NORWEGIAN BUHUNDS
I am sure you all know that this is the last time LKA will be at the NEC as next year it will be held at the Stafford County Showground and held over 4 days, nearer for some and further for others. I expect it is down to cost and now that it is an All-Breed show it is rather busy over the 2 days, and adding another day or two would be too expensive. Most will not miss the long walk from the car park or paying for the car park, although at Stafford the car park is on grass which might not be so easy in a wet year.
There is much discussion also about for the fact that for a two-year trial period the KC is relaxing the rule regarding benching at General and Group Ch shows, there seems to be a 50% split depending on your breed. If there are benching tents with no benches and an area for each breed fine, but if we have to go back to gazebos for outdoor shows where if you did not get there at the crack of dawn or you could not get near your ring, and the breed was all spread about I am not sure how it will work, coupled with the fact when we did it in 2021 the weather was never that wet or windy or very hot. I would have liked a system where you could book a bench if you wanted one, but I guess that would not be very practical.
Pastoral Day at LKA was the Saturday, when I first came into the breed some 30yrs ago, the late Elizabeth Coleopy used to relate the story of how a few years earlier she along with many others, had been stuck in snow on the M45 on the way to the show, and how they all had to be rescued. She would not enter the show for several years after that. Last year we had snow affecting the Nordic but not for LKA. This year it was very cold and there was snow in some areas, I checked the weather forecast on the Friday and it seemed the risk of snow in the Midlands and the south was very slight, so we packed the car and planned to leave just as it was getting light, as although the judging started at 9am there were 73 Alaskan Malamutes before us. The moon was still lighting the sky as we left and the car was registering -6, we had a good journey and everyone was there except Addrienne Frost Treadwell, who was coming over the previous evening on the ferry from Rosslare in Southern Ireland with four dogs, but Jacqui Walmsley told me that their ferry had been cancelled. It was nice to see Jacqui but she was upset as she was going to show some of the dogs, as she is a partner in the Frostisen Kennel. Addreinne told me later that they did not announce the ferry was cancelled until 5minutes past its sailing time! so all they could do was to turn round and go home, but they did have dinner in Rosslare first and the dogs had the liver cake that was meant for treats, so at least they were happy.
We had a change of judge but unlike Crufts where it was only the night before, we knew well before the closing date. Sue Hewart-Chambers has judged the breed on 4 occasions the last two were SKC in 2018 and Windsor in 2015. She gives CCs in 23 Pastoral Breeds,15 in the working group 18 in the Hound group and the Akita in the Utility Group.
We went in at noon and Sue found her BOB &DCC his 5th he also has 3RCCS in Jenny Shorer -Wheeler’s Ch Koromandel Tusen Takk(ai)Muchly he is by Trollheimens JR Made For Cascilius x Sturtmoor’s Eezee Luuva. He has had a fantastic year as he did not gain his first CC till SKC (May)but ends the year as Top Buhund and he was also shortlisted in the group under Stella Clark .This year’s Top Dog went down to the wire as going into LKA, Muchly and Jenny’s Ch Maidofcopper For Koromandel JW (Imp Fin)(Pikka) and Sarah Stonton’s Ch Arnscroft In Di Ana Jack RL1 ex who has 12CCs and 9 RCCs and is by Ch/Ir Ch Arnscroft Di To Be A Sailor x Ch Arnscroft Di or Comply were all on 10points gained this year, Pikka was not entered and Muchly’s win gave him Top spot. Jenny was especially thrilled as Muchly is her first homebred Champion owned by her, having a number of Koromandel Champions made up by other exhibitors. RDCC his 15th he also has 20CCs Nancy Kent and Jacqui and Michael Cobb’s Ch Koromandel Best Served Cold at Knytshall (Jamie) is by Can/Uk Ch Kyons Bold Norseman x Pikka. BPD Konner Owens Leggatts Night Fever he has a RCC and is by Sturtmoor Floki x Leggatts Voulez Vous .BCC her first after winning 3 RCCS Michael Patrick and Leigh Ashman’s Tapui Starla(Freya) by Jamie x Ch Kimura’s Vera with Tapui (Imp Nor).RBBC & BP she also has a CC Kirsty & Alex Irvine and Callum Gillies Blackcombe Bodil With Tapui (Imp Aus) by Kyon’s Urban Legend(Imp Can) x Aus Ch Rennedal’s Brynhild Skjoldmoy(Imp Nor).BV Sarah Stonton’s Trelowen Andrea AW(S) (Loxy) she has 1CC and 2 RCCs, she is by Ch Trelowen Conar Tun x Trelowen Kyoo. Sarah was also very pleased as Jack was shortlisted in the Good Citizen Stakes under Jill Peak.
After the judging we had a picnic at the benches with a lovely variety of food with some of Jenny’s fantastic homemade cakes, a very enjoyable day with a great atmosphere. As we were walking out, we met Celia Vines who said happily husband Mike is improving slowly, as some of you may know he was taken quite ill a few weeks ago.
At the end of the year ‘Our Dogs’ results, Jenny is Top Breeder, Muchly Top Buhund and Bodil Top Puppy, Congratulations.
Lisa Strong was very pleased as she took and passed ‘Points of a Dog’ exam at LKA which is needed for progression up the judging ladder.
Sarah’s Jack showed the versatility of the breed as the next day at a Level 4 Trial at Fosdyke in Lincolnshire he was third gaining his Excellent and moving up to Level 5. He also had a clear eye test on Friday, so he and Sarah have been very busy.
Stay safe everyone.
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