NORWEGIAN BUHUNDS
I start with a message from Roger Thomas. “I would very much like to thank the Club and everyone who sent lovely cards and messages of support to me after Maddy’s passing. It was very much appreciated by my family and myself. Many cards were sent by the dog community generally, including the Manx dog friends we had made. The funeral was well attended and the two local societies (Isle of Man CS and Mannin KA) were represented. Thank you for your kind messages.”
All breeds need new judges coming along, because a shortage of judges tends to leads to judges judging too frequently and that in turn tends to lead to low entries. especially with a numerically small breed and long-lived breed such as ours. One of the first steps towards judging is learning how to steward. Marie Corin is looking to start to judging and below she tells of her first stewarding experience.
“Knowing that I was keen to get involved with stewarding, Lisa Strong had suggested I join her at the Mid-Western Gundog Society’s premier open show, held at the Kennel Club building in Stoneleigh Park. It was an early start leaving home at 6.30am, but it was a beautiful day and we arrived with plenty of time for coffee before judging started. As I was a newbie and Lisa is an experienced steward, I was put with her to learn the ropes. She explained about all the ways the day’s judging was to be recorded; the judge’s book slips, the catalogues, the stewards’ cards … then we did a walk around the ring to check it was all in order and there was nothing which could distract or harm the dogs. We had two judges in the ring throughout the day, the first for Labradors and the second for a range of smaller entry breeds and some stakes classes. It was interesting to see the difference of how the two wanted their classes to be run, they were different in terms of their pace, where they wanted the dogs to line up and how much they wanted to check details with us. As the day went on, I became more confident in what was required and took on the role of calling the classes (summoning up my loudest shouting voice), checking everyone had their correct numbers and handing out the prize cards. All in all, it went pretty smoothly, I only slipped up once when a lady turned up to the wrong class, I looked in the catalogue and found her number in the next class and said ‘oh you are a bitch’, of course I was referring to her dog! Luckily that was taken in good humour. The show was nicely run and the chief steward incredibly welcoming and grateful for our help, definitely a good experience for my first go and I am sure many more will follow.’ Thanks Marie, yes, I am sure many more will follow, shows are always s looking for good stewards.
In 2020 when we went into lockdown very few clubs had been able to have their Ch shows, so the KC said clubs could have 2 in 2021 which we were going to do, but as you know the show season became very hectic, and as the KC said clubs could have 2 in 2022 so long as one was with a partner show, we decided that was the best option. Our first one this year was with WELKS and our second one was held as a standalone event on Sunday October 22nd at Shirland Village Hall Derbyshire with Breed Specialist Wenna Wallbank (Dewin)holding centre stage for the main show,and Richard Kinsey (Kitarn)doing the three Special Award Classes,these are separate from the main show and are scheduled to help judges gain more knowledge of the breed .
The last time Wenna judged was at Working and Pastoral show in 2018, meaning that a number of the dogs entered were not born when she judged last. Judges like to have dogs to judge they have not seen before and exhibitors like to have judges that do not judge too frequently, which I think is one of the reasons Wenna had an entry of 32, Crufts only had 24. Wenna was a very successful breeder and exhibitor of Buhunds establishing her Dewin Kennel in 1978 and was top breeder in 1986 87 88 90 and 95, with the kennel winning over 80CCS, she aways said much of her success was due to her foundation bitch Ch Alkola Llian. Wenna held several committee positions over the years, including secretary and editor of Bu news and was the breed note writer of ‘Dog World’ for many years.
Travelling to the show was not a nice experience, sometimes the Met office get the forecast wrong, but not on this occasion the torrential rain and thunderstorms that had been forecast arrived with a vengeance, but happily everyone arrived safely.
Wenna found her BIS & DCC his 4th in Jenny Shorer -Wheeler’s Ch Koromandel Tusen Takk (ai)(Muchly)by
Multi Ch Trollheimens JR Made For Cascillius x Sturtmoor’s Ffascination with Koromandel he also has 3 RCCs. RDCC his 14th & RBIS Nancy Kent and Jacqui and Michael Cobb’s Ch Koromandel Best Served Cold At Knytshall(Jamie) he is by Multi Ch Kyon’s Bold Norseman x Ch Maidofcopper For Koromandel JW (Imp Fin)he also has 20 CCs. BPD &RBPIS Konor Owens Leggatts Night Fever(Kuma)he is by Sturmoors Floki x Leggatts Night Fever he has 1 RCC. BCC her 1st BOS BPIS Kirsty & Alex Irvine and Callum Gillies Blackcombe Bodil With Tapui (Imp Aus)(Bodi) by Kyon’s Urban Legend x No UCHC/ Aus Ch Rennedal’s Brynhild Skjoldmoy RBCC her 2nd Lisa Strong’s Leggatts Dancing Queen At Draccus(Eris) she also has 2CCs and was also Best Black In Show, she is by Frostisen Winsome (IKC)x Knytshall Noor Ul Ain. BVIS Kirsty Irvine’s Ch Kimura Vera At Tapui (Imp Nor) (Betty) by Nor Ch Kimur’a Per Gynt x Nor Ch Kimur’s Nelly,she has 3CCs & 3RCCs.RBVIS Nancy Kent & Michael and Jacqui Cobb’s Knytshall Diamond Ted he has a RCC and is by Ch Arnscroft Di Nah Saw Us Rex ShCM x Ch Trelowen Veryan To Knytshall.
Because these notes have to be sent to ‘Our Dogs’ I will continue the write up on the show next week.
Stay safe everyone.
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