First Place in Open - Dog, Judge: Mrs Jane Roberts (Smalesmouth)
I would like to thank the Officers and Committee of the Northern Border Terrier Club for the kind invitation to judge their open show at Otterburn. I thoroughly enjoyed my day and was delighted with my winners. Many thanks to my stewards Lesley Gosling and Allen Horner who kept everything running smoothly throughout the day. I would also like to thank all exhibitors for the privilege of judging their dogs.
Driving across to the venue on the morning of the show was a timely reminder of the terrain that Borders Terriers were bred to encounter whilst out hunting. Bearing this in mind I was looking for fit dogs whose structure and movement allowed them to cover the ground economically.
Positives were that the dogs were generally fit, they were shown in coats that had not been over trimmed and temperaments were good. A couple of negative points that I felt applied to a number of exhibits: there were few dogs with really big teeth and also there were rather a lot of thin tight skins. Really thick pliable skin was a rarity.
Quality blue and tan exhibit. Athletic masculine dog in very good fettle and one that I could see doing a days work on the fells around Otterburn. Very good head with well placed dark eye, giving a keen expression. Strong muzzle with big teeth. Excels in neck, shoulder. Good length of body with level topline and tailset. Good legs into thick padded feet. Presented in very fit condition with an excellent harsh double jacket. Moved very well on a long stride. Pleased to award him BD and BIS