NORWEGIAN BUHUNDS
Here Andy Platt tells of the first show after Crufts with Breed classes. ‘A great day was had by everyone on Sunday 24th March at the Herts and Essex Border Canine Society show, where Krystyan Greenland judged the Norwegian Buhund classes with empathy and patience for the younger competitors’ exuberance. Dexter (Mazads Nom de Plume) won BPIB, beating his litter sister, Luna (Mazads Joie de Vivre) and Lisa Stong’s Raven (Draccus I have A Dream. Dexter behaved brilliantly for his owner and breeder, Marie Corin, despite it being only his second time in the ring. Lisa’s Eris (Ch Leggatts Dancing Queen at Draccus took first place in the Open class then went on to Best of Breed, with Marie’s Bergen (Kligenthal Almuric taking RBOB. Although neither winner was placed in their respective Groups, it was a lovely sociable occasion for everyone, canine and human alike, and we were able to raise a glass to Loki (Lisa’s older Buhund) on his 12th birthday.
I have fond memories of the show as it was the first show I took Time to when he was just six months in March 2019.At that time it was one of the new Premier shows which were started by the KC that year to improve entries at open shows, it was held at The College Equestrian Centre Keysoe. To be a Premier show it must schedule 50% or more of the CC breeds separately classified in each group, so they had scheduled Buhunds and have done so ever since, although of course in 20020/21 there were no shows due to the pandemic. The first 4 in the groups qualify for Crufts and Time was 4th in the Pastoral Puppy Group, so qualified at his first show, the judge was the much-missed Hedd Richards who later gave Time the RCC at Bath in 2021 We had a good day as my Fizz (Ch/Bel Ch Tonylynn’s Charles Lafitte RL2EX AW(P) was 2nd in the Pastoral Veteran Group also under Hedd Richards, and it was the first show husband David was able to come to having spent 27days in hospital earlier in the year. When the show started up again 2022 it was held on the Polo Fields near Newmarket, but last year and this it was held at the Forest Edge Arean Equine Centre Swaffham in Norfolk! I guess if you can hold Manchester at Stafford, you can swap counties.
A week or so ago I received the winter KC Breed Record Supplement (Pastoral), in case you don’t know it is where New Registrations, Importations, Exports, Change of Name, Transfer of Ownership, Stud Book Entries, Champions and Challenge Certificates plus the BVA results for each Pastoral Breed are shown. What interested me was the registrations, the top breed in 2022 and in 2023 was the Labrador Retriever with 44,311 in 22 down to 38,074 in 23 an approx. 7% drop. Pugs were 14th in 22 with 3,451 but last year they had dropped to 20th place with just 1,994 that obviously reflects the concern about their health problems, that is an approx. 30%drop. In 2022 the 20th breed was the Toy Poodle with 2,106 last year it was up to 19th position but only up to 2,152. We obviously have a very numerical small breed but with a dedicated group of breeders, who have worked to protect the breed with as wider gene pool as possible, by bringing in dogs and bitches and using AI.The registrations although low are relatively steady. In 2014 12 were registered 2015 18, 2016 23, 2017 20, 2018 21, 2019 20, 2020 7 pandemic year 2021 25, 2022 19 and in 2023 15.We would probably like the numbers to be a little higher, but on the plus side the breeding stock is health tested and we seldom have dogs coming into rescue, as those wanting a puppy sometime have to wait, meaning that they really want the breed. We have already had a litter of five this year with several more planned.
Stay safe everyone.
Margaret Deuchar mailto:margaretdeuchar@gmail.com
