NORWEGIAN BUHUNDS
No UK Ch shows to write about but so many club members have been out and about, that I really did not know where to start. I decided on date order as being the best way.
I am sure many of you will have heard of the Munster Circuit in Ireland, you may even have exhibited there. It consists of four all breed shows held in August, usually ending on the Saturday of the Bank Holiday weekend. Munster is the most southern of Ireland’s provinces consisting of counties: Clare, Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary and Waterford. The four shows are Clonmel, Killarney, Limerick and Tralee. There is a free day for rest in between each show for exhibitors to travel to the next show, although many travelling from main land UK rent a house or cottage for the week as a base. Ireland is a large country and there is a great deal of driving involved, the shows though are very relaxed, all are held outside with the cars being parked near the rings, many exhibitors using gazebos and with numerous picnics taking place. There is also a show the day before Clonmel at Navan but this only for Groups 1, 2 and 5. IKC has for some years been FCI so as Buhunds are in G5, it gives the breed an extra show where Greens Stars can be won. To be an Irish Ch 7 GSs have to be won under 7 different judges, at least one being gained after the dog is 15months, dogs have to be graded excellent before they can be eligible for a GS.
In the 1980s the late Elizabeth Coleopy and Gail Hussey had been regularly doing the Munster Circuit in AVNSC, gradually persuading shows to schedule Buhund classes. (Now they are FCI if you have a breed you can enter it and they will put classes on, so long as it is a recognized FCI breed.) I joined them when I had my first Buhund along with my Elkhound both of which became Irish Champions. Treena, Elisabeth’s daughter, Debbie and Sue Sercombe would often join the party, we had some very enjoyable trips. I also learnt how you show a Toy dog in the rain as we also had a Papillion. The answer was under an umbrella!
Then in 2001 the terrible Foot & Mouth outbreak occurred and all dogs from the mainland UK were stopped travelling to Eire. I had no problem with this but what annoyed me was that Irish dogs were allowed travel to the UK to attend shows and then go back home. I have never done the circuit since, going to the Continent instead. This year there were no Buhund or Elkhound exhibitors from mainland UK on the circuit. It is enjoyable but quite expensive and dogs now have to be vaccinated against Rabies.
I am indebted to Adrienne Frost Treadwell who moved to Eire some 15yrs ago with her parents Kerry and Fritz Frost. She sent me a full report on the circuit which was especially difficult for her as she has a broken wrist. “The Irish Circuit 2017. We wait all year for the circuit and then before you know it’s over! This year was no exception. We had some great results for all of our dogs, with each of them being given ‘excellent’ grades and ‘very promising’ for the puppy. The White Shepherd Int/Ir Ch Class Act of Sereno Spirit at Frostisen was unbeaten winning BOB at all five shows. Our Schipperke Ryeman Rekha at Frostisen gained her Sh Ch title and won 5 GS two with BOB against some stunning competition. The only dog I entered was my Elkhound Int /Ir Ch Sh Ch Tredington Biggleworth who only went to three shows as he is mad as a hatter; he won three GSs and one BOB.
The Buhund results were also remarkable with all entered receiving the best possible grades. Navan was the first show where judge Mr A Moran from the USA gave BOB & GSB to Jacqui Avery’s Trelowen Dizzy Rascal, a lovely young bitch from the junior class, she is by Tokyn Durian x Trelown Pink Pigeon, I think she was also shortlisted in the Group .GSD Sue Sercombe’s Ir/Int/Uk Ch Trelowen Conar Tun by Kimura Didrik x Trelowen Yn Tek At Benzara. The RGSs went to Dermont Buckley and Kerry & Fritz Frost’s Trelowen Anastasia & Trelowen Dison who also took BP. Clonmel was next with the GSB & BOB going to Anastasia under Finish judge Mr Berhanenan. Dison tookGSD RBOB &BP. Killarney saw a nice surprise with puppy Dison taking the GSD & BOB with Anastasia taking GSB &RBOB under Mrs McNalley. Limerick once again saw Anastasia not only take GSB & BOB under Mrs N Karlsdotter from Sweden but G4 under the well- respected American judge Mr J Lobb .Dison was GSD RBOB & BP. The final show was Tralee and under Mr Kilpatrick, Anastasia was again GSB & BOB whilst Dison was GSD RBOB & BP.It was a fabulous week with some really great results, we also had some great support with Caro & Alenna coming to my rescue when I needed handlers because of my broken wrist. My Jellybean (Black Lab) sat ringside to make sure we didn’t forget anything. Dison is a fully trained sheepdog working alongside two Border Collies he is owned by Dermot Buckley who has a two thousand flock of sheep. Dermot saw the breed when visiting Kerry and Fritz who live nearby, he is also in their name to make it easier when entering shows .Dermot came to Limerick to see his boy and is now hooked saying I can continue to show him. He is by Conar Tun x Trelowen Lola.Anastasia is also by Conar Tun x Trelowen Kyoo” Thanks Adreinne, I asked her how she broke her wrist, her reply was not quite what I expected! She said “My husband ran me over with a tractor! The drive belt broke so the brakes failed! It was me or the dog and he wasn’t going to hit my dog or he would have been in real trouble! If I had been skinny I could not have stopped the tractor” There really is no reply to that.
The Saturday of the Bank Holiday saw me travelling to The Summer Open Agility show held in March which is in the fen area of Cambridgeshire, to join Debbie & partner Richard who had arrived the day before .The first person I saw was Sarah Stonton with her Trelown Andrea (Loxy) who interestingly is Anastasia’s sister .They were there to join in the Saturday competitions. They had a successful day with two fourth places, the weekend was successful all round Debbie’s two dogs both had a first and several clears and Fizz had a 2nd in Grade four agility at his fist show at grade four and several clears .One of Richard’s also had a win but the star of the weekend was his Cavalier who although he did not have a first he had a place in virtually every class he went in, ending the weekend with well over a 100 points so now is only a few off his Diamond agility warrant the highest warrant there is. The weather was also fantastic if a little hot at times.
On the Sunday Neil Hood took his Paul Glaholm & Sophie Wildig Sturtmoor Eeza Geeza at Buhcafrey to South Wilts Canine Society open show at The Wellington Academy Sports & Fitness Centre,Tidworth, Wiltshire, where under Mrs Debbie Stansbury Gezza was RBOB AVNSC .Neil told me it was a new venue, a lovely sunny day with a friendly committee.
On the Sunday Jenny Shorer- Wheeler made her way to the City of Leicester Open Show at Ryton, which was the venue for our 5Oth celebrations, taking with her Ch Maidofcopper for Kormandel JW, who she co-owns with Lorraine Bolton, where under Tracy Irving she was BOB AVNSC and PG1. Most importantly though she was one of five dogs selected from a Junior Warrant heat held at the show to go to the JW semi finals at Discover dogs in October, the qualifiers from the semis then go to the finals at Crufts 2018. To qualify she had to have gained her JW between 1st July 2016 -30th July 2001. The judge was Stephen Atkinson, at the semis the dogs are split into two groups and the judges are unknown until the judging starts. Many congratulations to Jenny as this is the third dog she has qualified, the first some years ago was her Malamute Abi Chubbins Fuzzins McGee but a couple of years ago she qualified Ch Arnscroft Di Na Mo Farrah of Koromandel, to qualify two Buhunds really is a great achievement especially in a numerically small breed such as ours.
Finally Jacqui Walmsley judged the South West Handler of the Year at Exeter & County Canine Society Show.
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