NORWEGIAN BUHUNDS
Birmingham National was the first indoor Ch show since Crufts 2020, the show was held over 4 days, all the halls were used including the Margaret Everton Building and there was also a large marquee with 8 rings outside, near the pavilion with an area behind the rings for exhibitors should it be wet, so no gazebos needed! Inside the rings were well spread out and all the doors were open where possible.
Pastoral day was again the Friday, we were in Annexe one which is off the main hall. We were first in the ring starting at 9am, so along with some other exhibitors as it was a Friday we stayed locally, but those who came up on the day did not seem to have any traffic problems, probably because they needed to leave home at silly o’clock! We all set up the cages and show paraphernalia by the far wall near an open door so plenty of fresh air, and nice and cool for the dogs as it was quite warm outside.
This year the show had no stakes classes or puppy or veteran groups but it had a number of breed club Ch shows every day.
Due to Covid travel restrictions we knew early on we had a change judge from Dr Annukka Paloheimo who lives in Finland, to breed specialist Christine Chapman (Bukris). Chris has judged abroad on many occasions and gives CCs in a number of breeds in the Pastoral and Working Group. She also holds sessions on Critique Writing, Stewarding, Requirements of a Dog Show Judge and Conformation and Movement at Ch shows for those wanting to judge. Kristy Irvine has taken and passed two of these with Christine getting 96% so well-done Kirsty. In the late70’s & 80’s Christine was a breeder and exhibitor of Buhunds among which was a very attractive Wolf Sable Alkola Alexis. Chris had her first judging appt in 1984 and this one was her 16th. She found her BOB & DCC his 4th in my and daughter Debbie’s Ch Rikarlo Gable JW he is by Ch Koromandel Best Served Cold at Knytshall (Jamie) x Ch Kimura’s Vera with Tapui he also has 4RCCs. Last week I wrote about special events making memories and so it continued at the National, as the RDCC went to a delighted Mary Dosson’s Kligenthal Bran Mak Morn (Teddy) his first, he is by Ch Arnscroft Di Na Mo Farrah of Koromandel x Koromandel Gild The Lily who is Jamie’s litter sister. Memories continued to be made this time for Millie Lambert’s with her home bred Sturtmoor’s Free’n Eezee (Sheira) as she won the BCC and her Crown, she is by Jamie x Stutmoor’s Free‘N’Ezee. She was BP & RBCC at Crufts 2020 under Kerry Frost, we then went into lockdown, at our first show back which was National Working and Pastoral Breeds Society Ch show Sheira won her first CC under Lynne Salt she was also BOB and shortlisted in the Group, her second CC was at Bath under Hedd Richards. We also had our club open show there and under Paul Conway she was RBIS. After the judging Millie wrote, “Today has seen me realise something that seemed to be out of my reach, with silly things happening over the years to my dogs, I have finally bred my very own UK Ch! I have bred UK and AKC Keeshound Champions, I have made up Champions for others as well as myself, but this is the first time, I haver bred and owned UK CH. Good things come to those who wait, and I have waited a long long time !!” So, a memory was definitely made.
It was great to see Sue Sercombe her daughter Jacqui and lovely granddaughter Charlie, who I think might be a junior handler in the making. We have not seen them since Crufts 2020 when their Trelowen Dizzy Rascal won her crown, here she was RBCC, she is by Ir Ch Tokyn Durian x Trelowen Pink Pigeon. They live in Northern Ireland and Sue told me that shows have not really started up again there, but they are hoping to go to Belfast Ch show at the end of October.
BV was Jacqui and Michael Cobb and Nancy Kent’s Ch Trelowen Veryan To Knytshall RL1 mind you Higham Press put her down as BP! she does not look or behave like a 13yr old but BP might be pushing it! She has 7CCs & 9RCCS and is by Ch Knytshall Ferdig x Int /Ir Ch Trelowen Yn Tek to Benzara. Sadly, there were no puppies, Friday being a working day was one reason.
The announcer for all of the show was our own Jenny Shorer-Wheeler, once she had opened the show she manged to pop over and watch the judging looking very smart in her green uniform.
It is not all about Ch shows, open shows are just as important and are a great way to advertises the breed. To encourage exhibitors to attend open shows the KC brought in Certificates that can only be won by attending Open shows. Neil Hood’s Ch Arnscroft Di Na Saw Us Rex VW ShCM(Dino) already has his Show Certificate of Merit and his Veteran Warrant as he is 11yrs old, both of which he won before the pandemic but a pandemic was not going to stop his winning ways. On 26th September Neil contacted me to say that at the Poole Canine Club Premier show held on the Bournemouth show ground, Dino was BOB and G3 under judge Karen Angier, and this award gave him enough points for Dino’s KC Show Certificate of Excellence (ShCEx). This is a relatively new award and Dino is the first Buhund to gain it as he was with the Veteran Warrant, so more letters after his name. To win the award the dog must obtain 50 points in group competition shows judged on the group system these must have been won after 1st January 2018, so not at all easy to gain, so many congratulations. Later Neil told me Dino had also won the Pastoral Veteran Group and was then RBVIS under Jane Eyeington what a fabulous result. Neil’s Sturtmoor Eeza Geeza at Buhcafrey was also RBOB so certainly a very good day at the office.
Buhunds love to do things right from an early age. Toni Kania’s Gladidegelli Erik Trana has just passed his Bronze Good Citizen Award at just 17 weeks old, and the day after Darlington Kirsty & Alex Irvine and Callum Gillies Tapui Let’s Blaze, was 3rd in his first scent trial at only 8 months.Clever puppies.
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