Show Placings
Darlington Championship Dog Show
17th Sep 2022
Judge: Miss Tracey Peacock (Ragatam)
Firstly, I would like to thank the committee for their invitation to judge Border Terriers. Huge thanks to my two efficient stewards Laura Jordan-Smith and Julie North who kept me on track and finally the exhibitors for a super entry. Movement in general was better at the rear than in front as there were too many swinging fronts, wide movement and toeing in. There was a good selection of quality dogs and bitches for me to choose from and I thoroughly enjoyed my day.
Minor Puppy - Dog /
Second Place
Name at show: Foxfactor Spick 'N' Span
Placing Critique
good head and correct bite with large teeth. He has a good straight front and level topline. Just a little unsettled on the day.
The Border Terrier Club Open Show
15th Oct 2022
Judge: Ms Julie Green (Breckgreen/Stowthorney)
I would like to thank the officers and committee for asking me to judge The Border Terrier Club Open Show at Low Hesket and big thank you for my lovely judge’s gifts. I would also like to thank my two stewards for the day, Judy Carr and Marina Flemming for doing a sterling job and keeping the ring running smoothly through the day. Thanks must go to the exhibitors for their fantastic entry and for excepting my decisions on the day. I had a lovely entry of borders who on whole were of good quality.
Minor Puppy - Dog /
Second Place
Name at show: Foxfactor Spick 'N Span
Placing Critique
7-month-old grizzle and tan dog. In full double jacket today with good pelt. Nice head and expression. Easily spanned. Moved ok.
Novice - Dog /
First Place
Name at show: Foxfactor Spick 'N Span
Placing Critique
See critique for 2nd MPD
Ladies Kennel Association
11th Dec 2022
Judge: Mr John Bainbridge (Risdene)
A very promising entry on paper but unfortunately the weather took its toll !
However I was more than happy with my main winners all were typical of what I look for in a Border Terrier and the proof that careful breeding pays off was demonstrated by the very promising progeny found amongst the youngsters.
As is my approach to critiques, generally the winners in most respects all meet the standard which calls for a working terrier with an otter like head on reasonable length neck set into well laid shoulders, a moderate length body, well ribbed back, strong shortish loin, racy but moderate rear angulation allowing the dog to move with drive, in harsh double coat and with thick pelt. I do not therefore repeat this for each individual dog but I have highlighted the dog’s best points and the reasons for their placings .
Puppy - Dog /
Third Place
Name at show: Foxfactor Spick 'N Span At Northborders
National Terrier Club
1st Apr 2023
Judge: Miss Sarah Dandy (Dandale)
There was a good depth of quality overall across both sexes which proved for good competition and some very close decisions especially in the larger classes. Thank you to all those who accepted my decisions so sportingly. Temperaments were excellent especially the youngsters with the added challenge of the tannoy right overhead. There were some very promising youngsters which is always pleasing and positive to see, and I was delighted with my winning line up in both sexes, with top honours closely contested. I was disappointed that some exhibits who looked so good standing fell apart on the move, there were quite a few upright shoulders and I felt that efficient ground covering movement so essential for the breeds ability to follow a horse was somewhat lacking. It is encouraging to see quite a few younger handlers taking an interest in our breed today, so positive for the future. Thank you to both my excellent stewards who most competently kept the ring moving all day.
Junior - Dog /
Reserve
Name at show: Foxfactor Spick 'N Span At Northborders
Joint Border Terrier Clubs' Championship Show
30th Apr 2023
Judge: Mrs Hilary Gilpin (Otterbobs)
A very big thank you to the SBTC for inviting me to judge this very well run show, to Marina for stewarding and to the exhibitors for entering under me.
Junior - Dog /
Reserve
Name at show: Foxfactor Spick 'N Span At Northborders
The Southern Border Terrier Club Championship Show
10th Jun 2023
Judge: Miss Julie Price (Oxcroft)
Thank you to all at the Southern Border Terrier Club for the invitation to judge your championship show this year, it was a great honour and privilege. The weather was hot and the venue was good to gain some shade for the dogs and myself! I had two very capable stewards who kept things running smoothy throughout the day, so thank to Kathleen Haugh and Sophie Liggat for their support. I really enjoyed my day and was more than happy with my winners. Thank you again for your hospitality.
I was looking for type, gameness, soundness and dogs that were fit to do a day’s work whilst not losing any attributes of the breed standard. Some exhibits were rather well muscled around the shoulders which made it difficult to feel the lay of the shoulders and this would also restrict their ability to go to ground. As a breed I think we are losing the otter heads and keen expressions which distinguishes the Border Terrier from other terrier breeds. A lady contacted me a week after the show and explained that she had attended the show during some of the bitch classes as she was looking to purchase a puppy having recently lost two of her old Borders. She explained she was now thinking of buying another breed as the dogs in the show ring did not look like the Borders she had had previously. She felt that they did not have the characteristic otter heads, and sadly I had to agree with her.
Overall, most dogs were fit for purpose and I am sure you all took the best dog home with you. In the current financial climate, all your entries were valuable to the club and it was a pleasure and an honour to go over your dogs.
Junior - Dog /
Second Place
Name at show: Foxfactor Spick 'N Span At Northborders
Placing Critique
Deeper and rounder in brisket than 1 also a little heavier. Level top line when on the move and stood. Good rear angulation and bend of stifle, showed well.
Class Critique
Two very different types here
Novice - Dog /
Third Place
Name at show: Foxfactor Spick 'N Span At Northborders
Placing Critique
As before
Blackpool & District Canine Society
25th Jun 2023
Judge: Mrs Jayne Gillam (Orenberg)
Many thanks to the officers and committee for inviting me to judge Border Terriers at Blackpool & District Canine Society Championship show. Grateful thanks must go to my very efficient steward Gisela Duran who did an excellent job in making sure everything ran like clockwork. Finally thank you to the exhibitors for giving me such an excellent entry of 142 dogs making 183 entries, the largest entry across all breeds on the day. It really was a privilege to go over such a large entry of dogs and I thoroughly enjoyed my day.
The size of dogs has always been a perennial topic, but I was pleased to say overall, many of the dogs were of correct size on this occasion, with very few oversized dogs and only the odd one or two I couldn’t span. Bites were good and only an odd one with teeth out of line, although a few had broken teeth, quite a few had dirty teeth and some had small teeth which is something I really don’t like to see on, essentially a working terrier. It was good to find some really lovely tails, with not too many long thin, spindly tails we have seen in the past, although I was surprised to find four kinked tails in the entry.
Overall I thought it was a good entry, I found some quality exhibits and I was very pleased with my winners, and in particular will watch the progress of my puppy and junior placings with interest.
Junior - Dog /
Reserve
Name at show: Foxfactor Spick 'N Span At Northborders
Yorkshire, Lancashire & Cheshire Border Terrier Club Championship Show
30th Sep 2023
Judge: Mrs J Guvercin (Glebeheath)
Thank you to the committee for this appointment, everyone worked hard to make it an enjoyable day. This venue always has a super atmosphere, however, the ring is too small really to see outlines, being far too near the dogs and side profile movement is very difficult to see, let alone for the dogs to perform really well. Many moved poorly, not liking the smooth mats and although I had to judge them on this today, I think most would move much better outside in a big grass ring.
Yearling - Dog /
Second Place
Name at show: Foxfactor Spick 'N Span At Northborders
Placing Critique
strong headed grizzle with powerful jaw, well set , slightly heavy ear, set on a strong neck and good front. Lovely coat and pelt covers a good sized body, scannable rib and strong rear. A little sloping at the croup affected his tailset. Moved ok.
Novice - Dog /
Reserve
Name at show: Foxfactor Spick 'N Span At Northborders
The Border Terrier Club Open Show
14th Oct 2023
Judge: Mrs Sue Baxter (Mysulan)
Firstly I’d like to thank The Border Terrier Club Committee for their very kind invitation to judge this Open show, I felt honoured and privileged . I thoroughly enjoyed my day and the hospitality on offer , the lunch certainly hit the spot..thank you Nancy Hogg. My two stewards, Jane Morton-Shaw and Marina Fleming kept things running smoothly and I am grateful for their support .
To the exhibitors , my thanks go unbounded as I had a lovely selection of good quality dogs to go over and there were certainly some tough decisions in many of the classes. It is an education to finally go over some of the dogs I have admired from the ring side. I am grateful that my decisions were taken, mostly in a sporting manner.
My general findings were , all males were intact , I found no kinked tails ( 1 dog had a bump on the underside of its tail , not a kink in my opinion), jackets were, as usual , at various stages of growth. I was impressed by the fact that all animals before me could be spanned , some a little easier than others.
Once again I feel compelled to comment on the state of nails and feet. In my opinion , many dogs had nails that were too long and some needed drastic fur trimming to enhance the shape of the feet.In my opinion it is a shame to groom your dogs for the ring but forget that ,especially whilst on the table, the judge has a perfect view of any, long nails and/or woolly “ Yeti” feet .
Reserve Best Dog
Name at show: Foxfactor Spick 'N Span At Northborders
Novice - Dog /
First Place
Name at show: Foxfactor Spick 'N Span At Northborders
Placing Critique
A smart young grizzle dog , lovely head piece without much of a stop , very good muzzle furnished with a good set of teeth . Good sized dark eyes , well placed , making for a nice expression. Legs were good and straight with sufficient bone , front very nice , narrow and good angles through the shoulder … finished off with tight feet and well developed pads. Lovely flat rib and good accompanying loin … Topline and tail set very good , tail of a good length coming right off the spinal vertebrae . Crisp jacket and pelt to spare . Moves soundly … rear angles not quite as accurate as the front , would like to see a bit more stifle …. Rear feet are perhaps on the slack side but they may tighten up as he matures.
Post Graduate - Dog /
First Place
Name at show: Foxfactor Spick 'N Span At Northborders
Placing Critique
see previous class
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.
Novice - Dog /
Second Place
Name at show: Foxfactor Spick 'N Span At Northborders
Placing Critique
22 month old grizzle dog with a good head and nice big teeth/powerful jaw, Good clean neck and shoulders and a lovely straight front. He just loses a little on his low tail set which drops off, best of jackets and pelt.
Post Graduate - Dog /
Third Place
Name at show: Foxfactor Spick 'N Span At Northborders
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.
Post Graduate - Dog /
Second Place
Name at show: Foxfactor Spick 'N Span At Northborders
Placing Critique
Weatherproof jacket with deep undercoat. Well angled forehand, flowing topline and tailset.
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.
Post Graduate - Dog /
Third Place
Name at show: Foxfactor Spick 'N Span At Northborders
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.
Post Graduate - Dog /
Reserve
Name at show: Foxfactor Spick 'N Span At Northborders
Three Counties Agricultural Society
8th Jun 2024
Judge: Mr Eddie Houston (Earthwise)
My thanks to the Society for inviting me, to my very capable stewards, Bill and Tricia for their efficiency and helpfulness and especially to the exhibitors who afforded me the honour of going over their dogs.
The weather was kind and the ring of sufficient size to allow dogs to get into their stride.
Overall I felt that there was more quality in the bitches but was more than pleased with my main winners in both sexes. Size and front movement continue to be problems and coats were at all stages of growth-this did affect some placings. I only found one undershot bite and all males were entire. Several dogs were carrying rather too much condition but more worrying were the few who were almost painfully thin which also meant that these dogs couldn’t possibly possess the muscle needed for work. A number of dogs would benefit from more exercise to improve their muscletone.
Post Graduate - Dog /
Third Place
Name at show: Foxfactor Spick 'N Span At Northborders
Blackpool & District Canine Society
23rd Jun 2024
Judge: Mrs Beverley Barber (Alcumlow)
Thank you to all of you who entered your dogs for me to judge. I really enjoyed my day and having the privilege of judging your dogs. The weather was kind and our ring was good. I had excellent stewards and I thank them for their hard work.
RDCC
Name at show: Foxfactor Spick 'N Span At Northborders
Post Graduate - Dog /
First Place
Name at show: Foxfactor Spick 'N Span At Northborders
Placing Critique
Liked this young dog. Lovely head with correct width of skull and with pleasing muzzle to skull ratio. Properly laid front good length to body and well ribbed back which allows for the required flexibility to do his job. Excellent strength to well angulated rear. covers the ground with ease . RCC.
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.
Post Graduate - Dog /
Second Place
Name at show: Foxfactor Spick 'N Span At Northborders
Placing Critique
Grizzle and tan in a neat coat of harsh texture, who moved steadily but well. He had a lovely head of good proportions, and a dark eye good teeth and keen expression. His front is narrow and straight and he has a level topline both standing and on the move, but I preferred the tail carriage of first on the move.
The Yorkshire, Lancashire & Cheshire Border Terrier Club Championship Show
28th Sep 2024
Judge: Mrs Anne Heathcote (Saxheath)
Post Graduate - Dog /
First Place
Name at show: Foxfactor Spick 'N Span At Northborders
The Border Terrier Club Open Show
19th Oct 2024
Judge: Mrs Margaret Armstrong (Carrickfarm)
Thank you to The Border Terrier Club for inviting me to judge The Open Show at Low Hesket, one of my favourite shows and venues. As always hospitality was superb and a lovely enjoyable lunch.
Thank you to Judy and Andrea my two excellent stewards who kept proceedings running smoothly and on time and thank you to all exhibitors.
I had a lovely entry and some lovely dogs to judge. A very enjoyable day.
Limit - Dog /
First Place
Name at show: Foxfactor Spick 'N Span At Northborders
Placing Critique
Grizzle dog with lovely head of good proportions and keen expression.Narrow straight front and good reach of neck flowing into a level top line and well set tail.Well ribbed back.Good harsh textured coat and moved well.
