Border Union Agricultural Society

BORDER UNION 2023.

Best Puppy In Show.

What a privilege and honour to be invited to judge all of the 7 Puppy Groups and BPIS at one of the best Summer shows, Border Union. A huge ‘thank you’ to Brian Stevenson and his team for such a stellar appointment and I must say that this show is not only so well-organised, but it is one of the friendliest and ‘best atmosphere’ shows that I have been to for a long time. Add to this the sublime weather conditions and a real ‘country’ show layout, this year at Border Union was sheer perfection!

All of the 7 groups were hotly contested with many outstanding puppies being short-listed but narrowly missing out on a ‘final four’ placing. This bodes very well for the future of our sport.

I was delighted with my ‘final 7’ and in the big ring it came down to star quality, attitude and performance. Coming out on top from this star-studded lineup was the outstanding Afghan Hound, “PRAMYA KEEP YOUR EYES ON ME” (Imp Fin).

This youngster exudes that unmatchable and unmistakable ‘Afghan’ aloofness. She has the most feminine and typical of heads, that almost ‘how dare you look at me!’ expression and to be frank, I had no option but to “keep my eyes on her” as her Kennel name dictates. Her make and shape are text-book, she has the best of outlines, her top-line is sublime but it was on the move that she simply blew me away. I haven’t seen such perfect, mesmerising, effortless ground-covering action for years. Her extension and carriage is faultless. I will watch her career with interest. I had no hesitation today in awarding her the overall BPIS award.

Runner up was another exceptional future prospect, the wonderfully elegant and powerfully made Great Dane, “PRIMUS DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER SAMDICE”. She pushed the winner hard and is equally feminine with a superb head shape and intelligent and kind expression. Her carriage and flowing outline are captivating and she presents a picture of perfect balance with grace and strength. On the move, she was foot perfect in all directions and she, like the Afghan, must have the brightest of careers ahead.

Gundog Puppy Group

G1 Melverly Iridescent. This outstanding English Springer headed a strong group of puppies and was pushed all the way by the other 3 placed future stars. I just loved this youngster for her true breed type, exquisite head and her fantastic, flowing, outline. She is the epitome of moderation and was handled to sheer perfection. Her movement is accurate and purposeful and she must surely title with ease. She was so close up to the Afghan and Great Dane in the final competition, I could seriously have taken her home.

 G2 Caldewriver Storm N' Teacup for Katillien, I really liked the head, expression, femininity and overall balance of this GWP. She has the best of top-lines and was shown in excellent harsh jacket. She, like the ESS, was foot perfect in all directions with an easy, ground-covering side-gait and she must surely have an excellent future.

G3 Affilato It Had to Be You, My notes say ‘It just had to be you too!’ I loved the breed type of this excellent Italian Spinone who will also most definitely have a very bright future. Her head plains are exemplary and her balance and flowing outline first-class. Handled sympathetically, her movement was fluid and precise. I think that she has more yet to come and she has time on her side to fully mature when she will undoubtedly trouble the best. She is a lovely example of a favourite breed of mine.

G4 Gunsyn Hottoddy, I just could not resist this superb Bracco Italiano, the only male in the line-up. Brimming full of promise, he is still very raw but has a gorgeous head and great balance. On the move he is simply electric, powerful and precise and I quite literally could not take my eyes off him. He completed an exceptional quartet of top quality youngsters.

Hound Puppy Group

G1 Pramya Keep Your Eyes On Me (Imp Fin). This youngster exudes that unmatchable and unmistakable ‘Afghan’ aloofness. She has the most feminine and typical of heads, that almost ‘how dare you look at me!’ expression and to be frank, I had no option but to “keep my eyes on her” as her Kennel name dictates. Her make and shape are text-book, she has the best of outlines, her top-line is sublime but it was on the move that she simply blew me away. I haven’t seen such perfect, mesmerising, effortless ground-covering action for years. Her extension and carriage is faultless. I will watch her career with interest. I had no hesitation in awarding her the overall BPIS award.

G2 Priorpark Poetry in Motion. I thought this Rhodesian Ridgeback quite stunning. She is feminine with no exaggeration and has a lovely make and shape. Her top-line is excellent and she is powerful on the move with elegance and real style. She pushed the winner hard.

 G3 Neithund Angus. This Smooth-haired Dachshund is very hard to ignore. He exudes quality, type and is so very stylish in all departments. I liked his masculine head and he has an excellent fore-chest with real depth. His top-line is rock solid and his movement was precise and full of purpose. I felt that he just lost out to the two above him today on ‘personality’. He completed an excellent trio of future stars.

 G4 Armardio Against The Wind. This Basset Hound is a wonderfully free and accurate mover and has a super and typical head shape with a melting expression. He holds a decent top-line with good tail-carriage and he thoroughly deserved his place in this hotly contested Puppy Group.

Pastoral Puppy Group

G1 Mybeards Sweep. This Polish Lowland Sheepdog presents a strong and balanced outline off square with an excellent top-line and fabulous angles fore and aft. His head is well-proportioned and he carries it correctly on the move where he is moderate and precise. In excellent harsh jacket (with colour co-ordinated handler attire too!) he looked a real picture of quality and, for me, won this Puppy Group competition with some to spare.

 G2 There's Something About De Chester at Snowmead (Imp Fra). I really liked the head on this Bearded Collie, ultra-feminine and so balanced. She holds the perfect top-line and has great tail-carriage. Fluid and easy on the move, she was well-handled and could not be denied the runner up spot.

 G3 Joseter Morgan Plus Four. A Cardigan Welsh Corgi of distinction with an excellent flow of neck into well-placed shoulders with an equally good top-line. He is masculine with no hint of coarseness, quite foxy with lovely big ears and he just needs to really fill his frame and he like so many of the puppies today, must have the very brightest of futures. He was a good mover in all directions.

G4 Huntly Dark Secret in Dykebar (Imp Ire). A very raw but very beautiful youngster Border Collie, giving a lot away but she is brimming full of potential. She has the most feminine of heads and a melting expression. I love her size and her outline and on the move she is really precise and was totally at one with her able handler. She completed a line-up of really exciting puppies.

Terrier Puppy Group

G1 Silkcroft Fortune and Glory. This SCWT youngster really captivated me. I loved her feminine and oh so correct head with a superb eye and excellent pigment. Shown in superb coat, she is compactly made and presents a picture of perfect balance. She won this Group with some to spare, moving out with style and accuracy, but I did feel that she was carrying enough weight which was a deciding factor in the big ring finale.

 G2 Kanix Roger. This young SFT is another very definite future prospect and he is hard to ignore. I really liked his balanced head which is not overdone in any way at all. He is compactly built and his outline is text-book. A confident mover, showing style and precision, he must have a rosy career ahead of him.

G3 Lokilake Rainbow Red. This Lakeland Terrier was presented in excellent jacket and exudes type and real quality. She has a super head and great flow with a firm top-line, a harsh coat and excellent quarters. She made the most of herself on the move and must also look forward to success in the future.

G4 Chandlimore Play Boy at Jaeva. This very raw Jack Russell has the most incredibly appealing head and expression. Strong in outline, he is a good mover who commands attention. He needs to drop and fill his frame and has plenty of time on his side. He will be another one to watch with interest as he matures.

Toy Puppy Group

G1 Eivisah Sonnentanz. Here was a lovely Pug, full of true naughtiness, who encapsulates everything that you could possibly hope for in a real show dog. He absolutely commands attention and really never puts a foot wrong as he is so correctly made. He has the best of heads and a wonderful mischievous eye. Compact and totally balanced I really loved him and he took this Group with some to spare in my book. I will watch his progress with great interest.

G2 Cazants The Gaffer Luvs Dorenty JW. This young S/C Chihuahua has the most exquisite of heads and a sublime top-line. He carries himself well with perfect footfall and a lovely tail carriage. He, like the Pug, also impressed me greatly but was just flagging a touch after a long and very hot day.

  G3 Sweetbriar Heirs and Graces. At a very ‘in-between’ stage of her development this very raw but beautiful CKCS is text-book to go over. Ultra-feminine and with absolutely everything in the right place, this is a puppy that, in my opinion, will finish at the ‘top of the tree’. I just couldn’t fault her make and shape and once her adult coat comes through she most definitely will trouble the best. On the move she is mesmerising. She’s a most definite ‘one for the future’.

 G4 Tumbril Tokyorose. Compactly and sturdily built, this Bolognese really surprised and impressed me. She is so feminine with a lovely head and a dark melting expression and was presented in excellent coat. It was on the move, however, that she really made her mark. Driving away and showing her dark pads, she maintains a great outline and is a consummate performer, exactly what you want from a puppy.

Working Puppy Group

G1 Primus Diamonds Are Forever Samdice. This exceptional Great Dane pushed the Afghan hard in the Big Ring and is equally feminine with a superb head shape and intelligent and kind expression. Her carriage and flowing outline are captivating and she presents a picture of perfect balance with grace and strength. On the move, she was foot perfect in all directions and she, like the Afghan, must have the brightest of careers ahead. Res Best puppy In Show.

G2 Amazon Just Let Me Adore You. Here was another strong contender, a first-class Dobermann bitch, who once she got herself into position, moved very well and with accuracy. She, like the Great Dane, presents an amazingly impressive silhouette on the stack which she holds well in profile action. I thought her a real beauty and will watch her progression with interest.

G3 Sasquatch Dream Your Dreams. I really fell for this beautifully put together, very feminine, Newfoundland. She is great for size and is so very balanced. She has the perfect top-line, the most refined of quality heads and moves well in all directions. In excellent jacket she pushed the two above hard.

G4 Sulez Teaser. Completing a very promising quartet was this very stylish Boxer. She has the best of mouths and a cracking head with a really good eye. Her outline is spot-on, like those above, and she moved with real power around the ring. I really liked her and as I have mentioned several times in this exciting competition, she is another with the prospect of some serious winning ahead of her.

Utility Puppy Group

G1 Sensha Sweet But Sassy. This young Akita is a real cracker and she head a star-studded array of puppies in this hotly contested Puppy Group competition. She is so feminine with such a wonderful flowing make and shape with first-class neck and shoulders and an excellent top-line. She is 100 per cent accurate on the move in all directions and simply cannot be ignored. She impressed me greatly and must surely continue to do well as she fully matures.

G2 Zorbaloo Don Julio. I was really impressed by this Schipperke. He has the most captivating of heads with the most intelligent of expressions and the best of ears. He is compact, powerful and has real ‘ring presence’. Add to this, faultless action coming and going and a wonderful side-gait, he could not be denied runner up and he pushed the Akita hard for the top spot.

 G3 Will Be Bulls Lilibet (Imp Port). A Bulldog of quality and she put on a good performance in the heat of the day, striding out with true action and great carriage. I liked head, dentition and her top-line and she has an excellent tail. She doesn’t want to be carrying any more weight in my opinion but if she continues to mature on these lines, she must do well.

G4 Bevanray Terrypendrey. Making up a quite sensational quartet was the fabulously cheeky and appealing French Bulldog. He has the most captivating head and expression and is so well-balanced with a cracking top-line. Typical on the move he really filled my eye and made a big impression on me. I liked him a lot.

Narrowly missing out on a place in this superb Puppy Group, I must make special mention of the Tibetan Spaniel and Boston Terrier who also impressed me greatly.

Jonathan B Daltrey. (Judge)