National Terrier Championship Show  5^thApril 2008

Cairn Terrier

Judge Bill Cammish

DCC: Firth's Cairngold Jackpot
RDCC: Thomas & Hooton's Ch Rasken's Romping Playboy Imp
BCC & BOB: Thompson's Castleline Tiger Lily
RBCC: Smook-Van Koolbergen’s Ned & Lux Ch Birselaw Emma
Best Puppy: Moseley & Inett's Spawyche Elizabethan Onyx (3^rd Best Puppy In Show)

 

  

 

 

 

Photographs by Alan Firth

 

The Grand National Cairn Sweepstakes was won by Mary Culliford

 

CAIRN TERRIERS

 

After Crufts and the Club Shows I think that National Terrier is the next best one to be invited to judge and I was therefore very pleased to be given the opportunity to judge this prestigious show for the second time.  I must take this opportunity to thank my two most able stewards, particularly Ray Smallwood whom I consider to be a steward "par excellence".  I found the quality of the exhibits to be mixed with all shapes and sizes and I did feel that many of the cairns were carrying too much weight which spoilt their outline and made them heavy in shoulder.  I have mentioned before, and so have other judges since, of the lack of forechest in our breed. A cairn should "stand well forward on its forepaws" and I am sorry to say that so few do nowadays, and so it would seem as if forechest must now be taken out of the equation when judging which I think is very sad for our breed!!. It was pleasing to find no light eyes and mouths generally were acceptable, although quite a few had just borderline scissor bites, not quite level, so I gave them the benefit of the doubt on the day in my placings.  I did think that my bitch line-up was exceptional.

 

Minor Puppy Dog (4)

 

1.  King & Leighton's Carradine Night Listener at Harkinleigh. Nicely balanced cream with good head.  Liked his overall appearance. Promising puppy who could do well with more ring experience.

 

2.  King & Leighton's Carradine Maybe The Moon at Harkinleigh.  Similar pattern to winner and same remarks apply.  Not much to choose between these two.

 

3.  Saich's Lindcoly Ernest Ernie.

 

Puppy Dog (5) (2 abs.)

 

 1.  Moseley & Inett's Spawyche Elizabethan Onyx. Very smart wheaten/br. with a very good head and eye.  Well balanced with good reach of neck and level topline.  Very well handled and I was pleased to make him Best Puppy.  Was delighted that he eventually went on to be third best puppy in show. Should have a good future.

 

2.  Saich's Lindcoly Cutting Edge.  Nice pup. Very typy darlk brindle with mischievous expression.

 

3.  Coffell's Vanajam Split Decision at Ometto.

 

Junior Dog (6) (3 abs.)

 

1.  Goud's Vale of Atholl's At Long Last.  Upstanding brindle. Good length of leg. Nice make and shape.  Pleasing head, plenty of neck, with dead level topline.   Moved and showed well.

 

2.  Dolan & Inett's Glenrood Ice Man.   Good headed cream with pleasing proportions.  Close up to winner.

 

3.  Newton's Strathinver Such a Star.

 

Novice Dog (1) (1 abs.)

 

Graduate Dog (3) (1 abs.)

 

1.  Lifton's Glenrood Stormkeeper at Liffycairn.  Very typy dark brindle who excels in head with a lovely expression.

 

2.  Ough's Ocedar Zephyr.  Red with typical head and expression.  Not in such good coat as winner.

 

Post Graduate Dog ((7)

 

1.  Cameron's Stryveling Robb Ruadh.  Most impressive red put down to perfection with nothing to dislike about him.  One worthy of consideration for top honours. 

 

2.  Smith's Rocasovale Razzle Dazzle.  I have always liked this grey brindle as I love his head and outline.  He gives his owner a hard time and today he was not in the best of coats but I think he is a very nice cairn nevertheless.

 

3.  Burgin's Nutshki Dark Night for Noncom.

 

Limit Dog (6)

 

A good class.

 

1.  Firth & Jones' Cairngold Jackpot.  This very fine cream was looking at his best today.  Very well balanced, good reach of neck, straight back, well muscled quarters.  He has a typical masculine head with beautiful dark eyes   I could not fault his movement  today and was pleased to award him his first CC.  I wish him luck for the future.

 

2.  Watson's Fieldron I've Got News For You.  Another fine specimen of the breed.  I was impressed with this dark red brindle who had a very good head, good front, harsh jacket.  So very typical of our breed.  Was within a whisker of gaining the RCC.

 

3.  Inett & Harrison's Glenchess Gabriel Over Carradine.

 

Open Dog (7)

 

1.  Thomas & Hooton's Ch. Rasken's Romping Playboy.  This dark brindle dog has a head to die for with intense expression..  Deep stop, equilateral triangle.  Lovely to go over on the table.  In excellent coat and condition and I thought he could well have been my CC winner and BOB but, sadly, his front movement let him down today and so he had to settle for the RCC.

 

2.  Hooton's Penticharm Prince Charming.  This exhibitor has produced some very fine cairns over the years and this one was no exception.  I loved his excellent profile and, as usual from this kennel, he was presented and handled to perfection.  Just lost out to winner on head.

 

3.  Percy's Winetta Jimmy Mack.

 

Minor Puppy Bitch (7) (3 abs.)

 

1.  Shopland's Cherrycrack Soul Sister.  Dark brindle baby. Most appealing head and eye.  Correct coat texture.  Plenty of neck with good topline and tailset.  Giving a lot away in maturity with the older puppies but it will be interesting to see how she develops.

 

2.  Braybrook's Cloverbrook Commotion.   Attractive dark grey brindle.  Very typy but did not have the coat texture of winner.

 

3.  Goldfinch's Malmay Mayhem at Kanawha.

 

Puppy Bitch (10) (4 abs.)

 

1.  Saich's Lindcoly Oko Doki.  Pretty red - very feminine.  I liked her appealing expression, good length of back and coat condition and she beat winner of Minor Puppy on maturity.  Liked her a lot.

 

2.  Dolan's Glenrood Mystic Topaz.  Grey with nice head and expression.  Presented and handled very well as are all from this kennel.

 

3.  Cameron's Pinetop Game Set'N Match for Stryveling.

 

Junior Bitch (8) (1 abs.)

 

1.  Catto's Birselaw Just A Moment.  Cute red brindle with the "cat face" (and I make no apology for using that expression) one expects from this kennel which now seems to be the trademark of the Birselaws.  In my view if the head is right then you are half way there!   In excellent show condition and expertly handled.  Would just like a bit more length of leg and for her to be a shade bigger all over.

 

2.  Firth & Jones' Cairngold Candlelight. Another nice one from this kennel.  Appealing wheaten with good head and eye.  Good neck and shoulders.  Well muscled.  Moved and showed well.

 

3.  Waugh's Tribannon Arabella.

 

Yearling Bitch ((8) (1 abs.)

 

A very nice class.

 

1.  Inett & Harrison's Curtisey Foreign Account With Carradine.  Lovely head with desired dark points.  Correct ear placement.  Presentation and handling could not be faulted.

 

2.  Thompson's Castleline Bonnie.  Well balanced cream of undoubted quality.  Very feminine.  Head, topline, coat all good.  Close up to winner. 

 

3.  Fith & Jones' Cairngold Avin A Paddy.  Three very nice bitches.

 

Novice  Bitch (1) (1 abs.)

 

Graduate Bitch (6)

 

1.  Weinberger's Correnie Crazy For You.  And I was almost crazy for her!  Lovely brindle bitch who stood out in this class.  Excellent outline.  Good length of leg.  Head, reach of  neck, topline, tailset, all in good order..  Just needs a shade more "oomph"  to take her to the top.

 

2.   Dolan's Glenrood Forever Popsy. Wheaten with a lot to like.  This is another exhibitor who knows how to present and handle a cairn in the showring which I do feel is an advantage.  Put up a good show but unlucky to meet winner today.

 

3.  Smee's Malmay Sky's The Limit.

 

Post Graduate Bitch (12) (3 abs.)

 

1.  Thompson's Castleline Tiger Lily.  The star of the show today.  Gorgeous wheaten  with appealing dark mask.  Loved her head with bewitching expression.  Immaculate front.  Coat just right today.  Could not fault her movement and showmanship and therefore was delighted to be able to award her the CC and BOB.  I wish her, too, much luck on the journey ahead.

 

2.  Robinson's Cruzo Bannock Belle.  Top quality dark brindle who was indeed unlucky to meet the winner in such good form today .Her head, topline, tailset and showmanship are all first class.  I am sure she will have many wins to look foiward to.

 

3.  Osborn's Tweslam Bonne Annee.

 

Limit Bitch (4)

 

1.  Robinson's Cruzo Cinderella.  Another first class exhibit from this kennel.  Loved her classic outline. Very good head and eye. Weather resistant coat.  A really lovely bitch.  If she had come towards me bending at the knee then it could have been a different story.

 

2.  Marshall's Kenmilfore Lady Marmalade.  Delightful red, a great favourite of mine.  So feminine.  Today she was carrying too much weight.

 

3.  Hewitt's Correnie Jazz Talk At Littleacorn.

 

Open Bitch (8) (2 abs.). 

 

A class of lovely bitches and a difficult one to judge, and I therefore had to do some "trade-ins", with some hair splitting too!

 

1.  Smook-Van Koolbergen's Ned. & Lux. Ch. Birselaw Emma.   Another from the Birselaw mould with an outstanding head.  Coat at its best.  Topline, tailset, movement and showmanship cannot be faulted.  Would just prefer her to be a shade longer in back.  RCC.

 

2.  Templeton's  Ch.Larchlea Knot To Be Mist.  Dark brindle bitch of great quality and a worthy champion.  No denying she is a typical "Larchlea.  Liked everything about her but I just felt her movement could have been more positive today.

 

3.  Nordstrand & Lindborg's Su. Ch. Rasken's Rich Grey Lark.

 

Bill Cammish (Judge)