30 Breed Notes – Leeds & NoEKC Open 2019

What a difference a day makes, from Thursday being the hottest day on record to Saturday – windy, chucking it down with rain nonstop all day and the thermometer struggling to reach 14°. Leeds Ch show really did draw the short straw; it was a wet, muddy and miserable day for everyone!

Despite holding the North of England’s open show after the Ch show, Keesies were still second in the ring for judge Derek Smith (who last judged us at City of Birmingham in 2016) and judging started at around 11.45am. He had drawn an entry of 46 dogs with 11 absentees.

It was a fourth CC with Best of Breed for Natasha Hickson’s recently crowned Ch Kichigai’s Only The Lonley (Bert von Ricara (imp Den) x Kichigai Special Edition) with the Reserve Dog CC going to the winner of Limit, Antonia Atkinson’s Winklestar Skoll (Ch Winklestar Hadar x Eastkees Made To Order by Winklestar).

It was a first big green card for Geraldine Clark’s Kwajongen She’s A Muse (Ch Wund-R Y Workin For A Livin at Szaryk (IMP USA) x Ch Byquy Pebbles at Kwajongen) who was also Best Puppy & who then celebrated in style by getting Utility Group 2 from Judge Albert Wight, handled by David Matthews. The Reserve CC went to Steve & Sheila Brown’s Ch Rossvale Hidden Destiny (Ch Neradmik Handsome Hero x Rossvale Scarlett’s Secret) who is back in the ring after recent maternity duties.

Mrs Raye Parry was judging the Leeds City Puppy Stakes where Mel Harris and her Kichigai Boy Is Back In Town for Watchkees got a third placing in the Minor Puppy Dog class winning £6 prize money and Sharon Rose and Rossvale Endeavour to Esorkees got a second place in the Puppy Dog class and won £10.

It was a pity that we’d been scheduled 2nd in the ring as there was an empty ring right by the keesies benches which we could have used; but Derek Smith didn’t linger and the North of England started its open show around 2.00pm. A minute’s silence was held first in memory of Irene Howe who died earlier this year.

The Special Award Classes were held first and were judged by Donna Whincup. Winner of Special Junior Dog or Bitch was Gill Brunt’s Almaznyi Istochnik Vologodskie Kruzheva (Imp Rus), Special Post Graduate Dog or Bitch Simone Lush’s Ednaaron Moon Light and Special Open Dog or Bitch was Margaret and Michael Fusco’s Amikirs Lord Of The Bubbles

The judge for the open show which followed was Gina Marsh, who will be remembered by some of our older exhibitors for her Keesland dogs; they can be found (a long way back now) behind the majority of Keesies in the ring today. She was ably assisted by stewards Jenny Shorer Wheeler and Elaine Stubbings who managed to keep things running smoothly. Gina had drawn an entry of 41 keesies with 8 absentees.

Best Dog with Best of Breed was Natasha Hickson’s Ch Kichigai’s Only The Lonley (Bert von Ricara (imp Den) x Kichigai Special Edition) with Reserve Best Dog going to Sharon & George Rose’s Ch Rossvale Master Of Destiny for Esorkees (Ch Neradmik Handsome Hero x Rossvale Scarlett’s Secret)

Best Bitch, Reserve Best of Breed and Best Opposite Sex was Tom & Caroline Gate’s recently crowned Ch Lacetrom Shuna ShCM (Ch Winklestar Hadar x Lacetrom Cruivie) handled as usual by daughter Michelle Wright. Reserve Best Bitch was Geraldine Clark’s Kwajongen She’s A Muse (Ch Wund-R Y Workin For A Livin at Szaryk (IMP USA) x Ch Byquy Pebbles at Kwajongen) who was also Best Puppy in Breed.

For many though, the highlight of the Club’s show was the well filled Junior Handling classes which were judged by Barbara Stott (Ricara). Winners of the up to 12 years were: 1st Chloe Burrows (age 7) 2nd Callum Wright (age 10) 3rd Alex Burrows (age 9) 4th Liam Burrows (age 2) plus a couple of supervising adults! The 12 -16 year class was won by Lola Percy aged 12.

Jean Davies won the £25 lucky catalogue number prize and Sue Pattison went around and collected an amazing £74 for the raffle.

The weekend before at Cheviot & Berwick CS, Michelle and Ziva (Ch Lacetrom Shuna) won Utility Group 1 from AVNSC under Sandra Cooke and then went on to win Reserve Best in Show from judge Edith Rose.

Whilst young Ghost – Arabesque at Devonia is continuing with his winning ways as at Dorset County CS he was Best of Breed with Best Puppy and then went on to win Utility Group 4 and Utility Puppy Group 2 under judge Darren Clarke.

Anji Marfleet