35 Breed Notes – WKC & SKC 2018

A bumper set of notes this week, as for some reason my report for the Welsh Kennel Club never got sent into cyber space!

At WKC Keeshonds had well known toy judge Dr Geoffrey Curr, who was awarding CC’s in the breed for the first time and he had drawn an entry of 32 dogs with just 5 absentees from 2 classes, Open Dog and Limit Bitch. There were no entries in the Junior, Novice and Post Graduate Dog or the Veteran Bitch classes. Keesies were scheduled second after Chow Chows and got into the ring just after 11.00am and were done by around 12.30pm – giving time for the judge to be photographed with his main winners before lunch.

It was a sixth CC with BOB for George & Sharon Rose’s Ch Rossvale Master of Destiny for Esorkees (Ch Neradmik Handsome Hero x Rossvale Scarlett’s Secret) It was also a third reserve best dog in succession for Sue Lindsay’s Mezanda Merry Starshower (Nor Ch Dungens Nice Guy x Mezanda Mai Starshine) but this time it gave Disney his first big green card as it was the RDCC.

The BCC went to Dawn Gregory’s Ch Amikirs Fabulicious Time JW (Eastkees Time Lord x Ch Amikirs Bubblelicious) and the RBCC was also a first big green card for Christina and Roger Wilkin’s Whizzkees Ebony Sinders JW (Luddelos Figaro With Valindale (Imp Swe) x Ch Whizzkees Silver Slipper) who was fresh back from her maternity leave wearing a nice new jacket.

Best Puppy was Sue Lindsay’s Cosmic Dream’s Damn You Look Good for Mezanda (Imp Nor) (Dungens Never Ending Dream x Dungens Kosmic Love) Sue and young Asta then went on to get a second place in the well filled Eukanuba Pup Of The Year Minor Puppy Stakes from Judge Jean Lawless, winning a product voucher.

For a change the weather at Builth Wells was warm and sunny, which enable the dogs to be judged in the spacious outdoor rings as opposed to inside the halls as is more usual. But it was certainly all change, as the glorious fine sunny, weather we have been enjoying all summer came to a very abrupt end – almost overnight, typically just in time for the Bank holiday weekend .

The following weekend it was the turn of the Scottish Kennel Club which doesn’t offer tickets for Keeshonds in August. With the non CC breeds paying £12 per dog to enter, plus a £5 car park fee to pay; it is little wonder that the entries are low. I do feel sorry for our northern exhibitors who have to literally pay such a high price to support their local show.

Our judge was Linda Morton who had drawn an entry of 10 keesies with 3 absentees. The classification was the same as last year with two mixed sex classes – Puppy and Post Graduate & two Open classes. Keesies were fifth in the ring and were judged inside one of the large main halls.

Best Dog with Best of Breed was George & Sharon Rose’s Ch Rossvale Master of Destiny for Esorkees (Ch Neradmik Handsome Hero x Rossvale Scarlett’s Secret) with Reserve Best Dog going to Ronnie & Karen Shepherd’s Lyntova I Am Legend (IKC) ShCM (Cedarhills Shamrock Foreign Correspondent Lyntova x Lyntova Midnight Dream)

Best Bitch was Tom and Caroline Gate’s Lacetrom Shuna (Ch Winklestar Hadar x Lacetrom Cruivie) handled as usual by daughter Michelle Wright and Reserve Best Bitch was Linda Divers’ Ir Ch Kichigai Rare Edition at Murmansk (Natlou’s Young Pretender under Kichigai x Samkees One More Kiss to Kichigai (imp Mlt)) handled by daughter Jane Usher. Best Puppy was Sarah Murray’s Flatmeer Flightberry (Bargeway Keen to Rumble x Flatmeer Fleurette) aged 6 months and 1 day, both at their first ever show.

I had promised to steward as usual for my training club’s 2 day outdoor Obedience Championship show over the weekend; which I began to regret volunteering for as soon as I saw the weather forecast! And for once the Met office was totally accurate; Sunday dawned wet with dark grey skies and we had to endure heavy persistent rain all day long. The only ‘consolation’ being that the KC have finally done away with the 10 minute stays for the higher classes; but in that weather even the 5 minute stays were still more than enough. Everyone, both two and four legged beings, were thoroughly wet and miserable!!

Monday was marginally better as we only had the odd downpour, but instead we had to contend with a bitter wind which kept blowing the all tables and chairs over. No nice dry wet weather rings here –obedience folk are definitely made of sterner stuff. It’s a fair few years since I last had to wear both waterproofs and thermal clothing on an August bank holiday weekend and I’m still waiting for my boots and thermal ski gloves to dry out. It looks as if autumn has definitely arrived!!

Anji Marfleet