Posts tagged ‘Showing’
Belatarr wins Top Puppy of the year… again!
Mingus strides out in the ring.
Yesterday saw the long-awaited first ever Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla Championship Show, judged and extremely well presided over by Frank Kane – one of the country’s most senior judges, and possibly the ONLY British judge who could be said to be a household name outside of show households. This was the second ever show (the first being last months Crufts) at which CC’s (Challenge Certificates) were being awarded to the breed. The combined draw of Frank and the CC’s attracted a phenomenal 164 entries from 126 HWV’s spread across 23 Classes…without question the largest gathering of the breed anywhere in the world, which ably demonstrated that Wires have most definitely “arrived” in 2011!!
Hot dog (& handler) preparing the stack and nicely showing one of the secrets of his success - Mingus' powerful shoulders & upper arm.
...and stacked in the Junior Dog class.
The day was blisteringly hot, which certainly caused ongoing problems for both dogs and exhibitors, many of whom were wilting to various degrees.
First!
Mingus was up in Junior Dog – at 10:50 AM, but already boiling in the ring. Frank certainly put the class of 6 young dogs through their paces, moving them on four occasions to examine structure & movement from all directions, but we were absolutely thrilled to be awarded 1st place once again, consolidating on Mingus’ 1st in the same class at Crufts.
Mingus' 1st Junior Dog award.
We like a bit of silverware and Mingus received a natty engraved silver platter for his win too, but, much like the temperature, things were only just hotting up for him…
The annual awards were announced at lunchtime. At last years awards ceremony our Phoenix took Top Puppy and Top Scoring Puppy Bitch for the year. We knew that there was some very serious competition this year from, amongst others, two superb young bitches (from Herlinga & Morganna Kennels respectively) both of whom had excelled through the year at Championship and Open shows and who we knew would have amassed substantial scores….
Mingus & Handler having a team-discussion whilst awaiting their results...
As the tally of points was pinned up and the awards announced it became clear that one of these bitches had beaten the existing Puppy Show Points record by quite a large margin…but Mingus had managed to go ever further and, with his score of 581 points, took Top Puppy Dog, winning the Leiborschy Tankard, and then Top Puppy of the year, allowing Belatarr to retain the Leiborschy Flask that Phoenix won for us last year. In the process Mingus also set a new record for the highest score ever attained by a UK HWV show puppy. Needless to say we were brimming over with pride at our boys amazing achievements – what a day to remember!!
The two award certificates and more 1st's!
1st at Crufts!
The 3:15AM start could mean only one thing – it was the “Big Day”…..yep, Crufts had finally arrived.
A huge HWV entry of 104 – surely the largest gathering of the breed that has ever taken place outside Hungary? – converged on Birmingham’s NEC, with us amongst them.
Mingus hit the ring at around 09:15, keenly watched by his “Grandmas” (Jacqui of Morehay & Caroline of Starshot HWV’s) and did both them and us proud by winning his class and being awarded 1st Special Junior Dog, from a class of 6 dogs. All very exciting!
Another wonderful result to add to his tally, but also a real milestone in his Show career:
Mingus stacked in Special Junior Dog class.
Being awarded 1st in Class.
Mingus on the move
...and in the Best Dog Challenge.
Hips-Hips Hooray.
Following the extreme weather over the tail end of last year 2011 has (so far) been fairly quiet with not too much excitement here in the Belatarr camp.
Mingus has continued to do very well in his first handful of shows as an adult, and has added another three very handy BOB/BNSC’s to his scores over the last few weeks.
This last weekend also definitely proved to be notable too, as Mingus’ hip-scores & X-ray arrived…actually, they almost didn’t arrive at all since our postie somehow delivered them to the wrong address altogether, but our near-neighbour kindly brought them round (thank goodness!!).
And the scores on the doors were: 4/3 (total of 7), which is an absolutely excellent score for an HWV, and puts Mingus very nicely amongst the best of the breed, hip-wise. Cue happy grins and wags all ’round.
Here he is (nearly)stacked at last weeks Plymouth & District Canine Society Open Show, somewhere between getting Best NSC Gundog and being short-listed for Best Gundog in the group:
Semi-stacked
Critiques.
We’re just starting to receive the first of the judges Critiques from Mingus’ recent wins, and very pleasing reading they are too:
“Superb 10 months male. I could have taken him home. Expressive head, strong neck, shoulders well laid, deep chest, good bone, well angulated backend that produced a strong rear driving action. This was all topped off with a good harsh jacket. Pleased to award him Puppy Group 1 and Best Puppy in Show. A super boy, I shall watch his progress with interest.”
CAMBORNE REDRUTH CANINE SOCIETY OPEN – judge: Penny Sands
“A superb representative of the Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla carrying many of the characteristics the breed demands, nice biddable, expressive well-worked head, correct size, well-balanced in every department, covering the ground with purposeful, accurate ground-covering movement. I also awarded him Gundog Group 2 and Puppy Gundog Group 1.”
OKEHAMPTON & DISTRICT CANINE SOCIETY OPEN – judge: Mike Bryant
“Puppy of 10 months. Head with good beard, body well ribbed back with dark coat of correct texture. Moved well and really is at one with his handler. Best Puppy. Reserve Best of Breed & pleased to see him go Reserve Best Puppy in Show.”
CORNWALL GUN DOG CLUB OPEN – judge: Mike Lewin
“A promising 10 month old dog puppy with an excellent coat and head furnishings. Angulations good and balance each other. Correct height and length ratio in body. Deep chest, short and strong over loin. Moved soundly and with drive to win Best of Breed & Best Not Separately Classified Puppy & later PG2”
TAVISTOCK & DISTRICT OPEN judge: Eileen Hughes
Best Puppy in Show.
Pics from Mingus’ Best Puppy in Show win at Camborne Redruth Open show – as you can see, they went with the cute, rather than the formal poses..still, at least Mingus got to show off his natty, Puppy Gurus trained “paw shake”:
–
Tavistock Trip.
The Royal Cornwall Showground at Wadebridge in Cornwall is starting to feel like a second home now after Mingus has been to 3 shows there over the last 16 days. The latest canine extravaganza to be hosted at the venue was today’s Tavistock & District Canine Society Open Show.
A last minute judge change saw Eileen Hughes instated as judge for Mingus’ AVNSC class. Given that she had awarded Mingus 1st Puppy Dog at the Richmond Champ Show just last month, this seemed to auger pretty well. Still, it was very pleasing when our boy was awarded 1st Junior NSC and then beat the Graduate & Open class winners to go Best NSC Gundog & Best NSC Gundog Puppy, gaining another point toward his Show Certificate of Merit in the process.
Mingus - stacked (perfectly!) in the Gundog Group.
A swift enlargement of the ring brought us immediately to the Gundog Group, judged by the Spinone specialist Shona MacPherson. We were delighted to be shortlisted for Best Gundog out of the 15 BOB’s in the adult group, and even more so when Mingus was placed 2nd in the subsequent Gundog Puppy Group – the fifth show in a row for Mingus to be awarded either 1st or 2nd best Gundog Puppy in show.
We also (finally) managed to get a few pics on Mingus in action in the ring – hurrah!
...and stacked (not quite so well!) for the Gundog Puppy Group.
OMG…
Another double-show weekend for young Mingus brought another double-whammy of huge wins too:
The weekend's rosette haul.
Saturday was the Cornwall Gun Dog Show down at our favourite venue – the Royal Cornwall Showground – with it’s huge, under-cover rings and almost unlimited space to exercise dogs off lead. All of which seemed to work well for our boy and from a very large puppy group (and in a repeat of his win just 7 days earlier) Mingus was awarded Reserve Best Puppy In Show and Best Opposite Sex Puppy in Show – huzzah!
So then, following three very big wins from three consecutive shows, our expectations were that Mingus’ run must surely come to a halt the following day at the Okehampton & District Open.
Phoenix had a fantastic show here in 2009 and was awarded Best Gundog Puppy, but in the event Mingus did even better than his big sis and far better than we could possibly have imagined, winning best AVNSC Gundog, Best Gundog Puppy (Gundog Puppy Group 1) and, most incredibly of all, adult Gundog Group 2. In fact the only gundog to beat Mingus all day was a marvellous adult Cocker who went on to take Best in Show. It was a particular thrill to be awarded Best Gundog puppy at the same show in two consecutive years.
The judges critique read:
“A superb representative of the Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla carrying many of the characteristics the breed demands, nice biddable, expressive well-worked head, correct size, well-balanced in every department, covering the ground with purposeful, accurate ground-covering movement. I also awarded him Gundog Group 2 and Puppy Gundog Group 1.”
So now, with four huge wins in a row from five very different judges, the scale of our boys’ recent achievements is just beginning to sink in. Not the least of which are:
1) a phenomenal 282 points (earned in just 9 days) towards his already large puppy-of-the-year-competition points total
2) more than half of the points required for a show certificate of merit, including ALL of the adult group place points.
and all at just 10 months and 5 days old!
The *Incredible* Weekend.
Tim & Mingus went to two shows over the course of this last weekend. Following some close-up photographic examination of Mingus’ movement & standing (and some very useful comments by Sam from Farlap) Tim made a decision to slightly alter the way that he moved and stacked Mingus.
This was the result:
DAY 1:
DAY 2:
A story told through commemorative car stickers – representing by far and away the most exciting, emotional and memorable 48 hrs of showing we’ve ever had!!
Mingus’ first day wins were exuberantly cheered on by a decent sized gang of fans/supporters/friends who together created a wonderful atmosphere that made the whole day doubly memorable. Over the course of the two shows, and particularly at the second – where news of his previous days’ remarkable wins had preceded him – many, many gundog folks who had never introduced themselves before came to congratulate and admire our fabulous boy.
All three of the judges who placed him so highly were keen to find out more about him. After awarding him Best Gundog in Show gundog expert Nicola Calvert said that Mingus had outmoved all of the adult gundogs and surely had a tremendous future ahead of him. When awarding Mingus BAVNSC, ahead of a recently made-up Champion Field Spaniel, GWP specialist Penny Sands said the Spaniel was indeed “lovely”, but that Mingus was: “just stunning!” praising his perfect shoulder placement and movement in particular.
We think it’s possible (and are currently seeking to find out as best as we can) that, at just 9 months of age, Mingus is the youngest HWV ever to win an adult group at a UK all-groups Open show. He’s also one of just a small handful of the breed (and again, possibly the youngest) to have ever won Best Puppy In Show at an all-groups UK Open show. Even more importantly to us he has also grown into the most stunningly handsome, wonderfully expressive and sweetest natured young dog we could have imagined. A total joy and continual delight both in and out of the ring.
Various portraits of Mingus, both official and unofficial, were done in conjunction with his wins, so we hope to bring some of those to the blog very shortly.
Camborne Redruth Canine Soc chose the most unconventional (but cutest!) of the pics taken to use on their site at:
http://camborneredruthcaninesociety.co.uk/2010Results.aspx
In the meantime, quite oblivious to all the fuss around him, our lovely (and now show winning!) lad has been busy unwinding today, romping in the woods and river, reunited with his “Big Sis” Phoenix.
Richmond, take two.
Last Sunday saw us heading back to the Richmond Championship Show, held at Loseley Park, a venue deep in the heart of Surrey that is famous (to us at least) as the origin of Loseley Ice Cream (yum). This was also the scene of one of Phoenix’ Best Puppy awards in 2009, and 2010 saw the HWV classes judged by Eileen Hughes, who had awarded Phoenix another of her Champ Show Best Puppy awards last year….all of which seemed to bode well for Phoenix, at least.
The cold, breezy morning that we left behind in Devon had been transformed into a bright, sunny and rather-too-hot show day by the time we landed in the Far East (well, the environs of Guildford). Luckily the benching marquees were pretty cool and also featured very large, under-cover exercise areas, so, for once the heat was no problem at all for either dog – though the same can’t be said for their handler who became a mite over-heated after trotting round the hot ring all be-suited.
Mingus was first up and thrilled the crowds* with his excellent movement and nifty standing – this last being much improved over the previous weeks efforts in Birmingham. He was rewarded with 1st Puppy Dog, which was very pleasing.
Some time later Phoenix took to the ring in the Post-Graduate Bitch class and looked particularly commanding* stacked in the ring, resulting in the judge awarding her 1st place too, which was even more pleasing. This result pips her 1st Graduate Bitch at last months National Gundog to become Phoenix’ newest most-senior-award-at-a-Champ-Show-so-far.
What’s more the whole shindig was all wrapped up by lunchtime – how very civilized. So we headed for home elated, well fed and in daylight too! All in all an excellent show day for team Belatarr.
* probably
Shows and Siblings.
A few results, some new pics, and some *hot news* definitely warrants a new blog entry.
A pair of moderate Champ show results for Mingus (both under less-than-favourable-to-our-type judges) were punctuated by a much more exciting third Best of Breed for our boy. This came at the Newton Abbot & South Devon Open, where Mingus gave what was probably his best ever performance in the ring, both standing and moving to perfection. As a result he was awarded 1st Open HWV, being placed above a 2 times Champ Show Best of Breed winner.
Last Sunday also saw the second Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla Association show of the year, this time at the Kennel Club Building near Coventry. A 5 AM start (in total darkness) left both the dogs and the humans a bit discombobulated all round, and Mingus was evidently still a bit confused when he hit the show ring 4 and a half hours later since, at first, he appeared to entirely forget what the command “stand” was supposed to mean…a few gentle reminders from Tim eventually had him back on track and he trotted away with a respectable 2nd Puppy Dog award.
Phoenix stacked at the HWVA show.
Phoenix, as usual, had no problems whatsoever when it came to standing and she seemed positively delighted to be in the ring too, ending up with 3rd Graduate Bitch.
The judges examination...
...and the final stand.
Speaking of Phoenix, and saving the *hot news* to last…….drumroll please………….. we’re delighted to report that she now has 8 new full brothers and sisters, as mum Flo safely delivered 4 new boys and 4 girls back at Tarndair HQ on Saturday. Many congratulations to David, Jane & Flo as well as to proud Leiborschy Dad Mallard – we’re looking forward to watching these babies grow!
Belatarr Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla. 