First Place in Open - Bitch, Judge: Mrs Janet Lee (Tythrop)
My thanks to the officers & committee for their invitation & hospitality , I thoroughly enjoyed my day with them , the border folk & their dogs .Thanks too to my stewards for the day who kept the ring running smoothly . It is 28 years since I attended my 1st YLCBTC Ch show , watching Ch Dandyhow Crofter gain his title & Ch Thistycroft Candlelight take top honours . I remember clearly the heavy fall Ted Hutchinson had due to lack of mats , thankfully no-one slipped today , though some dogs did.
For me the most important sentence is ˜essentially a working terrier” I fully appreciate a gorgeous otter head & all breed details , but the common factor of all terriers pedigree & crossbreed who go to ground is that they are narrow fronted & eminently spannable , having a flat rib, this is a flattish egg shape , never slab-sided , well sprung nor barrel chested , all equally faulty in a Border . If the frame is too big by being either too deep &/or sprung they will get stuck & die underground as not all places are diggable . I was taught they should resemble a lightweight hunter , legs slightly longer than depth of body & ˜fairly long in body”, i.e. longer wither to end of loin than wither to elbow with no trace of brisket below elbow . These essentials plus positive straight scopy movement were uppermost today . I have no colour prejudice nor pedigree preference at all.
Temperaments were excellent in the ring with only a couple of “outbursts” from outside, a must for a working terrier is an equable nature . All males were entire . A few misplaced teeth & tail faults which would not affect work but do pass on to progeny . Untypical round eyes often too close together are prone to damage & ulceration working , & give a surprised foreign look rather than kind in repose & keen when alert correct expression . Quite a few ran down to the shoulders being either short in foreleg &/or steep in croup . Was pleased my winners have enough scope & soundness to get there & handled well enough in rib & front to be able to get in & more importantly , back out again.
3yrs light grizzle of ideal size & thoroughbred appearance . Loved her topline ; neck, wither, back , loin , croup & tail set are all defined yet flow seamlessly , corresponding good underline without keel or cut up give her a super body shape .Ultra feminine head & eye , very little stop , long flat skull & well set ears . Lovely reach of neck through a proper wither into long clean & laid back shoulders , good length upper arm , straight legs & tight feet combine to give a clean narrow front . Rib is long & flat & very easy to span , medium length loin , good length of croup with ‘ plenty behind root of tail, high set tail , which good shape & length appropriate for balance. Medium hind angulation with well let down cleanly defined hocks , giving true racy appearance. Moved with balance & precision . In harsh tight topcoat & a dense undercoat with loose pelt . An elegant lithe bitch who could get in & work underground . CC her second & BIS .Good luck for her title