Risdene Tapenade

A demanding day with 247 entered, my sincere thanks to all who entered and showed patience when decisions needed time. Also my gratitude goes to our ring stewards who were simply outstandingly efficient. I was very proud of the ticket line-ups and thought the BOB looked superb in the group. What was encouraging was there were many dogs down the line that would not have been out of place there and ?splitting hairs? became a routine technique in several classes to find class winners. Reflecting on the day leaves some lasting impressions. There is no doubt the breed has made great advances in head conformation. Good otter heads with strength in muzzle and strong teeth were very much in evidence. Ears by and large are good but with a trend towards largeness and heaviness which we must reverse. It is very difficult to change the ear shape so embedding any coarseness now must be of concern. Movement too has improved over the years largely driven by progress on stifle angulation but let’s not go too far here as some excess is creeping in. Shoulders still need attention with many severely lacking lay back and of more concern some foreleg assemblies are placed too far forward so fore-chests are vanishing. This produces flashiness but it is wrong. Coats and pelts were generally good and the majority were capable of being spanned. Flat feet were in evidence perhaps driven by a tough winter and lack of exercise but remember this is a sporting breed and needs fitness to be fully appreciated. As a result many nice dogs lost out because of a lack of muscle or flat feet. We have a healthy breed and this was supported by those in the veteran classes and with an 8 year old winning BOB perhaps this is proof enough.

I was honoured to be invited by the Club to judge this show, which has always held a special place in my heart. My thanks to everyone involved at the Club for a super day, and exhibitors for a high quality entry. Overall standards were high with a number of classes where exhibits genuinely worthy of placing went without reward, which was a nice position for me in, and an encouraging one for the breed to be in if this is replicated at other events. I am pleased to say that I found only two incorrect bites. However, I am frustrated at the inability of some exhibitors to appreciate the correct speed of movement of their dogs, which if correct would improve the appearance of the dogs on the move, many dogs were moved too slowly, thereby preventing the dog from driving out. Incorrect movement cannot be hidden by moving the dog slowly, likewise, correct movement can easily be displayed if the dog is just allowed to move freely, even if this means the exhibitor running with their dog. Do what the dog needs to get the best out of it. It was a pleasure to judge in such a venue which is light, airy, clean and "exhibitor friendly". Please excuse the slight delay in providing this critique, with the newly resurrected Joint Show following 2 weeks after this, and my involvement in the management of that show, time has been tight. I was heartened to find youngsters being youngsters, playful, awkward and proper babies, far too often these days we see perfectly turned out and immaculately school puppies which appear almost "models", let the youngster be so, this is a sport that we, and the dogs, are meant to enjoy. Puppies jumping over the dark lines in the carpet is a cute, if a little frustrating for the handler! I was very impressed with my main winners. My Best in Show I have been aware of for some time and watched her develop with interest. I was excited on close examination of her to find her a superb example of the breed in every aspect, and was delighted to award her her first CC and Best in Show. I am sure she will have an illustrious career. The Dog on the other hand was a total stranger to me and a highly pleasant surprise. On winning his class he took my eye and stole the Dog CC. It gave me great pleasure to also award him his first CC. My best to him for his future.

Thanks are due to exhibitors for a good turn out of quality Borders, Mr & Mrs Hall for their expert and unobtrusive stewarding, and to the weatherman who forecasted a dry day and delivered. Most Border folk know that I favour a Border that is on the leg to enable it to cover the terrain found in Border Hunt country, yet narrow enough to follow the quarry to ground. Those in the cards today fulfilled most of the criteria set down in the Standard, so my individual critiques could become repetitive. True otter heads were not abundant, and those with a proper skull sometimes lacked muzzle strength. Coarse and/or upright shoulders featured too frequently, along with short and/or rounded ribcages. Not too many straight stifles were seen, but one or two were over-angulated in their hind quarters, an exaggeration which has crept into other breeds, let?s hope it will not do so in Borders. The Standard asks for a deep and narrow body, but many were deep in brisket only, with a cut-up underline. A worrying find which I have not encountered before to this extent was the number of kinky tails - not obvious to the eye but feeling lumpy to the hand. A warning to future judges of Borders - take plenty of wet-wipes. No Border appeared dirty, but the evidence appeared on my hands.

Many reports start with a thank you and I would like extend one to all the exhibitors who provided me with an entry which really reminded me why I love this breed. I thoroughly enjoyed my day and would have been very happy to have had a handful of top honours to hand out. In a number of classes, especially in bitches, the quality went right down the line and even beyond the cards.