NORWEGIAN BUHUNDS
Paignton & District Fanciers Association’s Championship Dog Show turned out to be a great show for the breed and one that will certainly be remembered for some time.
The show goes back to 1909 when the late W Nichols judged the dog section of Paignton Fanciers Assoc in the basement of the Public Halls in Paignton, where there were various livestock sections of the Society. In 1923 the first open show was held in Queens Park and had 56 classes, and in 1927 the show had the biggest entry of any non-Ch show of with 1300 dogs, it also had various attractions including a Police Dog Demonstration and Whippet Racing. There were no shows during the war years. The first Ch show was held on 4th July 1951 in Queen’s Park which was said to be a ‘lovely show held in a superb setting’. The show had 1260dogs making 2395 entries with 35 breeds and 342 classes and was the first All-Breed Ch show to be held in the County. The show has gone from strength to strength with 150 breeds scheduled this year, and after a few moves has now settled at Westpoint Clyst St Mary Exeter, which can be reached from the M5. For some years it has been one of the few Ch shows to also host a Ch Obedience show which this year was held on the Friday with an Open Obedience show on the Saturday/ Sunday and an open Agility show over all three show days, two new disciplines were added this year, Hoopers and Flyball over all three days. There were a large number of trade stands and with a Companion Show on the Saturday, there really was something for everyone. The show was one of the few shows to have some benches last year, this year with all the attractions the show had been well advertised to encourage visitors, so to keep dogs safe this year in the showing area the benches and grooming areas were signed as being ‘for exhibitors only’.
There were 14 rings in the main hall, the other rings were outside in two marquees with red and blue stripped roofs designed to help keep the dogs cool as they kept the sun’s rays down. The main ring was under a clear span roof, but during the groups the dogs were allowed out of the ring to stay in the relative cool while the other were being judged, and the sides were all open. The rings were the in/out ones with the benches behind, the rings were marked out with tape on the floor, which is popular as on windy days flapping ring tape can upset dogs especially puppies.
Pastoral day was the first day the Friday, we were outside in ring 20 the last ring in Tent 1 going in just before 1pm after 55 Border Collies. There were no CCs here and our judge was Penny Roberts who is on our B list, she gives CCs in German Spitz and Samoyeds which she has judged in Australia, New Zealand, Estonia and Slovakia. She found her BOB & BD in Nancy Kent and Jacqueline and Michael Cobb’s Ch Best Served Cold at Knytshall (Jamie)he is by Multi Ch Kyon’s Bold Norseman x Ch Maidofcopper For Koromande JW (Imp Fin) (Pikka)and was handled as usual by his breeder Jenny. RBD Jenny Shorer-Wheeler’s Koromandel Tusen (ai)Muchly he is by Multi Ch Trollheimen JR Made for Cascilius x Sturtmoor’s Ffacination with Koromandel (Fable).BB & BV Jenny’s Pikka (Jamie’s dam) she is by Nor Ch Gnipagrottans Qu x Fin /Nor Ch Cipacan Milla Magia RBB Jenny’s Fable ( Muchly’s dam) she is by Jamie x Sturtmoor’s Eezee Luuva .
It was so lovely to again have puppies in the ring, BP was Leggatts Jive Talkin (Noodle) she is by Sturtmoor Floki (who is Fable’s litter brother) x Leggatts Voulez Vous. So, it turned out to be quite a family affair. Jenny also won the Adult Handling 31-45 yrs handling Muchly and Alysha Branchflower was 4th in the 17-21yrs a great result ladies.
There were three groups Toy, Working and Pastoral and each group had Special Beginners, Adult, Puppy and Veteran Groups. All except the adult groups were pre judged but they all went into the main ring for shortlisting and final judging, which was great as so often only the adult goes into the main ring but it did make for a long day. The Veteran Pastoral group not finishing till 8pm, but one advantage it was cooler for the Pastoral Groups, and I am sure none of the Buhund Exhibitors minded as it turned out to be a great day for the breed. First Jamie was shortlisted in the Group under Toni Jackson. Then Noodle was shortlisted in the Puppy Group under Andrew Stewart, it was only Noodle’s second show and she was handled by Jasmine Freeborn who has not been in the ring before, so a great credit to Noodle and Jasmine. Then to top it off Pikka won the Veteran Group as she had done earlier in the year at Windsor, the judge was Becky Johnson There may not have been a big entry but they certainly made their presence felt.
Jenny returned on the Sunday for the final of the veteran group, the winner was the Dalmatian with the Bull Mastiff in Reserve, but Pikka showed her socks off and moved beautifully and did the breed proud.
A Couple of weeks ago I said that Penny Glibbery had carried the Commonwealth Baton, for a section during the Baton Relay representing Severn Water. Two weeks on and husband Tom spent the day volunteering on the Severn Trent Water Bars, at the Commonwealth Games at the mountain biking in Cannock Chase, which he said was an excellent place to watch the race and meet the athletes. Penny and Rikrlo Grant aka Indy were there of course as support.
Margaret Deuchar margaretdeuchar@gmail.com
The views expressed in Margaret’s Breed Notes are hers and hers alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Norwegian Buhund Club of the UK