Show Placings
Southern Counties Canine Association
30th May 2015
Judge: Mrs Lesley Gosling (Akinside)
I must first extend thanks to my very professional and able stewards, who kept me on track and on time.
My general remarks here cover the real concerns I have about the way the breed is heading currently. Increasingly, upright shoulders and poor fronts are becoming the norm rather than the exception. Upright shoulders may produce a flashy show dog on its toes, but Borders are not flashy by nature. I suspect I have referred to this problem in every critique I have written for Championship shows I’ve judged and it appears to be getting worse, not better. Please read the standard carefully; look at anatomical drawings of the dog skeleton. Shoulders are now at a steep 60 degrees on some exhibits instead of the normal – and correct – 45 degrees. Undercoats are being raked out to give a cleaner profile – why? Borders – working terriers – need their undercoats 24/7 to keep them warm in bad winter weather while they are waiting to be called for action. It is a requirement of the standard, not a fashion statement. Sooner or later we will end up with a single coated breed, and to its detriment.
Judging today, temperaments were very good; I found two kinked tails, several minor dentition issues, many dirty teeth and one undershot mouth. Males were all entire. Coats were mostly betwixt and between but the good double coats were exceptionally good. I love to see happy dogs with wagging tails but some dogs were very lack lustre and did not seem to be enjoying their day. There were also one or two exhibits too thin and lacking in condition. Finally, baiting is still a contentious topic for me – I use bait sometimes myself – but on occasions it was almost impossible to get at the dogs or examine them without getting round, over, or under an outstretched arm with bait. As a courtesy to judges, please keep baiting to a minimum, especially on the table.
Thank you to everyone for accepting my decisions sportingly. It was a genuine pleasure to go over the entry – winners and non-winners.
Minor Puppy - Bitch /
Reserve
Name at show: Mulberry Blossom
Class Critique
What a beautiful class of young bitches, showing such promise. Puppies looking like puppies, behaving like babies, but with everything where it should be, and all with the right temperament.
Bournemouth CS
10th Aug 2015
Judge: Mrs Lynda Ward
I would like to thank the officers and committee for inviting me to judge, the stewards for unobtrusively keeping things running smoothly and the exhibitors for bringing their good dogs and accepting my decisions with grace. I was gratified to have only 3 absentees despite the awful weather forecast. The necessary inside ring, albeit slightly sloping and uneven, was a decent size giving each exhibit the opportunity to get into stride. Coats varied but there were many good textured topcoats over dense undercoats and on the whole pelts were thick. My worst issue was that some exhibits, despite being narrow and not fat, were very heavy and also a difficult span. Pads were generally thick but feet could be better trimmed as some that looked large and flat actually weren’t on examination. I look for shortish carrot-like tails and although some were thick at the base and tapering correctly they were overly long. I only found 2 with misplaced teeth and it was delighted to find most today had large well set white teeth in good scissor bite. In the past I’ve commented on lack of condition and poor muscle tone in hindquarters so was happy that all today’s entry was presented fit and in hard condition. Overall type was good, I was pleased with both line ups and the veteran classes were a particular treat
Puppy - Bitch /
Reserve
Name at show: Mulberry Blossom
Westbury and District Canine Society Open Show
13th Sep 2015
Judge: Mrs A Bell (Darlou)
Graduate /
Second Place
Name at show: Mulberry Blossom
South Wales Kennel Association
10th Oct 2015
Judge: Mr Phil Sharp
I would like to thank the committee of SWKA for their invitation to judge & their hospitality on the day, my stewards for all their hard work, & the exhibitors for their support making Border Terriers the highest entry in the group.
I was recently reminded just how long I have been involved with the breed when a photograph was circulated of the exhibitors at the very first open show of the Southern Border Terrier Club, held in a field close to the rectory at Hawkesbury. I guess this must have been in the early 1970s. It also prompted me to think that I must have judged for the first time some 40 years ago & I have seen a lot of Borders over the years since then. Each time I have judged I have been fortunate to find a few outstanding dogs, some very good ones, mostly good ones & very few poor ones. This was the case once again at this show.
Dentition was good, there were no kinked tails & movement & coats were variable as normal. A couple of the dogs were spooked by the loudspeaker announcements, which was a great shame for the owners. I believe that everyone knows the faults of their own dogs, so it is the plus points that I have noted down for the most part.
For one reason or another, I have not got to a show for a year or thereabouts, so seeing most of these dogs for the first time was a real pleasure.
Puppy - Bitch /
Third Place
Name at show: Mulberry Blossom
The Terrier Club of Devon & Cormwall Open Show
21st Feb 2016
Judge: Sue Thomson (Ashgate)
Open - Bitch /
Second Place
Name at show: Mulberry Blossom
Southern Border Terrier Club Members Limited Breed Show
6th Mar 2016
Judge: Mr Colin Girling (Benattivo)
Many thanks to the Committee for the invitation to judge this prestigious event and there support on the day. Thanks also to my Stewards Rachel Larner & David Hunt who helped manage the ring so efficiently and effectively without drama or fuss. Thanks also to Show Manager Jane Roberts and Andrew Mooney for ring stewarding and announcing.
I really enjoyed my day in the spotlight and thank all of the exhibitors who worked so hard to present their dogs and accepted my decisions so gracefully. I was happy with all of my class winners and hopefully people could see my interpretation of the standard on display in the dogs and bitches I selected. There were some really tough decisions and some very close calls for top 3 placings in some classes. I was delighted with my BoB, Reserve and Best puppy. There were many youngsters and older dogs and bitches that were a delight to go over, which gives me great encouragement.
Junior - Bitch /
Third Place
Name at show: Mulberry Blossom
Placing Critique
Another lovely bitch who could move up the order on another day.
Class Critique
A really strong class with the top three giving me a real challenge to decide between these very promising youngsters.
Bath Canine Society Championship Show
27th May 2016
Judge: Mr Alan Hedges (Ramblix)
My thanks go to the Officers and Committee of Bath show for inviting me to come and judge Border Terriers for the first time, and on the Bath Billiard Table as well, it was a fabulous day for me and will live long in my memory.
I thought the dogs were better than the bitches although reading through my critique it doesn’t sound like that, but it was. If I may make a couple of points. Nobody who goes to shows goes to lose and some are making it rather easy for the judge to give them a hard time. Long pointed nails are not good news , nor is standing the dog like a rocking horse. If you are going to use bait, the dog needs to think it has a chance of getting it, the idea is to bring him up on his toes and make a much better picture. Every little helps, none of the opposition are going to roll over and make it easy for you!
Hind movement was generally better than front movement, and plenty could have been fitter.
My thanks go to all who entered, you gave me a wonderful day and I was honoured by each and every one of you
Novice - Bitch /
First Place
Name at show: Mulberry Blossom
Placing Critique
This one was maybe a smidge up on the leg for me but she looked like she could put a shift in if called upon. She has a nice head, a good front, a level topline, good tail, coat and pelt. She moved well enough and was shown well.
Post Graduate - Bitch /
Reserve
Name at show: Mulberry Blossom
Windsor Championship Show
3rd Jul 2016
Judge: Mr David Hunt (Ottaswell)
My thanks to the committee of Windsor Championship Dog for their invitation to judge at this show which is so efficiently organised and well run. Thanks also to my stewards Elaine Waddingham and Lynn Crane for their help and assistance in keeping the ring running smoothly at all times. My appreciation also to the exhibitors for their entries .
As usual at Windsor the ring was large in/out with lots of space for dogs to move freely and a fairly flat surface enabling movement to be assessed, without being forced to stop/start when moving the whole class. In general the dogs were in good condition and I found no dogs that were not entire. Although teeth were generally good, apart from a few misaligned, they varied greatly from very small to huge in size. Disappointed to see a few light eyes creeping in.
Coats varied as always with many shown in soft undercoat but lacking topcoat, but worryingly I found several with a decent topcoat but very little undercoat. Movement particularly at the front end continues to be of concern, whilst a puppy can improve and tighten in front as it matures, moving wide or high stepping in an older exhibit is difficult to change,
Generally the standard of the bitches was better than that of the dogs.
Yearling - Bitch /
Second Place
Name at show: Mulberry Blossom
Placing Critique
G/tan by my dog CC I note and has many of his best qualities. A good size she has a lovely head with good bite. Nice front and another with neat, tight feet. Just right for bone with lovely flat ribs and strong loin. In fit condition with good bend of stifle, carrying a harsh double coat and good pelt. Tail set is fine but lost out on movement to the winner, moving well at the rear but not as positive in front..
Class Critique
Several really good coats in this strong class
The Southern Border Terrier Club Members Limited Show
5th Mar 2017
Judge: Mrs Jill Stevens (Cobstoneway)
I would like to thank the committee for giving me the honour of judging at this lovely show, with special appreciation to show manager Jane Roberts, and ring stewards Sandra Girling and Sheila Hales. Most of all, I would like to thank the exhibitors for giving me the privilege of going over their lovely dogs.
With the phrase “Essentially a working terrier” in mind, I was satisfied that my main winners fitted the breed standard and moved soundly with good reach and drive. Coats also played a part, and although I appreciate that coats come and go, they did matter on the day. All the dogs were entire, there were a couple of level bites and the odd tooth out of line, but most exhibits were really nicely turned out. The puppy classes were very promising, and at the other end of the scale it was nice to see the veterans enjoying their day.
Novice - Bitch /
First Place
Name at show: Mulberry Blossom
Placing Critique
2 year old grizzle and tan with the most wonderful head and lovely intent expression – strong but feminine with a broad muzzle, powerful jaw and excellent large teeth in a good scissor bite. A good carrot shaped tail well set on, good angulation and a level topline which she held as she moved accurately around the ring.
Ladies Kennel Association
10th Dec 2017
Judge: Mrs Angela M Gregory (Manx)
My thanks to the LKA for their kind invitation to judge the Border terriers at this year’s championship show. My thanks go to the Stewards who assisted at the event and to you all who were very helpful and supportive. Sadly we were victims to the weather and this did have a marked impact on attendance which was a real shame but the association still managed to deliver a quality show. Thanks are also extended to the exhibiters who help support the show. Congratulations to those who did brave the inclement weather and I felt that despite the low attendance the standard of dogs offered a competitive environment. I was delighted to have seen the Border Terrier Group as having a high level of entries this year
RBCC
Name at show: Mulberry Blossom For Boorderway
Post Graduate - Bitch /
First Place
Name at show: Mulberry Blossom For Boorderway
Placing Critique
For me this bitch had a super coat and pelt which was in good condition, lovely head with good bone structure and she had a nice thick tail, a good BT type bitch who showed herself well
Crufts
9th Mar 2018
Judge: Mr.Carl Gunnar-Stafberg
Graduate - Bitch /
Second Place
Name at show: Mulberry Blossom For Boorderway
National Terrier Club
7th Apr 2018
Judge: Mr. W. R. Irving
Thanks to the exhibitors for the entry of 160 from 157 dogs.
There were some very strong classes and interestingly the biggest class was Limit Dog with seventeen entries. My biggest worry about the overall entry was that there seemed be some very large exhibits which were well over the standard size. Even in bitches there were a good number that were too big and in dogs some were enormous. And it was not so much that they were too leggy - rather that so many were far from being able to be spanned. I think we really ought to try to do something about that.
Heads were by and large good but there were quite a few with big ears. Coats of course were variable and I only found one really bad mouth and one kinked tail.
Movement left a bit to be desired especially in front but I was disappointed also that so many were not moving well behind either.
My thanks to my two very efficient stewards which enabled us to finish by around 1 p.m. and to the exhibitors most of whom seemed to take my decisions in the sporting way befitting the breed
Graduate - Bitch /
Third Place
Name at show: Mulberry Blossom For Boorderway
The Southern Border Terrier Club Limit Show
15th Apr 2018
Judge: Ms Tina Jones (Otterholme)
My sincere thanks to the committee for the kind invitation to judge at my first club show, I enjoyed the day immensely. Thank you to my efficient stewards Tina Morgan, Rachel Larner and Wendy Mooney, show manager for keeping things running so smoothly.
My thanks must go to the exhibitors for bringing along their dogs today, and the sporting acceptance of my decisions.
I did note some untypical heads, which for me lacked for me the characterising feature of the breed, I found such heads to be somewhat exaggerated with too much stop, not the ‘moderately’ broad skull I was looking for.
On the whole, I found mouths were good, a couple of level bites, and one or two with misaligned teeth, but it was pleasing to find big strong teeth in most exhibits.
I was very pleased with my class winners; some decisions were very close especially in the bitch classes. In both sexes there were some promising youngsters coming through which can only auger well for the breed.
Graduate - Bitch /
Third Place
Name at show: Mulberry Blossom For Boorderway
Devon County Show Open Show
17th May 2018
Judge: Miss Helen Axford
Thank you to the committee for inviting me to judge at this friendly, well-run show, to my stewards Jenny and Sandra and to the exhibitors for both entering under me and the sporting way they accepted my decisions. All dogs were entire and all bites were in accordance with what is required by the breed standard, as is usual coats were at various stages. Some of the exhibits could do with rather less dinner.
Reserve Best Of Breed
Name at show: Mulberry Blossom For Boorderway
Post Graduate /
First Place
Name at show: Mulberry Blossom For Boorderway
Placing Critique
Very showy grizzle bitch, good topline and tailset, moderately broad skull, straight front, well ribbed back. Moved well both ways, a little heavy in ear. Good for size RBOB
Bath Championship Show
25th May 2018
Judge: Mr Ken Bartlett
My thanks to Bath Canine Society for the inviting me to judge at their show also my two stewards who kept things running smoothly.
Graduate - Bitch /
Second Place
Name at show: Mulberry Blossom For Boorderway
Placing Critique
pleasing for shape and size femmine head with darks eyes ears well set clean in front level back pleasing in rear angulation good bone and feet moving well,
Three Counties
7th Jun 2018
Judge: Mrs T J Baird
I would like to extend my sincerest thanks to the society for the invitation to judge and for the wonderful welcome and hospitality.
The day was made even more pleasurable thanks to my two lovely stewards Colin and Margret who kept the ring in order and most importantly were pleasant and friendly.
The ring was a very good size;it was a joy to judge outside with the beautiful back drop of the Malvern Hills ,even the weather was perfect -not too hot and a slight breeze. The ground however was uneven with the grass rather long, causing some dogs to hop and skip making assessment of some dog’s movement difficult.
I found a good breadth of quality in some of the Bitch classes and some nit picking decisions had to be made, notably in the excellent junior bitch class.
Size needs to be watched as some youngsters were very difficult to span, coats were on the whole very good with just a few that had recently been stripped out and a couple of blown coats.
A of couple of exhibits had kinked tails and a couple of youngsters with level bites, all the males were entire.
Thank you to the sporting exhibitors for entering and accepting my decisions, I am honoured to judge so many quality Border terriers and was pleased to watch the best of breed short listed in the group, later hearing the puppy gained Puppy group 4.
Post Graduate - Bitch /
Reserve
Name at show: Mulberry Blossom For Boorderway
Yeovil & District Canine Society Premier Open Show
14th Jul 2018
Judge: Mr Robert Brewster (Stowthorney & Breckgreen)
Firstly, I would like to thank the committee of Yeovil & District Canine Society for asking me to judge at their Open Show. I would like to thank my stewards Adelaide Jasper & Angela Callow for keeping the ring order running smoothly. I would also like to thank the exhibitors for entering under me on what was an extremely warm day and thank them for taking my decisions gracefully.
Limit /
First Place
Name at show: Mulberry Blossom For Boorderway
Placing Critique
Grizzle and tan bitch. Pleasing otter head with a keen expression. Perfect scissor bite. Neat ears. Good reach of neck. Well laid shoulders. Ribs well back. Deep harsh double coat. Nice tail and tail set. Moved well
Southern Border Terrier Club Limited Show
3rd Mar 2019
Judge: Mrs Karen Stockley (Foxfactor)
I would like to thank the SBTC committee for inviting me to judge their show and for the lovely gift,a day I thoroughly enjoyed with some lovely exhibits to have the pleasure of going over.
A big thank you to my stewards Jill Stevens and Tina Morgan who very efficiently kept the classes running smoothly throughout the day.
Thanks also to all the exhibitors who entered and those present on the day.
I found a great percentage of the exhibits in good muscle tone and condition, coats as always at different stages but many in good harsh double jackets, disappointingly quite a few thin pelts and a lack of real carroty tails, just a couple with incorrect dentition and one kinked tail. All dogs were entire and all dogs and bitches displaying good temperaments in the ring.
I was pleased with both my final line ups. There were some lovely puppies forward which I love judging and some close decisions there.
Reserve Best Bitch
Name at show: Mulberry Blossom For Boorderway
Limit - Bitch /
First Place
Name at show: Mulberry Blossom For Boorderway
Placing Critique
4 years gr,dam of second above,another good headed bitch with good dentition,nice fill under the eye,moderately broad skull,good length of neck into good shoulders,straight front,neat,tight feet with good pads,another presented in good double coat over a thick pelt,a thick well set on carroty tail held well on the move,overall a nice bitch who moves well.
Devon County Show
17th May 2019
Judge: Mrs C E Sansom (Tarkaswell)
I would like to thank the officers and committee of the Devon County Show for the invitation to judge today. The exhibitors gave me a lovely entry and accepted my decisions in a sporting manner. My stewards Trudi Conibere and Caitlin Channon were very efficient, and did a great job managing to keep the paperwork dry when the weather turned against us.
Open /
Second Place
Name at show: Mulberry Blossom For Boorderway
Placing Critique
4 1/2 year old grizzle & tan bitch. Full of quality, she showed with great presence. Feminine head with a dark eye, keen expression, strong muzzle and correct bite. I would prefer a slightly smaller ear. Good reach of neck, which flowed into a level topline and well set tail. Another exhibit beautifully presented in a harsh double coat with a thick pelt. Narrow and balanced, she moved soundly with purpose, although I preferred the forelimb construction of 1.
Southern Border Terrier Club Members Limited Show
1st Mar 2020
Judge: Tina Morgan (Blewecourt)
Thankyou to the officers and committee for the support and courtesy extended to me at this well-run breed club show. I also want to thank and congratulate Sheila Hales the show manager, David Hunt and Lyn Aldrich my stewards and Andrew Mooney for ensuring everything was in order and ran smoothly. My last thanks must go to the exhibitors for a quality entry and allowing me to go over their dogs, as well as the sporting way they accepted my decisions.
It was a great atmosphere, all the dogs and bitches displayed good temperaments, all males entire, a couple of level bites which is of course acceptable and a wide variety of types with some carrying too much condition which I couldn’t span and were heavy. Coats were at varying stages of growth and I was pleased to feel a number of good thick pelts. I judged as I saw the dogs on the day and had at the fore the essentials required for ‘essentially a working terrier’.
Open - Bitch /
Second Place
Name at show: Mulberry Blossom For Boorderway
Placing Critique
Another lovely headed light grizzle bitch with broad skull, good dentition and expression. Not too dissimilar to 1st with a good neck into good shoulders, narrow straight front good for bone and neat tight feet. Presented in good coat and held her topline well on the move.
