NORWEGIAN BUHUNDS
The Norwegian Buhund was first imported into the US in the 1980s and was recognised by the United Kennel Club in 1996, when it was classified as a Northern breed. Then in 2009 the American Kennel Club officially recognised the breed, so that they could compete at the highest levels in AKC sanctioned dog shows. It had one parent club, and an official breed description which was the blueprint that is used by breeders and judges alike. They then had the chance to compete at the prestigious Westminster Dog Show. Once a dog has successfully won enough shows and has risen to the top, he may be invited to compete at Westminster. Only 3,000 dogs are allowed to compete so competition is very keen, the top five Champions of each breed are invited, there are also non-invited categories who can compete, they must have competed in qualifying shows and earned points towards their Championship but are not among the top five in the breed. The show used to be held early in the year at the historic Madison Square Garden in New York, then in 2021/22 due to the pandemic it was held outside at the Lyndhurst Estate New York with no spectators. This year it was held in May and for the first time at the historic Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre in Queens New York. Westminster is second only to the Kentucky Derby in terms of continuously held sporting events in the US. The BIS becomes ‘America’s Dog’ for the year, and while the show is on the Empire State building is light up in the show’s colours of purple and gold! I am sure most of you know that most dogs in the US are professionally shown, so they have Amateur-Owner -Handler Classes for dogs, handled by a registered owner who have not at any point been a professional dog handler, been an AKC approved conformation judge or been employed as an assistant to a professional handler. One professional handler is Amelia McLaughlin (Cloudpointe)who also breeds and owns Norwegian Buhunds, her MBIS MRBIS MNBISS GCHG Cloudpointe Ringside Gossip (Buzz) has been BOB 2 years running at Westminster and this year was also short listed in the herding group, he also has 9 BISs and 7 RBISs to his credit and is 25 top dog all breeds. Back in 2016 Amie imported Arnscroft Be A Sailors Son Di (Skipper)who she co owns with Di Stirling and Joy Fowler and who become a GCHB CH, she mated him to her very successful Buhund bitch GCHP CH Jotunn Bella Binna CA BCAT CGC and Buzz came from her second litter to him. Buzz’s elder brother was RBD at Westminster and his mother RBB so quite a record. Skipper is full brother to Sarah Stonton’s Ch Arnscroft In Di Ana Jack RL1 L 4 ex.
Back in the UK Pastoral Day at SKC was Sunday 21st May along with Working and Terriers. The May show is an all-breed show, it also has Obedience and Agility and for many years we would take the caravan up and do all 3 activities, and my first Buhund Ch/Ir Ch Wolfen Just In Time gained his third CC there. The show is held in the halls on the Royal Highland show ground, it used to be an outside show, but some years ago heavy rain caused flooding overnight before the first day, so the show was moved into the halls at the last minute, it was rather chaotic but they coped, since then however it has been an indoor show in the Highland and Lowland Halls, this year it was also unblenched. Buhunds were in the Lowland Hall and 6th in the ring after 5 other breeds but as two of those breeds only had 1 entry each it wasn’t that bad, so the total number in front of them was only 46. Our judge should have been Hedd Richards but sadly he had to withdraw on health grounds, we wish him a speedy recover. The appointment was taken over a couple of weeks before the show by Steve Hall, who last judged the breed at Crufts in 2022 when again he was a replacement judge, but then taking over only 24hrs before, and this was the second time he had been a preplacement judge at Crufts. He gives CCs in 46 breeds across 4 groups, and this is his 7th time of judging the breed. It turned out to be a day to remember for Kirsty Irvine with her Blackcombe Bodil At Tapui (Bodi) who Kirsty imported from Australia in May 2022, as she was awarded the BCC which was her third so gaining her crown, and was also BOB. Bodi was bred by Roberta Crouch in Australia and is by Aus Ch Kynon’s Urban Legand(Imp Can) x Nor/Aus Ch Rennedal’s Brynhild Skoldmoy(ImpNor). Bodi’s first CC was at the breed club Ch show last Oct under breed specialist Wenna Wallbank when she also BPIS and BOS in show. Her second was a Crufts this year under allrounder David Cavill. Bodi also has 2RCCs and now only needs 2 points to gain that elusive Junior Warrant, born on 13.01.22 she still has a few weeks to gain them before she is out of junior. RBCC her 2nd Jenny Shorer-Wheelers Sturtmoor Ffascination With Koromandel (Fable) she is by Ch Kormandel Best Served Cold At Knytshall x Sturtmoor Eezee Luvva DCC his 6th he also has 3RCCs Jenny’s Ch Koromadel Tusen Takk (ai) JW(Muchly) he is by Multi Ch Trollheimen JR Made For Cascilius x Fable. BP &RDCC and gaining his SB number, Nancy Kent and Jacque & Michael Cobb’s Leggatts Dakota at Knytshall (Toby) he is by Ch Rikarlo Gable (JW) x Knytshall Noor Ul Ain. BV Jenny’s Ch Maidofcopper For Koromandel JW (Imp Fin) (Piika), she is by Multi Ch Gnipagrottens QUx Multi Ch Cipacan Mila Magia, and has 15CCs &12RCCs. There was no love in the groups, but it was great to have the breed represented in every group except Special Beginners.
Stay safe everyone.
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