Show Placings
Manchester Championship Show
20th Jan 2024
Judge: Mr Richard Allen (Penparc)
Minor Puppy - Dog /
First Place
Name at show: Ragatam Master Dreamer
Placing Critique
A quality puppy with lots of potential, lovely type and size, typical head, strong muzzle, in good body and coat condition, easily spanned and a thick pelt, moved and showed well.
Puppy - Dog /
First Place
Name at show: Ragatam Master Dreamer
Placing Critique
Repeat
Yorkshire, Lancashire & Cheshire Border Terrier Club Open Show
27th Jan 2024
Judge: Mr R Wright (Borderexpress)
Thank you to the committee of the YLC Border Terrier Club for this appointment, a very hard working team that pulled a lovely show together at a great venue and also my two very capable stewards Bridget Singh and Margaret Davies. To the exhibitors that also supported me on my wonderful entry for the day and generated a great atmosphere around the ring.
The lunch time interval also kept me busy with 6 lovely puppies taking part in the puppy walk, a great idea successfully carried out by the club and an opportunity to get the youngsters out and into a show environment – some promising youngsters to go over made the interval very pleasing.
I was really pleased with my final line ups on the day although I felt that the bitch classes were stronger than the dog classes, jackets with Crufts up and coming in a few weeks were varying so again thank you for putting exhibits forward that we all knew could do with some more jacket to just complete the picture.
Best Puppy - Dog
Name at show: Ragatam Master Dreamer
Minor Puppy - Dog /
First Place
Name at show: Ragatam Master Dreamer
Placing Critique
6 month old grizzle dog of a handy size and construction and on his toes in the ring, nice head with neat ears with good shoulders into a good level tip line moving and in the stack – excellent tail set. Very good in the rib and spans very easy, lots to like and one to keep an eye on (Best puppy Dog)
Wellingborough & District Canine Society Open Show
28th Jan 2024
Judge: Mrs Sue Spafford (Dassett)
Puppy - Dog /
Second Place
Name at show: Ragatam Master Dreamer
Placing Critique
Just 6 months old, good head and expression. Straightest of topline and well-set tail. Easily spanned, lacking coat today. Only lost out to maturity of winner and on the move, as less settled which I’m sure will improve with age
The Midland Border Terrier Club Open Show
4th Feb 2024
Judge: Lesley Armstrong-Rodgers (Atron/Scottsway)
It was a great honour to be invited to judge The Midland Border Terrier Club Open Show and therefore my thanks go to the Committee for the opportunity. I thoroughly enjoyed my day at this friendly well run show. It was advantageous in having such a good sized ring in which to watch the dogs move. Borders need room to get into their stride and show their effortless movement and profile when viewed in side gait.
A special thank you also to Richard and Sharon, my two stewards for keeping things running smoothly. It is always a great help for any judge to be blessed with competent stewards. Finally a big thank you to all the Exhibitors for bringing their dogs under me for my opinion and for accepting my decisions with good grace. As always coats were at differing stages, often reflected in the placings, but coats do come and go, construction does not !. Overall I found temperaments excellent, as well it should be, which bodes well for the breed.
Minor Puppy - Dog /
First Place
Name at show: Ragatam Master Dreamer
Placing Critique
A lovely Grizzle nearing 7 months who shows a lot of potential. He has a good head and expression, dark eye and correct dentition. Stands on a straight front with neat feet, level topline, spanned with ease and owns a thick pliable pelt. Lovely carroty tail set well on and racy hindquarters. Moved well around the ring and confidently for one so young. I am sure as he matures he will trouble the best.
The Terrier Club of South Wales Open Show
11th Feb 2024
Judge: Sarah Pateman (Lessien)
First, I would like to thank the committee for inviting me to judge my breed the Border Terrier, then the Irish Terrier and all the handling classes.
This show was so friendly, and I was looked after from the minute I arrived till the moment I left.
Thank you, Tina Jones, for the delicious food and Richard Wright for being my steward for all my judging classes including the Irish Terriers and all the handling classes.
What an amazing entry I had although a few absentees the class of dogs present were of good quality, and I am very grateful to all exhibitors who entrusted in me to go over their dogs and accepting my decisions on the day
Best Puppy - Dog
Name at show: Ragatam Master Dreamer
Puppy - Dog /
First Place
Name at show: Ragatam Master Dreamer
Placing Critique
18/07/2023. Confident lad, keen dark eye, ears correctly placed to broad skull, good teeth, shall stop, good reach of neck into narrow front, up on his toes, nice length of rib into correct rear angulation, moved OK.
West Midlands Terrier Society Open Show
17th Feb 2024
Judge: Mr Matt Smith (Alncroft)
Puppy - Dog /
First Place
Name at show: Ragatam Master Dreamer
The Southern Border Terrier Club Open Show
3rd Mar 2024
Judge: Miss Nicola Foster (Thozow)
It was a great honour to be invited to Judge a Border Terrier Club Open show so I would like to thank the Southern Club for this opportunity. It was a day I had been looking forward too, so I would also like to thank the exhibitors for their entries, allowing me to access their dogs and for accepting my decisions. I was most grateful to my stewards Sian McKay & Marina Fleming who kept the ring running efficiently, and also live streamed the challenges and BIS.
Best Puppy - Dog
Name at show: Ragatam Master Dreamer
Minor Puppy - Dog /
First Place
Name at show: Ragatam Master Dreamer
Placing Critique
7 month grizzle dog, presented in a harsh double coat. Short well filled muzzle, dark expressive eyes, and neat well placed ears. Straight front, neat tight feet, and a good depth of rib, and is spannable. Free agile movement. BPD
Crufts
10th Mar 2024
Judge: Mrs Lesley Gosling (Akinside)
A tremendous entry of 275 Borders ( 25 absentees on the day)to enjoy handling, judging and placing. I must extend my appreciation to my two valiant stewards for their patience and skill in keeping classes moving. Thank you all.
I do believe our breed is changing, but in subtle ways. The lack of opportunities for true terrier work below ground for some Borders has been replaced by agility and other energetic pursuits, but lack of hard muscle tone has produced a ‘softer’ body on some exhibits. Some feet are slacker, pads are more spread and thinner and some fronts are wide. Movement is not always positive and a ‘driving’ action is lacking. Size is fluctuating too. We have a ‘working’ breed - let’s ensure that features defining the breed are not lost, i.e. ‘spannability’; a hard, harsh top coat and soft protective undercoat (not enough of those today); a dark, expressive eye, a broad skull and strong quarters – ‘the engine is at the back!’. Heads generally were good, but some bitch heads veered towards coarseness.
One thing not lost is the Border’s kind temperament – curious, interested and ready for anything.
Minor Puppy - Dog /
First Place
Name at show: Ragatam Master Dreamer
Placing Critique
7 1/2 month old red grizzle - promising red youngster of good build; pleasing expression on a good head still developing. Moved out well and parallel on neat feet
Oswestry & District Kennel Association Open Show
17th Mar 2024
Judge: Mr Kevin Yeates (Bluebabel)
I’d like to thank the committee for appointing me for this show. With 16 dogs entered and 2 absent I was very pleased with my above average entry for this show. All the dogs had good dentition, and coats generally good
Junior /
Second Place
Name at show: Ragatam Master Dreamer
Placing Critique
8 month old grizzle dog, litter brother to best puppy. Good dentition,otter head with good neck and level topline. Good bend of stifle and neat carrot tail.
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.
Minor Puppy - Dog /
Third Place
Name at show: Ragatam Master Dreamer
National Terrier Club
6th Apr 2024
Judge: Miss Elspeth Jackson (Clipstone)
Thanks to the National Terrier Club for their invitation to judge at this prestigious show and to the exhibitors who did me the honour of judging their dogs. I was lucky to have two efficient stewards who kept things running smoothly, thank you Laura and Dave.
The entry showed a good depth of quality. In many classes the places were hotly contested with decisions needing to be made on the narrowest of margins. I was very pleased to find that there were some good coats on thick pelts and the nice thick short tails which set off a good border so well.
Minor Puppy - Dog /
Third Place
Name at show: Ragatam Master Dreamer
Novice - Dog /
First Place
Name at show: Ragatam Master Dreamer
Placing Critique
Tall young dog built on the narrowest of lines and pleasing in profile. Racy in outline he has a neck of moderate length, straight front and narrow rib. Shown in good coat. Lots of potential but needs some time to mature.
The Northern Border Terrier Club Open Show
13th Apr 2024
Judge: Mrs P Cox (Cushatlaw)
I would like to say a big thank you to the officers an committee for kindly inviting me to judge this lovely open show and to all the exhibitors for exhibiting their dogs under me. A special thank you to the stewards who kept the ring running smoothly.
Best Puppy - Dog
Name at show: Ragatam Master Dreamer
Reserve Best Puppy
Name at show: Ragatam Master Dreamer
Minor Puppy - Dog /
First Place
Name at show: Ragatam Master Dreamer
Placing Critique
9 month old grizzle puppy, pleasing moderately broad head with well set ears and dark eye. Short strong muzzle. Good lay of shoulder, ribs carried well back. Easily spannable, good coat and undercoat and thick pelt. Moved well with drive. BPD, RBPIS
Maiden - Dog /
First Place
Name at show: Ragatam Master Dreamer
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.
Puppy - Dog /
Third Place
Name at show: Ragatam Master Dreamer
Novice - Dog /
Second Place
Name at show: Ragatam Master Dreamer
Placing Critique
Grizzle and tan of a nice size, 3rd in puppy dog. Nice head with dark eye and good bite. Not too heavy in bone. Good rib shape and easily spanned. Good topline and tailset. Beautifully presented with a very good topcoat, undercoat and pelt. True on the move, but not quite as free moving in profile as 1
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.
Puppy - Dog /
Reserve
Name at show: Ragatam Master Dreamer
Class Critique
A strong class of very promising puppies.
Scottish Kennel Club (Ocober)
16th May 2024
Judge: Mr. Stewart Golding (Beaconpike)
Sorry for delay in critiques, work commitments had to take priority. Thank you to the committee for inviting me to judge the October show which was brought forward in conjunction with the May show. Thank you to my two stewards for keeping the ring running smoothly, which wasn’t easy with two shows running side by side. Thank you to the Exhibitors for a lovely entry and accepting my decisions in a sportsmanlike manner. I had some difficult decisions especially in the bitch classes where I just didn’t have enough cards to hand out. Coats from last time I judged had improved and it was a pleasure to see so many in correct double coat of depth. On the whole movement was good. I did find a couple of incorrect bites and one kinked tail
Puppy - Dog /
Third Place
Name at show: Ragatam Master Dreamer
The Midland Border Terrier Club 40th Anniversary Championship Show
4th Aug 2024
Judge: Mrs Jill Stevens (Cobstoneway)
I would like to thank the officers and committee of the club for inviting me to judge this 40th Anniversary show, and for the hospitality on the day. Thank you also to the hardworking stewards, it was a long and very busy day. Most of all, thank you to the exhibitors for giving me such a fabulous entry. I appreciated each and every exhibit, and had the privilege of going over so many quality dogs that difficult decisions had to be made and many lovely dogs went cardless. Foremost, I see the Border Terrier as ‘essentially a working terrier’ and was therefore looking for construction that would render this possible. A few exhibits were too big, too wide or too deep in brisket which might prevent them from going to ground, or even cause them to get stuck. A few had very thin skin – skin must be thick. Most bites were good, just a few with teeth out of line or missing. Coats come and go, so were understandably at different stages. However, on a working terrier a good hard coat does complete the picture. Good movement and a strong, even, economical gait comes from soundness of construction and the muscle tone of a well exercised dog. Therefore I looked for good layback of shoulder and the correct length and angle of upper arm to give a good reach in front, a strong loin, good bend of stifle and well angulated, well muscled hindquarters to give matching drive from the rear.
Novice - Dog /
Second Place
Name at show: Ragatam Master Dreamer
Placing Critique
Grizzle and tan with lovely otter head of correct proportions, strong muzzle and big teeth. He was narrow in front, with straight forelegs and the correct amount of bone, and was ribbed well back with a strong loin and well muscled hind quarters. A fit, workman like dog who had good angulation and moved well.
Graduate - Dog /
First Place
Name at show: Ragatam Master Dreamer
Placing Critique
See second in Novice Dog.
Leicester City Canine Society Open Show
26th Aug 2024
Judge: Mrs M Fleming (Flegato)
Thank you to the Committee for inviting me to judge at this very well run and friendly show. Also, thank you to the Midland Border Terrier Club for supporting the entry. The ring stewards were amazing and organised the ring and paperwork in the best way. And finally, thank you to all the exhibitors who entered and who were able to come and bring their dogs – it was a privilege for me to go over them.
Post Graduate /
First Place
Name at show: Ragatam Master Dreamer
Placing Critique
a smart 13 month old male, litter brother to 1st in Junior, in fit condition. Very attractive masculine head - with little stop, flat skull, strong jaw and large teeth with correct scissor bite. Straight narrow front, well muscled racy hindquarters. He was wearing a full coat of good texture. Moved OK.
Joint Border Terrier Club's Championship Show
31st Aug 2024
Judge: Mr Graham Pickering (Picer)
Thank you to The Scottish Border Terrier Club for asking me to judge the Joint Show. It’s been a long time coming as I was invited to judge in 2019 and COVID 19 got in the way! I would like to thank the exhibitors who managed to attend the show after the problems caused by Storm Lilian at Driffield. I also appreciate that the absentees were higher as a result of many people having prior appointments on the day that the show was rearranged. The City of Birmingham Society where very accommodating, we had a lovely ring with plenty of space.
However, I had a super entry, and I had lots to choose from in the dogs that were able to show under me. Thank you to everyone – I really appreciate being asked to give an opinion on other people’s dogs, it’s a real honour. I would also give a special note of thanks to my steward Bill Shorthose who single handedly managed the ring and made sure everyone was in the right place at the right time. Particularly with the challenges of a partnership show and the clashes that this can cause across two rings. Thank you to all the exhibitors who managed to negotiate two shows with good heart.
When judging, I look for dogs with good heads, plenty of strength under the eye, very little stop and a good strong jaw – essentially a’ Head like that of an Otter’. I also like to see straight fronts, correct shoulder placements and tidy small feet. I found these characteristics in all of my top winners. Generally, mouths were good, although there were a couple of dogs with a tooth out of place. Movement was ok in generally, but as breed we do need to keep an eye on front movement as there were some dogs who did not move as well as they should walking towards me. All the males were entire. I was very pleased with all my placings and when choosing my top winners, I had some difficult decisions to make and so were some dogs that were very unlucky on the day.
Graduate - Dog /
First Place
Name at show: Ragatam Master Dreamer
Placing Critique
Stood alone in this class but that doesn’t detract from his placing in anyway, there is a lot to like about him. A fit grizzle and tan dog shown in hard condition with a correctly proportioned otter head, strong muzzle, correct scissor bite and big clean teeth. He is narrow throughout, with straight front legs, small feet and thick pads. He has the correct amount of bone, with ribs laid well back and a strong loin. He has plenty of muscle in his hind quarters and good rear angulation. Moved well.
Richmond Championship Show
7th Sep 2024
Judge: Mr Bob Blackley (Vaevictus)
Novice - Dog /
First Place
Name at show: Ragatam Master Dreamer
Placing Critique
Good young dog, good head and expression, good neck and topline, well balanced, a little unsettled on the move, but moved ok holding a good topline on the move
Graduate - Dog /
First Place
Name at show: Ragatam Master Dreamer
The Southern Border Terrier Club Open Show
15th Sep 2024
Judge: Mrs Sue Baxter (Mysulan/Sulan)
I must start by thanking the committee for the invitation to judge at this lovely venue. The weather was kind to us and judging was able to take place outside , a fact I know so many exhibitors enjoy. My thanks also must go to my stewards , Rachel and Rhianne Mitchell , they certainly kept things running smoothly and were a big help keeping me on track ! Thanks ladies!
As usual , my gratitude to all who gave me entries and were able to turn up on the day , all very much appreciated .
I was presented with an array of lovely specimens and some classes made for some tough decisions .Several times I wished there were more red cards to award. The standard , I found, was very good and there was quality in depth in most classes. All males were intact , I found no kinked tails and most mouths were acceptable , coats , as usual , were in differing stages of growth and texture . All were spannable.
Graduate - Dog /
First Place
Name at show: Ragatam Master Dreamer
Placing Critique
Nice sized boy, comes to hand very well. Carrying a thick coat of good texture but under that coat were some very good proportions .Well put together . Good head and found that I particularly liked his shoulder and neck configuration ,a smooth transition . Nice topline and tail set .Moved well .
Post Graduate - Dog /
First Place
Name at show: Ragatam Master Dreamer
Placing Critique
See class 7
Birmingham & District Gundog & Terrier Club Open Show
5th Oct 2024
Judge: Irene Glen (Wilholme/Bessalone)
Graduate /
First Place
Name at show: Ragatam Master Dreamer
Placing Critique
A very soundly made dog who has a lovely masculine head and dark eye. Good reach of neck with shoulders well laid, pleasing front and he has good depth but still easily spanned. Level topline and good strength of hindquarters. Moved with good reach and drive
Post Graduate /
First Place
Name at show: Ragatam Master Dreamer
