Show Placings
Ladies Kennel Association
12th Dec 2008
Judge: Stuart McPherson (Brumberhill)
Thank you to those exhibitors, who, in the present financial climate, gave me the highest entry in the Terrier Group, by a considerable margin, nearly half as many again as the next breed. Friday, M6, NEC, extortionate car park charges are not a good combination!!
Thank you to my very efficient steward, who kept things running smoothly, so we could finish in good time, after the very late start due to the problems on the M6.
Now, to the dogs themselves! I know that I was very lucky, in that when I started in the Breed, in 1980, I was taught about type, construction and movement by Ted Hutchinson, a master of the sport, who had campaigned the then Breed Record Holder, plus a string of Champions across many other breeds. This knowledge, plus, I would like to think, a natural eye for quality, has served me well over the following years. Therefore, it saddens me to see the type and constructional faults that are creeping into the breed. These faults are now so prevalent, that newer breeders, exhibitors and some judges, probably think, and accept they must be correct, so widespread are they.
The Standard asks for an "otter" like head, moderately broad in skull. Too many have excessively broad skulls, giving an exaggerated, almost caricature look, rather than the refined beauty of an otter. Ear set is also a cause for concern. The standard calls for small, V- shaped, dropping forward close to the cheek. Too many ears are perched high, above the line of the skull, dropping forward to the temple, rather than the cheek, giving a foreign, almost Lakeland / Fox Terrier expression. While, I am sure, this may appeal in some quarters, it is totally incorrect on a Border Terrier.
Now, to shoulders, and especially upper arms, a major problem today, particularly in the younger classes. Upright shoulders and very short upper arms, mean the front assembly of the dog appears "tacked on". The shoulder should be clean and well laid, with a long upper arm, meaning that the dog can stand with their front legs under them, perpendicular to the floor, rather than like a “milking stool. This, affects movement, giving an action that can only be described as "peddling a bike" and causing no reach on the move .They are, after all, a working breed, who are supposed to be capable of "following a horse".
On the plus side, most were in good coat, and moved soundly behind, something which is much easier to achieve. Two exhibits were so thin, I felt their entry fee would have been better spent on a bag of quality food.
My top winners are examples of Breeders who have stuck to their ideals, of breeding sound, honest, typical Border Terriers, bred to last, not following fashion by breeding, what, to my mind, are shorter coupled, flashier "terrier" types to appeal to the more modern way of thinking. They wouldn't have looked out of place from when I first started in the Breed, matching beautifully for type and construction.
Puppy - Bitch /
Second Place
Name at show: Stoneygin Mo Cuishle
Yorks, Lancs, & Cheshire Border Terrier Club Open Show
24th Jan 2009
Judge: Mr Kevin Green
Puppy - Bitch /
Second Place
Name at show: Stoneygin Mo Cuishle
Placing Critique
Nice pretty bitch,good coat & topline.
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.
Junior - Bitch /
Third Place
Name at show: Stoneygin Mo Cuishle
National Terrier
4th Apr 2009
Judge: Mr. Frank Nicholls (Halcus)
Many thanks to everyone for an excellent entry, both in numbers and quality. While there were many well made exhibits it became a frustrating experience at times trying to find those with a decent coat, many having presumably been stripped out following Crufts in preparation for the season ahead, after all they can’t be in coat all of the time! Front movement again was a problem, not so much due to under reaching or circus pony, high stepping, but pinning and knitting. Heads were a mixed bag, one or two with excessive stops and rounded skulls but none excessively broad. There were some “snipey” muzzles present.
Junior - Bitch /
Very Highly Commended
Name at show: Stoneygin Mo Cuishle
Class Critique
A tremendous class headed by three young bitches of the highest quality.
Border Union Agricultural Society
20th Jun 2009
Judge: Mr Ernie Hill (Tynecourt)
Junior - Bitch /
Very Highly Commended
Name at show: Stoneygin Mo Cuishle
Blackpool & District CS
26th Jun 2009
Judge: Miss Sarah Dandy (Dandale)
Junior - Bitch /
Very Highly Commended
Name at show: Stoneygin Mo Cuishle
Northern Border Championship Show
19th Jul 2009
Judge: Mr Gerald Baker (Jaslou)
It was an honour to have been asked to judge the Northern Border Terrier Club Championship Show, I wish to thank the officers and committee for their great hospitality and catering, Special thanks to my stewards Doreen and Claire, Overall the dogs were in better coat and condition than the bitches, with some short of coat or none at all, Although level bites are acceptable in the breed there were more today than expected, I was very pleased with my class placing. And final line up.
Yearling - Bitch /
Third Place
Name at show: Stoneygin Mo Cuishle
Midland Border Terrier Club Championship Show
2nd Aug 2009
Judge: Mr T Tuck (B) & Mrs J Tuck (D)
Dogs, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Committee for inviting me to judge the dog classification at their 25th anniversary show, also my very able stewards Christine Horner, and Chris Wallace who did a great job with the organisation of my ring.
Bitches,
I thoroughly enjoyed this appointment, thanks to my experienced stewards and an entry that contained some really outstanding examples of the breed. I really liked my winners, and handled some extremely promising youngsters. Having said that, the early classes were much more variable, with fewer exhibits that combined quality and breed type. Later classes were more consistent, and it was nice to find a few more classy otter-like heads and neat front construction.
Yearling - Bitch /
Third Place
Name at show: Stoneygin Mo Cuishle
Northern Border Terrier Club Open Show
11th Oct 2009
Judge: Mrs M Wanless (Thorneyburn)
It was a great honour to judge my first breed club show here, at Otterburn, heart of the country where the Border terrier originated. My thanks to the Club, and to all entrants. I enjoyed my day, and was very pleased with my final line up.
Limit - Bitch /
Second Place
Name at show: Stoneygin Mo Cuishle
Placing Critique
Litter sister to 1. Another quality bitch. Could change places another day.
Yorks, Lancs & Cheshire Border Terrier Club Open Show
7th Nov 2009
Judge: Mrs L Hardman (Spanwise)
Thank you for such a lovely entry of Border Terriers on this my first club appointment. I enjoyed myself immensely and was pleased with my winners in type and soundness. All exhibits had correct dentition and all dogs were entire. Nice to see new exhibitors to the breed. The majority were easily spannable with good temperaments and smartly turned out. I wish to point out that straggly hair on inner thighs just spoils the look for me. More concern though is size, in both dogs and bitches. With bitches as big as dogs and heads that are not feminine. Many thanks to the Officers and Committee for the smooth running of the show and how nice it was to see T.A.G. Knight back at the show. Lastly thanks for the excellent lunch provided by Diane Rayner and her super helpers.
Limit - Bitch /
Second Place
Name at show: Stoneygin Mo Cuishle
Placing Critique
A little larger in size overall than class winner. Very feminine head with good front and neat feet. Nice racy outline, just a little short of coat today. Move well.
Midland Border Terrier Open Show
22nd Nov 2009
Judge: Mr Bob Wright (Totherend)
My appreciation goes to the MBTC officers and committee for the opportunity to judge such a good entry of BT?s and the stewards for their support during the show. Also to the many entrants who braved the adverse weather conditions. I trust none of them had to swim home.
I was delighted with the entry, a small number of which were more pet than show but I was happy to go over them, pleased to see their handlers? pride in them and hope they enjoyed their day out irrespective of placing. It is a reminder to us all that this is fundamentally a hobby to enjoy and to the more critical of us when we nit-pick that we are generally doing it to the cream of the breed.
The quality was for the most part high with some of the bigger classes bringing too many good dogs for the limited places which were very hard fought and I was disappointed to turn some otherwise good dogs away. A few were weighty, my small hands still spanned all but one at a stretch, one mouth was bad and two borderline but there were a couple that would have been better served having a square meal, a groom and a good walk than coming in the ring.
Coats were an issue. I found it difficult to penalise a good dog when it obviously had a double coat but had little to show for it due to grooming. So despite some dogs being well placed I would still have preferred to see them with a more natural coat.
There was a lot going on with front movement which often paid a penalty and thigh muscle tone was at a premium so perhaps the weather also affected exercise regimes. It was particularly difficult to ignore movement completely in some of the very promising puppies but I'm hopeful there will be a dramatic improvement as they mature.
Well done to the more junior handlers who did a good job but were obviously shown no quarter in the placings. Don't be discouraged, you've got plenty of shows ahead of you.
I was well pleased with all my winners and the fact that others could have done the positions justice too. So here we go:
Limit - Bitch /
Third Place
Name at show: Stoneygin Mo Cuishle
Blackpool Championship Dog Show
1st Jul 2010
Judge: Mr A Horner (Stineval)
May I take this opportunity to give my sincere thanks to the officers and committee of The Blackpool Dog Show Society for their hospitality and also for giving me this privileged appointment. This being my first appointment to award CC’s I would like to thank all the exhibitors for supporting me and accepting my decisions so sportingly. I found a couple of mouths with teeth out of line and considering the quality of some of the exhibits they had to pay the penalty. I also found a couple of kinked tails which really surprised me. Thanks go to my able stewards for keeping things moving; allowing the BOB to be ready for the group which he was placed G4.
Open - Bitch /
Third Place
Name at show: Stoneygin Mo Cuishle
Darlington Dog Show Society
17th Sep 2010
Judge: Mr M King
Open - Bitch /
Third Place
Name at show: Stoneygin Mo Cuishle
Yorks, Lancs & Cheshire BTC Championship Show
25th Sep 2010
Judge: Mrs. Doreen Rushby (Dormic)
Many thanks to the exhibitors for a super entry. My DCC, BCC, and BP were a credit to the breed. Shoulders are still a big problem, ferrety feet was a recurring problem, thick pads are essential in a Border. A number lacked condition, trying to keep weight down should not be at the expense of nourishment.
Open - Bitch /
Second Place
Name at show: Stoneygin Mo Cuishle
Placing Critique
Very nice Light Grizzle. Feminine head, correct eye and expression. Good shoulders and hindquarters. Good coat in hard condition. Moved with drive
Driffield Championship Dog Show
2nd Oct 2010
Judge: Mr P J Greenaway
Open - Bitch /
Second Place
Name at show: Stoneygin Mo Cuishle
Placing Critique
grizzle of considerable quality, well worthy of consideration for RCC, good head, neck, topline, angulation & coat
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 /
Second Place
Name at show: Stoneygin Mo Cuishle
Placing Critique
The same remarks apply as above with size and tail carriage being the deciding factors
Class Critique
Two very nice but very different bitches.
National Terrier
2nd Apr 2011
Judge: Mrs Hilary Gilpin
Open - Bitch /
Third Place
Name at show: Stoneygin Mo Cuishle
Blackpool Championship Show
24th Jun 2011
Judge: Mrs Charlotte Archibald
My sincere thanks to Blackpool & District Canine Society, for inviting me to judge at this level, for the first time. Even the weather was kind to us!!
A special thank you, to the exhibitors for your support, giving me the highest terrier entry, and the sheer joy of going over every exhibit, thank one and all.
It was a fabulous entry, numerically and depth of quality.
On the downside I found one cryptorchidic, one suspect tail, and a lot of dirty teeth, although mouths were generally good.
Coats were at various stages and in some cases they were the deciding factor, movement not too bad, the odd one “pinning in”.
There were some attractive exhibits of both genders, that went ‘cardless’ today, for me, there was just too much of them.
Open - Bitch /
Reserve
Name at show: Stoneygin Mo Cuishle
Northern Border Terrier Club Championship Show
17th Jul 2011
Judge: Mr. W. R. Irving
My thanks go to the Officers and Committee of the Northern Border Terrier Club for inviting me to judge this show and for their kind hospitality during the event. I notice that the last time I judged this show was as long ago as twenty five years ago in 1986! The entry of 226 from 207 exhibits was satisfactory but of course there were several absentees which brought the actual number of dogs present down to just over 140. That enabled us to finish judging in good time. Thanks to my very efficient Steward Mrs Rushby.
My general comments on the breed continue in similar terms to my previous remarks on the subject. But in the main I thought that heads and expressions were, by and large, pretty good. Coats were of course variable in the stage at which they presented but again, by and large they were of quite good texture. I had no bad mouths and only a couple of kinky tails. And tails were, overall, not too bad for shape and length Size is of course variable but again the majority were spannable but some dogs (and bitches) were far too big and too heavy in bone. My biggest problem was with fronts and exhibit after exhibit appeared with fronts which were far from correct. We have a multitude of different front problems and somehow we must tackle this issue and breeders and judges have to pay more attention to this problem. I believe that we are beginning to find the breed accepting bad fronts as the norm. Horseshoe fronts, wide fronts, swinging front legs, flicking front feet and dogs which single track in an excessive way in front ? all of these things need to be penalised to a greater or lesser extent.
Best in Show and the Dog CC went to Orangebox Firecracker (Mr M & Mrs T Anscombe). He has a very typical head, skull and expression with a good muzzle and not over exaggerated. Good neck and shoulder and correct topline and tailset. Correct compact feet. He is balanced and well proportioned being neither too short nor too long and he moved soundly both in front and behind. In the final challenge for the CC he scored for showmanship and went on to be Best of Breed. The Bitch CC and Res Best in Show went to Ch Southash Blue Betty Boo Gameway JW (Mrs P Clark), another with a most typical head and expression. She has a very good coat of the right texture and pelt of the right thickness and she moved very well behind. Enough bone, she presents a good outline going around the ring and exudes quality. Best Puppy was Olderhill Afortunado (Mrs S Wilson). He has a good head and skull, again without being in any way overdone, good neck and topline, good front and moved better there than behind, correct pelt, good tailset and tail and well balanced throughout.
Open - Bitch /
Very Highly Commended
Name at show: Stoneygin Mo Cuishle
Leeds Championship Show
24th Jul 2011
Judge: Mrs Beverley Barber
Thank you for your lovely entry at this fine venue. Thanks also to my efficient and helpful stewards without which we wouldn’t have a show! My main aim when judging is to find a dog that fits as near the breed standard as is possible ,but must have overall good dog conformation. It must be balanced standing and also, most definitely, when it is on the move. This is a hard task because the perfect dog in any breed has yet to be found. When judging on this occasion I did manage to find dogs that had good front angulation, allowing the necessary reach to cover the ground, coupled with adequate rear angulation to give drive to the assembly and so presented a good picture on the move with no change to the dog’s appearance. I had very few short stepping, short backed dogs with such poor construction that the rear becomes noticeably higher than the shoulder when they are on the move. Heads, as always, were very varied, some mouths were out of line, there were some missing premolars which if this perpetuates will alter the head shape. Feet were mostly thick and neat, coats varied and undercoats were in the main a little sparse, but in view of the winter we have just had they have probably spent a long time shedding them. All the dogs I judged today I could span, although chest shape was not always correct. Thank you to all exhibitors for allowing me the privilege of judging your dogs, which I enjoyed immensely.
Limit - Bitch /
Reserve
Name at show: Stoneygin Mo Cuishle
Class Critique
Cracking class again my 5 winners were all equally good and I’m sure will change places on another day.
Yorkshire, Lancashire & Cheshire Border Terrier Club Open Show
28th Jan 2012
Judge: Mr E Castel (Flutorum)
I would like to thank the Officers and Committee for their kind invitation and the hospitality I received at their Open Show. This was a new venue for the Club and offers excellent facilities with a large spacious ring. Special thanks to my two stewards Anita Harrison and Brian Dickinson. Although not the largest of entries I was pleased with both my dog and bitch line up, I found the bitches to be of greater quality than the dogs, and was pleased that most exhibits were shown in good, well muscled condition. A final thank you to all the exhibitors for the opportunity to go over their dogs today.
Open - Bitch /
Third Place
Name at show: Stoneygin Mo Cuishle
Midland Border Terrier Club Open Show
12th Feb 2012
Judge: Mrs P. Clark (Gameway)
I would like to thank the Officers and Committee for inviting me to judge this show. I had a lovely day and a special thank you to all the exhibitors who braved the dreadful driving conditions.
Thank you for the lovely gift which I shall treasure and the very good lunch! A big thank you to Chris Wallace and Jem Thomas who were my very able stewards.
Best Bitch
Name at show: Stoneygin Mo Cuishle
Best Opposite Sex
Name at show: Stoneygin Mo Cuishle
Reserve Best In Show
Name at show: Stoneygin Mo Cuishle
Open - Bitch /
First Place
Name at show: Stoneygin Mo Cuishle
Placing Critique
Beautiful bitch with a lovely head and expression. In very good coat. Super outline which she held on the move. Well balanced with good front and rear angulation and moved very well. Up to size but she has a good rib shape and was therefore spannable. BB BOS and RBIS
Yorkshire, Lancashire & Cheshire Border Terrier Club Open Show
24th Mar 2012
Judge: Miss Tracey Peacock (Ragatam)
My Thanks To The Officers And Committee For Inviting Me To Judge Their Show, To The Stewards, Mrs. Doreen Rushby And Mrs. Tracy Butler For Keeping The Ring Running Smoothly And To The Exhibitors For Allowing Me To Go Over Their Dogs.
Open - Bitch /
First Place
Name at show: Stoneygin Mo Cuishle
Placing Critique
Strong But Feminine Otter Head With Dark Eyes. Excellent Bite, Racy Lines And Balanced. Good Neck And Shoulders And Bend Of Stifle. Moved Out Well. In Full Coat.
Yorkshire, Lancashire & Cheshire Border Terrier Club Open Show
12th May 2018
Judge: Mrs. Carolyn Richardson (Staynorwood)
Many thanks to the Officers and Committee of the YLBTC for their kind invitation to judge their Open Show and the exhibitors for the sporting way they accepted my decisions. Thank you also to my Ring Stewards Ian Hopper and Bridget Singh. I was very pleased with my winners on the day.
Best Veteran
Name at show: Stoneygin Mo Cuishle
Veteran - Dog or Bitch /
First Place
Name at show: Stoneygin Mo Cuishle
Placing Critique
10 year old bitch shown in good condition. Typical head and expression, moved out well, enjoyed her day.
Yorkshire, Lancashire & Cheshire Border Terrier Club Open Show
26th Jan 2019
Judge: Mr Bob Blackley (Vaevictus)
It was an honour and pleasure to Judge at this great club show, I would like to thank the officers and committee for inviting me, also a big thank you to all the exhibitors, my entry was fantastic full of quality, I’m sorry but some really good dogs were not in the top honours today. I thought the bitches in general were of better quality than the dogs which is good for the breed, and in the dogs, I also noticed some exhibits were lacking coat, a sign of Crufts approaching, but in general they were good.
Veteran - Dog or Bitch /
Second Place
Name at show: Stoneygin Mo Cuishle
Placing Critique
Good bitch 11 years old, with a good head and expression, good shape and movement for age.
