NORWEGIAN BUHUNDS
I CANNOT believe that the 50th Anniversary celebration weekend of the club is over. It was a number of years ago when Michael Cobb was chairman that he mentioned we should start thinking about the celebration. First the date had to be chosen July 22nd/23rd was decided upon as though it was Leeds Ch show, at that time they did not have classes. (Last year we had classes back ready for 2019 when they will have CCs for the breed .We contacted them explaining the clash and so they did not schedule the breed this year.) Next we had to ask the KC to agree to the move of the Ch show to July from October. A venue was also needed, Gail scoured the country to find a suitable one, as sadly the venue we used for the Millennium celebrations no longer allows dogs. We needed somewhere that was easy to access, large enough, with a good car park, a restaurant , and ideally where we could have a dinner in the evening ,by booking so far in advance a deal was made with the Sky Blue Sports Connexion Ryton to have sole use of the arena, for the weekend. Then most importantly we needed a judge, ideally one from Norway who knew the Breed but had not judged here regularly. We chose Mr Christen Lang who had judged the breed at the US speciality some years ago and on the continent but it was his first time of giving CCs in the UK, so it took some time for the KC to pass him, he told us he had to fill in a lot of paper work .His first breed when he was 10yrs old was the English setter but in Norway they are very much as hunting dog, so as he was not a hunter he changed to the Norwegian Lundehund. This breed is very definitely a numerically small breed as they have digestive problems,there is a programme running now which used Buhunds crossed with the Lundehund to see if they could breed out the problem. In 1987 Mr Lang imported the first Shiba into Norway and has over the years bred over 31 Chs. In 2001 he was given a prize for his lasting work to save the Lundehund and establish the Shiba breed in Norway.
We were told we could not get into the arena before 9pm on the Friday evening to start setting up, I arrived about 8.50pm but a number of people were playing Squash so I decided to find the hotel. Has your sat nav taken to where your destination should be, to find you can’t quite reach it because there is something in the way! In this case a closed bridge, it was pouring with rain and getting dark but happily for me there was a lovely lady out for a walk, who gave me exact details of how to find the way round to the hotel. I unpacked and went back to the arena but they were still playing squash so I found my way back to the hotel. Millie then contacted me at 9.30pm to say they were in the arena but I am sorry to say I did not go back. Millie husband Peter, her mum Marcia and Gail spent a long time setting up, Millie had hired two rings with posts but the bases of the posts all needed to be filled with water! to stop them falling over. The next morning everyone arrived early to finish setting up. Anne and Heather were every good a decorating the hall with Norwegian Flags and bunting .One of the things the judge said was he was so touched when walking into the hall to see the flags. Gail set up a wonderful display of achieve material and there was a video of the 25th Anniversary Runnung. The beautiful rosettes and trophies were laid out,Gail and Marcia were stewards and show manager Jacqui Walmsley made sure at 10.30am prompt the 50th Anniversary Ch show sponsored by Royal Canin was underway. BIS & DCC his 19th Shirley and Alf Dobson Sue Cale & Nancy Evans Ch/Ir Ch Arnscroft Di To Be A Sailor (Sirius)he also has 7 RCCs, he is by Ch /Am Ch Visions Dino of Trollheimen(Imp USA) (Casper) x Arnscroft Di Sing On Ice(Tusk). RDCC his 3rd Sarah Stonton’s Arnscroft In Di Ana Jack by Sirius x Ch Arnscroft Di or Comply. BPD & BPIS Katharina Baier & Nat Merry’s Sturtmoor Elfinn’s Luck(Finn) by Ch Arnscroft Di Na Mo Farrah of Kormandel x Sturtmoor Dream Maker at Gazenorth ,this was his first show. BVD & RBVIS My & Debbie’s Ch/Bel Ch Tonylynn’s Charles Lafitte(Fizz) AW(G) R1EX by he is by Ch Olpenden Malachy At Parvodene x Fullani Feema Avec Tonylynn he has 3CCs & 3RCCs .BCC her 4th she was made up at SKC this year, Lillian and Michael Rumsey’s Arnscroft Di Nah May she is full sister to Sirius, she also has 5RCCs.RBCC & BVIS (this was her first time in veteran) Millie Lambert and Mairwen Bailey’s Ch Bernegarden’s Reve Enka Av Sturtmoor (Foxy) (Imp Nor) she is by Can/Nor Ch Vaulartun’s Tomba Kimura x Nor/Swe/Bel Lux Ch Kimura’s Frida unfortunately Mairwen was not well enough to attend but I am sure she was delighted with Foxy’s Rosettes and Trophies .BBP Millie Lambert’s Sturtmoor Eezee Luvva full sister to Finn. Best Black Millie Lambert’s Ch Svartkonge Av Sturtmoor(King) (Imp Nor) JW SHCM by Vaakebjoon’s Ob Fin x Ronja.
The Brace class was won by Brenda and Tony Bethell’s Lux /Int Ch Arnscroft Glad Di Ola at Minforst(Freya) by Ch Trelowen Conar Tun x Ch Arnscroft Kiss and Tell for Sturtmoor & Minforst Galadriel by Freddy x Freya & in the team class the same owners Zodiac’s Featuring Fredrik at Taevas of Minforst(Freddy)(Imp US) joined the Brace winners to win class he is by Am Ch Hundehaven’s Captain Voyager xAm Ch Zodiac’s Gracious Gretchen.Breeders class was won by Eezee. Not Bred By Exhibitor Jack and the progeny class by Di Stirling’s Tusk who is the dam of the Dog & Bitch CC winners.
At lunch time Michael Patrick (Coldasice) judged the special awards classes, these are classes put on to help judges gain experience in the breed and to give them numbers of dogs judged. They are completely separate from the other classes and no Best Of can be awarded. OD 1st was Peter Lambert’s Sturtmoor’s Destiny Day by King x Foxy. OB 1st Fiona Dunn, Gail Hussey Maddy Norman & Anne Smith’s Arnscroft Di Doh elder sister of Jack. Ch Dog or Bitch 1st Foxy. Both judges were given a present as a reminder of the day.
Before the main show started again, I cut the fantastic Anniversary Cake made by Jenny Shorer -Wheeler, she had also made biscuits in the shape of Buhunds a Chocolate Viking boat a Norwegian Cottage and some smaller cakes ,thank you Jenny for all your cooking it really was a fantastic display.
All the rosettes including the beautiful green white and gold special rosettes for the ‘Best of Awards’ were all made by June Purves. Earlier in the year the committee decided that it would be nice for all the classes to have a commemorative first prize rather than the one the ones that have to be given back after a year. Debbie was given the task of finding trophies which were then approved by the committee. Glass blocks with stands that light up were chosen for the first prizes and photos frames for all the ‘Best of’ or ‘Reserve Best’ of winners, every dog entered also had a glass coaster, all the awards had the club logo and Anniversary dates. Having been President for two terms and now having the honour to having been elected for a third, I thought it was time I gave something to the club so I had a new badge made with the new logo as my gift for the occasion, hopefully everyone that walked through the door received one including all the visitors.
The daytime events over it were back to the hotel ready for a wash and brush up for the dinner dance to be held in the Warwick suite at Ryton. The evening had been organised by Sue Cale and started with a three course meal, the judge then talked for a few minutes on his judging experiences aboard and the breeds he has had bred and shown .He also commented on the show saying may of the dogs would do well in Norway but we needed to watch the tails, as a number needed more curl. He ended by giving the club a book on Norwegian Breeds which I have at the moment but will go with the archive material. (Tails are quite difficult all my three need more curl but they all go back to my Ch Wolfen Just In Time who had the tightest tail ever.)
Roger Thomas was our after dinner speaker talking about the History of the Club, he and his wife Madeline had come over from the Isle of Man and had joined us earlier in the day. They established their Squirreldene Kennel in 1976 and were top breeders from 1989-1992. Ch Squirreldene Bjanka was a former Breed Record Holder and was Buhund of the year in 1987 and Ch Squirreldene Sverke was Buhund of the year in 1990/1991. They also bred Norwich and Norfolk Terriers and more recently German Spitz. Roger paid tribute to our Patrons Shirley and Alf Dobson who were founder members of the club and who have held most positions within the club. Roger was given a gift from the club to thank him for his talk and to remind him of the Anniversary. Then the dancing began and I saw a number of members in a new light, and boy did the judge know how to party staying right to the end.
In my blog next week I will tell you about the Fun Day and our guests from abroad.
Unfortunately Neil Hood could not join us on the Saturday but kept the Buhund flag flying at the Dorset County Canine Society Show, held on the Sunday at The Kingston Maurwood Equestrian Centre Dorchester where his and Julian Collins Ch Arnscroft Di Nah Sawr Us Rex ShCM (Dino)was BOB under Krystyan Greenland and his Paul Glaholm & Sophie Wildig’s Sturtmoor Eeza Geeza was BP. Later Dino was PG2 & Geeza Puppy G 4 under Terry Munro.
I finish with sending many congratulations to Kirsty Ann Gillies who married Andy Irvine on Wednesday July 26th which was also Kirsty’s birthday, I am sure we all wish them a long and happy life together.
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