First Place in Limit - Bitch, Judge: Mr W R Irving
It was a great honour to judge the breed at Crufts again – after having done so once before. That was some thirty nine years ago in 1977 when the show was still held at Olympia! The entry this year at 266 from 239 exhibits though down a good deal on last year, was still enough to be going on with and we finished by 3.30 p.m. thanks to my excellent stewards Mr and Mrs Chaston. The exhibitors all seemed very sporting in line with the breed’s sportsmanlike traditions.
I thought that the depth of quality was better in bitches than it was in dogs with several classes where I would have liked to have had more prizes. I thought that heads were in the main pretty good and that fronts, though there were still plenty which weren’t great, were rather better than the last few times I had judged. Crufts is always known as a bad time for coats and this year was no exception with very many lacking in coat and others with rather soft coats. Quite a number of dogs and bitches were rather long in body mainly caused by having ribs that were not as the breed standard demands “carried well back” and thus having loins that were long rather than the required “strong”.
And finally Border Terriers are supposed to have a tail which is, according to the standard, “set high and carried gaily” Quite a few slink around the ring looking miserable and present no sign of the “activity” required by the standard and with tails that are carried low rather than “gaily”. I like to see a Border Terrier that shows a bit of animation and has what I’d call ‘lines’.
My thanks to the exhibitors for entering and for the efficient way that they showed their dogs.
I thought this was a very strong class with several bitches perfectly capable of winning CCs.
a very typey blue and tan bitch of excellent size and proportions. Pleasing in eye and good in head. She has an excellent harsh coat and good pelt. Thought she could have been tidied up a bit better around the hindquarters but she demonstrated an excellent overall outline. She has a good shoulder and enough bend of stifle behind. Moves very soundly both in front and behind. Holds her topline slightly better than 2 when seen in profile moving around the ring, Good carroty tail with thick base and well carried. Went on to win the BCC.