35 Breed Notes – B’ham City & KC Ch 2025

It’s been a few years since I last went to City of Birmingham, so I was pleasantly surprised by the ‘new’ hall we were in. Unlike the dark cavernous hall (with only large doors allowing natural light in and a concrete floor) which I remember, this hall was light and airy with the pale lime green carpeting in the rings making a good background to show the dogs against.

There were grooming areas marked out around the rings, but with no benching, again there was no provision for exhibitors with multiple dogs who do not use cages. This now seems to have become the norm for the general Ch shows (along with entries being sneakily being raised – not reduced) and certainly for an indoor show, this has become a major deciding factor as to whether to enter a show or not. I know some exhibitors who have just decided to stop showing altogether as it’s now just too much of an expensive hassle; no benching being the final straw.

The Keeshond Club’s Ch show was held first in the ring at the City of Birmingham with a 9.00am start for judge Laura Newman (Leazehond) awarding CC’s for the second time (her first appointment was way back in 2009 at South Wales) Laura had drawn an entry of 43 Keesies with 7 absentees. There were no entries for the Baby Puppy classes, Post Graduate Dog or Yearling Bitch and judging finished just after 12.20pm.

The DCC (his second) with Best in Show was Fideli’s Fr Ch Aragorn Elessar El’fiyskiy Berill (Pushistikoff Caesar x Almaznyi Istochnik Tantsuyuschaya Feya) winner of the Open class. The RDCC with Reserve Best in Show was the Champion class winner, Gill Brunt’s Ch Divnyi Drug Dar (imp Russ) (Russ Ch Cinerus Artic Prince of Star x Russ Ch Divnyi Drug Gusja Lebed)

BCC and Best Opposite Sex was Jean Sharp Bale’s recently crowned Ch Neradmik Shimmer N’ Shine (Imp Can) (Ikon’s Shine In The Spotlight x Neradmik Norma Jean) handled by Jane Ring and the RBCC went to the winner of Post Graduate, Val Tew’s Bargeway Breeze On By (Quest’ Eastkees Del Monte Dragnone (imp Ita) x Bargeway With Grace)

Best Puppy was Alison Bennett’s Zandvoort Mr Sunshine (Ch Divnyi Drug Dar (Imp Rus) x Almaznyi Istochnik Tropicheskaya Noch (Imp Rus))

Our judge for the City’s Ch show, judge Albert Wight (who last judged at Midland Counties in 2023) had quite a wait (he turned up ringside halfway through the bitch judging) so he started very promptly just before 12.30pm. He had drawn an entry of 47 dogs with 8 absentees; there were no entries in both the Good Citizen, Special Beginners or Graduate classes and judging was over and done with by 2.30pm

The DCC with Best of Breed went to Gill Brunt & Ch Divnyi Drug Dar with the RDCC going to second in Open – Joan Miles, daughter Sarah Dean and the Cullen’s Ch Skyline’s Outlander at Lekkerbek (imp USA)(Am Ch Windrift’s Dirty Hairy x Am Ch Skyline’s Mine Eyes Have Seen)
It was a first big green card with Best Puppy for Jane Ring’s young Neradmik Tinseltown at Baleissa (Torrikees Purple Rein x Neradmik Shimmer N’ Shine (Imp Can)) and the RBCC went to the Limit winner, Tyra Church’s Tykees We Go Solo (Shelderon Stemmig Sage with Tykees x Leazehond Amber Steppes for Tykees) handled by her daughter Elle.

A reminder that for the NoEKC’s Ch show on 12th September, held in partnership with Darlington Ch show; car parking is £6 pre-paid – passes must be purchased in advance via Higham Press or £8 on the day.
Extra passes for any dogs who are attending the NoEKC show only can be obtained from Jane Ring – email noekcsecretary@gmail.com
The Club show judge Sheila Jakeman, has attracted an entry of 43 Keesies and judging starts at 9.15am in Ring 18 (not ring 20 as previously advised); our judge for the Darlington Ch show, Tim Ball has an entry of 31 dogs and Keesies will be judged in Ring 19 following 63 Bulldogs

Anji Marfleet