50 Breed Notes – BUBA 2024

It was a very wet, cold and blustery BUBA as Stafford caught the tail end of storm Darragh at the weekend. Keesies were first in the ring with a 9.30am start, which was delayed by half an hour due to the weather. Car parking was somewhat chaotic, as understandably, there were no parking stewards, so the majority of exhibitors elected to use the ‘abandonment’ method of parking, often with no thought or consideration for others.

For the second year running, there was no benching at BUBA’s Ch show; the empty spaces under the balcony being allocated for grooming and cages. This is all well and good, but if you are showing multiple dogs, don’t have cages and there is nowhere ‘to tether them’, it doesn’t make life easy unless you have someone to hang on to them for you. Outdoor shows on grass aren’t a particular problem as you can use a ‘dog screw’ to attach dog leads to; but a concrete floor is a different matter. Even then, there is nowhere to leave bags etc

If a society is going to do away with benching, then I really do think that an alternative should be provided – especially if their entry fees remain the same. It all comes down to value for money, no wonder entries are continuing to plummet for the majority of Ch shows as exhibitors vote with their feet.

Our judge was John Moate who was awarding CC’s for the first time and he had drawn an entry of 35 dogs with 12 absentees. Post Graduate and Limit Dog were absent and the largest class of the day was Open Dog with 7 boys entered; judging was over by 12.00pm

The DCC with Best of Breed went to Hickson’s Ch Only The Lonley (Bert von Ricara (imp Den) x Kichigai Special Edition) from Veteran, whilst the RDCC went to the Open winner, Vikki & Sean Marshall’s Arabesque At Devonia (Imp Rus) (Rus Ch Naidjel Iz Mirashela x Rus Ch Felicita Iz Mirashela)
The BCC went to Jean Sharp Bale’s Ch Neradmik Pandora’s Box (Neradmik Canache at Bisukees x Ch Neradmik Grace Kelly (Imp Can)) The RBCC with Best Puppy went down to the other end of the line to a delighted Val Tew and Bargeway Crystal Clear (Torrikees Purple Rein x Ch Art Pride Bomb Explosive Beauty (Imp Rus)) who was at her first Ch show

Like the majority of exhibitors, I wasn’t going to hang around with the weather worsening, so quickly did some shopping before packing up. I don’t have any details about how the Christmas bench party went as the food wasn’t being put out until after the Veteran stakes, which hadn’t even started by the time we left.

Anji Marfleet