Comberdown Curragh

May I take this opportunity to thank the Officers and committee for inviting me to judge their show and for their warm welcome and hospitality. My two stewards, Eddie Houston and Jimmy Gilpin had the ring running like clockwork, which enabled me to get on with the job of judging a quality entry of 141 dogs making 177 entries. My sincere thanks to all exhibitors, who entrusted me with their dogs and accepted my placings in a sporting fashion, the day was a most memorable experience. The North can be proud of their dogs, as there were many quality examples on display, all temperaments appeared steady, with just an occasional bored one! Not unusual, as most, I think, would rather be out chasing vermin!! A handful of kinked tails didn’t surprise me, but youngsters with poor mouths did! Having said that, there were some lovely dogs in the puppy classes and placings were hotly contested with very little to separate them. My interpretation of the standard for balance ie: fairly long, is slightly longer than tall. I feel that a border needs length as well as narrowness to negotiate a fox earth, but still retaining heart/lung room to enable it to follow a horse. Coats were at varying stages, but as long as I could find evidence , I didn’t let it rule out, an otherwise, good exhibit.

My thanks to the Club for the invitation to judge, it was both an honour and pleasure to do so. My thanks also to the committee for their most excellent hospitality, to my capable stewards, Marjorie Wanless and Anjela Cranson, and to the exhibitors for their entries and support. I had some good quality dogs to go over today and was well pleased with my winners. While I found hind action, on the whole, to be good, I did find a number of poor fronts. Front movement pinning in, weak pasterns, flat feet and feet that turned out or turned in. Some dogs also lacked forward reach. To be fit for the function it was intended, a Border needs, as well as strong sound hindquarters, a sound forehand with tight, thick padded feet.

Thanks go to the committee of the Scottish Kennel Club for inviting me to judge for the first time north of the border, Special thanks to my stewards on the day Messrs Goudie & Jackson for organising the ring so efficiently and ensuring everything ran smoothly during my judging. Good stewards are a welcome bonus for any judge. Despite the disappointing weather, thanks also to the exhibitors who attended and for giving me the second highest breed entry of the whole show. With a large ring and mown grass, I was able to see the dogs move accurately. In general I thought the bitches were stronger than the dogs, but was pleased with all my class winners, and thought my CC winners a credit to the breed. Size was generally good with only a couple being difficult to span. As always coats were at various stages but I was surprised to find 2 very undershot bites in mid range classes.

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.

My sincere thanks to Blackpool & District Canine Society, for inviting me to judge at this level, for the first time. Even the weather was kind to us!! A special thank you, to the exhibitors for your support, giving me the highest terrier entry, and the sheer joy of going over every exhibit, thank one and all. It was a fabulous entry, numerically and depth of quality. On the downside I found one cryptorchidic, one suspect tail, and a lot of dirty teeth, although mouths were generally good. Coats were at various stages and in some cases they were the deciding factor, movement not too bad, the odd one “pinning in”. There were some attractive exhibits of both genders, that went ‘cardless’ today, for me, there was just too much of them.

Referee’s Report I was asked to decide BIS between Bitch CC winner Guvercin’s Achnagairn Code Name Glebeheath JW ShCM, and Dog CC winner Bate’s Sweeping Foxtrot for Kgills (IMP SWE). Two very typical quality borders with so much to like about them. Both had true otter-like heads, with decent strength of muzzle and good teeth. Both were eye-catching in overall outline, were well ribbed back, and had reasonably thick pelts with the correct double coat, although the bitch was carrying a slightly harsher topcoat today. Conversely, the dog scored in strength of loin. Whilst both had very good front and rear angulation which showed in their free movement, I thought the bitch edged it in terms of her superb overall bodylines and balance. Terence Tuck – Referee Dogs I would like to thank the Midland Border Terrier Club for inviting me to be the replacement judge on this occasion; it gave me the opportunity to go over some very fine dogs. All the exhibits were without exception fit and healthy, and I felt there was certainly a depth of quality running right through all the classes. Mr David Maggs, Dog Judge. Bitches I was very honoured to be asked to judge the Midland Border Terrier Club Championship Show, I have been looking forward to it for quite some time and I have to say the day didn’t disappoint. As usual the weather was good, the breeze keeping the temperature appropriate for the dogs and luckily the heavy rain stayed away until after judging had finished. I would like to thank the Committee for their hospitality, and also my two excellent stewards, Chris Wallace and Ray Henry for helping me to complete the task of judging the 112 bitches giving me an excellent entry of 128. The quality of the bitches was excellent, I was able to span all the exhibits and mouths were generally good. Rear movement seems to be improving and I was very impressed with the standard and presentation of the bitches on the day. This high standard of exhibits meant that some very nice bitches went away cardless on this occasion, particularly in the Junior, Post Graduate and Limit classes. I was very pleased with my line up. I believe it reflected what I aspire for the breed a good honest border in hard condition that meets the breed standard which is capable of doing what it was originally bred for? whether it works or not. Mr Graham Pickering, Bitch Judge.