Ch Cairbar That Special Touch ShCM
and
Turnstone Khameleon of Koppelwell
take top honours in Wales

Ch Cairbar That Special Touch ShCM and Turnstone Khameleon Of Koppelwell took the WKC Top Dog and Top Puppy of Wales’ prestigious titles at the weekend under the scrutiny of judges Meg Purnell Carpenter and Annette Oliver.

The weekend was a huge success: it was the 19th Top Dog contest and 15th Top Puppy competition and was held as usual at the Hotel Commodore in Llandrindod Wells. The hotel staff are very welcoming to both owners and dogs. So few hotels allow the dogs in the rooms these days, so we must hope the facilities will be respected!

The event Secretary is Mervyn Evans, and he is the first to tell you that both his wife Pat and daughter Bethan work really hard to make it a success. Pat told me that about three weeks after the event she starts planning for the following year, collecting raffle prizes etc. The event’s sub-committee members are Tegwyn Jones, Stan Roberts and Ifor William whose wife Carol is another of the unsung helpers.

The day begins with reception at 10.30 and at 11.30 Mervyn Evans and Tegwyn Roberts do the draw for Top Puppy Competition, to see which dogs are in Group A and then Group B. They do this with a style which they have made their own, equal mixes of seriousness, frivolity and laughter. Just to make sure everyone has the correct order they read it out again.

The judging started at noon and this year the judges were both from England.

Books

Annette Oliver is best known for her Dairylane Italian Greyhounds her but her first breed was Labradors and she has also had a s/c Chihuahua. There have been many Dairylane IG champions and she has also written books on the breed as well as been Club Secretary, President and Show Manager; not content with that the KC Breeds Stud Book & Standards Committee, KC Judges Sub Committee and the KC General Committee all have the benefit of her experience, as did the KC Breed Liaison Council. Annette is also known for her excellent commentaries at shows - including Crufts; she was Chief Stewart the National Dog Show Society, gives seminars on show management and is the Toy Group judge at Crufts in 2012.

Meg Purnell-Carpenter has had GSDs from the age of 15 and went on to become a dog training instructor, she supplies police forcesin the UK and world-wide with her working blood lines, one of her dogs went on to win Police National Champion. The Overhill breeding, boarding and quarantine kennels are equally well known to the working dog world as well as the world of show dogs and when her quarantine kennels received an Akita she fell for them instantly, she is now one of the top authorities of the breed in this country and has served the breed club Committee as Chairman and has written books on the breed. Meg also introduced the French Beauceron to this country. She is Vice-Chair of the KC Breed’s Stud Book & Standards Committee and is on the KC General Committee as well as Secretary of BUBA.

These two ladies have certainly accomplished a great deal in the canine world.

Gentle

The judges each selected an envelope to decide who would judge group A and who group B. The commentary was given by WKC joint Secretary Mr Graham Hill and was ably assisted by his wife and joint Secretary Ann Hill.

Judge A was Meg Purnell-Carpenter and she set about her job with gentle knowing hands which left nothing out. The standard of the puppies in both groups was exceptionally high and even in the first round there were pairs of dogs which would have made a worthy final. After 4 rounds of the knock-out contest Group A saw the Bichon Frise Vanitonia Takin Back My Love At Louisianna head to head with the whippet Drakesoak Twist Magic. After moving them again it was the Bichon who got the nod and won Group A. Vanitonia Takin Back My Love At Louisianna is owned by Mrs Stafford from Morefa, Llanelli and was bred by Lee Cox and Tom Isherwood who are having a wonderful year with their Chinese Crested Ch Vanionia Unwrapped.

Annette Oliver took on the task of Group B and here too there were stunning puppies from round one. As with Group A there were 18 dogs being judged in pairs and there were small dogs again small ones, big against big and big against small each one had the same degree of deft attention and we were down to final two with the Bracco Italiano Gunstrux Peppermint Patty going against the Whippet Turnstone Khameleon Of Koppelwell. The nod went to the Whippet, however the Bracco had certainly done its breed proud as the first ever Bracco to appear in the contest.

Both judges came back into the ring, Judge A going over the Whippet, and Judge B going over the Bichon. They were each moved again and the title WKC Top Puppy 2010 was the Whippet. Known at home as Kizzy she is owned by Trudi Foster and Stephen Gallagher and was bred by Tom and Vanessa Turnbull. Kizzy now has her JW, ShCM and since winning BPIS and RCC at South Yorkshire Whippet Club show under Jackie White there has been no holding her back.

The committee looked very smart in their Green Blazers; although The Top Dog competition is the same format as that for the puppy contest the Committee and judges change into evening dress for the adult competition and they all looked very elegant.

Judge A again was Mrs Purnell-Carpenter and Judge B Mrs Oliver. This competition also had dogs of exceptionally high quality in both groups. The group A dogs were whittled down to the Shih Tzu Ch Minfaa La Bamba At Miracey and BSD Tervuren Ch Cairbar That Special Touch ShCM and the final nod went to the BSD.

Group B was equally fascinating, as in Group A the choices between some of the pairings came down to splitting hairs but the final two were the Labrador Sh Ch Brockburrow Cassanova In Linjor JW ShCM and the Pyrenean Mountain Dog Ch Charibere Solar Spirit At Chezanna JW ShCM. It was the PMD who took the group. Otherwise known as Polar he has 2 Club BIS and 5CC to his credit and was a P.O.T.Y. finalist he is owned by Christine Kenyon and Arthur Ward and was bred by Linda Marston.

Special

Group A and B judges were again to go over each others group winners and the winner of WKC Top Dog Competition 2010 was the BSD Tervuren Ch Cairbar That Special Touch ShCM. Josh has 7 CC 5 BIS wins and was BOB at the BSD show. He now has a beautiful Patsi Ann Standard Image trophy to put mark this special win. Patsi Ann has been a supporter of this event for many years. The announcements were made, the prizes and trophies awarded, lap of honour taken, the photographs done and everyone retired to their rooms to make ready for the evening Dinner.

At 7.15 there were pre-dinner drinks and at 7.45 the dinner was announced. Thanks to Pat and Bethan Evans the dining room looked beautiful with patriotic balloons and favours in small boxes with little dragons on them for each guest and every place having the guests name on it.

Denys Simpson Chairman of WKC thanked everyone for attending and Glyn Griffiths said grace in Welsh and English. After a delicious meal followed by coffee and after dinner mints the Chairman gave a short speech in which he thanked the sub committee for their efforts as well as Pat and Bethan Evans. He also thanked the judges and the sponsors and he handed the microphone to Annette Oliver who spoke on behalf of Meg Purnell-Carpenter and herself. She said it had been a wonderful day and the decisions were difficult because the standard was so high and that they had enjoyed themselves immensely.

Mervyn Evans then gave his thanks to everyone concerned and after some awards were made they then went on to call the raffle. The raffle was huge. During the day monies had been raised for Children with Blindness and for Children in Need and the evening raffle raised funds for Help The Heroes.

The raffle ended and it was time for the disco which was very good and although a few retired early some retired much later and others kept going until the early hours.

It is a wonderful event, this year was better than ever and if you have never been you cannot know what a wonderful weekend it is, many of us go back year after year, although it good to see new faces coming too. This really is THE Welsh social event of the canine year. Make a note for your diary not to miss it next year!

The Judges comments can be found here and pictures here