NORWEGIAN BUHUNDS
Otley Canine Society held its 50th Anniversary Premier Open Show which also included a JW Qualifier on Tuesday August 4th at Berry Farm Hillam Leeds. It was a fully outdoor show with no wet weather accommodation; there was plenty of room though for gazebos and small tent and the parking was round the rings. The Buhund judge was Richard Bott, he awarded Ollie Wheeler’s Ch Knytshall Thistle Ink It Up Koromandel JW (Inky) BOB and then shortlisted her in the final 8 out of 20 in the group.
Saturday August 8th was Pastoral/Working/and Terrier Day at Bournemouth Ch show. It is a 3 day show that used to include Monday and that is what it says in the diaries this year, but in fact it swapped all the groups around and started on the Friday and ended on the Sunday, with a Premier Open show on the Thursday with those Camping in mind I expect. The show is run by the Bournemouth Canine Association which was founded in 1911 and held its first show the same year, with their first Ch show being held on 1st June 1927. The show had several homes until the Association managed to purchase its own 50-acre ground, so in 2012 the show was held at its new home at Pikes Farm Organford Nr Poole, which was only 11 miles from where the first show was held. However it has now moved again to New Park Brockenhurst in the New Forest, the site is about 8acres and there is plenty of room for camping and the land is very flat which Pikes Farm certainly was not. The show also allowed gazebos, pop up tents and umbrellas in designated areas. Our judge was Jacky Cutler who is now a CC judge for Buhunds although has yet has not awarded CCs in the breed but gives CCs in 13other breeds in the Pastoral Group. Like last week at Paignton, we were 6th in the ring this time after 52 dogs, again going in about lunch time. BOB BD & BP Bridget & Chris Curnow’s Draccus Yin (Magnus).BB & BV Lisa and Alex Strong’s Ch Leggatts Dancing Queen At Draccus. (Eris)who is Magnus’s dam, she was later shortlisted in the last 8 out of 24 in the Veteran Group under Steve Bennett.
The Pastoral Group was second in and did not go in until 5pm with the Pastoral Puppy and Veterans after that so did not finish till 6.30pm, it was then the turn of the Terrier Group so an even longer day for Terrier owners. It meant that Lisa, Bridget and Chris not only stayed the night before but the night after as well, otherwise it would have been a very late arrival home.
The Friday before the 7th Sarah Stonton headed out with Ch Arnscroft In Di Ana Jack L10Ex R2 and below tells us why. ‘Jack and I had our first attempt at Scentwork UK L12 at Eyeworth Village Hall in Bedfordshire, and I am thrilled to say not only did he qualify but came 4th (only 6 teams competing) I believe this makes him one of only ten dogs to achieve a L 12 qualification. One of the competitors also succeeded in gaining her L12 Excellence by accruing 20+ points so now can compete in L13, which is planned but no trials have yet been organised. Jack was super happy after each search and worked brilliantly in the hall for the 2 interior searches finding all hides (clove, gun oil or truffle oil. The exterior search however did not go to plan! The exterior was very different from anything we have faced before. Four squares each of 3-5 metre sides laid out on grass with “walkways” in a cross between them. Bonus points are available if the handler keeps within the set areas. The odour for the first time was little bits of red Kong hidden in the grass. Jack can find Kong, no problem but there was the huge distraction of profuse rabbit droppings in the area so let’s say he overruled the command “find scent,” and spent most of the 4 minutes sniffing out and eating herbivore excrement! As a result, I did not enjoy those minutes at all but needless to say Jack did ! (Sarah, my Fizz would have been the same, another name for them is Doggy Maltesers)! The next day Sarah took Jack’s daughter Pixie (Wheatshade Snow Dreamer) L6 Ex to a SWUK Level 7 trial at Elton in Peterborough where again there were 6teams, Pixie qualified gaining a point but just missed out on a place, but now only needs one more point for her Level 7 Ex so is catching her dad up fast.
Margaret Deuchar margaretdeuhar@gmail.com
Any 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