37 Breed Notes – B’ham City & Keeshond Club Ch 2024

At Darlington, the NoEKC’s Club Ch show will now start at 10.00am in Ring 21, Pavilion C. For any exhibitor
needing passes for dogs not entered for Darlington’s Ch show, get in touch with secretary Allison and she’ll email you passes to print off – if you haven’t received them by this weekend.

The following response was received from Keeshond Club Secretary Joan Miles on the use of a ramp.
To give some background, the possible use of the ramp was initially raised informally by Keeshond Club members in 2020 and in due course was brought to the Committee for consideration. In October 2022 members were notified on both Facebook and in the Breed Notes (NoE Breed Notes 43 on 3rd November 2022) of the opportunity to vote on the matter. The subject was also mentioned in the Chair’s Report at the AGM in March 2023.
Voting slips were taken to Championship and Open Shows and exhibitors who were members of both clubs were encouraged to give their opinions, both positive and negative along with their vote. Voting slips were distributed first at the Keeshond Club’s Open Show in October 2022 and at all Championship Shows up to and including the North of England Open Show in February 2023 and including the North of England’s Championship Show.
The Committee simply decided to act on the responses from the members who show their dogs and had voted during that period. The voting was actually an even split and so the Keeshond Club contacted the Kennel Club for their opinion on the way forward on the matter. The Kennel Club eventually responded, apologising for the length of time it had taken, stating that the Kennel Club Committee had directed that ramps could be used for Keeshonden, noting that the use of a ramp must be agreed between the society and the judge and clearly stated in the schedule of any show. It was noted that ramps should be used for the good of breed and not to assist a specific judge in carrying out an appointment. There is no requirement for a society to provide a ramp; this should be a discussion between those involved.
Committee votes did not ‘tip the balance’ as has been suggested. Committee members voted as they wished and I might add that not all were in favour.
I should reiterate what has already been stated – the ramp will only be used, if a show society can provide one, with the agreement of both the judge and the exhibitor and on a dog-by-dog basis. There will be no penalty for anyone who does not want to use the ramp.
I should also add that dogs do not necessarily have to walk up the ramp; they can jump up (it is not as high as a grooming table) or can be lifted up onto the platform part. Likewise, for getting off the ramp.
The use of a ramp does not change the fact that the Keeshond is known to be a free-standing dog – they are not stacked on the floor so there should be no need to stack them on a ramp. Judges will make their final assessment of each class of dogs on the floor, as they do currently.

Personally, I think that if the voting was split 50/50 (and the number of people who actually voted is still an unknown big secret) then it should have gone to an AGM to be properly discussed and voted on by all members, not just a select few. It will be interesting to see who is the first judge to request that a ramp be made available for them and how many follow suit.

At Birmingham City, the Keeshond Club held their partnership Ch show, which was judged by Ernie Paterson who had drawn an entry of 45 dogs with 10 absentees. There were no entries in Minor Puppy or Yearling Dog and Post Graduate Bitch; judging started at 9.30am start and was over by 11.300am.

The DCC with Best Opposite Sex went to the Matthews’ family and Tracy Lee’s Ch Winklestar Deneb at Valindale (Winklestar Reggie x Winklestar Serendipity) with the RDCC going to winner of the Veteran class, Natasha Hickson’s Ch Only The Lonley (Bert von Ricara (imp Den) x Kichigai Special Edition)
The BCC and Best in Show went to the winner of the Champion Bitch class, Jane Ring’s Ch Neradmik Tantrums ‘N’ Tiaras (Ch Samkees With Love to Neradmik (imp Mlt) x Ch Neradmik Grace Kelly (Imp Can))
The RBCC with Reserve Best in Show went to the Limit winner, Debbie Hopkins’ Serenaubach Andromeda (Elegant Sharm Galantnyi Kavaler x Serenaubach Auroras Dance) handled as usual by Simon Oakley.
Best Puppy at her 1st show was Sue Pattison’s Eastkees Amber Moon from Minor Puppy bitch.

Derek Smith was the Keesie judge for Birmingham City and after a couple of hours waiting, the judging started around 2.00pm and he had drawn an entry of 44 dogs with 14 absentees. There were no entries in both the Special Beginners and Graduate classes, Good Citizen Dog, Post Graduate Bitch and the Good Citizen Bitch was absent and judging was done by 3.30pm.

It was a crowning third CC for Sharon and George Rose’s Dianakees Inspector Morse at Esorkees (Ch Rossvale Endeavour to Esorkees x Ednaaron Moondance) from Limit. Lewis’s first CC was at SUBA this year from Janet Kay and his second came a few weeks later at Paignton from Lee Cox. RDCC was Jane Ring’s Ch Neradmik Shine On Harvey Moon (Imp Can)((Ikon’s Shine In The Spotlight x Neradmik Norma Jean)
Winning her second CC with Best in Show was Debbie’s Serenaubach Andromeda (Elegant Sharm Galantnyi Kavaler x Serenaubach Auroras Dance) from Limit, handled as usual by Simon. The RBCC went to the second in Limit, Michelle, Tom & Caroline Gate’s Winklestar Alsephina via Lacetrom (Vivids Majestic Prince of Winklestar (imp USA) x Winklestar Serendipity), handled as usual by Michelle Wright.
Best Puppy was Joan Miles, daughter Sarah Dean and the Cullen’s Skyline’s Outlander at Lekkerbek (imp USA)(Am Ch Windrift’s Dirty Hairy x Am Ch Skyline’s Mine Eyes Have Seen).

Anji Marfleet