First Place in Minor Puppy - Bitch, Judge: Mrs E Weijenborg-Weggemans
What a big honour it is to judge the Border Terrier in the native country. I didn’t know what to expect because I haven’t been to Crufts or other shows to have a clean look at what I was presented on that May, 4th, 2014.
I myself live with Border Terriers most of my life now and I have seen the breed changing through the years. What the old breeders feared for years and years ago seems to happen: changing a working terrier into a show terrier. Meaning that the trimming is too short therefore missing the tweedy look, clipping belly, tail and buttocks, overangulation especially in hindquarters. Saying this I was really pleasantly surprised finding so many genuine Border Terriers during this show. Of course I know that coats can’t be in the best condition all year long so some specimens were rather short in trim but as long as I could feel the required harshness and see the correct double coat it was fine for me and only played a role in placing when there were more Borders with the same qualities. I didn’t see any faulty mouths, found only big strong teeth. Movement is – as in the rest of the world – still a problem in the breed. Especially front movement is an issue. When placing, movement was one of the criteria to place one Border higher than the other, but the right type, body proportions, spannability, thick pliable pelt and harsh double coat came first.
In some classes the quality was so high that some of the Borders left the ring unplaced while they were of excellent quality.
I really want to thank all the exhibitors for their sporting attitude in taking my decisions, for entering their dogs under me and give me a hard day’s work with 222 entered dogs and of course the committee for trusting me this honourable job and their hospitality during this weekend for me and my sister, who accompanied me. My congratulations to the breeders and owners for presenting such nice Border Terriers and keeping the breed on such high standard.
A lovely class of youngsters. Which is a promise for the future. My winner in this class is still very young but has all the features I like and moved like a dream till the very end. The others were unfortunate to meet her in this class because they were of a high quality too.
Best Puppy Bitch, BPIS, RBCC, BOS, Well-built grizzle puppy bitch, feminine otter head that is well filled up, narrow all through, well ribbed up, lovely top- and underline and body proportions, excellent angulations, very nice tail set and carroty tail, hocks well let down, neat strong feet, harsh double coat, her ears seem still a bit big but in time she will grow into her ears, moves very steadily and true and kept showing until the very end of the show, all those skills making her an eye catcher though still very young, very much the same type as the CC winning bitch.