Show Placings
Penrith & DCS Open Show
17th Dec 2023
Judge: Siân McKay (Redesholt)
My thanks go to both the Penrith & District Canine Society and the Border Terrier Club for considering me to judge a super entry of some quality dogs. The show committee were most welcoming and kept the judges well fed and watered. My stewards – Sue, Jane and Katrina keeping the proceedings flowing smoothly- my thanks.
All dogs presented today were of sound temperaments, all found to be spannable and, as to be expected, various stages of coat with some excellent coats and pelts on display. Movement overall was most pleasing; with some excellent examples of strong reach and drive making for fluid balanced movement. In some classes I found myself splitting hairs due to the quality of the exhibits. Again, my one plea is for clean teeth!
Best Opposite Sex
Name at show: Hightarn Blackthorn
Best Dog
Name at show: Hightarn Blackthorn
Best Puppy - Dog
Name at show: Hightarn Blackthorn
Puppy - Dog /
First Place
Name at show: Hightarn Blackthorn
Placing Critique
7-month-old Blue and Tan dog whose sound construction provided the balanced movement which marked him out for high honours today. Good masculine head with dark, alert inquisitive eyes and strong big teeth, and the straightest of fronts with good bone. Kept topline on the move; good tailset. He is easily spanned with well laid back ribs. Good coat and pelt. Up to size for age. Best Puppy Dog, Best Dog, Best Opposite Sex.
Junior - Dog /
First Place
Name at show: Hightarn Blackthorn
Placing Critique
See 1st Puppy Dog
Manchester Championship Show
20th Jan 2024
Judge: Mr Richard Allen (Penparc)
Puppy - Dog /
Very Highly Commended
Name at show: Hightarn Blackthorn
Junior - Dog /
Reserve
Name at show: Hightarn Blackthorn
The Scottish Border Terrier Club Members Limited Show
28th Jan 2024
Judge: Mr. P. Appleby (Hollexby)
Firstly I would like to thank the committee for inviting me to judge this show, it was an honour and a privilege, secondly thank you to the exhibitors for entering a lovely selection of dogs for me to go over, and lastly but not leastly to my Stewards, Liz Barret and Val Mason for keeping me right.
Best Puppy - Dog
Name at show: Hightarn Blackthorn
Puppy - Dog /
First Place
Name at show: Hightarn Blackthorn
Placing Critique
8 month old Blue and Tan, moved out well with a good and elegant gait, topline was held on the move, correct head with bright eyes, good all round construction, Spannable with ribs well carried, coat in good tight condition.
Junior - Dog /
First Place
Name at show: Hightarn Blackthorn
Placing Critique
As puppy Dog.
Cumberland CA Open Show
4th Feb 2024
Judge: Mr Keith Derry (Vistca)
Best Puppy
Name at show: TPG2, Hightarn Blackthorn
Junior /
Second Place
Name at show: Hightarn Blackthorn
The Border Terrier Club Open Show
24th Feb 2024
Judge: Libby Tanton-Joy (Itsaso)
Thank you to the committee for inviting me to judge their open show held at Jedburgh, the home of the border terrier. It was a great privilege, and I had some amazing dogs present who are a credit to their owners, thank you for bringing them.
Thank you to my stewards for organising the rings so smoothly and keeping me on track so we finished at a reasonable time. The hospitality was second to none and I would like to thank the whole committee for this.
Junior - Dog /
Very Highly Commended
Name at show: Hightarn Blackthorn
Special Beginners - Dog /
First Place
Name at show: Hightarn Blackthorn
Placing Critique
9-month-old blue and tan puppy that still needs time to develop. Presented in good order with a fabulous coat with thick skin. Good in rib, shoulder, and rear. Moved Ok
Whitehaven & District Canine Association Open Show
17th Mar 2024
Judge: Mrs Sue Spafford (Dassett)
Firstly, I would like to thank the organisers of the show for the warm welcome and hospitality. Also, The Border Terrier Club for supporting the entry.
On the day I was presented with some nice exhibits, I also found one bad mouth and not the best of movements on some. I found my winners based on size, type and movement.
Junior - Dog /
Second Place
Name at show: Hightarn Blackthorn
Placing Critique
Larger dog, blue & tan, nice head, good strong muzzle, nice length of neck, spannable and in thick coat. Moved with drive around the ring.
East Anglia Border Terrier Club Championship Show
20th Apr 2024
Judge: Mrs Elizabeth Barrett (Howthwaite)
Thank you to the committee of the East Anglia Border Terrier Club for the honour of inviting me to judge your Championship show and for your great hospitality on the day. It was hit-and-miss as to whether or not I would be judging inside or out, and I’m pleased that the committee took the decision to hold it outdoors. It is far nicer for the dogs to be outside, even with the biting wind, and we are not to forget that they are designed to be outside in that type of weather, which reiterates the importance of a good coat. I hope everyone at ringside managed to keep the chill away, myself having Cumbrian bloodlines, found it rather pleasant. Thank you to my stewards Tracey, Dave and Mike who worked tirelessly to keep the ring moving. My biggest thanks are to the exhibitors who gave me an excellent entry and took all my decisions in a sporting manner. I know it is always said there are too many good dogs for the number of cards and that was especially true of the limit and open classes. I was spoiled for choice in a number of classes and had to split hairs on a number of occasions. Dog’s are never static and can have good days and bad days just the same as us, and condition and coats can change dramatically. Some dogs were out of top coat or had no harshness to their coat on the day which cost them on this occasion. Repeating myself from my last judging appointment, I made mention that true movement isn’t necessarily conducive to good movement if no ground is covered at the same time, ideally of course we want both but I would rather see a dog with a good outline in profile than one very accurate that’s going nowhere. Good construction should be a given, I know not much mention is made to that in our breed standard, but to constitute soundness to follow a horse, the construction must be balanced and correct with no exaggeration. Thankfully, there were not many exaggerations on the day. One or two were big ribbed and not quite spannable, and surprisingly they were not necessarily the ones that looked up to size. Overall, I was very pleased with the quality of the dogs presented.
Junior - Dog /
Third Place
Name at show: Hightarn Blackthorn
Graduate - Dog /
Third Place
Name at show: Hightarn Blackthorn
National Dog Show
12th May 2024
Judge: Mr Patrick Glover (USA)
Junior - Dog /
Very Highly Commended
Name at show: Hightarn Blackthorn
Graduate - Dog /
Second Place
Name at show: Hightarn Blackthorn
Scottish Kennel Club (May)
16th May 2024
Judge: Miss Rebecca Barber (Alcumlow)
Thank you to SKC for inviting me to judge at their show, I thoroughly enjoyed my day. I was very pleased with my entry, thank you to all the exhibitors who value my opinion enough to enter their dogs under me. There were some very strong classes and some very pleasing youngsters. I was very pleased with my principle winners and I was delighted to see my BOB get shortlisted in a strong group and my BPIB get TPG3 in the puppy group. It was also an honour to make up two new well deserving champions, making it three new champions in one day over the two shows, which I believe is a new breed record.
Junior - Dog /
Reserve
Name at show: Hightarn Blackthorn
The Scottish Border Terrier Club Open Show
2nd Jun 2024
Judge: Dr Margaret Armstrong (Ploughdown)
Thank you to the officers and committee of the Scottish Border Terrier Club for inviting me to judge their June 2024 Breed Club Open Show. The day was marked by very good weather conditions: a mixture of sunny spells, brisk breezes and cloud. Just right for the dogs. The dreaded rain kept at bay so the Gods smiled down on us. What a super venue to hold a show. There was a large indoor hall if needed. However, given the clement conditions, we were outside for judging on a large paved area surrounded by raised grass banks that afforded for spectators a good view of events. The welcome from officers and exhibitors alike was warm and hospitable and I’d like to thank exhibitors for the super entry I had and for their good grace in accepting their placings. There was a great sense of collegiality among members and good humour was in plentiful supply. The catering was second to none; the poached salmon salad at lunch was super. And I was sent on my way with enough food to see me back over the sea to Northern Ireland. Finally I’d like to thank my two stewards on the day: Kath Lothian and Pete Appleby. They were welcoming and fulfilled their duties with quiet good humour.
Junior - Dog /
First Place
Name at show: Hightarn Blackthorn
Placing Critique
Young blue and tan dog, showing blue in his coat which was harsh and underpinned by depth of pelt. An upstanding dog, but balanced in length of body, depth of rib and narrowness. Straight front , with good bone, level topline and good tail set. A pleasing head with correct balance between his flat skull and strong foreface. Good dentition and well angulated at the rear. Moved out correctly with enthusiasm and drive.
Yearling - Dog /
Second Place
Name at show: Hightarn Blackthorn
Placing Critique
See Junior Dog.
Ladies Kennel Association of Scotland Open Show
7th Jul 2024
Judge: Mrs Val Mason (Valicetarn)
Post Graduate /
First Place
Name at show: Hightarn Blackthorn
Placing Critique
14 mth old B/T dog. Masculine of correct proportions, dark eye, nice scissor bite and lovely big teeth. He has a balanced construction with level topline and straight front, ribs well back.
Good jacket & pelt. Up to size for me
Cartmel Agricultural Society Open Show
7th Aug 2024
Judge: Pam Cox (Cushatlaw)
Junior /
Reserve
Name at show: Hightarn Blackthorn
The Scottish Border Terrier Club Championship Show
9th Nov 2024
Judge: Mr A Horner (Stineval)
I would like to thank SCBTC and committee for the privilege of judging this years Championship show and thank my very capable steward Euan Castell for keeping the ring flowing and the exhibitors for their lovely entry. There were some really nice dogs for me to go over. But I must say that looking at them in general heads are starting to stray away from that of the border terrier, the other thing that I think needs addressing is the general cleanliness of their exhibits. I found three suspect mouths and two kinked tails . thank you one and all for an enjoyable day,
Graduate /
Third Place
Name at show: Hightarn Blackthorn
Post Graduate - Dog /
Third Place
Name at show: Hightarn Blackthorn
