Norwegian Buhunds
This year the club combined the AGM with the first of our two Ch shows, held at Bearley Village Hall Stratford-upon-Avon on Saturday 12th April. The AGM was held inside but with the dry sunny weather we have been having we were able to hold the show outside on the grass. The ring was set up with bunting of Norwegian flags marking the ring, the cold wind of previous days had stopped, and it was pleasantly warm. There was a small tent for the judges table, where our excellent steward Lorraine Bolton could also do the paper work, with young Bethany Guillod -Rees handing out a dog toy to every class winner along with a sample packet of Platinum dog food to every entry, with larger bags going to the top prize winners. Thanks to Lisa Strong for once again arranging with Platinum to sponsor the prizes .
Our judge was Cheryl Denham- Horton, awarding CCs in the breed for the 5th time. Her last appointment was at Crufts 2016.Those of you who have been in the breed for some years will remember her Reinark Duffy born on the 12th August 1991, he had a very successful show career with 23CCs and 11 RCCs and was 2nd at Crufts under the late Terry Thorn ,when it was the Working and Pastoral Group combined, he was also used in the International Junior Handling Finals at Crufts in 1995. Mated to Trelowen Sotel of Rikarlo they produced Ch Olpenden D’Zimba who became the breed record holder with 29 CCs and 8 RCCS for some years until in 2009 his daughter Chris Cross’s Ch Arnscroft Di-Nahs-Mite took it over.
There was a great entry of 32 Buhunds making 57 entries for Cheryl who found her DCC his 19th he also has 16 RCCS in Jacque & Michael Cobb and Nancy Kent’s Ch Koromandel Best Served Cold At Knytshall (Jamie), he was also BIS & BVIS as he came from the Veteran class, not that you would know he was a veteran. RDCC his 6th he also has 21 CCs Jenny Shorer-Wheeler’s homebred Koromandel Tusen Takk JW ShCEx OSW (ai)Muchly .RBIS & BOS & winning her 8th BCC she also has 4RCCS Kirsty Irvine’s little lady from down under Ch Blackcombe Bodil At Tapui (Imp Aus)(Bodi).RBCC her first BPIS & Best Black in Show ,Jenny’s Knytshall Thistle Ink It Up Koromandel (Inky). RBPIS Jacque ,Michael and Nancy’s Knytshall Ragged Robin (Rowdy)who is Inky ‘s litter brother .RBVIS was Jamie’s litter sister Lesley & Liz Butterworth’s Ch Koromandel Gild The he Lily(Hildy) .Another winner although not in the top awards was Millie Lambert’s homebred Sturtmoor’s Gon’n Dun It (Gunna)who won the Junior Dog class with the win giving him enough points for his Junior Warrant , I think he is probably the youngest Buhund to gain the award at just over 12months and 10days being born on 2nd April 24.
We had the lunch break after the dog classes were finished with everyone bringing various goodies and the club providing a very nice platter of various sandwiches.
With our Club Ch shows after BIS there are several other classes, the Brace class had 4 lovely entries with the winners being Sue Crocker’s Brace of Leggatts Superstition(Franny)& Leggatts Jive Talkin(Noodle )handled by Jasmine Freeborn. In brace both dogs must be in the same ownership. The winner of ‘Special Bred by Exhibitor ‘ was Sue’s Jive Talking again handled by Jasmine . ‘Special Not Bred By’ had a great entry of 9 with the win going to Ann-Marie Taylor’s Frostisen Blakk Zitter (Penny). The Progeny class was won by Ch Koromandel Best Served Cold At Knytshall (Jamie). Then came Trophy Challenges where the winners of the dog classes go up against the bitch class winner. Of course some had already been decided but there are Trophies and Rosettes for all the winners, and some dog winners had not met the bitch winner. Inky won the Trophies for Best Puppy, Best Junior, Best Special Yearling, Best Postgraduate and Best Black. Best Limit went to Lesley & Liz Butterworth’s Kligenthal Einar (ai)(Ruskin). Best Open Noodle.Best Champion Bodi. Best Veteran Jamie. Best Special Vintage Veteran Jenny’s Ch Maidofcopper For Koromandel JW VW (Imp Fin). Best Special Working my Ch Rikarlo Gable JW L6 Ex (Time ). I think it is just as well Jenny has a van not sure she would have had room in a car for all the trophies plus everything else she brought for the show!
Many of you will know that the RKC has given us permission for the breed to use a ramp in the ring, which is used all the time in the US, hopefully this will benefit dogs and judges alike. Exhibitors do not have to use it if they don’t wish. Lisa very kindly brought along her own ramp for the ring. Cheryl examined the dogs on the floor before inviting them to have the experience of walking up the ramp. I think nearly all the dogs happily walked up the ramp with just a couple needing a little encouragement.
We also had Special Award Classes at lunch time which I will write about next week along with the AGM.
Margaret Deuchar margaretdeuchar@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