First Place in Veteran - Dog, Judge: Mrs. K. Wilkinson (Otterkin)
Thanks to the exhibitors for a super entry of Border Terriers. As I repeatedly say, the shows are about the dogs and the exhibitors and are not held for the benefit of the judges, so I appreciated the honour of going over your dogs. Thanks also to the ring stewards Angie Feildsend and Andrea Caudrelier who kept everything flowing smoothly so that we finished in good time. With an entry of 148 dogs making 159 entries, we had the highest entry in the Terrier Group and what a lovely entry it was that awaited me on 16th December. As my finalists came into the ring for each set of CCs, I thought “I like all these!!”
After the show was over, I was told that the four dogs I had brought together at the top of the ring, when deciding on the Dog CC, were all related to one dog and in fact three of them were by that same dog, one I have often referred to in the past when discussing stud dogs with people, as a dog who consistently puts breed type on his progeny, so I was thrilled to be told that Ch Grindelvald In Full Cry JW sired three of the dogs and was the great grandsire of the fourth and to confirm that in the catalogue later. Congratulations to Mrs Margaret Bailey on breeding and owning a dog who clearly puts his breed type stamp on his progeny.
Unless something changes drastically with the Judges Competency Framework, this will be my last General Championship Show appointment and so, when asking for the name of the dog to whom I had awarded the CC and Best of Breed at the end when I was filling in the Award Cards, it was fitting that I then found out his name was Dassett Last Waltz JW. So pleased to later see him pulled out in the shortcut in the Terrier Group. Good luck for the future.
Also Reserve Dog CC and Best Veteran in Breed. Two beautiful veterans here today in this class. This boy is 8 years old, but he belies his age with his joie de vivre and his excellent movement. Superb outline that I love, with excellent ribshape, which is so pleasing when viewed from above; he was so easily spanned. Tail right off the top of his back. An allround well balanced dog with a lovely otterhead with 1/3rd and 2/3rds proportions, which is so important in our breed, so as not to be a generic terrier, but this boy is all Border! He has a lovely straight front, and moved round the ring with style and panache.