04 Breed Notes – Manchester 2026

First show of the year and it was all back down to Stafford again, this time for Manchester; who along with LKA which was held there before Christmas, is now one of the few shows which still provide benching. For those of us who don’t have cages and trolleys, benching makes life so much easier. Somewhere relatively secure (and clean) to leave your dogs and belongings, instead of having to put them on the ground; where you really don’t want to think about what’s been on the floor – especially on the 3rd or 4th day of a general show. I notice that Birmingham National is now no longer a benched show this year; yet their entries fees have actually increased by a pound. And they wonder why entries are plummeting??

Our judge was Margaret Wildman (she last judged the Keeshond Club Ch show in 2024) and she had drawn an entry of 29 dogs with 6 absentees. There were no entries in both Special Beginners classes, Puppy Bitch and the Junior Dog was absent. Keesies were 3rd in the ring after 60+ Great Danes and 60 Shiba Inus (who had a not before 10.30am time.) Judging started at 1.00pm and was done by 2.30pm

Winning his first big green card with Best Puppy was Sue and Alan Hill’s Bargeway Dark Knight at Plymkees (Torrikees Purple Rein x Ch Art Pride Bomb Explosive Beauty Imp Rus) with the RDCC going down to the other end of the line – Sean and Vikki Marshall’s Arabesque at Devonia Imp Rus (Rus Ch Naidjel iz Mirashela x Rus Ch Felicita iz Mirashela) winner of the Veteran class.

It was also a first big green card and Best of Breed for Tyra Church’s Tykees We Go Solo (Shelderon Stemmig Sage with Tykees x Leazehond Amber Steppes for Tykees) from Limit and handled by her daughter Elle. Also winning a first (smaller) green card was Ann Downs and her Torrikees Maggie May (Jen’ndi’s New Adventure For La Lumiere D’hemera x Torrikees Freya AI) from Junior.

A reminder that entries for the North of England Keeshond Club’s Open show on 15th February at Netherton VH close next week on the 30th January. On-line entries only via Have A Dog Day. The Club’s Annual Trophies will also be presented to the winners at the show.

Anji Marfleet