NORWEGIAN BUHUNDS
National Working and Pastoral Breeds Society Open Show was held on the Saturday 15th February at Ryton, the day storm Dennis decided to make an appearance. We also had a committee meeting, which meant we could show the dogs and then have a room for the meeting, this works very well boosting entries and saving travelling for a separate meeting. The show started at 9am and we were third in the ring, after Finnish Lapphunds, Samoyeds and Briards going in at 10.30am. The show is one the club supports giving prize money for BOB RBOB and BPIB. We had an excellent entry of 18(4 absentees) for Breed Specialist Kirsty Irvine (Tapui), she found her BOB in Nancy Kent & Jacqui and Michael Cobb’s Ch Koromandel Best Served Cold At Knytshall(Jamie),handled by breeder Jenny Shorer-Wheeler. RBOB was Jamie’s litter sister Lesley & Liz Butterworth’s Kormandel Gild The Lily. BP Millie Lambert’s Sturtmoor’s Free’n Eezee(Sheira)who is Jamie’s daughter,so a family affair. The show was very mindful of the weather, and where possible as soon as a ring was empty they moved breeds that were waiting to be judged into them. They also brought forward the judging of the puppy bitch stakes where under Betty Peach, Jenny and Ollie Shorer-Wheeler and Dawn Deeley’s Sturtmoor Ffascination with Koromandel was 2nd ,she is Sheira’s litter sister.Fizz(Ch /Bel Ch Tonylynn’s Charles Lafitte AW(P)RL2EX was entered in the Veteran Stakes judged by Derek Allsop, who also judged the St Bernards and as soon as these were judged, they opened up two rings and the Veterans went in, so no waiting around. To our delight Fizz won the class, even winning money! The whole show was finished by 2.15am just the same time we finished our committee meeting, so although the weather conditions had really deteriorated by then, at least it was daylight for the journey home for nearly everyone. Jenny though had a rather unpleasant experience. I was surprised on arrival well before opening time of the show to see how busy the car park was, but assumed wrongly that there was another show in the Sports Hall, in fact it was a Boxing Match, so many had to park on the grass as the road way was soon full. Jenny said ‘her van got stuck on the grass, there was not much help from the venue or dog committee, so she called the RAC, while waiting and debating approaching the Boxers for help, a small scale riot broke out because some traveller boxer lost a fight, cars were attacked with base ball bats etc. After about an hour two chaps whose van was parked behind her came back and also could not get out, so Jenny and partner Milan helped them out and they then got them out.’ Certainly not what you want after a day at a show especially with the weather conditions, but happily they eventually arrived home safely.
The next day Millie Lambert braved Storm Dennis and went to Llynfi Valley Canine Society Show, held in Maesteg Town Sports Centre in Mid Glamorgan. There were 6 Buhunds entered with 1 absentee. Millie said getting to the show was fine, she drove in convey with her niece and sister and they stayed in contact during the whole journey (hands free).The judge was Terrie Cousins-Brown who awarded Sheira BP & BOB, she was also PG4 and Pastoral PG 3. Socertainly worth the trip, and happily she had a trouble free journey home.
Time (Rikarlo Gable) did not go to the NW & PBS as Kirsty owns his dam, although she did not technically breed him as Lorraine Bolton whelped the bitch, and kept the puppies till they went to their homes, but I felt the connection was too close. He however had his day out the Thursday before when he did a Level 1 scent trial. The trials are based on detection nose work practiced by customs & Excise dogs, Bomb Explosive and Medical Detection dogs. For Level 1 the dogs look for a piece of material 3cmx3cm scented with cloves. There are four searches, one on the outside of a car, usually on the wheel or behind the number plate. Tables and chairs where it is usually on the underside of a chair. Outside Items such as water cans etc there have to be about 17 items, and Boxes and Luggage where it is hidden either in a box or something like a brief case. The dog can qualify by finding 3 out of the four searches, ideally of course finding all 4 and the handler can get up to 5 handling marks for each search. There are 20 marks for the dog finding each hide these searches is also timed. So the final results depend on how many hides the dog finds and the time in which they are found, 3minutes are allowed for each search. Time found each of the hides within 42secs, so I was thrilled when Time ended up in second place with a total of 80marks plus my 20 handler marks, which is called clean sweep and earns a special rosette.
Finally a message from Sarah Stonton, ‘we are arranging a Bu Walk on Sunday March 1st, to meet in the coach park, at Ferry Meadows Country Park Peterborough. There are car parking fees (camera controlled) and a very nice cafe with toilets, all Buhunds their owners and friends welcome’. Having walked there it is a lovely dog walking area.
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.