Elemcella Calvin Candie

I would like to thank the club and committee for the invite to judge their show, this was my first judging appointment for several years so I particularly appreciated of my stewards, Katrina and Liz in keeping the ring running smoothly. Thank you to all the exhibitors for making the journey and allowing me to go over their dogs. There was a lovely friendly atmosphere around the ringside. On the day I thought the quality of the bitches surpassed the dogs overall. Movement seems to be an issue, particularly coming but I did find some lovely exhibits who covered the ground effortless. Fitness and muscle tone was lacking in a few of the exhibits which I was surprised about and did factor into my decision making, they are ‘essentially a working terrier’ after all. Coats were varied with a number in full coat, some in between and a few with little coats. Bites were good .I found one kinked tail.

Firstly, my sincere thanks to the Border Terrier Club for the invitation to judge at this prestigious show. I am also grateful to my stewards, Sue and Kat, for keeping the ring running efficiently, and to my husband, La, for his support throughout the day. The majority of exhibitors accepted my decisions in a sporting manner, which is always appreciated. However, a small minority saw fit to make unsportsmanlike remarks whilst still in the ring. If one is unwilling to accept a judge’s opinion, then entering under them is perhaps ill-advised. There is no place for such behaviour either in or around the ring. On examination, tails were correct and all males were entire. I was disappointed to encounter several suspect mouths, particularly among younger exhibits. Whilst a level bite was not penalised, it does raise concern that such mouths may deteriorate with age. Greater attention to dentition is required overall, with a number showing tartar build-up and, in some cases, signs of gingivitis. Condition was variable. Encouragingly, few exhibits were overweight; however several were too light and lacking in condition. This often results in poor muscle tone and thin pelts. While there is understandable awareness regarding increasing size within the breed, a dog must be fit, well-muscled, and in proper body condition to perform its intended function. There is little value in a lighter dog if it lacks the strength, stamina, and resilience to carry out a full day’s work.

I was honoured to be invited to judge our Club’s Championship Show, 30 years after I last judged here (at a different venue) in 1996. This is my 16th time awarding CCs in the UK. Thank you to the Committee for this invitation. Thank you also to my two excellent ring stewards Janice Johnson and Marina Fleming and to the Collecting Ring Stewards Judy Carr and Judith Fawcett, all four of whose efforts throughout the day kept everything running smoothly so we finished in good time. Many thanks to the exhibitors for bringing their dogs to show to me and for the friendly atmosphere I encountered throughout the day. Win or lose, you always take the best dog home, as they say. I found the quality excellent throughout, with many classes where I was really spoilt for choice. All males were entire and most of the entry had good scissor bites, with only one or two in Veteran being not so “precise”, shall we say. Some of the dogs were a little difficult to span and so paid the price, but on a whole, most were spannable and had good rib shapes. The standard does not ask for a flat rib – I do love to see a good rib shape when viewed from above, with enough capacity for heart and lungs to do their jobs. It is important to the breed’s job of work that they are spannable and have ribs carried well back. Movement is also important as it plays a major part in making them fit for function. An otter-like head takes them apart from a generic terrier and makes them the breed we love to own. When the line ups came into the ring, particularly my bitch line up, I was very pleased to see them all and happy that we have such good examples of the breed.

Unexpectedly judging, this year, being brought forward a year, due to the incapacity of the scheduled Judge. Best wishes to Dave for a speedy recovery. My thanks to the Club for the invitation and to my stewards, Andy and Rob, for keeping everything running smoothly and to the exhibitors for a super entry, which I enjoyed judging. It was a super large ring, giving dogs every chance to really move out and the weather, although a bit nippy at times, held out. Now to the dogs, themselves. On the whole, heads were good, most having the “moderately broad skull” asked for in the Standard, very few being overly broad, with deep stops, more reminiscent of the Asiatic otter, rather than the native River otter. Necks, into shoulder, were, on the whole ok, the main problem, as ever, being short upper arms, giving a front construction, set too far forward, on the body, rather than under it, more Fox Terrier than Border Terrier, meaning that the elbow was the widest part of the dog, not ideal on a dog bred to go to ground. Bone varied, while we don’t want heavy bone, a few were too light, those with straight fronts and quality bone, down to small feet, with thick pads were a joy to find. I’ve got hands like shovels, so the majority were spannable, but even I struggled with one or two! A few were, to my mind, short in rib, lacking the carry back, giving an untypical cut up underline. Topline and tailsets were in the main good, just a few “not quite” sloping in croup. Tails, in the main, were good, not too many long ones. A few could have been thicker at the base, but none curled over the back. The majority had good racy hindquarters, very few showing the stilted rear action that seems to be creeping in to the breed, totally incorrect in a breed that should be capable of “following a horse” as there’s no length of stride, driving from the hocks. The main point of concern, I found, is an alarming number, whose back legs are simply not on the same track as the front ones, when moving, I assume, due to a slight imbalance between the front and rear construction, the angles not matching, to give efficient movement. Coats and pelts were pretty good, even those short of coat, had, in the main, evidence of harshness. Given it’s pretty much the start of the show season, none were unduly penalised, my view being coats are transient, construction is a constant.