Norwegian Buhund

Breed Notes 22nd September 2017 Margaret Deuchar

NORWEGIAN BUHUNDS

Darlington Ch show had CCs for the breed when I  first started showing and  my Ch Wolfen Just In Time won his first CC there. A few years later the CCs were withdrawn but happily the show kept scheduling the breed. It has always been popular with exhibitors, as it has a number of stakes classes including one for Reserve Best of Sex in CC breeds and one for non CC breeds. The show itself began in 1860 when it was included with the Darlington Horse and Foal show, which added Sporting Dog Society to its name. In 1868 the show was held in the home of Mr Pease where the numbers continued to swell attracting 652 entries, the current Best Puppy in Show Trophy is named after Mr Pease and goes back to that date. The show continued with the number of exhibits and spectators increasing, also having several changes of venue. In 1884 the show accepted the Kennel Club as the governing body and continued under KC rules, receiving Championship status in 1900.  In 1891 the show moved to South Park where it remained until 2005 .The show stopped over the wars  starting again in 1955, then due to increased entries in 1987 it became a two day show and with  entries continuing to increase to celebrate the Millennium it became a three days .Due to renovations at South Park the show moved to Newby Hall in 2005,this was a lovely setting and it has beautiful gardens but was not perhaps quite so suitable for a large Champ show ,I remember one year Debbie carrying the dogs to the benches and then to the ring and an Afghan being carried on the shoulders of its owner  owing to the mud and flooded rings!

The show moved to Ripon racecourse in 2013 where it continues to be held. In 2019 it will become one of the ten all breed Champ shows so we will have CCs back , this will continue for three years on a trial basis and will then be re assessed by the KC. One of the conditions it becoming an ‘All Breed show’ is that it must rotate its days. This year Pastoral day was Saturday when the weather was rather cold but dry until the end of the day when the heavens opened, making the going rather unpleasant the next day for Gundog and Toy Groups.

Our judge was Tim Ball who has been judging for over 30yrs and gives CCs in 20 breeds across the Utility, Toy Working and Pastoral Groups, and is on our judging list. His chosen breed is the Shar Pei and he judged them at Crufts in 2000.  He found his BD & BOB in Shirley and Alf Dobson Sue Cale and Nancy Evans Ch & Ir Ch Arnscroft Di To Be A Sailor Ir J Ch, he was later G3 under Mrs Valerie Foss who is known for her very successful kennel of Elswood English Setters and Golden Retrievers. She gives CCs in 35 breeds and judged Crufts BIS in 2010. RBD Anne Smith’s Arnscroft Never Say Di, he was later 3rd in the stakes class for Reserve Best of Sex winners judged by Mr Gilchrist who gives CCs in 7 breeds and judges the Utility group.BB Jenny Shorer-Wheeler’s Ch MaidofCopper for Koromandel (Imp Fin )JW she recently qualified for the Junior Warrant semi finals at  Discover Dogs.RBB Sue Cale, Di Stirling ,Shirley and Alf Dobson’s Arnscroft Bibbity Bu she was later 5th  in the Post  Graduate  Stakes under Ian Blackshaw who in partnership with Daniels Roberts has a successful kennel of Tibetan Spaniels  Dachsunds and German Shepherds .Best  veteran in breed was Sue  & Laura  Cale  and Millie Lambert’s Ch/Ir Ch Arnscroft And  Tell  Di For Sturtmoor .Ian Blackshaw also judged the The Open Dog Stakes which was won by 7yr old Isaac Shorer-Wheeler handling Ch Arnscroft Di Na Mo Farrah Of Koromandel who he co owns with his mother Jenny and Kirsty Irvine. There may not have been a large entry of Buhunds but they certainly made their presence felt.

Last weekend Jacqui Cobb told me she took Ch Trelowen Veryan To Knytshall and Knytshall Angel Delight to the ‘Somerset Rally’ competition. In the morning Angel did a reasonable round, as well as the course you can do a bonus which adds to your points, in this case Jacqui said it was ‘leave your dog –call to heel’. She left Angel and then called her to heel ,she came running –went straight past and her and did what a girl had to do, much to Jacqui’s embarrassment .Veryan how ever made up for the disappointment by getting her  third level 1 qualifying  certificate in the afternoon . Which is fantastic as it means Jacqui has qualified both Angel and Veryan to have R1 EX after their name. Angel was the first Buhund to gain three level 1 excellent scores, and is now working at level 2.

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