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!
Belatarr Year-End Round-Up.
2012 has been quite a landmark year for us here at Belatarr – Mingus gained his first CC in May and then managed to break his toe just hours before the Welsh Kennel Club Championship, resulting in a long and worry-some convalescence which was only completed at the end of October.
Django’s handsome brother Milo came back to stay with us for 4 weeks in Nov/Dec and proved to by an absolutely delightful boy who immediately fitted in to the pack as if he’d always been here, whilst he and Django had endless daily fun and games together:
The family together – Left to right – Milo, Django, Mingus & Phoenix.
Meanwhile our young pups have gone out and made their way in the world. Thanks to the sterling efforts of David & Jenny (with Charlie Parker) and Irene (with double-funster twins Billie & Gryphon) all four of the Belatarr show-pups qualified for Crufts, and all had significant wins at both Open and Champ Show level through the year.
The Midland Counties Championship was our last big get-together where a very substantial entry of Wires was present for breed expert Rachel Thompson to judge. We had a lovely, and highly successful show, with the Belatarr clan eventually achieving 1 x 3rd place, 3 x 2nd places and 1 x 1st place. This was Mingus’ comeback show, following his broken toe (and a definitely-not-yet-ready-for-the-ring-again effort at Darlington!) and he took a highly respectable 2nd in Open Dog, beaten only by this years Crufts Best of Breed, whilst Charlie won his large (8 entries) and highly competitive Junior Dog Class. Charlie’s excellent critique was a further source of pride for all concerned:
“Pleasing well balanced yearling. Lovely head and expression with good furnishings. Clean neck into well assembled front. Lovely proportions in profile with strong rear. Topped off with a coat of good colour and texture. Covered his ground with ease.”
Charlie & Jenny in action.
This great result proved to be just the start of a roll for Charlie, however. Just a few weeks later, at the Huntingdonshire Canine Society Open, he won 1st Junior AVNSC and then took best AVNSC, beating several top adult HWV’s, including one recent HWVA Best in Show winner along the way…not content with that victory he then went on to take Gundog Group 1, a phenomenal day, especially given that 12-month-old Charlie & his handler Jenny had never even been to a dog show just a few months earlier!
The show year finished on another high as Billie (Belatarr Mahalia Jackson) took 1st Open & Best of Breed under Gavin Robertson at Yeovil & District Open on 3oth Dec. On the very same day Charlie was back in action too, this time at the two-day Luton Canine Association Premier Show, where he was 1st Junior HWV and went on to take another Best of Breed, beating a large entry including the years’ top-scoring HWV puppy (now also in Junior) as well as the Open & Post-Grad HWV winners along the way. Fabulous work!
In Mid-November Django and sister Ruby (Belatarr Nina Simone) trekked over to Hampshire in order to be hip-scored. Their results came back a few weeks later and exactly matched each of their parents – 5/5 for Django, the same as Phoenix, and 4/3 for Ruby, the same as Mingus. Django has had a pretty full-on and energetic puppyhood, which has perhaps resulted in a little additional wear & tear, but both scores are pleasingly under the breed average and represent the final test for the success of this litter.
A quick mention too of the Hungarian Wirehaired Viszla Club of Great Britain Breed Specific Seminar that Tim attended. Scheduled for the day after the Midland Counties Champ Show, and presided over by Crufts judge Lindsey Townsend, this proved to be a really excellent, well-organised and highly enjoyable day which attracted a very large attendance. The afternoon was dedicated to an exam and the writing of a highly detailed set of 5 (full-A4 page) critiques, and, a week later, Tim was delighted to learn that he had successfully passed the Seminar, nicely in time for his first confirmed HWV judging appointment.
Another Happy Birthday!
Although it seems like only yesterday that Mingus was a little pup riding in a sling, he’s now three years old, a father of 12, of course, and a very intense fellow who takes his responsibilities as pack leader very seriously. When out-and-about Mingus is always scouting ahead with his head in the air, alert for possible dangers (and/or opportunities) whilst everyone else romps around having fun with sticks etc. Back at home Mingus remains incredibly affectionate as well as the most wonderfully co-operative and biddable dog we’ve ever had, whilst his beautiful coat and head command everyone’s attention wherever he goes – every day living with him is a absolute joy and privilege.
Happy Birthday Mingus!
Django’s First Birthday.
Time has certainly flown since Phoenix brought her 12 babies into the world, but Django is now, officially, no longer a puppy as today our lovely boy celebrates his first birthday!
Django back at 6 weeks old.
Happy Birthday Django!
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 Litter Reunion Mega-Post!
A few weekends ago we had a very exciting not-quite-Birthday-Party day for the Belatarr babies, and 9 of the 12 pups (all minus Charlie, who was on hols in France, Ella, who was in season & Otis, who was working) returned back here to their birthplace for a wonderful reunion afternoon.
The Wire Gods were definitely smiling on us all that day since we somehow managed to stage it on what was the only sunny & dry day that we’d had for weeks, and, indeed it feels like it’s been raining non-stop ever since then too…
Cakes & snacks were eaten (by humans… and very probably by puppies too), everybody had a good chance to compare puppy notes and catch up on wire-chat, and, most importantly, much highly excited puppy play was undertaken (on land and in water) as a whirlwind of bouncing, swimming, chewing and hurtling was unleashed!
For us it was also quite wonderful and a source a great pride to see the boys & girls back together and all now grown-up into such beautiful, confident and happy young dogs. We were struck by how lucky we were to have found such lovely and loving homes for this first Belatarr generation – and huge thanks, once again, to everyone for bringing their pups to the reunion.
Tim’s camera unfortunately managed to conk out early on in the proceedings, so we are extremely grateful to Marcus & to Emma (thanks guys!) for kindly both sending on their many pics of the day, some of which are included here.
Belatarr Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla. 