01 February 2019 Breed Notes

A few open shows to report on the first at Newton Abbott and South Devon CS held at Exeter where breed and Group Judge was Josephine Pinfold. Hazel Malcolm had a successful day with Feorlig It Must’ve Been Love winning BOB and TGP1. Hazel is delighted that Buzz has now qualified to compete in the Top Dog of Devon 2019 competition which will take place in May 2020.

Gill Breen continues her successful shows with Amicae Highland Glen having taken BOB/ TGP4 / Special Toy puppy and winning the Stakes class at the Kirkintilloch and Lenzie Open show. Following on from this at Lanark and Hamilton CS he took BOB. Sorry at time of writing the judges were unknown.

Ted Whitehill secretary of the Breed Council has informed us of the latest Kennel Club release.

EYE FOR A DOG ASSESSMENT NOW ONLY FOR MULTI-BREED JUDGES: BOOKINGS NOW OPEN FOR LATEST DATES

Following feedback received from the Eye for a Dog pilot assessments held in 2018, the Kennel Club has relaxed the criteria for taking this assessment from all Judges wishing to be approved to award CCs (JCF Level 4) to those who want to move to a second or subsequent CC breed. Judges who do not aspire to judge more than one CC breed are no longer required to take the assessment.
This one-off assessment must be undertaken prior to taking a Breed Competence Assessment for a second or subsequent breed. It is a key component of the JCF and is necessary to apply for Level 3 approval for a second or subsequent breed.

The purpose of the assessment is for each candidate to demonstrate their ‘eye for a dog’ based on their general knowledge of canine conformation and movement at a level appropriate for a judge awarding CCs. The assessment does not require any pre-knowledge of breed standards or breed specific detail.

Nine dogs and handlers will be available at each session, comprising at least one breed from each of the seven recognised Kennel Club groups, covering a variety of shapes, sizes etc. Candidates will be assessed on their knowledge of movement, head and neck, forequarters, body (to include proportions, coat and colour) and hindquarters. Candidates will score extra marks for the correct identification of the breed(s).

The Code of Best Practice for the assessment can be found at https://bit.ly/2E75EOe.
Bookings are now open for the latest assessments, taking place on Tuesday and Wednesday February 19/20 at the Kennel Club Building at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire. There are 72 places available over the two days. The assessments are to be split into morning and afternoon sessions and are of three hours duration.

To book onto this assessment candidates must have previously awarded Challenge Certificates in at least one breed. 
The cost per person is £20 and places are restricted to 18 candidates per session. Bookings can be made at https://bit.ly/2WddpXV.
Please direct all enquiries to jcf@thekennelclub.org.uk.

Interested parties in Scotland are reminded that the Scottish Kennel Club recently agreed to hold an Eye for a Dog assessment on Sunday 31st March, details of which will be issued in due course.THEKENNELCLUB.ORG.UK www.thekennelclub.org.uk

Not Papillon related but I would like to say a personal thank you to the Midland Chihuahua Club for inviting me to judge Smoothcoats at Polesworth Memorial Hall. Your hospitality throughout the day was given in abundance and I was made most welcome by all the members of the hard working committee. Thank you to the exhibitors for giving me such an amazing record entry and bringing your top class chihuahua’s under me. It was a pleasure and a delight to have the opportunity and I thoroughly enjoyed going over your beautiful breed. Thank you.

Take care going to the shows everyone, enjoy and have fun.

IRENE ROBB