122 Breed Notes – NoEKC Ch Show 2017

Sunday 19th saw the ice being scraped off windscreens for an early start for the North of England Keeshond Club’s Ch show. It was clear blue skies and sunshine, albeit with a seasonal nip in the air, for the rest of the day; but as usual, a warm welcome (& hot bacon butties) greeted exhibitors at the Brodsworth Miners Welfare Hall. The Club held its first Championship Show in Yorkshire there in 1970, and apart from a couple of years in Leeds; we have been there ever since. An almost continuous forty seven years of holding our championship show at the same venue must be a record of some sort!!

Our judge was the well-known ‘all-rounder’ Robin Newhouse, who had drawn an entry of 71 dogs with just 14 absentees – equally divided between the dogs and bitches for a change!

After 4 RCC’s it was a first big green card with BIS for the winner of Junior Dog, Matthews & Ransley’s Szaryk Dutch Bargemaster with Valindale (Ch Wund-R Y Workin For A Livin at Szaryk (Imp USA) x Keesridge Faithrustnpixiedust at Szaryk (Imp USA)) handled by David Matthews.

The RDCC went to Melanie Harris’ Ch Neradmik All About The Boy For Watchkees JW ShCM (Ch Am Ch Kemonts Skylines Game Boy (imp USA) x Ch Lady Godiva’s Guilty Pleasures with Neradmik (imp Fin))

It was a 4th CC with RBIS for Ivan and Alison Passmore’s Ch Torrikees Lust For Life (Ch Winklestar Hadar x Ch Torrikees Victoria’s Secret) who is just out of junior and the reserve CC went to Dawn Gregory’s Ch Amikirs Fabulicious Time JW (Eastkees Time Lord x Ch Amikirs Bubblelicious)

Best Puppy was Jane Saunders’ Liefkees Adina (Ch Wund-R Y Workin For A Livin at Szaryk (Imp USA) x Liefkees Angelika) and Best Veteran was Ivan & Alison’s Torrikees With Attitude (Swashway Mucadet x Trumpet’s Hand of Fate for Torrikees (imp USA))

Earlier this year, the Committee decided to commission a special trophy in memory of Bill Purdon to be awarded each year to the Best Handler at the Club’s Championship Show. The Club was delighted that Doris (accompanied by her son Christopher) could make the journey north to present the trophy for the first time. As Doris said, it was an emotional day for her and she was delighted to award the trophy to Jean Sharp Bale; whose handling, she said, Bill always admired. Doris also very generously donated a large sum of money to the Club, so that the trophy can be engraved in perpetuity.

For those of you who are wondering, the image of the dog used for the trophy is taken from Bill’s favourite photograph of Ch Ledwell Dutchman. During the 1970’s, Bill and Chips held many records, becoming the Breed CC record holder and winning the Utility Group at Crufts being just a couple of examples.

The star of the show had to be the Keesie cake table with the ‘Last in the Class’ consolation prizes. Nicky Potts had excelled herself baking and icing Christmas cakes decorated with edible Keesies; every class loser won a mini cake – with a surprising the number of people saying that they’d rather win a cake than a red rosette!! Nicky had also baked beautifully decorated cakes with Keesies for the Golden Oldie, the judge, RBIS winner and a ‘guess the name of the Keesie’ Christmas cake; which was won by Jean Sharp Bale and raised £45. A massive thank-you from the Club and lucky recipients to Nicky for her generosity and her baking skills!

The Golden Oldie rosette for the oldest dog entered and shown was won for the second year running by Ian and Elaine Stubbings’ Norkees Special Edition at Vandersee who is 14½ years young.

In the kitchen, Christina and Nicola Barton helped by Steve Brown, Jean Fitches and Pauline Wilson, were kept busy selling hot food and home-made cakes and they made a tasty profit of £135. Sue Pattison with daughter Michelle was in charge of selling tickets for a laden raffle table and with no-one escaping their powers of persuasion they took £171. The £50 Lucky Catalogue Prize number was won by Val Taylor.

The Child Handling classes were judged by Colin Barton, who also judged the Puppy Walk; Best Junior Handler was Callum Wright. The Club held a ‘Kiddies Drawing Competition’ which was judged by Sheila Brown. Winner of the ‘up to 6 years’ was Eloise Bates aged 4, her brother Joshua won the next category and Callum Wright was the overall winner.

Dawn Gregory was kept busy on the Club stall selling keesie goodies and the latest Book of Champions. A lot of Christmas presents were obviously being bought as she took over £300! Jeane Waller helped by hubby Peter, was selling her Christmas cards and the Keeshond Calendars.

I was busy on the door, handing out catalogues and the AGM ‘stuff’ with latest issue of Walkee Talkees, February Open show schedules and the Club’s Information Booklet. If you weren’t there to collect, your copies have been posted out snail mail and if you haven’t received them by the end of this week; please get in touch with Secretary Ian Stubbings.

All three of the Club’s shows this year have again been sponsored by Happy Dog, who generously provided 1k bags of food for all class winners and large sacks for all the main winners.

The show was all done and dusted by 3.30pm. Not only was it still daylight, but the fine weather held out, making it much easier for everyone packing away all their goodies and loading up cars.

Anji Marfleet