place
Name at show: Ragatam Jewel
Placing Critique
nice bitch, good topline straight front. showed well
Midland BTC Open Show
15th Feb 2009
Judge: Mr Jimmy Gilpin (Otterbobs)
I would like to take this opportunity to say many thanks to the Midland Border Terrier Club for giving me the privilege to judge their Open show and for giving me such a wonderful entry.
Best Puppy - Bitch
Name at show: Ragatam Jewel
Best Puppy
Name at show: Ragatam Jewel
Minor Puppy - Bitch /
First Place
Name at show: Ragatam Jewel
Placing Critique
What an appropriate name for this little girl, feminine head, nice ear set, narrow front with tight feet, ribs carried well back. BP
Northern BTC Open Show
11th Apr 2009
Judge: Mr Ian Hopper (Esyntona)
Puppy - Bitch /
Third Place
Name at show: Ragatam Jewel
Maiden - Bitch /
Second Place
Name at show: Ragatam Jewel
Placing Critique
Rangy bitch third in a good puppy class strong muzzle spanable loose pelt with harsh coat moved ok
Novice - Bitch /
Third Place
Name at show: Ragatam Jewel
West of England Ladies' Kennel Society
25th Apr 2009
Judge: Mrs Siv Jernhake (Sweden)
Puppy - Bitch /
Third Place
Name at show: Ragatam Jewel
Scottish Border Terrier Club Open Show
30th May 2009
Judge: Mr Brian Aubrey (Jenabeck)
Puppy - Bitch /
First Place
Name at show: Ragatam Jewel
Maiden - Bitch /
Second Place
Name at show: Ragatam Jewel
Novice - Bitch /
Second Place
Name at show: Ragatam Jewel
Northern Border Championship Show
18th Jul 2010
Judge: Miss Elspeth Jackson (Clipstone)
What an honour and a pleasure it was to judge the Northern Border Terrier Club's Championship Show. An entry of 202 and good Northern hospitality ensured I had a most enjoyable day. Many thanks to my capable stewards for keeping the day running smoothly.
I was very satisfied with both my challenges and all the top honours were strongly contested. I was especially pleased with my puppies and will watch their progress with interest.
Post Graduate - Bitch /
First Place
Name at show: Ragatam Jewel
Placing Critique
A very balanced bitch with bags of type shown in peak condition. Nice in shoulder and front with good feet. Lovely in outline with good top line.
Midland BTC Championship Show
1st Aug 2010
Judge: Small & Baxter
I thoroughly enjoyed the day judged outside at Asfordby. The weatherman certainly smiles as all the Club’s Championship Shows to date have been blessed with clear sky’s. Thanks to the committee for the invite, to my two Stewards on the day, for the wonderful roast lamb lunch, but not least, to the exhibitors for giving me the opportunity of assessing your Border Terriers. Thanks for coming. (Judge: Mr A Small)
Best Opposite Sex
Name at show: Ragatam Jewel
Reserve Best In Show
Name at show: Ragatam Jewel
BCC
Name at show: Ragatam Jewel
Post Graduate - Bitch /
First Place
Name at show: Ragatam Jewel
Placing Critique
BCC, RBIS, Wiry coated red, fit and ready to go, good head and expression, great mover keeping level topline, a good tail set on, well presented and very pleasing all round
Scottish Kennel Club
28th Aug 2010
Judge: Mrs A M Gregory
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the officers and committee of the Scottish Kennel Club for inviting me to judge their championship show. I would also like to thank all the exhibitors for supporting me and accepting my decisions so sportingly. I enjoyed day very much one or two dogs needed a wee tidy up coats were not too bad but movement still needs attention.
Graduate - Bitch /
Second Place
Name at show: Ragatam Jewel
Placing Critique
nicely balanced, feminine head, neat ears, dark eye, keen expression, good harsh coat, moved & showed well. These two could easily change places another time
YL & C BTC Open Show
29th Jan 2011
Judge: Mr Alan Hedges (Ramblix)
This was a great day for me and I thoroughly enjoyed myself and my thanks go to all exhibitors. Also to the club for the invitation and my two super stewards.
I thought that some of the young ones had a bit too much stop, and like most other folks seem to think I thought front movement was an issue. As proper concerns, I thought one dog was painfully thin and one bitch was what I can only describe as stinking. Neither condition is good enough, for either the dogs or the owners
Open - Bitch /
First Place
Name at show: Ragatam Jewel
Placing Critique
This bitch has all the essentials, good head, straight front, good body and hindquarters and decent movement. She beat 2 because I preferred her size and tail carriage.
Class Critique
Two very nice but very different bitches.
Midland BTC Open Show
13th Feb 2011
Judge: Mrs. Liz Wright (Totherend)
My thanks to the officers and committee for inviting me to judge their show, to the stewards Chris Wallace and Bob Wright for keeping the ring running smoothly and to the exhibitors for allowing me to go over their dogs.
I was pleased to find some well muscled dogs in good condition, coats were at varying stages, but the majority were thick and harsh, true to type. Temperaments were good.
I was very pleased with my winners and had a most enjoyable day.
Reserve Best In Show
Name at show: Ragatam Jewel
Best Bitch
Name at show: Ragatam Jewel
Best Opposite Sex
Name at show: Ragatam Jewel
Best Puppy - Bitch
Name at show: Ragatam Jewel
Open - Bitch /
First Place
Name at show: Ragatam Jewel
Placing Critique
neat grizzle bitch, good for size with feminine head and pleasing expression, well presented with good harsh jacket , fit and well muscled, came to hand well, with good balance, well set nice carrot tail and good movement. BB, RBIS
The Border Terrier Club Open Show
26th Feb 2011
Judge: Mrs J Guvercin (Glebeheath)
May I take this opportunity to thank the Officers and committee for inviting me to judge their show and for their warm welcome and hospitality. My two stewards, Eddie Houston and Jimmy Gilpin had the ring running like clockwork, which enabled me to get on with the job of judging a quality entry of 141 dogs making 177 entries.
My sincere thanks to all exhibitors, who entrusted me with their dogs and accepted my placings in a sporting fashion, the day was a most memorable experience.
The North can be proud of their dogs, as there were many quality examples on display, all temperaments appeared steady, with just an occasional bored one! Not unusual, as most, I think, would rather be out chasing vermin!!
A handful of kinked tails didn’t surprise me, but youngsters with poor mouths did! Having said that, there were some lovely dogs in the puppy classes and placings were hotly contested with very little to separate them. My interpretation of the standard for balance ie: fairly long, is slightly longer than tall.
I feel that a border needs length as well as narrowness to negotiate a fox earth, but still retaining heart/lung room to enable it to follow a horse. Coats were at varying stages, but as long as I could find evidence , I didn’t let it rule out, an otherwise, good exhibit.
Reserve Best Bitch
Name at show: Ragatam Jewel
Open - Bitch /
Second Place
Name at show: Ragatam Jewel
Placing Critique
Red of considerable quality, with ottery head and good length to her neck. Spot on for size and has a deep double coat that was just past its best , but still harsh enough, on a very good pelt. Has a super topline and spans easily. Particularly liked her rear assembly which she uses well on the move and is balanced by her well set and carried tail. All border with an unmistakable silhouette, pushed one hard and could change places on another day I’m sure. RBB
Southern BTC Championship Show
11th Jun 2011
Judge: Mr Rainer Vuorinen (Finland)
It was a great honour and privilege to judge your wonderful breed. Thanks to all, the committee, my stewards and everybody who made my day so wonderful. Thanks to all the exhibitors for their excellent sporting attitude. The hospitality was outstanding and many thanks for the beautiful present. I have been thinking of the overall standard and I have to say your dogs represent a very high quality.
Open - Bitch /
First Place
Name at show: Ragatam Jewel
Placing Critique
Lovely in outline, very sound, pleasing head, excellent topline and tail. Very good mover
Border Union
18th Jun 2011
Judge: Mr Tony Tomlinson
Open - Bitch /
First Place
Name at show: Ragatam Jewel
Placing Critique
correct size, well balanced, moved OK, good head,
Bournemouth Championship Show
14th Aug 2011
Judge: Mrs Zena Thorn-Andrews
Open - Bitch /
First Place
Name at show: Ragatam Jewel
Placing Critique
A good class, difficult to split. I loved the third too, who was totally out of coat. Winner good size and outline on the move, moderate angulation in rear and a fair front, easy span, pleasing head and eyes, coat about ready to blow.
Northern Border Terrier Club Open Show
21st Apr 2012
Judge: Mr Eddie Houston
It was a great pleasure to judge at this show and I would like to thank the Club for their hospitality and the exhibitors for the excellent entry of 130 dogs. Thanks also to my stewards, Mark Lowry and Angela Cranson.
I was very impressed with the number of quality dogs present and I found all males to be entire and no major mouth faults, just a couple of misplaced incisors. Many dogs were sporting good, tweedy jackets and temperaments were excellent. Although I could span almost all, size is a concern, many, particularly in bitches, being up to size. Front movement in some was a bit erratic.
My thanks again to everyone who afforded me the privilege of going over their dogs.
Open - Bitch /
Second Place
Name at show: Ragatam Jewel
Placing Critique
Another bitch of correct size.4 year old red shown in a lovely tight jacket, plenty of pelt. Attractive, feminine head and good tail. Very sound on the move. Preferred rib and expression of first.
WELKS
28th Apr 2012
Judge: Mr Phil Sharp
I appreciated the good entry. With a ring rather restricted in size ( not to mention a bitterly cold wind blowing through the cattle shed), I felt it was necessary to give the dogs as much opportunity as possible to move. Unfortunately, several moved rather wide behind, while one or two were plaiting in front. Coats were a problem , with a couple of good looking dogs showing absolutely no topcoat at all. It was interesting to see that most, but not all, of the dogs that I saw when I last judged Borders in 2010 had come on well.
Open - Bitch /
Third Place
Name at show: Ragatam Jewel
Northern Border Terrier Club Open Show
6th Oct 2012
Judge: Mrs Jane Roberts (Smalesmouth)
I would like to thank the Officers and Committee of the Northern Border Terrier Club for the kind invitation to judge their open show at Otterburn. I thoroughly enjoyed my day and was delighted with my winners. Many thanks to my stewards Lesley Gosling and Allen Horner who kept everything running smoothly throughout the day. I would also like to thank all exhibitors for the privilege of judging their dogs.
Driving across to the venue on the morning of the show was a timely reminder of the terrain that Borders Terriers were bred to encounter whilst out hunting. Bearing this in mind I was looking for fit dogs whose structure and movement allowed them to cover the ground economically.
Positives were that the dogs were generally fit, they were shown in coats that had not been over trimmed and temperaments were good. A couple of negative points that I felt applied to a number of exhibits: there were few dogs with really big teeth and also there were rather a lot of thin tight skins. Really thick pliable skin was a rarity.
Open - Bitch /
Second Place
Name at show: Ragatam Jewel
Placing Critique
Nice sized red grizzle. Good head, with narrow shoulders. Easily spanned. Balanced outline. In good coat and condition. Moved soundly.
Scottish Border Terrier Club Championship Show
10th Nov 2012
Judge: Professor A S Milton (Baillieswells)
It was a real pleasure to be invited to judge this show. Having been a member of the Club since its beginning, it was great to come back to Selkirk, to what I have always regarded as my ‘home’ club. There was the usual happy atmosphere, and everything was so well run.
As to the exhibits, I was impressed with the overall quality of the coats, so many with really harsh substantial topcoats and warm undercoats. Several exhibitors seemed to have had difficulty with the hairs around the neck. I know that they grow in different directions, but it is possible with hard work to get an even look. Borders should not be shown with a ruff. Many tails had not been stripped properly, not being tidy and not flowing from the end of the back. Some even had feathering on the underside. I wish exhibitors would not push the tail upright so that it is vertical to the spine.
They are not Airedales, and it spoils the topline. Front movement was very varied, but cow hocks were almost absent. Teeth were good. Far too many, in my opinion, were too big, and I had difficulty in spanning them. (Though looking back in the literature, this has been a complaint since the beginning of the breed!)
Open - Bitch /
Reserve
Name at show: Ragatam Jewel
