Southern Counties Staffordshire Bull Terrier Society

SOUTHERN COUNTIES STAFFORDSHIRE BULL TERRIER SOCIETY

CHAMPIONSHIP SHOW 12th SEPTEMBER 2026

May I begin by warmly thanking the committee for the nomination and the members for electing me to judge their show on this the 80th anniversary of the first SBT Breed Club Championship Show, which was also held by the SCSBTS.

Given today’s financial pressures, I was very pleased with the entry. My thanks also go to the exhibitors and spectators who supported both me and the show. In my opinion, it had a wonderful atmosphere, so well done to the committee and everyone who attended. I would also like to thank Kim Dowse & Mick Harvey for running the ring so smoothly.

While judging, I was pleased to find no noticeable breathing problems, and the nares were as required by the standard. Overall, muzzle lengths were good, and apart from a few minor issues, bites were also as required, so I have not referred to mouths individually in my critique.

I do feel the extreme weather over the past couple of months may have affected the fitness of some of the dogs shown today, which is entirely understandable. With cooler weather on the way, I hope we will see an improvement in this area.

My only other observation was that some dogs had rather fleshy lips, which is an area I feel would benefit from continued attention, as I have not seen much improvement since I last judged dogs in 2022. I would warmly encourage breeders to keep working on this. That said, despite the challenges facing the breed, and the RKC’s decision to place it on Breed Watch 2, I believe the SBT remains in very good shape and has a bright future ahead.

My co-judge, Wynny Southworth, and I were in complete agreement on all the main awards.

Minor Puppy Dog: (7)

1st. Ms K Davidson & Mr F Schofield “Waystaff William Conquerer”. Just under nine months old, this fawn puppy with a white chest should have a promising future. He is of standard size and presents a well-shaped head, with round eyes set to look straight ahead, pronounced cheek muscles for his age, and a good underjaw. Compact in body, he gives a pleasing outline, holds his topline well, and has a correct tail set. He also shows good strength behind, with a good bend of stifle and well-let-down hocks, which helped propel him forward on the move. His coat was short and in good condition. His front feet could be tighter, although I would expect this to improve as he matures. Overall, he is a very nice puppy who should do well. BPD & BOSPIB.

2nd. Miss T Hamilton & Mr R Murphy “Shawrigg Definitely Maybe”. A very nice, upstanding white and red laddie, just over seven months old, who showed himself well. Slightly taller than the winner, he has a strong head with good width between medium-sized round eyes, decent lips, good muzzle length, and a good underjaw. He has a deep brisket, well-boned front legs, and tidy feet. At this stage, his body is sleek, with a good tuck-up. He held a level topline both standing and on the move. His strong rear is complemented by a good bend of stifle and well-let-down hocks. His coat was spot on. There was little to separate the first three; I simply felt the 1st was a little more mature. RBPD & BOSPIS. Thank you for bringing him.

3rd. Miss J Lomax “Dusklight My Name Is”. Although I have only critiqued 2 in each class I wanted to mention this young boy who is a handsome mahogany brindle. He is one I will watch with interest. 

Puppy Dog: (6,1abs)

1st. Ms K Davidson & Mr F Schofield “Waystaff William Conquerer”. See MPD

2nd. Miss T Hamilton & Mr R Murphy “Shawrigg Definitely Maybe”. See MPD

3rd. Miss S Rhodes “Kentstars Good Luck Charm”.

Junior Dog: (5)

1st. Messrs K, C & C Davis “Sharmara Fidelius Charm JW”. A well-put-together 14-month-old brindle with white dog who shone today. He is well balanced throughout, with a good-sized, expressive head, round eyes, thin rose ears, a broad muzzle of good length, tight lips, and a good underjaw. His body is equally balanced, with a true front of sufficient width and a deep brisket. He stands on strong front legs and well-padded feet. His short neck flows into a level topline and correct tail set. With good tuck-up, lightness through the loins, and overall strength, he presents a very pleasing outline. He moved parallel with drive, using his well-muscled hindquarters effectively. Handling was as expected fault less. Thank you for bringing him. Dog CC and BIS. I hope you get the 3rd CC ASAP

2nd. Mr C Kerry, Mrs S Houwaart & Miss K Daly “Jacobeaus The Legacy”. A very classy 17-month-old black/brindle dog of excellent type, with a most pleasing expression. He has a solid head, complemented by keen eyes, excellent cheek muscles, good nares, and a strong underjaw. Standing four-square, he looks very impressive, with a good lay of shoulder, good chest width, a deep brisket, and well-sprung ribs, all indicating he is correctly made. He shows no weakness behind, being well muscled and firm to the touch. He holds his topline well and moved soundly. His coat is in good condition and of correct texture. I just preferred the movement and feet of the 1st. A very nice dog who should go far. Thank you for bringing him.

3rd: Mr E Smets & Ms D Rennard “Karwillage Warpig”.

Yearling Dog: (7, 2)

1st. Mr A & Mrs E Miller “Skyland Tilikum”. Black/brindle lad with bit of white on the chest who has an excellent expression. He has a very typical, deep through head with dark eyes, thin rose ears, a strong muzzle, and good nares. His front is true, with good chest width. Compact in body, he has well-sprung ribs, a well-held topline, and a defined waist, all contributing to a pleasing outline. He stands four-square on good feet, with good bone and plenty of rear strength, creating an impressive overall picture. Best mover in the class. Thank you for bringing him.

2nd. Miss C Seymour “Dekayro’s Eye Of The Tiger”. Standard black/brindle dog of good proportions, though slightly smaller than the winner. He has a well-formed head with small rose ears, dark round eyes set to look straight ahead, a distinct stop, and a good underjaw. His front is straight, with good chest width for his size. Standing on nice feet, he is well boned and has a good backend in proportion to his frame. He moved soundly. I just preferred the head and size of the first. Thank you for bringing him.

3rd. Mrs J & Mr J Bassford-Lane “Jojalane I Drink Wine”.

Novice Dog: (3)

1st. Miss N & Mrs K Walker “Teshleystaff Higher Power”. Red with white on the chest, legs, and feet. Just over 14 months old, this boy presents a pleasant overall picture. He has a pleasing, unexaggerated head shape, complemented by thin rose ears, round eyes, a distinct stop, and good muzzle length. His body is developing nicely, as is his backend. He stands on good feet, is nicely tucked up, and is well let down at the hocks. He moved parallel with drive. Thank you for bringing him.

2nd. Mrs A & Mr P Brown “Syrus Royal”. A top-sized blue dog with the softest of expressions, a trait I have noticed in many blues. Although a big boy, he still retained a pleasing degree of balance. His head is deep through, with round eyes, good muzzle length and width, open nares, and a strong underjaw. He has plenty of bone and moved confidently up and down the mat, clearly enjoying his day. Thank you for bringing him.

3rd. Mr R Jarvis & Miss M Quintero “Kenbloom Koala Turmeric”

Graduate Dog: (6)

1st. Mrs N Buchan “Happystaff Hakuna Matata”. Black/brindle with white on the chest. A very nicely balanced dog with a smart head and pleasing expression. He has fine rose ears, dark round eyes, a distinct stop, good muzzle length, and tight lips. His body is well put together, with a short, strong neck, straight front, barrel ribs, good tuck-up, and a defined waist. He moved with drive from well-muscled hindquarters, held his topline well, and showed himself to advantage. Thank you for bringing him.

2nd. Miss T Blagg & Mr I Whitehead “Keep It Lowkee At Pindbystaf”. Top-sized red dog with a dark mask, well-made throughout. His well-shaped head is deep through and solid to the touch, with pronounced cheek muscles, a distinct stop, good underjaw, and open nares. Strong from front to back, he has a lovely spring of rib and was shown in fit condition. He moved very well. Thank you for bringing him.

3rd. Miss S Birmingham “Niatona Inspector Blake”.

Post-Graduate Dog: (6)

1st. Mr L Jurascheck & Miss G Humphries “Riennastaff Juggernaut”. A very impressive 18-month-old black/brindle dog with a white flash on the chest. He has a pleasing, deep-through head with medium-sized dark eyes set well apart, neat rose ears, good cheek muscles, tight lips, and an adequate underjaw. His front is true and broad, with well-boned forelegs and decent feet. His body is correctly shaped, with good spring of rib, a defined waist, and sufficient tuck-up. He held his topline well and was powered from behind by a strong backend, good bend of stifle, and well-let-down hocks. His coat was in good condition. He needed to be moved a few times, but once settled, he moved with drive. Both handler and dog are new to showing, and I wish them every success for the future. Thank you for bringing him. RBD & RCC.

2nd. Mr K & Mrs L Wells “Wellsstaffs Young Warrior JW”. A standard-sized black brindle dog of very good proportions who showed himself extremely well. He has a classic head shape, with thin rose ears, dark round eyes set to look straight ahead, good cheek bumps, open nares, and a good underjaw. His front is straight, with good depth of brisket and width of chest, all in proportion with his body. He holds a good topline and has a nicely defined waist. Power comes from a strong backend, supported by a good bend of stifle and well-let-down hocks. He stands four-square on good feet and presents a pleasant profile. Just preferred the overall presence of the first. Thank you for bringing him.

3rd. Mr N & Mrs S Bennett “Powerpack Singularity”.

Limit Dog: (11)

1st. Mr L & Mrs E Moult “Kamaristaffs Royal Legend At Moultsstaffs JW”. A smart black/brindle dog with a keen expression who made an excellent first impression. He has a typical, solid head that is deep through, with neat rose ears, dark round eyes, a strong muzzle, and a good underjaw. His short, strong neck flows cleanly into a firm back, with a level topline and good tail set. He has a true front, good spring of rib, and a defined waist, all of which complement his overall body shape. With good muscle definition and plenty of strength behind, he lacks nothing in the backend. Shown in good condition, with a shining coat, he presented a very pleasing picture and was seriously considered for the RCC. Thank you for bringing him.

2nd. Mr V & Mrs J Desmazes “Waywardstaff Volens Nolens”. Another black/brindle dog who was very much on the ball today. He has a pleasing head shape, with rose ears, good width between dark round eyes that seemed to follow me around the ring, pronounced cheek muscles, a wide muzzle, and a good underjaw. With good width to his chest, barrel ribs, decent tuck-up, and a defined waist, he presents a correct and pleasing outline. He held a good topline, finished with the correct tail set. Good muscle definition in the rear quarters, together with sound angulation, helped him move with drive. A well-made dog; I just preferred the compactness of the first. Thank you for making the journey.

3rd. Mrs K & Mr M Johnson “Tillcarr Fire Soldier JW”.

Open Dog: (14, 1)

1st. Miss L Sheldon “CH Kamaristaffs Royal Ransom At Bowtman JW”. Much has already been written about this dog, so I do not wish simply to repeat the views of others. He is, however, a dog who truly needs to be assessed hands-on to appreciate the full extent of his many virtues. In my opinion, he is all Stafford and I can appreciate why he has had so much success in the Show Ring. As with every champion, he will have his critics, but his breeder and owner-handler deserve great credit for keeping him in such excellent condition. Whether he is the best ever is a debate for another day. He won this class in strong competition, but in the challenge I felt he had lost a little of his usual sparkle and had to give way to two younger dogs who were more on their toes. I wish him the very best of luck in his quest to win the most CCs ever in SBT’s.

2nd. Mrs K & Mr S Thomas “Biggleswick Devils Dream”. A very impressive red dog with a white chest and white front feet. He has a very attractive head, with good ear placement, dark round eyes, tight lips, a strong muzzle, and a good underjaw, all contributing to a keen expression. His short neck flows into well-laid shoulders, a strong back, level topline, and correct tail set. He is broad in chest, with depth of brisket to match. His body is well defined, with good spring of rib, while his well-muscled rear has sufficient bend of stifle and is well let down at the hocks. He stood four-square on decent feet, with no weakness in the pasterns, and moved freely with drive. There was not much to choose between first and second today; I simply preferred the overall presence of the first. Thank you for bringing him.

3rd. Mr G & Mrs S Reynolds “CH Niatona Wreck It Ralph”.

Veteran Dog: (5,2)

1st. Mr D Manito “CH Catstaff’s Used To”. A dog I have admired since first seeing him as a puppy in 2019, culminating in my awarding him the CC and BOB in 2022. In my opinion, nothing has changed in terms of his quality. I remarked to his owner that writing his critique would be easy, as I could almost have copied the one I wrote then; however, time has moved on. I know his owner rested him for a while, but over recent months he has excelled in veteran classes, not only at Breed Club shows but also at General Championship Shows, gaining many awards including group placings. He remains a superstar and has lost none of the sparkle he had as a younger dog. His owner has done a tremendous job in getting him fit enough to compete in the Open class, let alone the Veteran class. He has retained definition in both head and body, along with excellent muscle tone. His level topline is still evident, and his drive can still be seen in his movement. Thank you for bringing him. BVIS.

2nd. Miss N Walker “Georgie Poergie Pops At Teshleystaf”. A top-sized red dog with a white strip on the chest, and another favourite of mine, not least because of his lovable character. He remains well balanced for his size, with a classic head and a pleasing expression, helped by good ear carriage, round eyes, and a well-sized muzzle with dark mask. He retains a good body shape and stands on well-boned legs. His rear remains strong, and he moved with ease up and down the mat. Thank you for bringing him.

3rd. Mr B & Mrs Regeer “Multi/Int CH Goldstaffs Make An Entrance”.