08 Breed Notes – NoEKC Feb Open 2019

After an unseasonably (but very welcome) warm and sunny early start, there was an equally warm welcome and hot bacon butties ready to greet everyone turning up for the North of England Keeshond Club’s AGM on Saturday morning.

The Club has often had to change the date of its Open Show and AGM in February; usually due to the villages’ panto or because the local school’s half term dates have changed. This year for the seventh time in as many years, it was held on a Saturday. I know that it definitely makes life harder for those who have to work Fridays, but whether it has any effect on show entries or attendance at the AGM, I don’t know.

A few years ago the Club was left a very generous legacy from the estate of the late Carolyn Smith, who was DW’s Isle of Man correspondent for many years and as a Club, we are deeply indebted to Carolyn’s bequest. It is (amongst other things) being used to permanently fund class entries free of charge for members and due the Club now holding its July show in conjunction with Leeds Ch show – it is the February show which now offers free class entries for members.

The meeting was opened at just after 10.30am with welcoming speeches from our President Sheila Mac and Chairman Gordon Lister. They were then followed by Secretary Ian Stubbings, who gave his customary extremely comprehensive Secretary’s report. Sheila Mac presented the Club’s Annual Trophies and then presented the Congratulation rosettes which the Club gives to members who have recently made up a Champion. For those members who ‘won’ a rosette but weren’t at the AGM, they will be handed out at Crufts.

There was some discussion from the floor about the price of postage and things in general and raising membership subscriptions (which haven’t been increased during the seventeen years I have been Treasurer) to cover ever increasing costs. Needless to say, I was outvoted by a large majority and it was agreed to raise the subs by £1. From 2020 Single membership will be £9 and Joint £13; Young Member (aged 16-21 living at the family address) £5 and a child under 16 with no voting right will remain at £1.

But with no really contentious items on the agenda, it was all done and dusted for another year in plenty of time for lunch. There was no Keeshond Rescue report from Jeane Waller.

Before judging started just after 1.00pm, a minutes silence was held in memory of Colin Reed and Maureen Elliott MBE, both who had passed away recently.

The Special Award Classes were held first and were judged by Gillian Hull-Greaves, who had an entry of 16 dogs with 3 absentees. Special Junior Dog or Bitch was won by Gill Brunt’s Zandvoort Up An Purrsonal (AI), the Special Post Graduate Dog Or Bitch by Sue Pattison’s Eastkees The Sunbird and Gill also won the Special Open Dog Or Bitch class with Zandvoort Mr Bond.

Keith Baldwin was the Club’s judge for our open show in the afternoon and had drawn an entry of 34 dogs with just 7 absentees, four of which were bitches.

From Limit, Best Dog, Best Opposite Sex and Reserve Best in Show was Gill Brunt’s Zandvoort Mr Bond (Ch Zandvoort Dream Machine x Ch Vanstrand Quantum of Solace) and Reserve Best Dog was Joanne & Steve Hudson’s Shelderon Sacred Shadow (Bargeway Just Me x Eastkees Foxy Lady) from PGD.

Best Bitch and Best in Show was Pauline Wilson’s Gallowtree Tassel (Enreveyar Elgar x Ednaaron Mayweed at Gallowtree) handled by Richard Lemon. Pauline isn’t enjoying the best of health at the moment, so I’m sure that Ethal’s win will have cheered her up – to say nothing of her catalogue winning the lucky catalogue prize!

Reserve Best Bitch with Best Puppy was Dawn Gregory’s Doubly Delicious (AI) (Am Ch KJ’s Hot Date x Ch Amikirs Bubblelicious). Best Veteran was Tom and Caroline Gate’s 9 year old Lacetrom Cruivie (Am Ch Summerwinds So Intoxicating of Valindale (imp USA) x Kwajongen What Katie Did at Valindale) handled by daughter Michelle Wright.

All three of the Club’s shows this year are again being sponsored by Happy Dog, who generously provided 1k bags of food for all class winners and large sacks for all the main winners. Sheila Brown donated some lovely hand-painted glass specials for the main winners and badges for every exhibitor; plus a couple of painted glass items for the auction which raised £20. Nicky Potts had been busy baking again and provided her ever popular ‘last in the class’ consolation cup-cakes, which everyone wanted to win!

Nicky was also selling tickets for a laden raffle table which was manned by Ann Toward and between them they raised £87; whilst in the kitchen Nicola & Christina Barton, helped by Steve Brown, Debbie Palmer and Nicky were kept busy selling hot food and home-made cakes and they made a tasty profit of £76. Pauline Wilson was the £25 Lucky Catalogue number prize winner.

Judging was over by 3.30pm which gave everyone time to get home and enjoy the rest of the sunny day.

Last weekend Jane Saunders had entered her Liefkees Adina in Salisbury and South Wilts CS Limit Show, as she had to return the cups won last year when they got BIS & BPIS. They ended up going back home with two of the cups again as Aaike went BIS, this time from judge Lesley Cheatham.

Anji Marfleet