Show Placings
Kirkintilloch, Lenzie & District Canine Society Open Show
19th Oct 2014
Judge: Miss Bridget Singh (Borderbridge)
Thank you to the committee for inviting me to judge. This is a friendly show held in a brilliant venue which sadly is not supported well enough by the terrier group. I hope they get more terrier numbers in the future
Best Of Breed
Name at show: Remony Merry Gentleman
Post Graduate /
First Place
Name at show: Remony Merry Gentleman
Placing Critique
2 year old grizzle dog. Much to like. Super head, large teeth with correct bite. Good lay of shoulder, nice front assembly. Good rear angulation. Narrow and easily spanable, body of good length ribbed well back. Nice flat ribs. Moved with drive and purpose. Held his topline on the move. Keen expression. In good harsh coat. Pleased to award him BOB.
Scottish Border Terrier Club Championship Show
8th Nov 2014
Judge: Mrs P McLellan (Breconbeds)
My thanks to the Scottish Committee for the invitation to judge our prestigious annual Championship Show; to my excellent steward Joyce Orr, and to the exhibitors for such a good entry.
I was happy with my class winners which were super examples of the breed. On the down side a number of exhibits were short in the leg and in the body, giving an unbalanced appearance and it’s very unlikely that they would be capable of following a horse, as the breed standard requires. Some pelts were too thin and too many dogs were single coated.
Yearling - Dog /
Third Place
Name at show: Remony Merry Gentleman
Novice - Dog /
Reserve
Name at show: Remony Merry Gentleman
Graduate - Dog /
Second Place
Name at show: Remony Merry Gentleman
Placing Critique
Placed 3rd in Yearling dog; similar in type to the winner, but taller. Not as positive on the move.
The Scottish Border Terrier Club Limited Show
25th Jan 2015
Judge: Mrs D Lorraine (Raleniro)
Firstly I would like to thank the officers and committee for inviting me to judge at the club’s limited show, my first breed club appointment. Thank you for the warm welcome and hospitality, and special thanks to my very efficient steward Joyce Orr who kept things running smoothly. Many thanks to all the exhibitors who gave me the opportunity to go over their dogs and the sporting way in which they accepted my decisions.
As to be expected at this time of year, coats were at all stages with some exhibits in full coat and some without any, and in certain classes this was a deciding factor. Mouths were good with only one or two exhibits having the odd misplaced or dirty tooth. Size was a slight concern, with a few exhibits being well up to size and difficult to span, and some carrying a little too much condition. Movement on the whole was good, however, some exhibits did not cover the ground with the drive and economy of movement that would be essential when working. Generally temperaments were excellent and all males were entire.
I was very pleased with my main winners, in my opinion good examples of the breed and very capable of doing the job they were bred for.
Open - Dog /
Reserve
Name at show: Remony Merry Gentleman
Special Beginners - Dog /
Second Place
Name at show: Remony Merry Gentleman
Placing Critique
A nice 2 year old grizzle and tan dog who seemed more settled in this class. Nice masculine head with good bite, typical expression and good earset. A nice size, lighter in bone than the winner and easily spanned. Good coat just coming through. More positive on the move than in previous class.
Crufts
7th Mar 2015
Judge: Miss Elspeth Jackson (Clipstone)
First of all I would like to thank the Kennel Club for the honour and pleasure of judging this prestigious show. I must then thank my efficient and capable stewards who kept me on track and looked after me through the day. Most of all I would like thank the exhibitors who rose from their beds at early hours and drove many miles to give me an entry of Border Terriers to be proud of and one which is was a delight to judge. It was not only strong numerically strong but also in depth of quality. It is a cliché to say that there were not enough cards to go around but in this entry it was certainly true. Determining all the final line up in each class was difficult and also in many deciding who should make the short list was also a challenge. Good dogs went without a card, ones who in a different entry I would have been happy to see as winners. In the challenges decisions remained tough and more than those that took the top honours were worthy of doing so and I would have been very pleased to have had more awards to give out.
In the days following this year’s show Crufts, dog shows and those who participate in them came in for some criticism. The picture painted by the media at this time was certainly not my experience. Before, during and after the show I found show people to be nothing but good natured, genuine and supportive. I enjoyed every minute of my day and hope that those that supported me with an entry or as spectators at the ringside did so too
Mid Limit - Dog /
Reserve
Name at show: Remony Merry Gentleman
Scottish Kennel Club
30th Aug 2015
Judge: Mrs E Cuthbertson (Ashbrae)
My thanks to the society for my appointment & their hospitality, & to the exhibitors & my steward Bob Potts. Quite a mixed entry today of type & size with some being on the lean side & others rather overweight! I was surprised to find a couple totally oversized & therefore they paid the penalty. The over treating dogs I think is getting worse in the ring & on the table. Trying to assess a dog when it is fidgeting around looking for food is not satisfactory. Surely a dog can stand for a minute while being examined without having to be fed handfuls of food. The standard calls for a harsh & dense coat & the skin must be thick, many today were very short of coat & quite a number with thin pelts. A good coat is essential which seems to being overlooked in the breed today. The breed standard leans towards moderation not exaggeration & I hope this is maintained with the emphasis being on ‘essentially a working terrier’ & not ‘essentially a show terrier’.
Best Of Breed
Name at show: Remony Merry Gentleman
DCC
Name at show: Remony Merry Gentleman
Open - Dog /
First Place
Name at show: Remony Merry Gentleman
Placing Critique
a very typical well constructed all border dog. Good masculine head proportions with strong jaw, large teeth. Moderate neck into very good lay of shoulder & the best of rib both in length & shape. He was in super coat & fit condition. Lovely temperament, moved true with animation. Pleased to award him CC & BOB
The Scottish Border Terrier Club Championship Show
14th Nov 2015
Judge: Miss T James (Blackmine)
I was honoured to be invited to judge at the Scottish Border Terrier Club and I thoroughly enjoyed my day. It was concerning that there were a large proportion of exhibits with poor front movement. The other area which I thought needed attention was heads – many lacked strength in foreface. On the positive side all the dogs had good temperaments, were clean and trimmed up to a good standard. Coats were all at various stages (as usual) but I found very few single coated exhibits. It was also pleasing to see so many neat cat-like feet. I felt that the quality of the bitches out-weighed that of the dogs.
RDCC
Name at show: Remony Merry Gentleman
Open - Dog /
Second Place
Name at show: Remony Merry Gentleman
Placing Critique
Racier than 1. Not a small dog but well balanced. Masculine head. Lovely straight narrow front. Good front and rear angulation. Easily spanned. Level topline, carrot tail . Showed and moved very well. A little more trimming would give a better finish to his outline. Res.CC.
Crufts
13th Mar 2016
Judge: Mr W R Irving
It was a great honour to judge the breed at Crufts again - after having done so once before. That was some thirty nine years ago in 1977 when the show was still held at Olympia! The entry this year at 266 from 239 exhibits though down a good deal on last year, was still enough to be going on with and we finished by 3.30 p.m. thanks to my excellent stewards Mr and Mrs Chaston. The exhibitors all seemed very sporting in line with the breed’s sportsmanlike traditions.
I thought that the depth of quality was better in bitches than it was in dogs with several classes where I would have liked to have had more prizes. I thought that heads were in the main pretty good and that fronts, though there were still plenty which weren’t great, were rather better than the last few times I had judged. Crufts is always known as a bad time for coats and this year was no exception with very many lacking in coat and others with rather soft coats. Quite a number of dogs and bitches were rather long in body mainly caused by having ribs that were not as the breed standard demands “carried well back” and thus having loins that were long rather than the required “strong”.
And finally Border Terriers are supposed to have a tail which is, according to the standard, “set high and carried gaily” Quite a few slink around the ring looking miserable and present no sign of the “activity” required by the standard and with tails that are carried low rather than “gaily”. I like to see a Border Terrier that shows a bit of animation and has what I’d call ‘lines’.
My thanks to the exhibitors for entering and for the efficient way that they showed their dogs.
Limit - Dog /
First Place
Name at show: Remony Merry Gentleman
Placing Critique
not so good in coat as 2 but scored in outline going around and stood up well making the most of himself. Scored well in movement in front and behind. Well muscled and has enough stifle. The first two were both good in head with each having enough breadth and good proportions of skull to muzzle but with 1 in my opinion scoring marginally over 2 for expression.
Class Critique
A good class but difficult to judge with two good dogs at the top but of slightly different types. A very close decision between the two.
The Border Terrier Club Championship Show
26th Mar 2016
Judge: Mr Bill Gray (Pontbeck)
A very big thank you to the club members, committee and officers for the privilege to judge this show for a second time. The club ensured I enjoyed my day with a warm welcome and being attentive to my every need. My stewards efficiency took a good burden from my shoulders and I was allowed to concentrate and assess the dogs.
Coats were a mixed bag from very little to very full but I would just say you can't judge something you can't see. I found it strange that some exhibits were stripped out except for a ridge of top coat running down their spine, creating a good outline is important but you can feel for body shape while handling. Heads were, in the main, very good to excellent with only a few that were lacking true Border character. The breed seems to have got on top of the problem regarding rear movement but front movement still needs to be addressed with a good number of exhibits " throwing their front around "
I was delighted in my main winners especially BIS. If I have seen a better example of the breed during the many years I've had an interest I can't remember. An outstanding dog in every respect, a true ambassador for Border Terriers and a dog that will be remembered in generations to come. I feel privileged to have had the opportunity of judging him.
The two puppy bitch classes along with junior and yearling bitch were packed with quality and that bodes well for the future.
Limit - Dog /
Third Place
Name at show: Remony Merry Gentleman
Placing Critique
A similar build to 1st . Sound dog , straight front, good reach of neck and length of back , looked good in profile. Preferred the heads of 1st & 2nd
Joint Border Terrier Clubs' Championship Show
1st May 2016
Judge: Mrs Trak Fryer (Irton)
My thanks to the exhibitors for their entry, always an honour to be allowed to go over their dogs, I did thoroughly enjoy my day. My thanks also to my stewards who helped to keep things on the move throughout.
It was in many ways an interesting entry, the standard asks for a dog that is essentially a working terrier and I wonder how many breeders keep this in mind when planning their litters? This implies a dog of correct size, capable of going all day and with strength but not coarseness. Whilst there were many good dogs present that could answer these requirements, there were many that could not.
The quality was very much in the upper classes of both sexes with a few notable exceptions. The major problem is movement, particularly in front, and the puppies were disappointing in this respect. Many otherwise excellent dogs simply could not cover their ground with any ease; it was an excellent ring with good mats so no excuses there.
In general coats and pelts were good, some could have been tidied to effect, feet and nails were poorly presented and fitness varied, which I always find very disappointing in a breed that does so love to run! I was surprised to find a number of mouths that at best could be described as “iffy”, whilst these would not necessarily effect the dogs ability to work it is a worrying trend. I did, however, have some lovely dogs to go over and I was very pleased with my winners, not enough cards to go round in many classes.
Limit - Dog /
Third Place
Name at show: Remony Merry Gentleman
Placing Critique
Good head with a nice wicked eye but not as strong over the foreface as the first two. Good neck and shoulder, lovely front, excellent rib and loin. Shown in a good red coat, he moved out well to complete a very pleasing trio.
Class Critique
The breed Standard does allow for quite a difference in interpretation and they were all here! An excellent class that was difficult to sort such was the variation in type. Quality went all the way down the line.
Scottish Kennel Club
22nd May 2016
Judge: Mr Simon Jackson
Open - Dog /
Reserve
Name at show: Remony Merry Gentleman
Scottish Kennel Club
27th Aug 2016
Judge: Professor A S Milton
It was a pleasure to come back to Scotland, even though for just a day, and to judge Border Terriers at the Scottish Kennel Club's August Show. Looking at the catalogue I was surprised to find that Border Terriers had the fourth largest entry at the show. It was a very satisfactory entry, with many dogs that I had not seen before. I was particularly impressed with the overall quality of the coats. There was only one really bad mouth, a few crooked teeth, so what, as long as they can bite! I was concerned about size, not only those outwith the standard, but also even more worrying, those that I could not span. I should like to thank Joyce Martin for sending me a CD with photos of all the class winners.
Open - Dog /
Reserve
Name at show: Remony Merry Gentleman
Darlington Championship Dog Show
16th Sep 2016
Judge: Mr Mark Lowry (Ravenside)
Thank you to Darlington Dog Show Society for inviting me to judge their show. Special thanks to my stewards who’s relaxed but competent manner made for an enjoyable show, also a big thank you to all the exhibitors for allowing me to go over their dogs. I was very happy with my main winners who I felt were fit for purpose and should have continued success in the show ring.
Mouths were good with even the smaller exhibits still having big strong teeth. Coats were of various lengths as to be expected. The two biggest concerns were heavy, almost sprung ribs in some dogs. Even on some smaller dogs and bitches, which in profile appear fine, but when going over, were surprisingly big in rib. This would hinder them when working underground. I am not saying they should be flat ribbed but the standard states deep and narrow and not over sprung.
Also I found not many dogs moving without much drive from behind. They should have the soundness to follow a horse. I did think on the whole that dogs were turned out very well and temperaments appeared good.
Open - Dog /
Very Highly Commended
Name at show: Remony Merry Gentleman
Scottish Kennel Club
21st May 2017
Judge: Mr I Hopper
I would like to thank the Scottish Kennel Club for inviting me to award Challenge Certificates for the first time. Thank you to everybody who entered their dogs for me to judge and also to my ring steward June who was good assistance on the day .There were no bad mouths all the dogs were entire, coats were at various stages. I enjoyed my days judging and the top winners were dogs that I felt fitted the breed standard.
Open - Dog /
Third Place
Name at show: Remony Merry Gentleman
Class Critique
Some very nice dogs in this class pleasure to go over them.
Border Union Championship Show
19th Jun 2022
Judge: Mrs Jayne Alpe (Pipruda)
First of all I would like to thank the committee for the appointment, the exhibitors for their entry and my stewards for keeping my ring controlled which enabled me to finish judging well in time for the groups. Judy you can steward for me anytime thank you. I was thrilled that my BOB not only won the Terrier Group but went on to Best in Show, my BPIB was placed in the Puppy Group as was my BV in the Veteran Group. Due to COVID this is my first appointment since 2017 and I am pleased to say that I can see a vast improvement in movement since then but overall the quality in bitches was far superior to the dogs, I have large hands and spannability was in the minority in most dog classes. In the standard it says Essentially a Working Terrier, many would be unable to get down a hole let alone get out again!
Best Veteran
Name at show: TVG2, Remony Merry Gentleman
Veteran - Dog /
First Place
Name at show: Remony Merry Gentleman
Placing Critique
Handsome 10 year old who was a great mover, spanned easily, had good jacket with a good head, dark eye and correct bite. Belied his age. BV
