CH Rhozzum Dankworth

Thank you to those exhibitors, who, in the present financial climate, gave me the highest entry in the Terrier Group, by a considerable margin, nearly half as many again as the next breed. Friday, M6, NEC, extortionate car park charges are not a good combination!! Thank you to my very efficient steward, who kept things running smoothly, so we could finish in good time, after the very late start due to the problems on the M6. Now, to the dogs themselves! I know that I was very lucky, in that when I started in the Breed, in 1980, I was taught about type, construction and movement by Ted Hutchinson, a master of the sport, who had campaigned the then Breed Record Holder, plus a string of Champions across many other breeds. This knowledge, plus, I would like to think, a natural eye for quality, has served me well over the following years. Therefore, it saddens me to see the type and constructional faults that are creeping into the breed. These faults are now so prevalent, that newer breeders, exhibitors and some judges, probably think, and accept they must be correct, so widespread are they. The Standard asks for an "otter" like head, moderately broad in skull. Too many have excessively broad skulls, giving an exaggerated, almost caricature look, rather than the refined beauty of an otter. Ear set is also a cause for concern. The standard calls for small, V- shaped, dropping forward close to the cheek. Too many ears are perched high, above the line of the skull, dropping forward to the temple, rather than the cheek, giving a foreign, almost Lakeland / Fox Terrier expression. While, I am sure, this may appeal in some quarters, it is totally incorrect on a Border Terrier. Now, to shoulders, and especially upper arms, a major problem today, particularly in the younger classes. Upright shoulders and very short upper arms, mean the front assembly of the dog appears "tacked on". The shoulder should be clean and well laid, with a long upper arm, meaning that the dog can stand with their front legs under them, perpendicular to the floor, rather than like a “milking stool. This, affects movement, giving an action that can only be described as "peddling a bike" and causing no reach on the move .They are, after all, a working breed, who are supposed to be capable of "following a horse". On the plus side, most were in good coat, and moved soundly behind, something which is much easier to achieve. Two exhibits were so thin, I felt their entry fee would have been better spent on a bag of quality food. My top winners are examples of Breeders who have stuck to their ideals, of breeding sound, honest, typical Border Terriers, bred to last, not following fashion by breeding, what, to my mind, are shorter coupled, flashier "terrier" types to appeal to the more modern way of thinking. They wouldn't have looked out of place from when I first started in the Breed, matching beautifully for type and construction.

It was a great honour and privilege to judge your wonderful breed. Thanks to all, the committee, my stewards and everybody who made my day so wonderful. Thanks to all the exhibitors for their excellent sporting attitude. The hospitality was outstanding and many thanks for the beautiful present. I have been thinking of the overall standard and I have to say your dogs represent a very high quality.

*Dogs* Many thanks to the Midland Committee for this appointment and to all those especially the stewards who made for an enjoyable day. The entry in general reflected the type the exhibitors by now know I like. However there were a number up to size and exhibiting poor front angulation and short deep ribs and paid the price. I was looking for dogs with a typical otter head straight narrow front well laid shoulders ribbed back spannable and racey rear quarters with thick pelt in harsh double coat all of which we should be looking for in the ideal Border Terrier that is essentially a working terrier. I was very pleased with my winners overall and had good depth of quality in the limit and open classes that generally displayed the above attributes. The dog CC and ultimately BIS Ch Olderhill Afortunado is the ideal border terrier that shows with confidence and has class. He has a good border head of otter type strong jaw with keen expression on strong neck set into well laid shoulders ,narrow ribs carried back ,ideal length strong loin and the desired rear quarters ,shown in double coat and top condition moved with drive to cover the ground. Pleased my co-judge agreed this boys qualities worthy of BIS. The RCC Tythrop Timepiece this excellent blue and tan displayed similar qualities to the above and with his good turn of stifle and short hocks and tight feet moved so well and with top presentation took this award over the quality 2nd in Open and Limit winner and with time maturity should complete the picture. The Bitch CC winner and BOS,RBIS Ploughdown Placida is a top quality exhibit but for me just not the strength in loin of the dog but a close decision . *Judge: John Bainbridge* *Bitches* A great honour to judge bitches at this breed club show, my grateful thanks to the Midland Border Terrier Club for their warm and friendly hospitality and to my two competent and hardworking stewards. I had a most enjoyable day and was delighted that my final line-up comprised of excellent and true to type examples of the breed, with some really promising youngsters amongst them. It is always foremost in my mind when judging this breed that it is essential that the dog’s conformation and movement should demonstrate its capability to work and follow a horse. I found this a challenge today, rather too many exhibits failing to demonstrate free ground covering movement or any length of stride to ‘follow a horse’: with weak pasterns resulting in uneconomic paddling action and poor reach; and sickle hocks impairing effective drive. I was also struck by the number of short ribs and untypical ‘cut up’ underlines. On a positive note temperaments were uniformly sound which is of great importance, although I felt numerous exhibits were neither ‘active’ nor ‘game’ in their demeanour. I was delighted to co-judge BIS with John Bainbridge and pleased that we agreed on all of our joint decisions today. *Judge: Sarah Dandy*