30 Breed Notes – Leeds & NoEKC 2021

The shows are now starting to come in thick and fast now, with at least one Ch show every weekend. This weekend it was Leeds Ch show followed by the NoEKC’s Ch show carried forward from 2020. Although how long that’ll last remains to be seen as the news has just been released that Midland Counties have cancelled their show in October.

The week running up to the show had been gloriously hot and sunny; but nothing lasts forever – especially where the vagaries of an English summer are concerned! Friday had been forecast to start out cloudy and overcast, clearing later on in the morning; but the clouds got heavier and although it wasn’t actually raining, the air was wet enough to drip off the marquees. Very few of us had come dressed or shod for wet weather, we were all in summer dress & sandals mode – but it was great for the dogs!!

Everyone had been wondering how Leeds’s ‘new layout’ was going to work as gazebos etc weren’t allowed. As it turned out we all just ‘camped out’ under the cover of the marque in the space where the benching would have been normally.
We weren’t particularly cramped, there was sufficient space for everyone, but I suspect that was because the entries overall were down on previous years. Apparently it was far more crowded over the next 2 days, but by then the weather had improved and many people were outside around the rings.

Our judge for Leeds was Janice Bannister, who was awarding CC’s for the 1st time and this year Keesies were first in the ring with a 9.00am start. Janice had drawn an entry of 34 dogs with just one absentee, Open Dog and Limit Bitch were the largest classes and there were no Puppy Dogs entered.

The Dog CC and Best of Breed went to Natasha Hickson’s Ch Kichigai’s Only The Lonley (Bert von Ricara (imp Den) x Kichigai Special Edition) with the RDCC going to second in Open – Cheri & Trevor Rogers’ Aust Can Am Ch Keez Kause For Koncern (Keesway The Marksman at Keez x Keez Tayla Maid)

It was a first CC with Best Puppy for Dawn Gregory’s Amikirs Lovealicious (Ch Neradmik All About The Boy for Watchkees x Ch Amikirs Bubblelicious) and the RBCC went to the winner of Open, Nichola Kerr’s Caraspitz Good Luck Charm (Vanstrand Thunderball x Zandvoort Field of Dreams)

It was all done and dusted by 10.30am which meant that the NoEKC could get our show underway in good time; as it was our judging started around 11.30am and we were finished by 1.00pm.

Our judge for 2020 should have been Corrie Saes from Holland, but due to Covid travel restrictions etc appointments were exchanged and our substitute judge was David Iley (who last judged Keesies at Midland Counties in 2016) and he had drawn an entry of 31 dogs with 4 absentees. Despite scheduling nine fewer classes, there were no entries Minor, Puppy, Yearling or Novice Dog and none in Minor Puppy Bitch and again, the largest classes were Open Dog and Limit Bitch.

Winning the DCC with Best in Show and Best Veteran in Show from the Veteran class was George and Sharon Rose’s Ch Rossvale Master Of Destiny for Esorkees (Ch Neradmik Handsome Hero x Rossvale Scarlett’s Secret) with the RDCC going to the winner of Open, Joan Miles and Sarah Dean’s Ch Neradmik Family Affair With Lekkerbek (Ch Am Ch Kemonts Skyline’s Game Boy x Ch Lady Godiva’s Guilty Pleasures with Neradmik)

The BCC (her second) went to Jean Sharp Bale’s Neradmik Berry’s Swan Song (Ch Samkees With Love to Neradmik (imp Mlt) x Ch Neradmik Miss Hollyberry)from Limit and the RBCC with Best Puppy went to Dawn Gregory’s Amikirs Lovealicious.

Doris Purdon very kindly donated a £25 prize to Best Dog, Best Bitch, Best Veteran and Best Puppy and the Lucky Catalogue number was won by a very happy Sharon Rose who’s never won so much money at a show!!

There was a very well filled raffle table (thank you to everyone who brought a contribution along) and Nicky Potts managed to extract over £100 from exhibitors of any breed who were near our ring or just passing through.

On Tuesday Otley Canine Society held their first outdoor open show; they had a bumper entry of over 900 dogs and what a resounding success it was. Exhibitors were greeted with lovely short grass (with no wet cuttings lying around) planters of flowers in all the (good sized) rings; unlimited amount of parking behind the rings and with plenty of space for exhibitors to set up gazebos & umbrellas etc around the rings.

A surprising number of trade stands, catering wagons all contributes to a fabulous friendly atmosphere. Starting the (very well supported) stakes classes at 11.00am meant that they were all well filled throughout the day and by 4.30pm the show was still full of people, sitting around. Even the weather held out until just before the BIS judging started; a well organised show with a great venue, it put many a Ch show to shame.

Anji Marfleet