First Place in Junior - Dog, Judge: Mrs Janet Lee (Tythrop)
My thanks to the Officers & Committee for inviting me to judge their show , & for the excellent ring stewards Mr Brewster & Mrs Armstrong who made the day run smoothly & kept me going with refreshments ! I enjoyed being with fellow BT fanciers & their dogs , as I always do .
I had a very good entry come forward & after such a long time away from the ring , a few were ring rusty & some youngsters were a little overawed , which I considered quite acceptable given so many had missed out on their early education & socialisation & tried to give them opportunity to shine , though a few very nice dogs could have been higher placed but the occasion was too much for them .
I found very good examples , but also had some whose construction fell a little short of the standard …….deep unspannable bodies or brisket below elbow standing or on the move on much shorter than their depth legs , forward placed & too little angulation in their fronts due to upright shoulders & short steep upper arms which shorten their strides or make them goosestep , & flat croups with extra high set tails carried like hound sterns ,or conversely short steep croups with low tailsets , often thin & long tails too & some poor downhill or lumpy/hinged toplines became apparent in profile movement , however the most common thing that struck me was how many have too little bone in pasterns & east-west feet when our standard calls for straight legs & good tight feet . As I lift every dog to see how their fronts ‘’drop’’ into place I found lack of bone through pasterns into feet was a common fault today & so some had feet not facing forward naturally . Most came in good condition , but a few were too thin & their pelvic bones were sticking up & they felt shelly with no depth of loin so their rears lacked muscle accordingly , conversely a handful had indulged during lockdown a little too much ! Coats were as ever , mixed , but the top winners all came in very good order with double coats .
17m grizzle/tan . Leggy , light framed , very narrow & ‘’wiry build ‘’ , this dog moved around the ring on a lovely long & light free stride keeping his excellent topline , what the old stalwarts called ‘’travel’’ & boy he did ! He has much potential , & I could easily picture him following hounds & getting in anywhere underground . Handles very well on the table , nicely balanced head , slightly light in eye ( wouldn’t affect him working !)with good bite , straight legs , narrow well angulated front , clean shoulders , easy span rib of good shape ,with a medium length of loin & firm long muscled rear with well let down hocks . Carries his tail correctly which is set straight off his back .Came in double coat & showed himself off very well . His free , ground covering & true movement won him RDCC , shall watch him mature with interest .