Paignton & District Fanciers' Association

Paignton & District Fanciers Association Championship Show 2nd to 4th August 2024

Day One

Junior Handling 6-11 years

1. Eva Scott – Border Collie – Immaculate unassuming handler. This young lady was smartly dressed but not over fussy. Handled this dog with precision. Straight lines, listened to the instructions. Talked to her dog, stacked and presented without overhandling or correction of feet. Well mannered. At all times she had one eye on me without staring. Focused on the dog all the time she was in the class. Effortless manoeuvres. A polished and empathetic performance. I could see this young lady in breed rings and can teach an adult or two !

2. Myla Mae Hanes – Bedlington Terrier. Another precise and calm handler. Lines were concise. Did as she was asked without fuss. Would have liked to see her talk to her dog more and felt she was a bit intense . At times was watching me and her dogs feet were not completely correct. Just needs to work on watching the judge with one eye and the dog with the other. Smartly and suitably dressed.

3. Jayden Scott – Border Collie- Quiet but well spoken young man. Smartly dressed. Handled his charge with such concise and considered movements. Watching me and the dog, Very calm with his instructions to the dog, not at all over flustered or over handling. Not as calm overall as 1 & 2 . I could feel his nerves today. Good lines and spatial awareness.

4. Vesper Copley- Holland. I felt for this young lady today. She is an excellent handler of a large breed – Alaskan Malamute. She is a considered handler. Watching always, lines straight, knowledge check excellent. Unfortunately her dog was young and not co operating despite all her best efforts. But at no point did Vesper lose her cool in the ring, was stern with the dog without being unkind. She is a rockstar. Keep practising with this dog because once you get this particular dog to conform, you are going to crack it. Big things to come for this young lady with plenty of time.

5. Alfie Nicols.- Lovely unassuming young man with a JRT. Has the dog stacked and in position beautifully. Needs to work on the moving element of the instructions, But was calm and kind with the dog, watched me where ever I was, so was paying attention. Keep up the good work!

Junior Handling 12-16 Years

1. Texas -Lee Dunston – Norfolk Terrier – Cracking handler of a really enthusiastic dog. At times the dog was really trying her handlers patience, but Texas-Lee remained calm and in control. Straight lines, watching the turn point , clean free stacking on return. She wasn’t rushed, communicating instructions to the dog quietly and firmly. Super young handler. Smartly and appropriately dressed and well mannered.

2. Claudia Kelleway – German Pinscher – Another well dressed and well mannered handler. Immaculate lines and stacking on return. Calm and assertive. Showing me the dog at all times. Just lost out here in spatial awareness when the two were sent around together, didn’t give the Norfolk enough space and ran a little too close for me, but that was me being picky to have to separate these young ladies.

Day Two

 Junior Handling 6-11 years

1. Jayden Scott – Hungarian Vizsla - 3rd yesterday with a Border Collie. – Different handler today. Handled his charge with a near flawless performance. Even when he did make a mistake, he realised but went with it – didn’t fluster, didn’t panic. Had the dog under instruction at all times. Clean lines and lovely unflustered stacking on return. Exactly the right position in front of me without being too far away or on my feet. Knowledge check excellent. Very polite and quietly spoken. Unassuming but concise. This young man will go far – keep it up as you really are an excellent handler – I would give you a poodle anytime !

2. Eva Scott – Hungarian Vizsla – Interestingly – sister to 1. And won yesterday with the Border Collie. Today, not as comfortable with her charge. I felt a little more anxious. Still absolutely nailed the patterns and the free stack. Corrected the feet I moved, wasn’t distracted from her charge whilst I asked questions. Head to head with Jayden when asked to move together in a straight line she handled that beautifully.

Both have a different style of handling – but actually it suits each of them perfectly.

Well done Team Scott – Nailed it. I would be equally happy to give Eva a poodle to handle !

3. Beau Casey – Russian Toy – Smartly dressed young lady. Confident in her handling of a young dog. Patterns were clean and concise and listened to instructions well. Unfortunately the Dog on the table was quite a fidget and my concern here was the lead around her neck and not in her hand. Thus not fully in control. Didn’t go straight to the instructed point when asked with a definite line. That said another beautiful considered handler.

 Junior Handling 12-16 Years

1. Paige Hughes – Flawless handling of an Irish Setter – immaculate lines and calm and considered free stacking, not over fussing or handling of the dog. Fully in control of the dog the ring and the situation at all times. Appropriately dressed and well mannered – warm and good connection with her dog.

2. Olivia Cogan – GSP- Smart young handler – well dressed. Clean lines and corrected moved fee in the knowledge check. Gentle and calm with her dog. Correct presentation on return from lines. Beaten today just on the last move across and back on the return didn’t quite come back to me and present as cleanly as 1. Nit picking to separate the two. Otherwise a flawless and considered handler.

3. Francesca Wilson – English Springer – Smart handler, well dressed. Considered straight lines. A little over fussy with restacking for me that wasn’t needed.

Day Three

        6-11 years

1. Eva Scott - Min Schnauzer today – back she comes. Smaller table dog. Knocks it out of the park today. Just when you think well this will be interesting Eva puts on another calm and considered and flawless performance. Correct speed for the dog, didn’t hurry, beautiful lead control always. Getting down to correct and stack was so slight of hand. Straight lines. Confident young lady – could probably just about handle anything and make it look easy – can’t wait to see what she does next. Watch this space with Eva & Jayden. They obviously work hard and that is simply the key. Practise practise practise.

2. Luke Saunders. Gentle young man with a Tibetan spaniel. Showed his dog on a looser lead, but still had command of the dog that was quite happy to follow his feet and his really calm instructions . Nice lines and free stacking. Keep it up !

3. Anastasia Voutis – Tibetan Spaniel – immaculately and smartly dressed – beautiful lines and re positioning at stop. Listened well and completed the instructions. Just felt today there wasn’t a lot of empathy and communication to the dog.

   12-16 Years

1. Lisa Rose Saunders. – Tibetan Spaniel – stood alone today – beautiful empathetic handling of her dog – listened and completed the instructions in a considered and gently manner. Was well dressed and very polite. Had control of the dog all the time. Good Job .

DAY One

Adult Handling

17-30 years

1. Erin Logie – Welsh Pembroke Corgi - Lovely lines and unfussy handling of the dog. Tidy and calm. Paid attention . Super handling.

2. Kirsty Mabin – Shetland Sheepdog- another calm and collected tidy handler. Clean lines and not rushed or phased either.

31- 45 Years

1. Naomi Samuels- Siberian Husky – what a slick, calm and controlled handler. Considered and concise lines and no fussing with restack. Followed the instructions to Effortless . Really beautiful to watch.

2. Ann Marie Taylor – Border Collie – smartly dressed – Smooth handling of this dog – good lines , presented well. Just a little over fuss with restacking all the legs.

3. Rachel Prescott – Pumi.

45- 60 years

1. Shiobhan Lea - Excellent presentation of her dog – calm and unassuming handling – clean lines working with the dog, free stacked without too much fussing. Presented the picture I wanted to see at all times.

2. Tina Pickering – Catalan Sheepdog. Another considered and calm handling – nice lines and followed instructions – would have liked a little less over fuss on a presentation stack –

60 + years

1. Marilyn Gilbert – Bearded Collie – in a class of really competent and excellent experienced handlers this lady won through. Her exhibit was supercharged ! There were points when the dog looked like it was really going to put on a show and bounce itself out of the ring– but her calm handling gave a beautiful presentation on the move – the dog was under control, moved beautifully – straight lines and good effortless presentation stack. Lost for words. The expression of pure mischief on the dog. Pulled it out of the bag- in tough competition. Sheer grit and determination put her first today.

2. Michele Healey - Border Terrier – first class immaculate presentation and handling. Calm and effortless lines moving – Dog always presented when I looked in that direction.

3. Cath Parker – Skye Terrier – Another calm and fuss free handler – presented well, good lines away and back. Dog always presented.

Day Two

17- 30

1. Stacie Nicoll – Welsh Springer – Confident and tidy handler – spatially aware, unfazed and unflustered – clean lines on the move, followed the instructions. Not overdone in any way at any point

2. Will Hosking – Labrador Retriever – super gentleman handler – gets the best from his dog – tidy lines and clean handling on the stack – sadly failed to go to a corner and went elsewhere – which he recognised the minute he came back to me. A good sportsman too . Well done !

3. Beth Ponsford

31- 45 Years

1. Victoria Wilkins – Large Munsterlander - considered handler – in control at all times. Moved the dog in clean lines – tidy hands and un flustered. Calm and assertive with a young dog . Talking to it and encouraging. A really nice performance.

2. Rebecca Judd - GSP - Another excellent handler – encouraging – clean lines – competent and considered handler .

45 – 60

Tough class of good handlers.

1. Kelly Wallace Horne – Italian Greyhound – calm and clean handler, no fuss. Considered and clean lines – nice presentation of the dog at all times. Won a tough class where I was being picky with the placings as the quality in here today was immense.

2. Lou Roffey Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever – Clean and almost flawless performance from this handler – totally in tune with the dog all the time. Free stack and lines clean and tidy – just lost this on a slight overhandling of the dog – which we all do – over processing ‘ do they look ok’- wasn’t needed. That said I really was being picky to try and separate handlers.

3. Sophy Pashley – Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever – a third effortless handler – showed the dog off competently , completed the lines straight and concise, calmly without fuss – to pick again – on return from the corner and back just came In too close to the exhibitor behind her and was in their space .

60 + Years

1. Lesley Peters – English Toy Terrier – Tidy , calm unfazed and unfussy handling of this toy dog. Clean patterns, super free stack – super to watch Lesley and her charge here.

2. Margaret McWilliams – empathetic handler with a Cocker Spaniel – presented well, nice clean lines – would have liked some more animation from the duo which would have finished the picture – unfussy and competent handling .

3. Fiona Macleod – Golden Retriever.

Day 3

17-30 Years

1. Abbeygail Longhurst – Whippet

2. Antonia Leech - Basset Fauve de Bretagne

This for me was THE masterclass of the 3 days and all the handling classes. You couldn’t put a blade of grass between these 2 fantastic handlers today. I really had to find a fault where there were none. Abbeygail flawless handling of a whippet – super lines, used all the ring – unassuming and tidy stacking on return. Talked to the dog, had a real relationship with her charge. Calm, tidy – well dressed

Antonia – absolutely spot on lines, clean stacking and presentation of the dog, working with the dog with her voice the whole time. Effortless positioning.

Almost impossible to separate two ladies that clearly know how to ring present a dog. I had to take this down to being pedantic and that Antonia left the ring – I think to swap dogs and returned with a new dog ( same breed ) and had to resettle it. Both well dressed without too much drama. Well done ladies. Both excellent handlers !

31- 45 Years

1. Katie Dawson – Rhodesian Ridgeback. Elegantly handled throughout. In control on the move, clean lines – considered and unfussy stacking of the dog – effortless performance. Calm and collected.

2. Andrea Keepence -Keyte – Tibetan Spaniel – Another super performance here. Another calm and collected handler – smartly dressed – showed the dog to advantage at all times. Good lines and presentation on return. Just preferred the flow of Katie Dawson’s handling overall.

3. Cathy Saunders – Dalmatian.

45-60 Years

1. Michaela Hills – Afghan. Really clever handling here – flowing dog on the move Michaela stands away to show off the dog- so he looks like he is doing it himself. Presentation stack isn’t overhandled- feet are checked without over moving them and refusing. Beautiful control of the dog at all times. Clean lines moving and considered positioning.

2. Zoe Adey – Hamiltonstovare – Another excellent handler – smooth and slight of hand handling here – clean straight lines on the move – presentation executed well. Just to be picky in the final line – was over fussing at feet that were correct but moving them – which looks a bit rushed and untidy .

60+ Years

1. Janet Rice – Tibetan Spaniel – smartly dressed handler in full control of her charge. Precise lines and triangle and fuss free presentation at all times of the dog. No over handling of the feet on the table or the floor – really smart and considered.

2. Nicola Bye Deerhound – super fuss free elegantly handling of this big dog. Super straight lines and nicely presented without fuss on return. Great Job.

3. Tracey Mayou – Howe – Toy Poodle.