Show Placings
West of England Ladies Kennel Society
25th Apr 2025
Judge: Mrs J Guvercin (Glebeheath)
Thank you to everyone who entered on a Friday and gave me the biggest entry of the two groups on the day and the forth highest in the whole show! Pat and Paul my stewards were great and helped me to get through the dogs in an efficient way.
We were lucky enough to be outside on a perfect dog showing day weather wise.
Some super quality classes with hair splitting decisions and even lovely dogs unplaced. Whilst essentially a working terrier was a priority, I wanted my males, to look like males and my bitches easily recognisable as females, it sounds obvious but with some they could’ve passed for either.
Some really lovely dogs looked super stood, but failed on the move, not just coming and going, but more importantly to me, the side gait.
I think we need to be careful of mouths, I was surprised to find several with teeth out of line. Level bites, although allowed and not penalised on the day, some were in very young dogs and it makes me wonder if they will last.
Having said all that, I enjoyed my day and the dogs, who also seemed to enjoy being outside.
Puppy - Dog /
Third Place
Name at show: Alcumlow Single Malt
The Midland Border Terrier Club Partnership Championship Show
8th May 2025
Judge: Mr John Bainbridge (Risdene)
Many thanks to the Midland committee for this appointment which l thoroughly enjoyed, despite the weather which sent us indoors after bitches. Many thanks to my stewards. As an aside l was pleased to see that moderately short tails are coming back! I was also pleased to find that three of the youngsters from the previous time l judged had developed as hoped and received top honours today. The exception was the outstanding dog which took BIS, my first time judging this one and what a treat! This blue and tan dog meets the standard so well, essentially a working terrier, the most important requirement of our breed, but with the quality of a top show dog .
Best Puppy - Dog
Name at show: Alcumlow Single Malt
Placing Critique
Promising red grizzle dog pup showing well, moved sound.
Best Opposite Sex Puppy
Name at show: Alcumlow Single Malt
Puppy - Dog /
First Place
Name at show: Alcumlow Single Malt
Placing Critique
Promising grizzle good make and shape liked his head and expression, moves out well, coat just coming back
East Anglia Border Terrier Club Partnership Championship Show
5th Jul 2025
Judge: Mr Mark Lowry (Ravenside)
Many thanks to East Anglia B.T.C. officers and committee for giving me the opportunity to judge their show, and to all the exhibitors for such a lovely entry. Special thanks to my two stewards, Richard and Julie for making sure everything ran smoothly on the day.
Overall, I thought the quality was good and I was pleased with my main winners, very balanced with lots to like and it was a pleasure to go over them.
Best Puppy - Dog
Name at show: Alcumlow Single Malt
Reserve Best Puppy
Name at show: Alcumlow Single Malt
Puppy - Dog /
First Place
Name at show: Alcumlow Single Malt
Placing Critique
strong masculine head with nice reach of neck with a straight narrow front. He has a good length of rib,a top wire coat of good texture and a loose thick pelt. A very balanced dog in great proportions with well angulated front and rear quarters and he covered the ring with ease showing his qualities as he did so BPD
Oswestry & District Kennel Association Open Show
20th Jul 2025
Judge: Jo Hughes (Arunmere)
I'd like to thank the Oswestry committee for inviting me to judge Border Terriers —I was so pleased with the entry, and would like to thank all the exhibitors who entered. I was very impressed with the overall quality of the dogs. Some of the deisions weren’t easy, especially in the puppy class where there was so much promise on show. Most coats were in good order, with just one that had been recently stripped, and movement was generally good, even with the ring being a little on the small side, I could access movement.
Junior /
Second Place
Name at show: Alcumlow Single Malt
Placing Critique
Grizzle boy, litter bro of puppy winner, of pleasing type, Typical head with varminty expression, neat ears, correct dentition, well-balanced outline, good angulation, firm topline, good harsh coat. Moved steadily both ways, winner just pipped it on more purposeful movement on the day.
Leeds Championship Show
24th Jul 2025
Judge: Mr Peter Armstrong (Atron)
I would first like to thank the Officers and Committee of Leeds City & District Canine Association Championship Show for inviting me to judge at their show, and for the hospitality shown to me on the day. However, most of all, thank you to all the exhibitors for providing me with such a quality entry to assess on this, my first appointment in the breed at this level. I had the privilege of going over so many quality dogs that difficult decisions often had to be made. As always, coats were at different stages, sometimes reflected in the placings, but coats come and go, construction does not. I did not discern any kinked tails and no bad temperaments were apparent. The adequately sized ring however was quite difficult for the exhibitors to circumnavigate, with varying gradients, going uphill away from the judge, coming back downhill but with another gradient across the ring to cope with as well. There were several bumps and hollows in the ring as well, in places which made standing your exhibit to best effect not quite so easy. Many astute exhibitors realising this changed their handling technique to cater for this, some did not
Puppy - Dog /
Third Place
Name at show: Alcumlow Single Malt
The Midland Border Terrier Club Championship Show
3rd Aug 2025
Judge: Mr Kevin Green (Terabyte)
I would like to thank all the Officers and Committee of the Midland Border Terrier Club for inviting me to judge the show & the lovely gift I was presented with. I was very pleased with my entry, thank you to the exhibitors who entered under me. A big thankyou to the stewards who did a great job and kept it all going smoothly. Was a lovely show and great atmosphere.
Puppy - Dog /
Second Place
Name at show: Alcumlow Single Malt
Placing Critique
Nice dog, good head and length of neck and topline. Moved well
Driffield Championship Dog Show
25th Aug 2025
Judge: Mrs Julie Fletcher (Northborders)
I was so excited to be invited to give tickets for the first time so a big thank you to Driffield Committee for the invite but especially to the exhibitors for my fabulous entry
I found some really lovely dogs to go over and in some classes I wished I had more awards to give out , I was very pleased with my final line ups
Temperaments all day were very good. I didn't see one cross word between the dogs , Coats as always were varying and in some classes it was a consideration. The open and limit classes were of the highest quality and very enjoyable to judge
I thoroughly enjoyed my day and such a privilege to be able to go over all of your dogs , thank you
Junior - Dog /
First Place
Name at show: Alcumlow Single Malt
Placing Critique
Grizzle and Tan , super Ottery head with the best expression and dark eyes , nicely placed neat ears and good under jaw and correct bite , straight narrow front and good for bone ,easy to span, neat feet , good length to his rib , tail set good , just enough coat today ,pelt ok , moved out ok
Driffield Championship Dog Show 49th
25th Aug 2025
Judge: Mr Bob Wright (Totherend)
My thanks to the Driffield Championship Show Committee for the opportunity to go over a quality entry and a real thank you to the exhibitors for entering and coping with the unusual arrangements.
I know many expect to see a line up all of a type but you can only put up what is entered and you can’t deny a quality dog that is within the standard over a poorer exhibit of a type you personally prefer.
After the show I was re-introduced light heartedly (I hope) to a dog described by the exhibitor as “the one I didn’t like”, which I suspect is the interpretation many exhibitors of beaten dogs have. As a general rule I believe it’s much more likely that a beaten dog is in fact a liked dog but that on the day there may have been others that were liked more!
Over the years there have been many different concerns about where the breed is heading but I’m pleased to say that some of these look to have been put to bed. I saw lots of good mouths with big strong teeth and only two level bites. Loose thick pelts were a plenty and I’m delighted to see the return of good full coats shown with pride. There were no kinked tails but a good carrot tail is now as rare has hens teeth with flag poles more the norm.
Some puppies are coming in large and leggy and many entries were borderline for spanning. Close rear movement and loose fronts were a blight on some otherwise good dogs.
However, with the exception of a couple of classes, most exhibits were of real quality and I’m sure many exhibitors were left wondering why they never got placed. The answer is that you probably deserved one but I only had 5 to give and in some cases the 5th could equally well have been first. Limit bitch was absolutely full of quality and in Open bitch they were all well worthy of a CC with little to choose between them.
So overall I’m pleased with our efforts to produce quality exhibits but ditch the flag poles and enjoy the champions that you all take home.
Junior - Dog /
First Place
Name at show: Alcumlow Single Malt
Placing Critique
strong head, good dentition, keen expression, good reach of neck, plenty of pelt, coat OK, ribbed well back, narrow and spannable, moved with drive.
