Show Placings
The Border Terrier Club Open Show
15th Oct 2022
Judge: Ms Julie Green (Breckgreen/Stowthorney)
I would like to thank the officers and committee for asking me to judge The Border Terrier Club Open Show at Low Hesket and big thank you for my lovely judge’s gifts. I would also like to thank my two stewards for the day, Judy Carr and Marina Flemming for doing a sterling job and keeping the ring running smoothly through the day. Thanks must go to the exhibitors for their fantastic entry and for excepting my decisions on the day. I had a lovely entry of borders who on whole were of good quality.
Minor Puppy - Dog /
Third Place
Name at show: Rainsbarrow Thistle
Midland Counties Canine Society
30th Oct 2022
Judge: Mr Alan Small (Bethane)
I thoroughly enjoyed my day judging the Border Teriers at Midland Counties Champ. Show. Thanks to the Officers & Committee for the invite & especially to the exhibitors who presented me with such a wonderful entry of 230 from 174 dogs. It was a quality entry overall and I was particuarly impressed with the quality of the young stock which augers well for the breed. There's no Puppy or Veteran Groups at the Midland, which is a pity because I feel both would have done well. Must not be too greedy, as it was nice to see my BOB, Ch. Otterbobs Tolson top the Terrier Group and my Best Special Beginners, Thistlemead Sundance, take her respective Group as well.....Well done.
Special thanks to my Ring Stewards, Penny Lloyd & Gavin Argyle, who kept things moving along nicely. Border Terriers are dear to my heart having owned & bred them over a number of years. Thanks again for such a wonderful entry, I enjoyed your dogs and a nice atmosphere prevailed.
Minor Puppy - Dog /
Third Place
Name at show: Rainsbarrow Thistle
The Scottish Border Terrier Club Championship Show
12th Nov 2022
Judge: Mr Eddie Houston (Earthwise)
I won my first Crufts qualifier at this show 25 years ago and it has always been one of my favourites. It was an honour to be invited to judge and my thanks go to the Scottish Club for their hospitality. Thanks also to my very capable stewards Bill Shorthose and Judy Carr.My sincere thanks to all those who entered and allowed me the privilege of going over their dogs.
Today I found there to be a much greater depth of quality among the bitches with there being many promising puppies and some very nice animals in the upper classes,particularly limit and open. This depth of quality was not apparent in a number of the dog classes although I was pleased with my main winners.
As would be expected there was some diversity in size and type.A number of exhibits of both sexes were up to size- I have big hands so if I find them difficult to span they are probably too big. I found all males to be entire, no serious mouth faults and one kinked tail.Of most concern was the number of dogs with very poor front movement and the number with atypical heads; some too long in muzzle and a few where the muzzle was too short, the latter giving a rather cat like look. Coats and pelts were generally good and a few dogs would benefit from more exercise to improve their muscletone.A fairly minor fault, but one which detracts from the overall outline, were the dogs which carried their tails curled over their backs i.e “gay tailed” as opposed to carrying their tails gaily.
Some of these faults are aesthetic but others such as size and soundness are not and we should be mindful that our breed is “essentially a working terrier.”
Minor Puppy - Dog /
Second Place
Name at show: Rainsbarrow Thistle
Placing Critique
8 month old grizzle.Strong head, good coat and pelt,good bone.Deeper in body but spannable, moved ok.
Ladies Kennel Association
11th Dec 2022
Judge: Mr John Bainbridge (Risdene)
A very promising entry on paper but unfortunately the weather took its toll !
However I was more than happy with my main winners all were typical of what I look for in a Border Terrier and the proof that careful breeding pays off was demonstrated by the very promising progeny found amongst the youngsters.
As is my approach to critiques, generally the winners in most respects all meet the standard which calls for a working terrier with an otter like head on reasonable length neck set into well laid shoulders, a moderate length body, well ribbed back, strong shortish loin, racy but moderate rear angulation allowing the dog to move with drive, in harsh double coat and with thick pelt. I do not therefore repeat this for each individual dog but I have highlighted the dog’s best points and the reasons for their placings .
Puppy - Dog /
Second Place
Name at show: Rainsbarrow Thistle
Placing Critique
Not the maturity of 1 but nice type and sound on the move.
Manchester Championship Show
20th Jan 2023
Judge: Mrs Patsy Hollings (Gunalt)
Second Place
Name at show: Rainsbarrow Thistle
Puppy - Dog /
Second Place
Name at show: Rainsbarrow Thistle
Placing Critique
He is a smart chap of pleasing size and balance. Shapely with good bone and well padded feet. Good skin and jacket .A very useful sort.
The Scottish Border Terrier Club Members Limited Show
29th Jan 2023
Judge: Andrea Dixon (Otterpaws)
Thank you to the club for the invitation to judge and the exhibitors for their entries. It was a delight to judge my first Breed Club show. Thank you to the committee for a well-run show and my tasty lunch. Thank you to my steward Pete Appleby.
Best Puppy - Dog
Name at show: Rainsbarrow Thistle
Puppy - Dog /
First Place
Name at show: Rainsbarrow Thistle
Placing Critique
A smart young G&T pup all round. Good otter head, good coat, spannable, nice neat feet and well-proportioned tail. A bit loose up front but I expect this to improve with maturity. best puppy dog.
Crufts
11th Mar 2023
Judge: Mr David Shields (Wilholme)
To judge Border Terriers at Crufts was both a privilege and a honour and I must thank the Crufts Committee for the appointment to judge the breed at what is the greatest dog show in the world. A big thanks go to the exhibitors from both home and abroad for such a super entry which made for a great days judging with quality in depth in many of the classes. Finally I must thank my two stewards who kept things moving in the ring to allow me to finish judging in good time.
On the day I was looking for a workmanlike dog as the standard asks for but one also must remember that in the show ring you also need that attitude and showmanship to complete the picture. I felt my BOB put up a great show in the Group and was so pleased to see him take Group 2 in a quality line up.
Junior - Dog /
Very Highly Commended
Name at show: Rainsbarrow Thistle
The Border Terrier Club Championship Show
25th Mar 2023
Judge: Mrs Charlotte Archibald (Tweedburn)
What an absolute honour and a privilege to be invited to judge this show, my thanks to the Officers and Committee of the Border Terrier Club, and my two excellent stewards for the day, Judy and Marina.
My sincere thanks also, to ALL the exhibitors for making it truly memorable, with 196 dogs, 233 entries.
Some very close decisions had to be made!
On the down side, I found some very short muzzles and small teeth, and quite a number of filthy teeth!! Temperaments were generally good, there were 2 kinked tails and 1 suspect mouth, a lack of muscle tone and condition in some exhibits, which is essential for a terrier to do it’s job.
That said, it was an absolute joy to see so many super dogs.
Junior - Dog /
Reserve
Name at show: Rainsbarrow Thistle
The Northern Border Terrier Club Open Show
8th Apr 2023
Judge: Mrs J Carr (Wreighaugh)
My thanks go to the Committee of the NBTC for their invitation to judge their Open Show. I was honoured to receive this appointment and am incredibly grateful to the exhibitors who gave me such a great entry. It was a most enjoyable day and special thanks go to my Stewards, Andrea Pitt and Mark Atkinson, for keeping me on track and helping the ring to run smoothly.
Junior - Dog /
Third Place
Name at show: Rainsbarrow Thistle
The Scottish Kennel Club (May) Championship Show
21st May 2023
Judge: Mr Frank Kane (Hirontower)
Junior - Dog /
Reserve
Name at show: Rainsbarrow Thistle
The Scottish Border Terrier Club Open Show
4th Jun 2023
Judge: Mrs V Atkinson (Raedwulf)
Thank you so much to the society for inviting me to judge this wonderful show. To my steward, Judy Carr, thank you for running my ring so efficiently, especially in the heat. Thanks must go to the ladies for our delicious lunch too. I was presented with some super examples of the breed and there were some tough decisions, especially in the bitches. I do also think the heat affected the performance of some as the day progressed. On the whole mouths were good, but a couple of very knotted tails and some dogs I was unable to span, even with generous allowance which would preclude them from fulfilling the breed standard of ‘essentially a working terrier’.
Junior - Dog /
First Place
Name at show: Rainsbarrow Thistle
Placing Critique
Grizzle and tan dog, moderate width of skull with correct bite. Nice reach of neck leading to acceptable shoulder placement and top line. Strong loin and well-muscled rear, nice bend of stifle enabled plenty of drive. Chest a little deep but spannable and in good coat.
Border Union Agricultural Society
17th Jun 2023
Judge: Mr Colin Girling (Benattivo)
I would like to thank the Officers and Committee for giving me the opportunity to judge Border Terriers in their spiritual home territory. My stewards, Audrey & Judith did a great job in running the class changes efficiently on a hot humid day. It was a lovely entry, with many exhibits that I had not judged before – thank you all. I found some exhibits which could have been better prepared with attention to coat, body condition and clean teeth. A few level bites a couple of kink tails influenced placings but all dogs were entire and overall a nice group of BT’s to go over. My main winners had breed qualities that outweighed any imperfection, that in my opinion wouldn’t impact on its ability to perform its traditional work.
Junior - Dog /
Second Place
Name at show: Rainsbarrow Thistle
Placing Critique
Another quality boy in super coat too, with good thick pelt, liked his otter head and pushed the winner hard, just slightly wider but could see this boy having a good future.
The Northern Border Terrier Club Championship Show
15th Jul 2023
Judge: Mr David Fryer (Irton)
My thanks to the Club for trusting me with a fine entry of dogs at this, one of my favourite shows; to my stewards for their understated efficiency which kept the show rolling; and to the exhibitors for the opportunity to go over their dogs, and for the sporting acceptance of my decisions.
The Border Terrier Breed Standard is a very brief document; as such, it needs some interpretation. The clue is in the first clause of it; ‘Essentially a working terrier’. This, together with a knowledge of the work the breed is traditionally expected to perform, gives an idea of the dog required. Thus we need a dog which can keep with the hunt over rough moorland country in what may be inclement weather, and then be able to go to ground and bolt or hold it’s own to a cornered fox. This implies sound, efficient movement, adequate heart and lung room, a weatherproof double coat and a thick, pliable pelt; but at the same time be small enough and flexible enough to follow a fox to ground .
Overall, I found most exhibits to be sound, and well presented (sometimes ‘overpresented’ to the extent that coats had more appearance than substance). The most prevalent fault I observed was untidy, converging front movement; an inevitable consequence of short upper arm and upright fronts. I did also find a few faulty bites; one undershot, one youngster with a lower incisor seriously out of line; and several with level bites, which, though permitted in the standard, are not (to my mind) desirable; also undesirable to me were the number of exhibits with small teeth in weak forefaces. There were also a couple of ‘winter noses’, but that, to me, is a purely cosmetic point and not to be penalised. All males were entire.
Junior - Dog /
Second Place
Name at show: Rainsbarrow Thistle
Placing Critique
Decent head and front, good coat, moved OK
Leeds Championship Show
29th Jul 2023
Judge: Mr Brian Aubrey (Jenabeck)
Thank you all for a wonderful entry, I had to make some difficult choices on the day, but as always, I judge the dog on the day friend or foe and not what the dog as done in the past or what it will do in the future.
a few things did concern me on the day (1 ) so Many dirty teeth, (2) a few unfit dogs due to being overweight, (3) and the most concerning is short legs on one or two of the borders,
Junior - Dog /
Reserve
Name at show: Rainsbarrow Thistle
Kirkintilloch, Lenzie & DCS Open Show
22nd Oct 2023
Judge: Dr. Ron Wheatley (Loiriston)
Best Of Breed
Name at show: TG4, Rainsbarrow Thistle
Open /
First Place
Name at show: Rainsbarrow Thistle
Ladies Kennel Association
8th Dec 2023
Judge: Mr Ken Bartlett (Dwilencia)
Post Graduate - Dog /
Third Place
Name at show: Rainsbarrow Thistle
The Border Terrier Club Championship Show
30th Mar 2024
Judge: Mrs Lynda Ward (Roundtown)
It was an honour to be invited to judge this, our parent club’s show. My thanks to the committee who ran such a lovely event with a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. My judge’s gift is much appreciated and will be a treasured momento of the day.
My superstar stewards, Janice Johnson and Liz Barrett, worked hard and unobtrusively whilst keeping the classes moving smoothly over a long day – well done ladies.
Many thanks of course to the exhibitors who made the journey on a major bank holiday weekend giving a large and quality entry of 190 dogs making 229 entries plus 10 NFC.
I had some lovely sound and typical Borders to go over and, had I had them, I would have had no qualms in awarding 4 dog tickets and 5 bitch tickets.
Unfortunately there are always downsides in a big entry and today size was an issue with some overly large exhibits who were not spannable and very heavily built.
There were a number of youngsters which were obviously unused to having their mouths examined and more practice in a calm atmosphere would help to make them comfortable and avoid stress for them and their handlers.
Ears need watching as some were quite large and spoiled the head.
Sadly, as in the past I must complain about long tails. Tails are an integral aspect of the overall picture of a typical Border outline and long is simply wrong. Our breed standard is spartan compared to many others but for tails the description is clear and begins with, “Moderately short; fairly thick at base, then tapering.” Hopefully the issue will be addressed before the untypical becomes the norm.
On a positive note …
Feet were overall small and thickly padded although some would benefit from trimming and shorter nails.
There was a good number of lovely otter-like heads of correct proportions with well placed dark eyes and a keen expression.
As is usual these days coat presentation was generally good and today there were plenty of dense coats of correct texture and thick skins.
Do I think the quality shown in this entry bodes well for the breed? Yes.
Post Graduate - Dog /
Reserve
Name at show: Rainsbarrow Thistle
