Show Type: Championship
Venue: Cheltenham Racecourse, Cheltenham, Glos. GL50 4SH
Judge: Mr W R Irving
Entries: 189 dogs making 215 + 14 NFCs
Website: www.southernborderterrierclub.co.uk/...
It was an honour to be invited to judge the Southern Border Terrier Club’s Championship Show for the second time, the last time having been exactly twenty years ago in 1993. The entry on this occasion was 215 from 203 dogs of which 14 were entered NFC. My thanks go to the Show Manager, Officers and Committee of the Club for their hospitality and organisation and to the exhibitors for their entries and for the sporting way in which they accepted my decisions. Special thanks to Wendy and Andrew Mooney and Bev Marsh for stewarding so efficiently and for organising the collecting ring which allowed us to finish in good time.
As usual there were more bitches than dogs entered. It was encouraging to see some good quality entries through the various classes and not just at the senior end, I thought that by and large heads and expressions were good with not many narrow long skulls there. My feeling was that while there were still plenty of dogs with poor fronts of one kind or another present, there were more good fronted exhibits around from which to find winners than the last time I judged. Coats were mixed and at times I had to forgive some lack of coat. As always there was a good deal of variation in size as always, but in the end I felt I was able to find winners of good enough size with enough scope and lines. I felt that tails were mixed and at times, in looking for overall quality, I had to reward dogs with tails that I felt were less than perfect in shape, length or carriage. By and large the dogs behaved pretty well and were presented clean. I was keen to see the dogs moving around the ring and not ‘stacked’. That is surely the most revealing in conformation terms.
DCC and BOB was Jenkins’ Badgerbeck Uncle Fester. RDCC was Stockleys’ Ch Foxfactor Pied Piper. BCC and RBIS was May and Whisker’s Thistlestone Jenny Wren. RBCC was Higham’s Comberdown Thistle. BP was Hall and Ellis’ Brackenfell Bok To Bach and BPB was Clark’s Gameway Fortune Cookie. BV was Stockleys’ Foxfactor Hornblower
Best In Show: Badgerbeck Uncle Fester
Reserve Best In Show: Thistlestone Jenny Wren ShCM
Best Opposite Sex: Thistlestone Jenny Wren ShCM
RDCC: CH Foxfactor Pied Piper JW ShCM
Best Puppy - Dog: Brackenfell Bok To Bach
BCC: Thistlestone Jenny Wren ShCM
RBCC: Comberdown Thistle
Best Puppy - Bitch: Gameway Fortune Cookie
Best Puppy: Brackenfell Bok To Bach
Best Veteran: Foxfactor Hornblower JW ShCM
Entries: 8 Absentees: 2
A good class with some very promising youngsters.
1st - Brackenfell Bok To Bach (Mr C Hall & Miss L Ellis)
a close decision. This one is a young dog that stands up and shows well with excellent neck, shoulders and topline, good overall proportions and narrow through with good rib. Moved well in front and behind and held his outline well on the move. Head developing well and excellent in eye.
2nd - Benattivo Betfred (Mrs S J & Mr C P Girling)
another excellent puppy with a very pleasing and well developed head and skull with a good strong muzzle, good in topline, very pleasing in tail. Well muscled behind. Needs to tighten up a shade in front and pasterns, and to stride out with a bit more enthusiasm behind but shown in good coat and has a great deal of type about him.
3rd - Stineval Staccato (Mr A & Mrs C Horner)
still very much a baby and needs time to finish. Good size for his age and correct in bone and rib. OK for size and proportions.
Res - Bortino Red Emperor (Mr D K & Mrs D Martin)
VHC - Chesterton Hurricane at Arizcrow (Mrs J Butler)
Entries: 5 Absentees: 0
1st - Comberdown Heatseeker (Mr I & Mrs A Higham)
an easy winner here, very good in neck and topline, well proportioned in body and good small tight feet, good in hindquarters and moved out pretty well though he needs to tighten up just a shade in front. Very good in skull and has enough strength of muzzle. OK in coat.
2nd - Cedarhill Stargazer (Miss A Speake & Mr H S Speake)
strong head, good strong muzzle, could be better in eye. OK in bone but standing a bit down on pasterns at times. Shown a bit out of coat and needs to hold his outline better on the move. Better behaved than 3 here. Well muscled behind and had enough length of body
3rd - Bristoc Rock the Boat (Mr K P & Mrs N B Yates)
needs to be tidied up a shade and to have somewhat more ring training. OK in head and neck and coat coming in quite well. Could be made to look shorter in tail with a bit of judicious trimming.
Res - Foxthorn Vincenzo (Mr R F & Mrs S L Taylor)
VHC - Dasset Jeremy Fisher at Wildperry (Mrs J Powell)
Entries: 8 Absentees: 1
1st - Badgerbeck Uncle Fester (Miss L M Jenkins)
a pleasing dog with a very good neck and shoulder flowing into an excellent topline. Good ribs carried well back and enough length without that being overdone. He has a good typical head with a correct flat skull with enough breadth to give the correct Border expression. Good bone and correct feet. Moved very well in front and behind. He kept his outline well on the move and showed well all through and went on to win DCC and BOB.
2nd - Glebeheath Jump The Gun JW (Mrs J Guvercin)
I was disappointed that this dog just did not put all in and didn’t seem to be in the best of moods today. He has a very good head and expression with correct skull and muzzle strength. He has just the right amount of bone and good tight feet, very good in coat and OK in outline when he stands up. He is sound in front and behind. He is correct for size and has a very typical tail which sadly he just wouldn’t get up today on the move, and all of that spoiled his apparent scope and outline.
3rd - Kgills King Of Swing At Awbrooksky (Mr & Miss Goddard)
a broad headed dog with slightly large ears. His coat was not at its best today. Needs a little bit more bone to finish the picture. Good outline and ribs carried well back. Moved well behind.
Res - Brookbank Beauly (Mrs S P Norris)
VHC - Bristoc Rock the Boat (Mr K P & Mrs N B Yates)
Entries: 9 Absentees: 2
A good class.
1st - Comberdown Finnegan (Mr I & Mrs A Higham)
a very smartly presented dog well up on the leg but narrow through and not overdone in rib. Good shoulder and very good clean neck and topline. Enough bone and good feet. He moved out well in front and behind though could have a bit more second thigh. . He has a good skull and his head is OK but is perhaps tidied up a shade too much to show his true expression.
2nd - Keycharm Phantom by Ridgebow JW (Mr N Duxbury)
very pleasing in head and expression and good in coat. Excellent bone and enough length. Appeared a bit heavy over the shoulders and body which didn’t help his body lines on the move. Moved really well behind.
3rd - Badgerholme Epsom Jet (Mr B Dickinson & Miss T James)
a dog with a good head and skull. Plenty of length and good bone. Could be better in tail. Excellent coat and good outline.
Res - Daluce Soldier Of Fortune (Mr J & Mrs H M Thomas)
VHC - Earthtaw Dexter (Mr M Gibbings & Miss J Haydon)
Entries: 5 Absentees: 2
1st - Kgills King Of Swing At Awbrooksky (Mr & Miss Goddard)
2nd - Bristoc Rock the Boat (Mr K P & Mrs N B Yates)
3rd - Foxthorn Vincenzo (Mr R F & Mrs S L Taylor)
not overdone for size, pleasing expression. Could be shown in better condition and better coat. Needs a shade more bone but otherwise well proportioned though could move a bit better in front.
Entries: 7 Absentees: 0
1st - Onthill Amaretto (Mr R & Mrs A Ramus)
good sized dog not overdone, pleasing in head, skull and expression with a good eye. Not too heavy in bone and pleasing enough in coat though this was not at its best. Moved pretty well but could do with a shade more muscle behind. Good neck and got his tail up well.
2nd - Bluesboy At Brackenfell (Mr C Hall & Miss L Ellis)
a biggish dog with a very good coat. Good strong head and good ears and correct in tail. Moved better behind than in front and used his tail better than 3. Pity he is just too big.
3rd - Redfox Watchman (Mr & Mrs D B Marr)
a very good sized dog with an excellent head and correct expression with good skull and foreface. Excellent coat and colour, good small feet and excellent tail shape and length but which he just would not use at all today which was a pity.
Res - Hartswelin Houdini (Mr R & Mrs D Warneford)
VHC - Badgerbeck The Rebel of Brumborder (Mrs C Leavy)
Entries: 11 Absentees: 2
1st - Laurelton Moonlight Cowboy ShCM (Mrs J Cobbledick)
a pleasing dog with a good deal of type about him. Very good in head with typical expression, good shoulder and movement behind, though could be slightly narrower in front. Correct topline and tail carriage. I would prefer him to show a bit more scope but he scored for type and was in better coat than 2 today and has an excellent thick skin.
2nd - Saygo Of Hassage (Ms E D Rumsam)
not in the best of coats today. OK in head and held a good outline going around the ring. Good hindquarters but could be more positive in front. Good tail.
3rd - Borderella Day Tripper JW ShCM (Mrs P South)
a dog with a really good head and typical expression. He was shown in very good coat body-wise, and has a well shaped tail with he didn’t use all that much in this ring. He seemed to have lost much of his leg hair which made his bone look out of proportion to his body. Moved better behind than in front.
Res - Foxpaw Brilliant Disguise (Mr P & Mrs H Fulker)
VHC - Ottaswell Palamedes (Mr D & Mrs G M Hunt)
Entries: 7 Absentees: 3
1st - Irton Morse Code JW (Mr & Mrs D Fryer)
a dog with a good head and expression. Good neck, plenty of bone and all in proportion. Good feet and moved out pretty well behind where he was good in stifle. Excellent shape and length of tail.
2nd - Tarkatale Midnight Memory ShCM (Mr C & Mrs J Gordon)
another dog with an excellent head and very close up to the winner, very good neck and topline, good coat texture. Very good hindquarters and good in general outline.
3rd - Bortino High Society (Mr D K & Mrs D Martin)
pleasing in neck and strode out well but was a bit down on pasterns standing at times. Not the head of the first two. Coat coming in. Good in hindquarters but just did not stand up or show himself off to best advantage
Res - Cobstoneway Lazy River (Mesdames R & J Squibbs & Barker)
Entries: 13 Absentees: 5
1st - CH Foxfactor Pied Piper JW ShCM (Mrs K D Stockley)
very pleasing in head properties with a good skull, muzzle and expression. He has a good topline standing and was shown in really excellent coat. Correct small feet and enough bone. Good hindquarters with plenty of muscle and moved better there than 2. Typical in tail shape and carriage. Shown in good hard condition and went on to win Res DCC
2nd - Olderhill Afortunado (Mrs S Wilson)
a dog which I have liked before but which I thought could have moved better behind today with more drive and follow through. He has a good outline standing but didn’t really show his outline well on the way around the ring today. He is very typical in head and expression, his coat texture was good. Enough bone. Well proportioned.
3rd - CH Benattivo Rock Robin (Mrs S J & Mr C P Girling)
another dog with a really good head and expression and one that moves very soundly. He is really very correct for size, bone and proportions and has a great deal of type and good balance. He has a good neck and topline. Unfortunately his coat was not at its best today and he was not putting much enthusiasm into his showing.
Res - Iacheslei Cantus JW (Miss A Harrison)
VHC - CH Rexlands Cock Robin (Mr & Mrs D Matthews)
Entries: 6 Absentees: 3
1st - Foxfactor Hornblower JW ShCM (Mrs K D Stockley)
very fit dog shown in excellent coat and condition with a very good thick skin. Good bone and correct tight feet. OK in head and eye, pleasing in neck and topline and good tailset. Went well behind.
2nd - CH Wilderscot Toffee (Miss E D Rumsam)
pretty good for his twelve and a half years, very pleasing head and skull, plenty of thickness of skin and shown in good hard coat. Good bone and good feet and showed pretty well.
3rd - Hoary Morning (Mr T Wrenn & Miss K Langdon)
shown a bit out of coat. Ok in front not overdone in rib. Moved well behind. Not overdone in bone.
Entries: 1 Absentees: 0
1st - Badgerbeck Pablo (Miss L M Jenkins)
a very pleasing smart dog shown out of coat but otherwise very stylish and had good lines. Very good head and expression and good ears. Correct neck and topline and enough bone. Well proportioned and stood up well. He moved well in front and behind and had plenty of muscle and good second thighs. He didn’t show as well in the challenge as he did in this class.
Entries: 22 Absentees: 2
A strong class.
1st - Gameway Fortune Cookie (Mrs T Clark)
still very much a baby. Pleasing in head and good expression, good eye, correct neck and topline. Very pleasing in coat and good thick skin. Good hindquarters standing, good tail, bone developing well. Has much type and scores for head and expression
2nd - Abisu Domino (Mr C Kerry & Miss L E Westland)
good length and pleasing in neck and topline, good tail. Could be better in coat but pleasing in hindquarters and moved out pretty well but she too needs to tighten up slightly in front.
3rd - Picer Ethelburga (Mr G & Mrs S Pickering)
Very good in head and expression, pleasing in outline and has enough bone. Good hindquarters good tail and needs to tighten up in front. Sadly was rather lacking in coat today.
Res - Stineval Sequoia (Mr A & Mrs C Horner)
VHC - Earthtaw Elegant (Miss J A & Mr M W V Haydon & Gibbings)
Entries: 11 Absentees: 4
1st - Intack Lady Eleanor (Mrs F J Matthews)
pleasing in head and needs to be watched in front by handler when standing. Also could do with coat being tidied up a shade here and there. Good topline and body proportions, moved out well in front and behind. Ribs carried well back. Holds body shape well when seen in profile moving around the ring.
2nd - Nettlesnape Calypso (Mrs R Harvie)
pleasing blue and tan youngster with good skull. Could be slighty smaller in ears. Good neck and shoulder. Correct small feet. Ok in coat and could be made to look shorter in tail. Well muscled behind
3rd - Cedarhill Wish Upon a Star (Mrs C Dean)
very good in head where she scored with just the right expression. Pleasing outline, good hindquarters and OK in tail. Could be more positive in front and sadly today was very much lacking in coat.
Res - Orangecastle Zaurak at Foxfactor (Mrs K D Stockley)
VHC - Borderella Sweet Pea (Mrs P South)
Entries: 16 Absentees: 5
A very good class
1st - Comberdown Thistle (Mr I & Mrs A Higham)
very pleasing in head neck, lines and tailset. Very good in overall proportions and not in any way cloddy. Good small tight feet. Showed extremely well throughout. Very good in eye and skull. Shown with excellent coat texture. She moved up and down well and with confidence to go on to take the Res BCC
2nd - Cedarhill Rising Star At Brankell (Mr P Brannan & Miss M Kelly)
a bitch I have always liked but today her coat was just going over and not at its best and that didn’t give her the lines and style going around the ring that she sometimes demonstrates. Very pleasing in head and enough bone. Good hindquarters and moved soundly in front and behind. Correct in rib.
3rd - Glenmara Holy Song at Gameway (Imp) (Mrs T Clark)
another good headed one with a good broad skull, good ears and correct eye. Strong muzzle. Good coat. Could carry tail better but strode out very well behind.
Res - Kgills Tick Tock (Mr K J & Mrs G Bate)
VHC - British Cooper Emerson Fittipaldi (Mr C H J Hubner)
Entries: 8 Absentees: 3
1st - Iacheslei Corus (Miss A Harrison)
very typey youngster with an excellent coat of the right texture and good thick skin. She has an excellent head with a good expression and was good for size with just the right amount of bone. Excellent proportions. Very good tail. Moved well behind. Better in front than 2
2nd - Baillieswells Lochindaal JW (Mrs P Hirn)
pleasing in head and expression with good eye and strong foreface, good coat. Correct hindquarters but not so positive in front. Good shape of tail.
3rd - Cedarhill Madame Butterfly (Miss K M Nitarska)
rather bigger than 1 and 2. OK in skull but could be stronger in foreface. Good in pasterns and good hindquarters, and moved out quite well. Good coat
Res - Tilmoray Turtle Dove (Mrs M Small)
VHC - Brumborder's Miss Scarlett (Dr M A Mccall & Ms L Britton)
Entries: 15 Absentees: 6
1st - Intack Lady Eleanor (Mrs F J Matthews)
2nd - Onthill Amaryllis (Mr R & Mrs A M Ramus)
good skull, excellent small ears and correct Border expression, coat in very good shape. OK in topline, well muscled behind, good tail shape. Correct bone. Moved out better behind than in front. Good underline.
3rd - Cedarhill Wish Upon a Star (Mrs C Dean)
Res - Thistlestone Jellybean (Mr S Whisker & Miss J May)
VHC - Borderella Sweet Pea (Mrs P South)
Entries: 19 Absentees: 6
This was a very strong PG class with some good ones not in the first three – a line up that was stronger than usual for this class
1st - Baywillow Brown Braid JW (Mrs G Hyslop)
a very pleasing bitch with a good head not in any way overdone, scored very much for coat here and good thick skin. Moved well in front and behind and had conformation and type well combined. Slightly better in ear than 2 and very good in tail set and carriage. Good in topline. Enough bone
2nd - Cedarhill Rising Star At Brankell (Mr P Brannan & Miss M Kelly)
3rd - Iacheslei Corus (Miss A Harrison)
Res - Bromsden Bairnkine Brogue (Mrs L J Vintcent)
VHC - Foxfactor Cue The Music JW (Mrs K D Stockley)
Entries: 8 Absentees: 2
1st - Badgerbeck Prediction (Miss L M Jenkins)
pleasing in head, ears, eye and expression and had a good broad skull and correct strength of foreface. Good bone. Moved well front and was good in hindquarters too. Correct shoulder, neck and topline with correct tail and tailset.
2nd - Nogard Take Ten (Mr J A & Misses F F & E H Evans)
also pleasing in head though slightly bigger in ear than 1, good neck and topline, correct amount of length of body with ribs carried well back. Well muscled behind. Did not show with quite the style of the winner.
3rd - Worker's Playtime (Miss S Waller)
not shown today in the best of coats but very pleasing in outline, shape and overall proportions. Good tail and tail set. Good stifles and strong second thighs. Enough bone and good feet.
Res - Rhozzum Keynote With Foxfactor JW (Mrs K D Stockley)
VHC - Badgerbeck Tree Pipit At Tilmoray JW (Mrs M Small)
Entries: 13 Absentees: 3
1st - Thistlestone Jenny Wren ShCM (Miss J & Mr S May & Whisker)
a very sound bitch with an excellent outline. Moves well in front and OK behind when she gets into her stride. Very pleasing in head and expression with good flat skull and head shape which looks as it should – somewhat triangular in shape. Good eye. Correct amount of bone without being overdone. Pleasing tail shape, length and carriage. Good topline and shown in good coat. Well proportioned all round and went on to win the BCC.
2nd - Ravenside Zenyatta (Mr M Lowry)
very attractive colour, good neck. OK in head and plenty of strength of foreface. Good topline, correct hindquarters which were well muscled. Good in ribcage length and loin.
3rd - Sulan Look at Me (Mrs S J Baxter)
very pleasing outline with a good neck and topline. Good typical tailset, good shoulder and moved well in front and behind. Pleasing in coat and outline. Could be better in pasterns.
Res - Irton Enigma (Mr & Mrs D Fryer)
VHC - Olderhill Patience with Badgerlaw (Mrs B Marsh)
Entries: 11 Absentees: 4
1st - Picer Gilliflower (Mr G & Mrs S Pickering)
a good strong headed bitch, correct in flat skull with good breadth. Good body outline and good length of neck. Good feet and moved out OK in front and behind where she was very well muscled.
2nd - CH Cobstoneway Moon River at Clipstone (Miss E & Mrs J Jackson)
another with a very pleasing head. Shown in good full coat which perhaps made her look a shade less rangy than 1. Very good thick skin. Correct tailset. Moved very well in front. Very pleasing all round.
3rd - Biddestone Poppyseed By Quarryway (Mrs B & Mr K E Williams)
really excellent in head with good small well shaped and well carried ears. Good topline and very good in coat. Really good thick and carrot shaped tail. Moved particularly well behind – better there than in front.
Res - Rexlands Golden Plover By Karison JW (Miss K & Mrs D Johnson & Pearson)
VHC - Badgerbeck Ballerina (Mr J C Roberts)
Entries: 12 Absentees: 4
1st - Badgerbeck Fantacy JW (Mr J C Roberts)
pleasing in head with the correct stop. Ears could be smaller but good and positive in front. Good neck and topline. Not small but in proportion – with enough length of body for her height. Well made hindquarters kept her shape well on the move.
2nd - Penlumeg Pendant (Mrs B S Harris)
a very typical bitch with good head and ears. Could have done with some of the dead hair being stripped out here and there but pleasing in general outline and has good small feet.
3rd - CH Manx Margaid ShCM (Mr B J & Mrs K D Stockley)
not thin by any means. Good neck and topline, very good tail and correct pelt. Very well muscled behind. Good bone and pleasing in head and expression – but just a little portly.
Res - Tyrian Rosebud (Mr T & Miss K Wrenn & Langdon)
VHC - Aurora's Popcorn (Mr E Tart & Miss A E Speake)