National Terrier Club

Bedlington Terrier. National Terrier 2023.

Dr Ian H Gabriel

As always it was a pleasure and an honour to judge at this the most prestigious terrier show. I would like to thank Mr Stuart Plane and his hard-working committee for the invite to judge Bedlingtons. Many thanks for a numerically good entry. There were no recurring faults in today's entry, and reassuringly exaggerated top lines were in the minority. However I was slightly concerned that we are losing the typical Bedlington gait which is of paramount importance, and quite number of dogs came towards me in an untypical fashion with heavy footfall. I thought my principal winners were quite exceptional, and I was delighted to see that my best to breed annexed, in good company, the best in show title at this important show. SBD: CHESTER’S Miteymidgets New Direction. Pleasing two year old who impressed with her overall shape. Head of correct proportions and good dark eye. Correct for bone and feet. Good overall shape to her topline. She has the best of thick and linty jackets and of nice dark colour, although would have preferred her topknot to be lighter. Moved well in both directions with typical gait although I would have preferred her to have carried her tail a little lower. MPD: LACEY’S Bowlingbrook Hummingbird. Promising young quality male. Has a lovely head piece with good depth and well filled up foreface. Nice neck and shoulder. Pleasing front. Correct topline although would like a fraction more rise over the loin for completeness. Nice hindquarters with correct turn of stifle. Lovely typical front action with a beautiful side gait. A nice dog although I wouldn’t want him to grow on too much. PD: MARTIN’S Honeymist Firecracker. Sandy male of full of quality and breed type. He has a very nice head which is narrow deep and unbroken. Correct eye shape and colour commensurate with coat. Good reach of neck into correct flat shoulders. Deep chest. Good bone and feet. Well off for bone. Correct topline which is not overdone. Very pleasing hind angulation. I wouldn’t want him any bigger. Moved well in all directions. Was considered for the RCC but wasn’t quite himself in the challenge. BP. JD: BANNISTER’S Miteymidgets Modern Love. This is a very nice Bedlington who, although stood alone here, I am sure could have topped a good sized class of juniors. This blue dog is quality throughout. He has a very nice overall size and shape. Super head, which is narrow, deep, unbroken and well filled. Super dark eye. Good front and bone, correct foot shape, although nails could do with a tidy. Deep broad chest. Correct flat rib. Correct topline. Quality coat and top knot. Moved well. Overall, a quality male who was considered for the RCC. PGD: JACKSON’S Woolytop the Marshman at Padztar. Nice dog who is good for size. Pleasing head and eye. Nice head and expression. Ok for bone. Correct front assembly. Chest deep and broad. Topline not exaggerated but he falls away slightly at the croup which distracts from his overall silhouette. Moved well in front although a little close behind. LD: JACKSON’S Woolytop the Saxon at Padztar. Liver dog. Correct size. Pleasing head piece. Good length of neck although a little steep in shoulder. Nice front and bone. I would prefer a gentler rise of topline. Correct coat texture. Moved well. OD: An interesting class with dogs of different type and size. CUMMING’S Ch Rocabec Riding Shotgun. This was a new one to me and I thought him quite lovely and the one to beat from the moment he came into the ring. This blue dog is of correct size and has a lovely outline. On the table he did not disappoint at all. He has a super head piece of correct proportions and length, with correct dark eye. Correct front and bone. Best length of neck and shoulder placement. His topline is difficult to fault. Good hind quarters. He is just moderate throughout without losing any of the essential breed characteristics. Correct coat texture. Was pushed hard by a very good dog who stood second

to him but in the final run around just upped his game. A pleasure to award him the CC. I noted after that he is by my dog CC winner the first time I awarded CCs in this breed, he has inherited his many virtues. Pushed hard in the challenge for the breed. 2. SCOTT’S Ch L’End Show Melody. Another male of excellent quality. Much of the comments of 1 apply. He also has a lovely head and expression. Correct in front. Good neck and shoulder into a pleasing non exaggerated topline. Moved very well, just didn’t have the reach in front of 1. 3. OFFER’S. Ch Woolytop The Werryman. RCC under me previously and I still think he is a very good Bedlington, just not behaving in front today.

PB: HARRIS and CLEAVER’S Ratzwell Jolly Jubilee. Raw bitch nevertheless with many qualities. Quality head piece with correct eye. Good neck and shoulder. Nice front and feet. Needs to develop in loin. Needs to settle into her job but when she did move her footfall and gait is correct. JB: SCOTT’S Janmark Je Ne Sais Pas Avec Mickleview. I thought this bitch was quite beautiful and if she had a little more jacket would have pushed the principal winners hard. This bitch has a super head and expression. Her head is narrow deep with correct set ears of correct texture. Super neck into correct flat shoulder with correct placement. Has a lovely deep chest and her topline is textbook. Correct hind quarters and well let down hocks. My notes comment that her movement is exceptional. I really considered this bitch for higher honours and in that regard today she was unlucky. I think with fair play this bitch should gain her crown. 2 MITCHELL’S Paceypaws Philippa. Very raw youngster. Nice for overall size and shape. Pleasing head. Not quite the front of the first placed bitch and needs to settle in front action. Needs to drop her tail a little on the move. PGB: 1. LACEY’S Bowlingbrook Tumbleyweed. Pleasing head and expression. Nice length of neck and correct shoulder. Excelled in overall shape and balance. Good quality jacket and very typical and correct action on the move. 2. COOPER AND DAVIES’S Rapharnis Miss Joy Division. Lots to merit in this bitch. Nice head. Super front assembly. Nicely made body. Moved well. 3. MARTIN IMPEY’S Silverkinn Wittelsbach Gem. LB: 1. BISHOP’S Honeymist Pinky Promise at Chaselyne. Easy winner of this difficult class. This liver bitch excels quality and was unlucky not to have annexed higher awards later in the day although pushed hard for the RCC. Little to dislike in this bitch from her strong yet feminine head, lovely size and super outline, and correct bone. She is a super mover and I really fell for her. Her crown I am sure will come in time. 2. PORTER-MANNING’S Woolytop Secret Wispa among Wallaroo JW. Another nice bitch. Pleasing overall shape. Good length and depth of head. Nice dark eye. Correct front and ok for bone. Correct topline. Quality jacket. Correct front action but not quite so good going away. 3. HARRIS AND CLEAVER’S. Jobanker Vertuous Veronica. OB: This was a quality class with some lovely bitches present. I would have been more than comfortable awarding any of the first three a CC on the day. 1.MACNALLY’S Ch Conekesheved Too Shy. She is not new to me having awarded her the puppy group at Southern Counties just under a year ago. How she has fulfilled the promise she held then, and has matured into a very beautiful adult bitch. I wouldn’t want her any bigger but otherwise today was hard to fault. She has a beautiful head piece with a narrow skull of good length and depth, covered by a top knot of correct texture. Good dark eye of correct shape. She has a super length of neck into the best of shoulders. Correct front with typical long yet strong patterns. Deep and broad throughout the chest, but you wouldn’t mistake this specimen for anything other than a bitch. Correct flat rib. This bitch has the desired overall shape, good hindquarters and with well let down hocks. She is in good hard condition and the best of jackets. Her front movement is so correct and on side gait I could watch her go all day. Her dam was BOB under me at Manchester a few years ago and she has

passed on many her qualities in abundance to her daughter. An easy CC, and BOB over in my opinion a world class male. She excelled herself in BIS and in a strong line up annexed the top spot. Congratulations. 2. MCCUSKER AND AME’S, Ir Ch Fioralainn Caoimhe with Sharnor. New to me. Very nice bitch with a super head and expression. Good length of neck into correct shoulders. Nice front. Correct topline. Moved well with typical Bedlington action but not quite the overall animation of 1. 3.BISHOP’S Ch Chaeslyne About Thyme. Another quality bitch who deserves her title and completed a trio of quality bitches.