Posts filed under ‘Shows’
Belatarr Mahalia Jackson steps out.
Billie (Belatarr Mahalia Jackson) has had a superb run at Champ Shows all year, most recently taking 1st Post Graduate Bitch at Midland Counties under breed expert Sheila Grey, but she has been a little overshadowed going head-to-head against her brothers Django & Gryphon at recent Open Shows.
Billie certainly turned the tables today at the Exonian Canine Association show, though. She started by taking 1st in another big HWV Open class, with Django 2nd, and then went Best of Breed with Django Reserve BOB under judge Penny Gowland. Some hours later the 17-strong Gundog Group took to the ring and Billie did us all proud by taking an excellent Gundog Group 2 – congratulations to Billie & Irene on another really super result for the Mk 1 Belatarr babies!
Billie at Midland Counties.
Django’s big win.
Following on from his brother Gryphon’s big result last weekend Django stepped up a gear today at the Plymouth & District Kennel Association Show where he won a large class in HWV Open and topped an all-Belatarr top 3 – with Brother Gryphon (Belatarr Dizzy Gillespie) 2nd and sister Belatarr Mahalia Jackson 3rd – before taking Best of Breed. This was Django’s 13th Best of Breed out of his last 15 shows, which is a pretty good score rate by any reckoning!
In a tough 17 strong line-up featuring many top dogs he then he went on to beat them all and be awarded a wonderful Gundog Group 1 (Best Gundog in Show) under judge Jane Lilley, prompting her to remark that “he does something to my heart” which was a lovely comment to hear. Her equally super critique was:
“Such a very high quality entry which, I was delighted to see, resulted in three siblings taking the first three spots. 1st Belatarr Django Reinhardt well balanced handsome and masculine, so good for make, shape, size and type. Here was quality combined with the best of construction and movement with excellent topline and tailset. A happy showman beautifully presented in hard condition and well textured coat. So very sound and effortless on the move, he looked as if he could go on all day with no trouble at all. Most impressive & should be even more so when fully mature. BOB G1“
Django’s Plymouth awards.
We took the gang out to the beach for a celebratory romp this morning and took the opportunity to capture a few new Django head-shots at the same time – very wet & very sandy – just the way he likes it!.
Wonderful win for Gryphon!
The gorgeous Belatarr Dizzy Gillespie (Gryphon) scored a stunning win yesterday at the Minehead & District Open show. He started by collecting 1st Graduate HWV, and then beat his sister Belatarr Mahalia Jackson (who was 1st in Open HWV) to take Best of Breed.
Then, after a few more hours of waiting, he won the Gundog Group too, a rare and very special achievement for any HWV, and only the third such win for a Belatarr boy, following similar Group 1 wins for dad Mingus and brother Charlie Parker, but Gryphon wasn’t finished there and shortly afterwards also took Reserve Best in Show! A fabulous achievement for Gryphon & Irene and one that instantly rewards them with 12 of the necessary 25 points towards a Show Certificate of Merit.
The judge’s super critique was:
“2 years dog. Typical, well balanced head. Correct skull, muzzle, nose, eye & ear. Strong jaws. Good head carriage, neck & forehand construction. Well boned limbs & feet. Excellent body & ribs. Powerful loin & couplings. Muscular, well made hindquarters. Correct skin, coat & furnishings. Sound free mover. Very typical all through combining quality with breed essence”
J Gill Davis
Needless to say we’re immensely proud of both Gryphon and Irene!
The Minehead rosette haul.
Windsor Win
Yesterday’s Windsor Championship show brought another very memorable outing and another great win for Belatarr Mahalia Jackson (Billie), who, at the grand old age of 19 months, is becoming quite the star. She firstly won her big Post Graduate Bitch class before beating a star-studded array of top bitches to take another excellent Reserve Best Bitch award, under judge Christine McDonald.
The judges critique read:
“Lovely bitch, super shape, in harsh body coat. Super head, just right in neck, shoulders, bone and feet, well sprung ribs carried well back. Good topline, excellent hindquarters and very sound on the move. RBB”
Billie taking RBB in the bitch line-up.
Belatarr Mahalia Jackson, fresh from the ring.
Meanwhile in an extremely competitive 10-strong Post Graduate Dog class Belatarr Dizzy Gillespie and Belatarr Charlie Parker scored a solid 3rd & 4th places, respectively. We’ve been trying to take an up-to-date ringside shot of Dizzy Gillespie (Gryphon) for the last few shows, invariably being defeated by the weather or timing, but this time we made sure to get a shot in the bag to show him as he now is, at 19 months of age and maturing very nicely:
Belatarr Dizzy Gillespie.
Take 2.
Belatarr Bath Brace.
Billie (Belatarr Mahalia Jackson) and brother Gryphon (Belatarr Dizzy Gilespie) started a new chapter in the history of Belatarr this weekend when they hit the Brace class at a beautiful, sunshine-drenched Bath Championship Show.
Billie was first awarded an excellent 2nd place (out of 8) in her first ever Post Graduate Bitch Class under top judge Pam Blay. The judges glowing critique read:
“What a cracking class to judge. 2. Belatarr Mahalia Jackson, heavier coated pretty bitch with a good head and expression, lovely body proportions, strong neck carried well on the move, well made front assembly with strong bone and feet, good ribcage and loin and well muscled hind quarters, held her topline on the move with correctly carried tail, won her place in this strong class on her balance and showmanship.”
Billie then transferred hotfoot (or hotpawed?) across to the Brace Stakes Class where she and brother Gryphon were one of a giant entry of 19 pairs under judge Elina Haapaniemi. This was their first ever brace class and, at just 19 months of age, they were also much the youngest, as well as much the least experienced of the nineteen entries… so both their handler, Irene, and Tim, watching the results back at Belatarr HQ were absolutely thrilled when they were awarded 3rd place!
Huge congratulations to Irene, Billie & Gryphon and many thanks, also, to Simon Harris for capturing the event in photos:
Belatarr Double Win at the HWVA Champ Show!
Belatarr Mahalia Jackson
Yesterday was a fabulous day in the bright spring sunshine for the Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla Association Championship Show where an entry of more than 100 HWV’s were presided over by breed specialist judge Doreen Smillie. Tim wasn’t showing so was able to take pics and cheer team Belatarr from the sidelines, and the team most certainly delivered in great style!
Belatarr Charlie Parker in the ring.
To cut a long story short(-ish), Charlie (Belatarr Charlie Parker) romped home winning 1st Junior Dog, along with the Best Junior Dog trophy won by his father, Mingus, 2 years earlier, whilst his brother Gryphon (Belatarr Dizzy Gillespie) was placed third in the same class, qualifying himself for Crufts 2014 in the process. Charlie also beat the winner of the next two classes (Yearling Dog and Graduate Dog) and then the Veteran, Puppy & Junior Puppy winners to be shortlisted down to the final 4 (alongside the much older winners of Open, Limit and Post-Grad) for Best Dog…A fabulous result!
Belatarr Dizzy Gillespie
Next up came Charlie & Gryphon’s sister Billie (Belatarr Mahalia Jackson) in the Junior Bitch class, and, not to be outdone, she also took 1st place, qualifying herself for Crufts 2014, winning the Best Junior Bitch Trophy, and giving the Belatarr babies the Best Junior Dog and Bitch double-whammy – cue much excitement in and out of the ring!
Billie stacked for her examination.
A very proud day for Tim, and a great testament to the hard work of Jenny, David & Irene.
Charlie with a post-win glow (maybe!?)
Gryphon in the winning line-up.
Django’s weekend.
A top weekend for young Django!
Saturday saw him bag his 5th Best of Breed in a row, this time at the Exonian Open in Exeter, where he was also shortlisted for Best Gundog in the 17-strong Group under German Wirehaired Pointer specialist judge Jenny Fairhall.
Then the next day a 4AM start (which proved to be about 90 mins too early, given the total absence of any traffic!) saw us zip up/across to Newark for the Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla Club AGM. A rather lovely early morning walk along the misty river Trent (whilst waiting for everyone else to arrive, since we’d rolled up so very early…) was followed by the meeting and Annual Awards, and we were delighted when Django was announced as the top scoring HWV Show Puppy of 2012, which also won him the very splendid Krugerand Trophy, now soon to be emblazoned with his Belatarr name.
The Krugerand Trophy
Top HWV Puppy Show Points for 2012.
Belatarr Boys at Crufts.
Crufts 2013 turned out to be a highly enjoyable and very memorable time for the Belatarr boys.
After shuffling and nudging through the sometimes impenetrable crowds around the TV-friendly flyball rings Django & Charlie Parker made it over to the HWV ring in good time.
Both were in a highly competitive Special Junior Dog class, amongst a quality entry of youngsters, and we were utterly delighted when judge Penny Williams placed Charlie 1st and then Django 3rd, immediately qualifying both boys for Crufts 2014. A great result, and very exciting for Jenny & David who, once again, did such a great job with Charlie, and at their very first visit to Crufts too!
Belatarr Charlie Parker’s Crufts wins.
The regular no-exit-before-4PM policy at Crufts ensured plenty of time for catch-ups, chinwags and some new meetings too, and the Wires attracted considerably more visitor attention than in previous years, with Adam manfully handling a nearly constant stream of enquiries and queries at the benches. After a 3:30AM start we finally made it home at 20:30 – so a very long day, but not one we’re likely to forget anytime soon!
Boston Championship Show Win.
Charlie in the ring at the Boston Championship Show.
Another great outing for young Belatarr Charlie Parker today, taking 1st Junior Dog & then Best Dog and Reserve Best of Breed at the Boston Championship Show under Stephen Hollings – excellent work, as ever!
Stellar show weekend.
Django’s Saturday rosettes.
Evidently saving their best for last, this very memorable weekend saw three of the Belatarr Puppies excel in the showring:
Django moving for the judge in the Gundog Group.
On Saturday our own Django headed off to the Okehampton & District Open, where he dodged the intermittent heavy rain showers to take Best of Breed & Pest Puppy in Breed under Ms N. Walker, before heading indoors where he scored an amazing Gundog Group 2 & Gundog Puppy Group 1 under judge Simon Luxmoore. Remarkably this is the exact same result that his father, Mingus, achieved at the same show 2 years earlier, and the third year out of the last 4 that Belatarr HWV’s have been awarded Best Gundog Puppy in Show at Okehampton, following Phoenix’ win here in 2009. Many thanks to Nige Small for taking these great shots of Django in action!
Django stacked for Best Puppy in Show.
Not to be outdone, the next day saw Django’s siblings Gryphon (Belatarr Dizzie Gillespie) and Billie (Belatarr Mahalia Jackson) head off to the South Wales Kennel Association Championship show. There judge Mick Howes awarded 1st Junior Dog, Best Puppy Dog and a terrific Reserve Best Dog to Gryphon, and then 1st Junior Bitch and Best Puppy Bitch to Billie, leaving brother and sister to compete against one another for Best Puppy, eventually taken by Billie:
Billie & Gryphon’s SWKA awards.
Many congratulations to both, as well as to handler Irene for a job very well done!
Belatarr Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla. 