Show Placings
Boston & District CS Championship Show
9th Jan 2011
Judge: Mrs Lynda Ward
Many thanks to my stewards for their unobtrusive efficiency and to all the exhibitors for a nice entry. Type and quality varied and today coats were at various stages although this didn't materially affect placing's. Last time I judged I noted that small teeth were prevalent and today I was surprised to find that level bites (although acceptable) predominated, I had 2 undershot mouths and large teeth set in a really good scissor bite were like gold dust. A major concern was movement, partially caused by stifles being too straight so limiting drive and causing a stilted action also often not helped by lack of thigh muscle and there were a number of wide fronts coupled with loose fore action. My final concern was the amount of exhibits that came very heavily to hand. This cannot be discerned by eye since some of the larger dogs were a desirable weight whilst some of the smaller ones were heavy. All that said, I enjoyed the day and was able to find class winners and others of correct type, size and sound movement. Both Open classes were composed throughout of quality exhibits and the CC and RCC winners were fit and worthy ambassadors for the breed.
Minor Puppy - Bitch /
Second Place
Name at show: Benattivo Faberge
Placing Critique
Typical head and expression, longer cast than 1. Looked heavy but was in very thick coat on the desired thick loose pelt.
Manchester Dog Show Society
20th Jan 2011
Judge: Professor S P Dean (Tyrian)
A curate's egg day with some great border terriers and some disappointments too. My winners were typical and not only had the heads to win but moved soundly and had the coat and pelt so desirable in the breed. On the downside, although bites were generally good, there are too many with pathetically weak teeth and several with shoulders set too far forward so they looked narrow but had no fore-chest at all. A terrier needs fore-feet under its chest.
I was looking for borders that were soundly made and could therefore cover ground and I found them but there are some with short choppy actions. However I do not intend to be too pessimistic for the breed put on a good show today and there were some really promising youngsters in the puppy classes. Thank you to those who exhibited dogs with the typical thick harsh coat and pelt, these were all much appreciated.
Minor Puppy - Bitch /
Reserve
Name at show: Benattivo Faberge
Southern BTC Limited Show
6th Mar 2011
Judge: Miss Lisa Jenkins (Badgerbeck)
Firstly, please accept my apology for the lateness of this critique, unfortunately I had problems with my PC which crashed and lost my first , almost complete report, leaving me with no option but to start again. Thank you for an excellent entry. I was very pleased to find that most of the exhibits were of a workable size & spannable, had big teeth with good strong muzzles/jaws, all males entire, only 2 very minor tail kinks, and temperaments were excellent. On the down side I had few in good deep double coat and a really thick pelt was hard to find, the true otter head seams to be being replaced by a squarer skull giving more of a teddy bear look not helped by over long moustaches/beards and big bushy eyebrows. Ribs were frequently too short & deep resulting in whippety underlines. Front movement is still a problem due to a lack of balance between front and hind angulation with dogs either having good hindquarters but short steep upper arms or they were correct in front but over angulated behind, this resulted in them either throwing their fronts about coming or dropping their withers in profile in an attempt to balance their stride. There were a handful with crowded incisors or missing a first or second premolar.
Best Puppy - Bitch
Name at show: Benattivo Faberge
Minor Puppy - Bitch /
First Place
Name at show: Benattivo Faberge
Placing Critique
super puppy, she has a good head with keen expression, correct fore hand, rib, topline & tail set, excellent hindquarters, lovely straight front and tight feet with deep pads, moves very well in all directions holding her topline. Good undercoat & pelt, short of top coat, just hope she doesn't grow on too much more, Res Best Puppy In Show.
National Terrier
2nd Apr 2011
Judge: Mrs Hilary Gilpin
Puppy - Bitch /
Reserve
Name at show: Benattivo Faberge
Joint Border Terrier Clubs Championship Show
1st May 2011
Judge: Mrs Lesley Gosling
My thanks to my two excellent stewards who kept exhibits moving along, making my task easier, and to the Yorks, Lancs and Cheshire Club for inviting me to judge.
Coats were generally very good with undercoats evident and few showed signs of scissoring and shaving. I was pleased that all the puppy dogs were of a sensible size for their ages and almost all exhibits were spannable; however, shoulder construction problems remain an issue, with short upper arms and poor shoulder angulation resulting in wide, or tied fronts, spoiling otherwise quality exhibits. I noticed that some were roaching over the loin, creating bouncing back ends on the move with the loss of level toplines, and many had a distinct lack of stifle bend, resulting in a lack of driving action on the move. Consider feet - a few needed claws trimming (or more road work).
Some heads were untypical and snipey; there were a number of suspect mouths and one undershot puppy, but I was impressed with the overall condition of the entry in general and the winners were a credit to their owner/breeders. The well filled Limit bitch class was outstanding and it was a pity not to have more awards to present. My thanks to everyone for accepting my decisions so sportingly and congratulations to the top winners, whose dogs were so deserving of their wins.
Here’s a plea - please use bait sparingly, and not while your dogs are on the judging table. It’s a pity that a number of exhibitors are slaves to baiting their dogs on the table, making the dogs move around and become unsteady, while making it difficult for judges to access mouths and assess facial features. Baiting also affects movement round the ring, with exhibits “crabbing”, watching for the treats.
Best Puppy - Bitch
Name at show: Benattivo Faberge
Puppy - Bitch /
First Place
Name at show: Benattivo Faberge
Placing Critique
As soon as she came into the ring I thought she was eyecatching and she didn’t disappoint on the table. Balances perfectly and not exaggerated in any way. Beautiful level topline, a narrow parallel front and the neatest of feet. Good, feminine head with dark eyes, a keen expression, good bite, closely lying neat ears and a thick double coat. One to watch. BPB.
National Dog Show
7th May 2011
Judge: Mrs Jayne Alpe
Thank you to the committee for inviting me to judge, I thoroughly enjoyed my day. My two stewards were very efficient and experienced; they managed to keep my ring running smoothly. I found the quality in the dogs overall to be higher than last time I judged, with in both sexes a slight improvement in movement. Although there are still some that are not driving from behind and covering the ground, and some with short, choppy, odd front movement, sometimes coupled with too narrow fronts and lack of muscle tone. Maybe more road walking would help in some cases to build up muscle, but in others is down to a problem with shoulder construction and pasterns. I found no incorrect mouths, there were a couple with broken teeth, hopefully indicative that we still work some of our show dogs. But there was a shortage of those lovely strong big teeth that the breed is known for and small teeth are on the increase. What also did disturb me was that large heavy ears seem to be creeping into the breed, which affects that lovely typical expression. In a lot of classes places could alter on another day, in fact in some classes I was spoilt for choice and would have liked more than one red card. I was delighted with my top winners who all fitted my criteria very well, every one of them displaying correct Border type coupled with sound and true movement.
Puppy - Bitch /
First Place
Name at show: Benattivo Faberge
Placing Critique
Eyecatching, narrow young bitch with good topline that she kept on the move. Feminine expression with good keen dark eye, small ears, and good bite. Good pelt and harsh double jacket.
Scottish Kennel Club
20th May 2011
Judge: Mr. David Hunt (Ottaswell)
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.
Best Puppy - Bitch
Name at show: Benattivo Faberge
Best Puppy
Name at show: Benattivo Faberge
Puppy - Bitch /
First Place
Name at show: Benattivo Faberge
Placing Critique
11 mth g/tan. An ideal handy size for her age, very feminine she has a good head with short muzzle, little stop, correct eye shape and dark ears. Straight narrow front, her neck flows into good body lines and rear end with hocks well let down. Ideal short carrot tail, harsh & full double coat moving truly. BEST PUPPY IN BREED
Bath Championship Show
27th May 2011
Judge: Mr B Rodgers
Puppy - Bitch /
Third Place
Name at show: Benattivo Faberge
Southern Counties
4th Jun 2011
Judge: Mr J Gilpin (Otterbobs)
Puppy - Bitch /
Reserve
Name at show: Benattivo Faberge
Windsor Championship Dog Show
30th Jun 2011
Judge: Mr Bill Browne-Cole
Since I last judged the breed I do feel movement is a concern. A lot of back ends need to strengthen and capabilities to follow a horse were not always there today. I was however extremely pleased with my main winners who were from the ‘top drawer’ and so very typical of the breed.
Junior - Bitch /
Second Place
Name at show: Benattivo Faberge
Placing Critique
A lovely youngster. Correct head, dark eye and superb expression. Well portioned and angulated, low hocks which she used to her advantage. A little short of coat today.
East of England
10th Jul 2011
Judge: Mrs Kate Irving
The entry of 141 was a pleasing one for these days and I thank exhibitors for their entries. By and large I was pleased by the coats of many exhibits and though some were rather short of coat, coat texture was generally speaking quite pleasing. Presentation however left a good deal to be desired in many instances Hindquarters were good in the main. But once again my view was that fronts in the breed require much more attention than they are being given by either breeders or judges. It seems to me that we have in the breed various front faults, mostly I think coming from poor shoulders. There are flicking fronts, loaded fronts, high stepping fronts, horseshoe fronts, bowed fronts and so on and not enough of the dogs have fronts which fit the standard. In the main I was satisfied that there were many more typical heads and expressions than on some previous occasions when I have judged
DCC and Best of Breed went to ORANGEBOX FIRECRACKER (MR M & MRS T ANSCOMBE) a dog with a very pleasing head and expression, good skull and correct eye and ears to complete the picture. He has a good neck and typical outline and is well proportioned with a good tailset. He is OK for size and was shown today in plenty of coat. Moved out really well and scored for showmanship. He has a good deal of quality and type about him.
BCC went was won by BANDICOOT JAZZ (MR G E & MRS V L K DOCWRA) a bitch with an excellent head and a lovely typical expression. She is up to size and was shown in pretty full coat today. She moved very well in front and behind. She shows very well indeed and presented an excellent picture all round. She too has a great deal of breed type and quality and has good body lines and scope.
Best Puppy went to the dog OLDERHILL AFORTUNADO (MRS S WILSON) a very typey dog which excels in head and has a really good eye and expression. He is very good in topline and tailset. I thought that he was good in shoulder and presented a good typical picture all round.
Junior - Bitch /
Third Place
Name at show: Benattivo Faberge
Northern Border Terrier Club Championship Show
17th Jul 2011
Judge: Mr. W. R. Irving
My thanks go to the Officers and Committee of the Northern Border Terrier Club for inviting me to judge this show and for their kind hospitality during the event. I notice that the last time I judged this show was as long ago as twenty five years ago in 1986! The entry of 226 from 207 exhibits was satisfactory but of course there were several absentees which brought the actual number of dogs present down to just over 140. That enabled us to finish judging in good time. Thanks to my very efficient Steward Mrs Rushby.
My general comments on the breed continue in similar terms to my previous remarks on the subject. But in the main I thought that heads and expressions were, by and large, pretty good. Coats were of course variable in the stage at which they presented but again, by and large they were of quite good texture. I had no bad mouths and only a couple of kinky tails. And tails were, overall, not too bad for shape and length Size is of course variable but again the majority were spannable but some dogs (and bitches) were far too big and too heavy in bone. My biggest problem was with fronts and exhibit after exhibit appeared with fronts which were far from correct. We have a multitude of different front problems and somehow we must tackle this issue and breeders and judges have to pay more attention to this problem. I believe that we are beginning to find the breed accepting bad fronts as the norm. Horseshoe fronts, wide fronts, swinging front legs, flicking front feet and dogs which single track in an excessive way in front ? all of these things need to be penalised to a greater or lesser extent.
Best in Show and the Dog CC went to Orangebox Firecracker (Mr M & Mrs T Anscombe). He has a very typical head, skull and expression with a good muzzle and not over exaggerated. Good neck and shoulder and correct topline and tailset. Correct compact feet. He is balanced and well proportioned being neither too short nor too long and he moved soundly both in front and behind. In the final challenge for the CC he scored for showmanship and went on to be Best of Breed. The Bitch CC and Res Best in Show went to Ch Southash Blue Betty Boo Gameway JW (Mrs P Clark), another with a most typical head and expression. She has a very good coat of the right texture and pelt of the right thickness and she moved very well behind. Enough bone, she presents a good outline going around the ring and exudes quality. Best Puppy was Olderhill Afortunado (Mrs S Wilson). He has a good head and skull, again without being in any way overdone, good neck and topline, good front and moved better there than behind, correct pelt, good tailset and tail and well balanced throughout.
Junior - Bitch /
First Place
Name at show: Benattivo Faberge
Placing Critique
a bit lacking in coat but very pleasing and typical in head and expression, good outline, OK in front. Moved well behind with a good tail and tailset. Good for type
Paignton
1st Aug 2011
Judge: Mr Tom Johnston
Junior - Dog /
Third Place
Name at show: Benattivo Faberge
Midland Border Terrier Club Championship Show
7th Aug 2011
Judge: Mr D Maggs & Mr G. Pickering
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.
Junior - Bitch /
First Place
Name at show: Benattivo Faberge
Placing Critique
A well put together young girl, with lovely confirmation and not over done in any way. She has well placed ears and a lovely border expression, needs her head to strengthen a little but that will come with maturity. She has a good straight front and stood on tidy cat like feet. Shown in good double coat. Well muscled body, lovely in profile and a good bend of stifle which allowed her to move effortlessly around the ring.
Class Critique
What a superb class! Some lovely young girls who went unplaced today should have a promising show career.
Bournemouth Championship Show
14th Aug 2011
Judge: Mrs Zena Thorn-Andrews
RBCC
Name at show: Benattivo Faberge JW
Junior - Bitch /
First Place
Name at show: Benattivo Faberge
Placing Critique
RCC, This is a special youngster. I liked her feminine yet strong head, very 'otter like', good neck, shoulder and slope to upper arm, tidy, neat feet, excellent body and easy span, thick pelt, precise and an easy agile mover with a good carroty tail. Half sister to Res DCC.
City of Birmingham
3rd Sep 2011
Judge: Mrs Melanie Lewis
It was a privilege to have the opportunity to judge the breed again and I thank the exhibitors for a very nice entry. Thanks also to the Officers and Committee for their invitation and hospitality and to my two extremely capable stewards Mr. Mike Hughes and Mr. Tony Coddington for their very helpful assistance in ensuring the smooth running of the ring on the day.
Coats, as one would expect with the ever changing weather conditions, varied considerably but I applaud those who presented their exhibits with the correct double jacket. Of concern were one or two undesirable single jackets. There has been a trend in recent years by some exhibitors to present dogs short of coat, but they normally displayed sufficient evidence of a correct texture. The Border is not a trimmed terrier and long may it remain as such. Scissor marks also are so undesirable and detracts from the overall appearance. There was a variation in size but I was able to span the majority. Mouths on the whole were good but there were a number with small teeth in overcrowded jaws, certainly not what is required in a working terrier.
Front movement in particular is still a cause for concern and is something that I have previously highlighted. Feet were generally good and all exhibits displayed excellent temperament whilst being judged. When it came to the more senior classes in particular, I had some very difficult decisions such was the depth of quality.
Junior - Bitch /
First Place
Name at show: Benattivo Faberge
Placing Critique
g/t set down in super condition, this bitch is so nice for breed type and confirmation. Feminine head with good expression and dark points, good neck and narrow in front. Shown in a good double coat she has well muscled racy quarters with a good bend of stifle. Well handled she was shown to advantage and moved with enthusiasm, good in profile, complemented by her small tight feet. With a little more maturity I believe she will trouble the best.
Class Critique
Three very promising bitches headed the line up in this class.
Darlington Championship Show
16th Sep 2011
Judge: Mrs Nancy Hogg
My thanks go to the exhibitors who showed their dogs under me. I was very pleased with my entry, both numerically and depth of quality of the exhibits. The ring was large, even and the grass cut very short. I had two very able stewards and the predicted rain stayed away. What more could I ask for ?.
On the whole the presentation was good although some dogs lacked condition. Temperaments were good. Coats were variable. I found one kinked tail, one wrong mouth but more than a few small teeth.
Junior - Bitch /
First Place
Name at show: Benattivo Faberge
Placing Critique
Typical head on this feminine bitch. Neat ears. Liked her for size. Scores in shoulder, topline and tailset. Neat feet. Ample harsh double jacket. Good bend of stifle. Moved well fore and aft.
Southern Border Terrier Club Open Show
18th Sep 2011
Judge: Mrs Karen Dean (Tyrian)
I would first like to thank the club for inviting me to judge their open show and thank the exhibitors for a lovely entry. I was very pleased with my major winners and several placings were close decisions. There were a number of exhibits that would benefit from shedding a pound or two and in some classes this could have altered the line-up somewhat. Our breed standard is all about moderation and I hope the exaggerated hind angulation noticed on a couple of occasions today does not become the norm, it makes the back end look weak and foreign in our breed. There were several promising youngsters that I will watch with interest as they mature further in their show careers
Reserve Best Bitch
Name at show: Benattivo Faberge
Junior - Bitch /
First Place
Name at show: Benattivo Faberge
Placing Critique
Lovely feminine head with nice expression. Short strong muzzle with good bite and small neat ears. Straight front with enough bone and neat feet. Well laid back shoulder and well ribbed back. Thick carrot tail well set on. Super dense coat (starting to go over) with thick pelt. Good hind angulation which allowed her to cover the ground economically, easily and with good drive. I liked her very much and will watch her with interest. Reserve Best Bitch.
South Wales KA
9th Oct 2011
Judge: Mr David Winsley
Junior - Bitch /
Third Place
Name at show: Benattivo Faberge
Ladies Kennel Association
10th Dec 2011
Judge: Mrs Sarah Dandy
I was delighted with both my dog and bitch line ups, from a numerically strong entry of 181 dogs all were worthy winners, from very well contended classes, with several really promising youngsters. Temperaments were uniformly sound which is of great importance in any breed
Junior - Bitch /
Second Place
Name at show: Benattivo Faberge
Placing Critique
Quality youngster presented in good order as always from this kennel. Essentially typical grizzle with otter head of good proportion and expression, very sound forehand assembly with good layback of shoulder, a good neck into wither and correct topline and tailset, body well ribbed back with strength in loin. Racy but well developed hindquarters used to effect on move in profile, an active mover but didn’t quite match 1 tracking today.
Class Critique
Such a strong class, close decision between three quality bitches,
Joint Border Terrier Clubs' Championship Show
6th May 2012
Judge: Mr W Shorthose (Cundytyke)
Many thanks to the Committee of the Border Terrier Club, who were the hosts of this year’s Joint Border Terrier Club show, for inviting me to judge such a prestigious event. My thanks go, particularly, to my stewards, who kept things running smoothly and enabled me to get through a big entry in an unrushed way.
Overall, I felt the quality was reasonably high, with a lot to like. There were only a few which I felt could have done with a few square meals as they were a bit on the thin side. Exhibitors should know how to balance food intake with exercise to produce dogs in the correct condition. Lack of muscle on more was a greater problem. While the standard states ‘capable of following a horse’ many would have been tired following one round a stable yard let alone across country. This is evident when dogs are moved but not giving an active breed sufficient exercise also has an effect on their mental wellbeing.
There were a number of untypical heads. I wonder if some people don’t understand the proportions of an otter’s skull as some muzzles were lacking in breadth giving a ‘foxy’look, while other heads were too rounded giving the impression of a teddy bear. Mouths were not a big problem with only a couple incorrect and coats were also, generally, good. Most exhibits had an undercoat though there were quite a number which had thin skins. A good, thick, loose pelt is essential for a working terrier. Very few could not be spanned, so most would have been capable of getting to ground. A ‘one size fits all’ attitude does not really apply to working terriers as there are a variety of jobs and situations to be encountered but they do have to be able to get there in the first place.
I was very pleased with my top winners and extend my thanks to all the exhibitors.
Yearling - Bitch /
Third Place
Name at show: Benattivo Faberge JW
Placing Critique
Good feet, strong head of correct proportion. Good expression, keen, dark eye. Good strong hindquarters, moved well
Birmingham National
13th May 2012
Judge: Mrs Pat Baxter
RBCC
Name at show: Benattivo Faberge JW
Limit - Bitch /
Second Place
Name at show: Benattivo Faberge JW
Placing Critique
lovely bitch, so unlucky to meet1. Great all round, excellent mover. I am sure her day will come. RCC
Bath Championship Show
25th May 2012
Judge: Mrs Diane Rayner (Stoneygin)
It was a real privilege to be asked to judge this show. I had a very good entry which pleased me and hope I did it justice. The dogs were generally in good fit condition, came across a few that were too thin, you can’t expect a young active dog to gain good muscle tone if you don’t feed them enough. They must feel miserable kept in that condition, constantly hungry. It was a very hot day, but we tried to keep them in the shade as long as possible but a few were showing signs of the heat. There were a few that looked rather scruffy with long nails and looked as if they had forgotten to take off their carpet slippers. But most were a pleasure to go over.
I was very pleased with my winners.
BCC
Name at show: Benattivo Faberge JW
Best Of Breed
Name at show: TG3, Benattivo Faberge JW
Limit - Bitch /
First Place
Name at show: Benattivo Faberge JW
Placing Critique
Beautiful red bitch with a strong otter head. Good length of upper arm and correct shoulder placement. Ribbed well back and very easily spanned. The harshest of jackets and thick pelt. Excellent bend of stifle which she used well as she went around the ring with plenty of drive. Pleased to award her BCC with BOB. Group 3.
Southern Counties Championship Show
2nd Jun 2012
Judge: Mr Geoff Corish
A lovely entry. I thoroughly enjoyed judging the breed again & was able to find some lovely Borders. It was a great pleasure to watch my BOB go G4 as well.
RBCC
Name at show: Benattivo Faberge JW
Yearling - Bitch /
First Place
Name at show: Benattivo Faberge JW
Placing Critique
I thought this a lovely bitch & quite dominated this class. True Border in type, such a super outline, sound & free moving, well ribbed, firm in loin, full of quality. I would think a super future. RCC
Three Counties Championship Show
10th Jun 2012
Judge: Mrs P McLellan
I enjoyed my day very much and must thank the exhibitors for an excellent entry. I was pleased with my principle winners. Some dogs were penalised today for lack of coat. I know coats will grow but at this level of showing dogs really need to be in good coat and in good coat condition. Movement in some exhibits left a lot to be desired.
BCC
Name at show: Benattivo Faberge JW
Yearling - Bitch /
First Place
Name at show: Benattivo Faberge JW
Placing Critique
Lovely well balanced grizzle bitch. Feminine head with good bite, nicely shaped eye and good ear placement. Good reach of neck. Perfect topline and level tailset. Shown in terrific jacket in good condition. Moved with drive, covering the ground well. BCC.
Blackpool Championship Show
22nd Jun 2012
Judge: Mr Dan Ericsson (Sweden)
Movement was difficult to assess under these circumstances, but most dogs seemed to cope remarkably well despite knee high mud & a water logged ring – living proof of the hardiness of the breed!
Despite the appalling weather I enjoyed my day with the Borders very much & was impressed with the overall quality of the dogs & the keen sportsmanship of the exhibitors.
Graduate - Bitch /
First Place
Name at show: Benattivo Faberge JW
Placing Critique
very impressive correct bitch & a pleasure to judge, pleasing overall proportions with adequate length of body, good front & rear, thick pelt, hard coat in pristine condition, well shaped head but rather heavy in ears. Sound accurate mover, pressed hard in the challenge
Windsor Championship Show
1st Jul 2012
Judge: Mr K Holmes
RBCC
Name at show: Benattivo Faberge JW
Limit - Bitch /
First Place
Name at show: Benattivo Faberge JW
Placing Critique
Res CC. Just loved this bitch, so full of quality. In the challenge I was splitting hairs and just felt the open bitch had the edge on maturity and coat, really sound, so feminine, excellent coat, lovely head, sound mover and showed all out.
East of England Championbship Show
6th Jul 2012
Judge: Mr Brian Baxter (Beenaben)
I thought the quality of the dogs has improved since the last time I judged. They were on a par with the bitches in depth
RBCC
Name at show: Benattivo Faberge JW
Limit - Bitch /
First Place
Name at show: Benattivo Faberge JW
Placing Critique
A lovely bitch to handle, excellent type, good teeth, nice width of skull, well laid shoulders, thick pelt, good harsh coat, moved round the ring with drive, should reach the top. RCC.
Richmond Championship Show
5th Sep 2012
Judge: Miss Diane Swales (Grabbist)
My thanks to Richmond Dog Show Society for the opportunity to judge at this prestigious show, where I awarded CCs for the first time many years ago. Thank you to my two excellent stewards who kept the ring running so smoothly. In general, mouths were good and there was only one kinked tail. I was disappointed to find how many Borders have been bred with thin, tight pelts & there were too many upright shoulders resulting in stilted movement. I was really pleased to find that more dogs were shown free standing & on a loose lead.
Limit - Bitch /
Reserve
Name at show: Benattivo Faberge JW
Class Critique
Some lovely bitches in this class & several placed exhibits could change places on another day.
Darlington Championship Show
14th Sep 2012
Judge: Mr David Hunt (Ottaswell)
Thank you to the committee of Darlington Dog Show society for inviting me to judge, with special thanks to my sole steward who worked tirelessly throughout the day to keep both me organised and the ring running smoothly. My appreciation also to the exhibitors for their good entry despite having to face the often long and tiring journey home on a Friday afternoon. Thankfully the weather remained dry for my judging however with a constant strong wind blowing this proved testing for exhibitors handling dogs in full coat.
The ring was large with lots of room for the dogs to move, although the grass could have been cut much shorter. In general all exhibits were in reasonable condition, but as always I was surprised to find 3 dogs with incorrect bites being shown at this level. A working terrier should have coat on the undersides but I was surprised to find some with bellies that had obviously been trimmed/shaved to enhance their underlines. No problem temperaments.
Limit - Bitch /
Third Place
Name at show: Benattivo Faberge JW
Class Critique
As you would expect a strong class that contained many exhibits with good coat and pelts.
Southern Border Terrier Club Open Show
16th Sep 2012
Judge: Mr Alan Hedges (Ramblix)
I considered it a great honour to be invited to judge this show. I looked forward to it greatly and I was not in any way disappointed. A classy club with a classy committee. My stewards were great and we had some interesting moments through the day, but we coped. Thank you to all involved with the club and most of all the exhibitors for doing me the honour of having me judge your dogs. Thank you.
Whenever I judge Staffords, which is my own breed I always make the point that exhibitors should rid their dogs of any reasons to get beaten. Long pointed nails are not a good look, nor are they good for the dog. Even I can make a decent fist of a borders coat and as a singular part of the breed and its identification a bit more attention would not have gone amiss in some. Excess weight is not good for anybody, least of all, what is ostensibly a working terrier. I think there may well be some stars of the future in some of the lower classes and I shall watch with greater interest now when I am at the border ring. Thanks again to you all for coming and entering into the spirit of the day. I had a brilliant day and I hope you did too.
Open - Bitch /
Second Place
Name at show: Benattivo Faberge JW
Placing Critique
There was really very little between these two, almost all of the above apply here but I thought one kept her topline just that wee bit better on the move. A quality bitch.
Crufts
7th Mar 2013
Judge: Mrs Jayne Gillam (Orenberg)
I was indeed a great pleasure to judge at Crufts, in fact I loved every minute of it, and it really completed the Crufts experience for me having won the Dog CC and Best of Breed a couple of times, a bitch CC and Best Puppy there as an exhibitor in the past. I must thank all the exhibitors for their tremendous support with a record entry of 274 dogs making 307 entries, it was truly an international occasion as Crufts seems to be these days, with dogs and handlers representing I think, ten countries giving me a really good sample of winning dogs from around the world.
You often read in critiques that judges say they didn't have enough cards to go round, and with the class sizes I had, this was certainly the case, and the only downside of the day for me was that some very tough descisions had to be made with many, many really good dogs leaving the ring without a card. Overall it was an interesting entry with a large variety of sizes and types, but then the standard allows for that as we have quite a wide weight range, no height reference and only the fact that they should be spannable to guide us.I never get too hung up on differing types or kennel types,as I can appreciate them all, providing they fit the standard.
When judging I am looking for a dog fit for function, well constructed, not exagerrated in any way, fits the breed standard, and is capable of doing the job it was originally bred for.I was very pleased with my winners, my Best of Breed winner had it all, well constructed, in fabulous hard, fit condition, moved as though he could follow a horse all day and had a wonderful attitude in the show ring.
I was thrilled to see him put in a faultless performance in the Group ring and winTerrier Group 4. My thanks go to Frank and Roger my very capable stewards who kept everything running smoothly, enabling me to get through the large entry in good time.
Open - Bitch /
Very Highly Commended
Name at show: Benattivo Faberge JW
The Border Terrier Club Championship Show
30th Mar 2013
Judge: Mrs. Doreen Rushby (Dormic)
The Border Terrier Club held a Championship show at Low Hesket on 30 March 2013. I felt very honoured to judge at this show and my thanks go to the Committee and Exhibitors for such an enjoyable day.
Open - Bitch /
Very Highly Commended
Name at show: Benattivo Faberge JW
National Terrier
6th Apr 2013
Judge: Mrs. Margaret Curtis (Matamba)
Many thanks to all of the exhibitors who gave me such a nice entry of 201 dogs, giving 245 entries. My thanks go to my two stewards, with some large numbers in the classes they kept everything running smoothly and helped me to finish on time. Many decisions were difficult and some decent dogs went unplaced.
There were things that came to hand while going over the dogs on the table, short ribs and over long in the loin and long hocks. Some of these short ribbed dogs were not over sprung and quite narrow through the body, but our standard states ‘ribs well back‘, something to be watched in your future breeding programs. Some dogs looked on the heavy side when I first looked around the ring, but on the table I was surprised how so many of these dogs came to hand no problem. Upright shoulders were noticeable and front movement in some classes was a problem, along with some very straight stifles and sickle movement. Puppies and youngsters you would expect to be forgiven for movement, along with the size of ears - within time the head develops and things start to balance out.
Jackets were at all stages, spot on, starting to blow - with some owners trying to scissor or part strip them into shape, other coats were coming through with harshness and one or two had just undercoat. There were some that could have done with just a tidy up which would have helped the overall picture.
General overall condition and the spanning on most dogs was acceptable, with good thick pelts. I did feel some of the puppies were thin and were quite hollow behind the ribs. I only had one bad mouth but plenty with strong jaws and large teeth. In general the shape and length of tails were good. A few low set tails, which when a dog is in a full jacket you can feel the low set when on the table but not necessarily see it on the move.
Limit - Bitch /
Third Place
Name at show: Benattivo Faberge JW
National Dog Show
9th May 2013
Judge: Mrs Laura Illingworth (Thorneyhurst)
Thanks to Birmingham National for giving me the opportunity to judge this show and for providing me with two excellent stewards, who kept the ring running smoothly, also to all the exhibitors that gave me the pleasure of going over their dogs.
The quality in some classes was superb especially the limit and open of both sexes, leaving me with more dogs I liked, than cards to award. Temperaments and presentation were good.
Open - Bitch /
First Place
Name at show: Benattivo Faberge JW
Placing Critique
loved her balance, came to hand nicely, pleasing head with short strong muzzle very sound on the move, good double jacket.
Windsor Championship Dog Show
29th Jun 2013
Judge: Mrs Karen Dean (Tyrian)
I would first like to thank the society for inviting me to judge at this level for the first time, and my stewards for keeping me on track. Special thanks to the Border Terrier Club of Victoria, Australia and their secretary Denise Worthington for presenting a special sash to the Best of Breed winner providing a welcome highlight at the end of judging.
RBCC
Name at show: Benattivo Faberge JW
Open - Bitch /
Second Place
Name at show: Benattivo Faberge JW
Placing Critique
Good head with strong muzzle and dark ears though slightly heavier than 1. Well laid shoulders, well ribbed back with dense coat and thick pelt. Moved out well. Not the coat of 1 today. RCC.
East of England Agricultural Society
6th Jul 2013
Judge: Mr A Horner (Stineval)
I have to thank the society for the invitation to judge and to the exhibitors who accepted my decisions sportingly. Thank you also to my steward, on his own, for keeping things moving.
Open - Bitch /
Reserve
Name at show: Benattivo Faberge JW
The Northern Border Terrier Club Championship Show
21st Jul 2013
Judge: Mr. G. Pickering (Picer)
I was honoured to be asked to judge the Northern Border Terrier Club Championship Show and I thoroughly enjoyed my day. I had an excellent entry, but was a little disappointed with the number of absentees. However the weather has been a challenge of late with some very high temperatures which I understand prevented some exhibitors from further afield attending.
I would particularly like to thank the NBTC committee for looking after me so well and also for my expert stewards, Allan Horner and Doreen Rushby, who ably assisted me ensuring that everything ran smoothly. I would also like to thank all the exhibitors for their entries and for accepting my decisions so gracefully.
As for the dogs on the day, coats varied as you would expect, but I do think movement is improving and although there were a few ‘flicking’ fronts, rear movement was in the main correct. I had one dog with a bad mouth and a few with misaligned teeth. This, I believe, is to be avoided in the show ring. All the dogs were entire and I could span all the exhibits. All in all, I was very pleased with both the dog and the bitch line ups, which meant that I had some real quality Border Terriers to pick from. All the winners looked the part – all in hard condition, with good heads and coats – able to do the job that they were bred for.
Open - Bitch /
Second Place
Name at show: Benattivo Faberge JW
Placing Critique
Another lovely girl with a typical otter head and plenty under the eye and a good strong foreface. Very good set of teeth and correct scissor bite. Super front, correct cat like feet and a very good double coat. Good muscle and well balanced with good confirmation and bend of stifle. She moved around the ring with confidence. Unlucky to meet 1 today.
Class Critique
A really nice class, with some lovely bitches – top places could have gone to any of the exhibits and there were some hard decisions
Paignton Championship Show
3rd Aug 2013
Judge: Mrs B Jackson (Clipstone)
I thoroughly enjoyed judging at Paignton Championship Show. The new venue (well, new to me) was very pleasant and the show was efficiently run by the helpful and friendly committee. I had an excellent entry which contained lots of quality dogs to choose from. Some classes were, however, a real mix of types, again the Fox Terrier type with high ear carriage are appearing, as are those with almost "hound like" ears, far too large and which ruin the head. Ultimately I judged to my interpretation of the Standard. I like a dog to be a real stallion dog and a bitch, his feminine counterpart. I do not like bitchy dogs and masculine bitches. I was incredibly pleased with my winners, neither of which I have judged before and who to my mind are excellent examples of the breed, both home bred too, not bought in.
Best Of Breed
Name at show: Benattivo Faberge JW
Placing Critique
CH subject to KC confirmnation
BCC
Name at show: Benattivo Faberge JW
Open - Bitch /
First Place
Name at show: Benattivo Faberge JW
Placing Critique
Wow! I've never judged this bitch before but my goodness she completely stole the show here and made my day. She is stunning. She walked into the ring and owned it. She wasn't going to let anyone take that win from her, such determination from one such pretty, sweet and feminine young lady! Beautiful in head, everything just right, nothing over-exaggerated in any way shape or form. Lovely flowing neck leading into excellent shoulders and great topline. A coat to die for, so thick and dense with a superb pliable pelt. Great rear angulation which enabled her to move with drive and purpose. Lovely straight front giving great stride, excellent cat-like feet. She was in fabulous form and demanded the Bitch CC and BOB. I was more than happy to go along with those demands and to make her into the champion she should be!
The Midland Border Terrier Club Championship Show
4th Aug 2013
Judge: Sharp & Bailey
*Dog Critique*
My thanks to the Committee for inviting me to judge the Championship Show for the second time, the first being 10 years ago, and thanks to my Stewards for their efficiency. The entry of 103 with only 9 absentees was pleasing.
Some judges concentrate on heads, others on shape of eyes, or on small dark ears, some on presentation, others on neat accurate movement. As for me – I judge on a whether a dog is “fit for function†as a working terrier plus whether it looks like a Border Terrier and no other type of terrier.
A good proportion of the entry had major faults of construction which would render them, not useless, but inefficient at the job Border Terriers are designed to perform. For instance, short rib cages do not allow for lung room for the stamina a terrier needs to run all day, and these short rib cages (often sprung) were very much in evidence in the entry. Some were accompanied by long loins which might give the impression to the ringside that the dog had good length.
Secondly, upright shoulders, often with steep upper arms are a major design fault. A well laid shoulder with well angulated upper arm which brings the elbow under the body is not just a pleasure to look at – these act as shock absorbers when the dog is running so that his joints are not jarred, leading to wear and tear, thus shortening his effective life as a working terrier.
Finally, wide fronts, often associated with the previous construction – a Border should be able to creep into any space occupied by a fox, and these, despite their chunky appearance have very little body under that fur.
Coats were mixed as to be expected – and there were some really good pelts, only a couple with paper thin pelts. Undercoat was often missing on the back, but present on the sides. A handful of bad mouths, perhaps some all rounders might accept these but I could not. Few really outstanding otter heads which stay in one’s memory for years, but most were adequate.
My critique will not contain descriptions of the dogs, but will give an indication of why they were placed as they were. If your dog was not as high in the placings as you had hoped, take a good objective look at him, and you might find out why.
*Bitch Critique*
A big thank you to the MBTC committee for asking me to judge the Ch. Show it was a great honour. Thank you also to my stewards Ray & Sharon for making the classes run so smoothly. A nice entry of 144 bitches. I enjoyed the day; it was lovely to judge the bitches. The depth of quality in most of the classes was very pleasing. However, the fronts are still a problem within the breed & need to be addressed in future litters. Some quality bitches went cardless, unfortunately there is only 5 cards & many went without being placed. I was so delighted that my fellow judge Marie, agreed that my BCC & BRCC, should win the top honours, Best in Show and RBIS.
Open - Bitch /
Third Place
Name at show: Benattivo Faberge JW
Bournemouth Championship Dog Show
10th Aug 2013
Judge: Mr Paul Wilkinson
Open - Bitch /
Reserve
Name at show: Benattivo Faberge JW
Welsh Kennel Club
17th Aug 2013
Judge: Mrs L A Crawley
Best Of Breed
Name at show: Benattivo Faberge JW
BCC
Name at show: Benattivo Faberge JW
Open - Bitch /
First Place
Name at show: Benattivo Faberge JW
Placing Critique
Loved this bitch, full of type and quality, elegant and racy, good head, eye and mouth, great outline standing, correct for length of neck, topline and tail set, long, deep narrow ribs, moved exceptionally well both ways and in profile in beautiful coat, preferred her size to the male, showed very well. CC BOB.
West Of England Ladies' Kennel Society
25th Apr 2014
Judge: Mr A Cuthbertson (Ashbrae)
Thank you to the exhibitors for their entries and to my two stewards.
I think size needs to be watched in the breed as a working terrier. I have a large span but a number of dogs were not spannable by me, this reflected in my placings. We also seem to loosing the otter like head, some with too much stop, some with weak muzzles and others lacking under jaw. This results in a loss of type which defines the breed. We should try and adhere to the breed standard laid down by the original border terrier breeders.
The over baiting of dogs on the table is totally unnecessary. In my opinion they do not need to be constantly fed on the table. It makes judging difficult when a dog is constantly looking for food.
I was very surprised to see border terriers with coats on around the ring, as they should have their own double coat for warmth and protection. I hope this isn’t the start of trend with the breed becoming just another show breed and losing its identity as the standard states “essentially a working terrier”.
Open - Bitch /
Reserve
Name at show: CH Benattivo Faberge JW
Crufts
7th Mar 2015
Judge: Miss Elspeth Jackson (Clipstone)
First of all I would like to thank the Kennel Club for the honour and pleasure of judging this prestigious show. I must then thank my efficient and capable stewards who kept me on track and looked after me through the day. Most of all I would like thank the exhibitors who rose from their beds at early hours and drove many miles to give me an entry of Border Terriers to be proud of and one which is was a delight to judge. It was not only strong numerically strong but also in depth of quality. It is a cliché to say that there were not enough cards to go around but in this entry it was certainly true. Determining all the final line up in each class was difficult and also in many deciding who should make the short list was also a challenge. Good dogs went without a card, ones who in a different entry I would have been happy to see as winners. In the challenges decisions remained tough and more than those that took the top honours were worthy of doing so and I would have been very pleased to have had more awards to give out.
In the days following this year’s show Crufts, dog shows and those who participate in them came in for some criticism. The picture painted by the media at this time was certainly not my experience. Before, during and after the show I found show people to be nothing but good natured, genuine and supportive. I enjoyed every minute of my day and hope that those that supported me with an entry or as spectators at the ringside did so too
Open - Bitch /
Very Highly Commended
Name at show: CH Benattivo Faberge JW
The Southern Border Terrier Club Championship Show
18th Sep 2021
Judge: Miss Sally Leslie (Risdene)
Congratulations to the committee on finding a splendid new venue. It is so nice to be able to evaluate exhibits in natural surrounding and this was ideal. I understand some did not care completely for the ground but while some exhibits did not excel on the terrain those that did displayed good conformation and moved accordingly.
Generally: there were some mouth faults present today which affected some results in the context of the classes they were in and the degree of the fault. Fronts came in many shapes and sizes not all straight and narrow unfortunately and I was surprised at the number of large and rather thin, spreading feet. Finally I just want to get off my chest that for me the term racy hindquarters does not carry with it a high tuck up.
The unexpected heat, especially in the earlier classes, was a little overwhelming and I thought both exhibits and exhibitors coped admirably. I loved my line ups and very much appreciated my entry, thank you.
Thanks also to my stewards who in these strange times were really kept at it all day.
Veteran - Bitch /
Third Place
Name at show: CH Benattivo Faberge JW
Placing Critique
Another very good one. All the right elements in all the right places. Showed her head off and I would not have believed she was 11.
