Show Placings
The Midland Border Terrier Club Open Show
2nd Feb 2025
Judge: Mrs Laura Jordan-Smith (Jordith)
It is both an honour and a privilege to have been invited by the Midland Border Terrier Club committee to judge this open breed club show—my first at this level. I sincerely thank all the exhibitors who entered and took the time to attend at this lovely new venue. My gratitude also goes to my stewards, Peter and Martin, whose efficiency and support ensured the smooth running of the ring; their help was much appreciated.
Overall, most exhibits were in good condition, though a few were carrying excess weight or were simply too large to span. I observed only one kinked tail and two level bites. Given the time of year, it is unsurprising to find coats at various stages of growth, as exhibitors prepare for Crufts and the start of the new show season.
Baby Puppy Dog /
First Place
Name at show: Alcumlow Penderyn
Placing Critique
A 5 month old blue and tan, he has a good head with a dark eye, scissor bite, and correctly placed ears. His front is straight with enough bone and he stands on lovely thick pads. He has a narrow, easy to span rib which is carried well back to a well-set-on tail. His movement was slightly loose today, which is not unexpected at this age. Lost out to his sister on maturity in the challenge.
National Terrier Club
5th Apr 2025
Judge: Mr David Mitchell (Paleside)
Thank you to the National Terrier for the invite to judge, and to the exhibitors for an amazing entry,
I really enjoyed the day, and the chance to go over some lovely dogs.
Minor Puppy - Dog /
First Place
Name at show: Alcumlow Penderyn
Placing Critique
Blue coat, pleasing head, dark eye and good bite, length of neck to good lay of shoulders, narrow and straight and narrow in front, good length
West of England Ladies Kennel Society
25th Apr 2025
Judge: Mrs J Guvercin (Glebeheath)
Thank you to everyone who entered on a Friday and gave me the biggest entry of the two groups on the day and the forth highest in the whole show! Pat and Paul my stewards were great and helped me to get through the dogs in an efficient way.
We were lucky enough to be outside on a perfect dog showing day weather wise.
Some super quality classes with hair splitting decisions and even lovely dogs unplaced. Whilst essentially a working terrier was a priority, I wanted my males, to look like males and my bitches easily recognisable as females, it sounds obvious but with some they could’ve passed for either.
Some really lovely dogs looked super stood, but failed on the move, not just coming and going, but more importantly to me, the side gait.
I think we need to be careful of mouths, I was surprised to find several with teeth out of line. Level bites, although allowed and not penalised on the day, some were in very young dogs and it makes me wonder if they will last.
Having said all that, I enjoyed my day and the dogs, who also seemed to enjoy being outside.
Minor Puppy - Dog /
Third Place
Name at show: Alcumlow Penderyn
Birmingham National Dog Show
8th May 2025
Judge: Miss Katie Hamilton (Cromlechs)
Firstly I would like to thank the Birmingham National Dog Show committee for inviting me to judge the Border Terriers for them. It was a great honour and I was so pleased to recieve a super entry and overall a lovely quality of exhibits to judge on the day. Special thanks also goes to my stewards that helped my day run so smoothly and efficiently.
Minor Puppy - Dog /
Reserve
Name at show: Alcumlow Penderyn
The Midland Border Terrier Club Partnership Championship Show
8th May 2025
Judge: Mr John Bainbridge (Risdene)
Many thanks to the Midland committee for this appointment which l thoroughly enjoyed, despite the weather which sent us indoors after bitches. Many thanks to my stewards. As an aside l was pleased to see that moderately short tails are coming back! I was also pleased to find that three of the youngsters from the previous time l judged had developed as hoped and received top honours today. The exception was the outstanding dog which took BIS, my first time judging this one and what a treat! This blue and tan dog meets the standard so well, essentially a working terrier, the most important requirement of our breed, but with the quality of a top show dog .
Minor Puppy - Dog /
Second Place
Name at show: Alcumlow Penderyn
Placing Critique
Blue and tan that moved well, ok in body just needs to mature in head.
Royal Welsh Agricultural Society Premier Open Show
18th May 2025
Judge: Siân McKay (Redesholt)
I would like to thank the committee of the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society, for inviting me to judge Border Terriers at their Premier Open Show. I thank them further for managing to arrange glorious weather! I thoroughly enjoyed my day and I must thank the exhibitors for giving me a lovely entry and some super dogs to go over, and to my Steward Marie, who carried on to steward for the next class as well.
I am glad to note that I found no kinked tails, or suspect mouths. Coats as usual were in all stages of growth and in general fronts were good; and there were some good Otter-like heads in evidence. I was pleased with my final line up, who all moved with super reach and drive – essentially a working terrier!
Puppy /
Very Highly Commended
Name at show: Alcumlow Penderyn
Three Counties Agricultural Society
5th Jun 2025
Judge: Mr Brian Aubrey (Jenabeck)
Thank you all for a wonderful entry especially for a Thursday, I found the Bitches better in Quality than the Dogs on the day, I feel I can speak little about what I found as I have worked them, shown them and bred them, But I wont criticize, has many showing this wonderful breed forgotten more than I know, but its my observation on the day,
There were a few I really liked but lacked jackets on the day, I found a few with ears to big, and some needed more power moving from behind, but that can be improved, please don't over stretch when you stacking them, And now my biggest bugbear please don't keep shoving bait into their mouths when a judge is trying to go over their heads this is happening a lot now why I don't know, never seen it so bad as lately but in most terrier exhibitors, moan over lol, Also thank you to both my stewards Gavin Argyle and Penny Winger, who done an amazing job Thank you both.
Puppy - Dog /
Second Place
Name at show: Alcumlow Penderyn
Placing Critique
Standing he gives a lovely overall picture, head of good type, easily spanned, in correct jacket, but when he moved today he was hunching that made his rear quarters looking high
Southern Border Terrier Club Championship Show
7th Jun 2025
Judge: Mrs Jane Roberts (Smalesmouth)
Many thanks to the officers and committee of the Southern Border Terrier Club for the invitation to judge at the club’s championship show on 7th June. Congratulations to them for providing such an excellent and well run show. Thanks also to my stewards Sian Mckay and Sophie Leggat for their cheerful and efficient help. Many thanks to all who entered. It is always a priviledge and pleasure to go over your dogs and I thank all the exhibitors for that opportunity. It was also an honour to be the 51st judge to award a DCC to CH Otterbobs Tolson, making him the Breed CC record holder. Many congratulations to his owners.
Overall, I thought there was plenty of quality from puppies through to the veterans. I thought that size was good, as were coats and heads. I was really pleased that I also found an improvement in length and shape of tails. Downside was front movement as there were a significant number who were not accurate in this department.
Puppy - Dog /
Second Place
Name at show: Alcumlow Penderyn
Placing Critique
10mnths. Blue and tan puppy, enjoying himself. Nice size. Head needs to develop but he has nice eye. Handles well with good reach of neck, shoulder placement, length of body and rib. Spannable. Well presented. Moved well.
Royal Cheshire County Show Premier Open Show
17th Jun 2025
Judge: Val Atkinson (Raedwulf)
Puppy - Dog /
Third Place
Name at show: Alcumlow Penderyn
East Anglia Border Terrier Club Partnership Championship Show
5th Jul 2025
Judge: Mr Mark Lowry (Ravenside)
Many thanks to East Anglia B.T.C. officers and committee for giving me the opportunity to judge their show, and to all the exhibitors for such a lovely entry. Special thanks to my two stewards, Richard and Julie for making sure everything ran smoothly on the day.
Overall, I thought the quality was good and I was pleased with my main winners, very balanced with lots to like and it was a pleasure to go over them.
Puppy - Dog /
Second Place
Name at show: Alcumlow Penderyn
Placing Critique
A blue and tan of similar type to winner which I subsequently discovered was a litter brother. A pleasing head with a narrow straight front,good length of rib, again,easily spanned,good angulated front and back, showing well.
Driffield Championship Dog Show
25th Aug 2025
Judge: Mrs Julie Fletcher (Northborders)
I was so excited to be invited to give tickets for the first time so a big thank you to Driffield Committee for the invite but especially to the exhibitors for my fabulous entry
I found some really lovely dogs to go over and in some classes I wished I had more awards to give out , I was very pleased with my final line ups
Temperaments all day were very good. I didn't see one cross word between the dogs , Coats as always were varying and in some classes it was a consideration. The open and limit classes were of the highest quality and very enjoyable to judge
I thoroughly enjoyed my day and such a privilege to be able to go over all of your dogs , thank you
Puppy - Dog /
Second Place
Name at show: Alcumlow Penderyn
Placing Critique
Blue and Tan puppy who was really enjoying his day such a happy boy , nice shaped head with neat ears and strong muzzle correct bite , lovely dark eyes but a little round , tail set good , ok for bone , he's a nice size, good in rib ,moved ok when he settled
Driffield Championship Dog Show 49th
25th Aug 2025
Judge: Mr Bob Wright (Totherend)
My thanks to the Driffield Championship Show Committee for the opportunity to go over a quality entry and a real thank you to the exhibitors for entering and coping with the unusual arrangements.
I know many expect to see a line up all of a type but you can only put up what is entered and you can’t deny a quality dog that is within the standard over a poorer exhibit of a type you personally prefer.
After the show I was re-introduced light heartedly (I hope) to a dog described by the exhibitor as “the one I didn’t like”, which I suspect is the interpretation many exhibitors of beaten dogs have. As a general rule I believe it’s much more likely that a beaten dog is in fact a liked dog but that on the day there may have been others that were liked more!
Over the years there have been many different concerns about where the breed is heading but I’m pleased to say that some of these look to have been put to bed. I saw lots of good mouths with big strong teeth and only two level bites. Loose thick pelts were a plenty and I’m delighted to see the return of good full coats shown with pride. There were no kinked tails but a good carrot tail is now as rare has hens teeth with flag poles more the norm.
Some puppies are coming in large and leggy and many entries were borderline for spanning. Close rear movement and loose fronts were a blight on some otherwise good dogs.
However, with the exception of a couple of classes, most exhibits were of real quality and I’m sure many exhibitors were left wondering why they never got placed. The answer is that you probably deserved one but I only had 5 to give and in some cases the 5th could equally well have been first. Limit bitch was absolutely full of quality and in Open bitch they were all well worthy of a CC with little to choose between them.
So overall I’m pleased with our efforts to produce quality exhibits but ditch the flag poles and enjoy the champions that you all take home.
Puppy - Dog /
First Place
Name at show: Alcumlow Penderyn
Placing Critique
Animated and happy, nice expression, good teeth and bite, small ears, straight front, narrow throughout, ribbed well back, good B&T coat with plenty of ticking, well angulated, moved out OK.
The Midland Border Terrier Club Open Show
21st Sep 2025
Judge: Gentle Lowe (Rockslade)
Firstly I would like to thank everyone who entered under me and gave me the pleasure of going over their dogs. I would also like to thank the committee for its hospitality and the lovely gift. I would also like to thank my excellent stewards Sharon and Peter who kept everything in order and the ring running smoothly.
Sadly there were many absentees but the show clashed with a number of other open shows with breed specialists judging around the country. I thoroughly enjoyed my day however being my first club show.
All males were entire and mouths were generally scissor bites with only one or two close bites and untidy teeth, a lot of dirty teeth but this is cosmetic and was not penalised. No kinked tails found and I was pleasantly surprised at the number of short tails, some however lacking thickness at the base. Coats as usual ranged from dogs in their undercoats to fully blown, some dogs would benefit from a good tidy up to enhance the presentation such as tails, ears, feet and underlines.
Some dogs movement was hard to assess due to them not settling in classes. Please don’t string dogs up on excessively tight leads one dog was not enjoying his experience for it both on the table and on the move.
Movement was generally ok but some lacked reach and drive with a couple moving wide or really close.
Novice - Dog /
First Place
Name at show: Alcumlow Penderyn
Placing Critique
13 month old blue who is litter brother to Junior Dog. Pleasing head, correct scissor bite with a shallow stop. Nice size with a straight front with well angulated shoulders and rear. He is narrow throughout with decent rib length and good a underline. When he settled on the move he moved ok.
South Wales Kennel Association
9th Oct 2025
Judge: Mrs Trak Fryer (Irton)
Thanks to the exhibitors for giving me such a good entry, mid-week and in the depths of Wales! A lot of absentees in the dogs but some outstanding bitch classes which were a fascinating puzzle to sort out. There were some very nice dogs of good type but overall I think we are in danger of losing some of the essence of the breed. They are essentially working terriers which to me implies a certain outlook on the world. I try not to penalise exhibits for over fussy handling but I prefer to see a dog that can stand and show on its’ own, that is presented in fit condition and a reasonably tidy coat, and that covers the ground without fuss and flap. We were given an excellent ring, movement in general was better than I had expected. Heads were in general OK but many lacking strength over the jaw. I found virtually all dogs spannable though some were a bit heavy over the rib, pelts were also generally good.
The standard talks about eyes, ears, feet & tails, these are all important for different reasons but are often ignored. Very good feet were a rarity as were good tails, many being rather long and some a bit too gay. Having moaned about all these bits I would say that there were some excellent exhibits that were a joy to go over and which bode well for the future of the breed.
Junior - Dog /
First Place
Name at show: Alcumlow Penderyn
Placing Critique
B & T, Ok in head could be stronger over the jaw, good neck and shoulder if a bit heavy in front, moving Ok, tailset OK but rather long. Feet ok . A little wayward on the move.
Midland Counties Canine Society
25th Oct 2025
Judge: Felicity Freer (Felfree)
Junior - Dog /
Third Place
Name at show: Alcumlow Penderyn
Special Beginners - Dog /
Third Place
Name at show: Alcumlow Penderyn
