Belfalas Podengos

Another long day on Britain's favourite roads, got to love the A34, M40 and M6, heading to the Staffordshire County Showground for yet another time this year.

Kimmie was first in the ring for Puppy Dog, he is definitely getting better at keeping his head up whilst on the move and is better at resisting the temptation to sit whenever he stops. Our judge awarded him a First, so he obviously did something right. Back in again for the Dog Challenge against some quality opposition and Kimmie got pulled out for Reserve Best Dog!

All three girls went into Puppy Bitch and CC took the honours this time around, Ronnie took second place and Cassie ended up with third.

Lily was in Open Bitch with the big girls and obviously didn't catch the eye today, she took a fourth place.  She hasn't had too many of those.

Best Puppy was a Husband and Wife showdown, Kimmie in the blue corner and CC in the red corner.  On this occasion, the boys had it (make the most of it, it doesn't happen very often) Kimmie was duly awarded Best Puppy.

4 Hours to get home through the Sunday evening traffic and a late tea for everyone, but a good day overall.

A decent entry of 21 dogs, with 3 absentees, for our Judge Peter Miller from Australia to run his eye over. 

His two top dogs were the Crufts winners from the last 2 years, so he wasn't far off the mark.

A good day for the Belfalas brood - 

Kimmie - First Puppy Dog

Cassie - First Puppy Bitch

CC - Second Puppy Bitch

Ronnie - First Junior Bitch and Best Puppy

Lily - Second Open Bitch in the biggest class of the day with 6 quality girls in the ring, she was then called back in for the Bitch Challenge and given Reserve Best of Sex behind her old friend Treacle. Considering Lily has only just finished her season and probably isn't in her best condition, we were extremely pleased for her.

Well done everyone for battling through the elements and braving the mud!

A relatively short, cross country journey to Ardingly showground with fingers crossed that the rain of the previous day wasn't about to be repeated.

Lily stayed at home as she was in season, so it was a puppies day out.

Our judge, Mike Denny, admitted that he found it really difficult to judge the three sisters against each other.  We took this to be a compliment, that all the girls are of a decent quality, we could have taken it the other way, but decided not to.

It was CC's turn to get best puppy, with Cassie second and Ronnie third. CC also got Reserve Best of Breed, losing to Ori in the challenge, no disgrace there. We stayed for the Puppy Group and the Reserve BoB Group, but predictably as all groups were judged by the same Judge we didn't proceed any further.

CC - 9-month-old B. Nice little girl, full of energy and enthusiasm and showing good, sound movement. Lean, fine head fitting the standard nicely. Bright eyed, ears set on ok. Correct neck. Good top-line. Nicely muscled rear end for a youngster and has a good coat. BPIB.

Cassie - litter sister to my class winner and the same comments applies but (today) not moving as well, inclined to swing out and pull away from her handler. 

No Problems with the weather forecast for this weekend, it was going to be hot!

A reasonable entry of 12 dogs, with no absentees, for judge Sharon Rossiter to run her eye over. Sharon attended the PPCoGB BAD last year, so it is pleasing to see BAD attendees getting appointments.

In mixed sex classes the puppies were beaten by two Plushcourt lads, so we nominally had Best Puppy Bitch with Ronnie, CC followed with Cassie bringing up the rear on this occasion.

Lily won the Limit Class and then went on to get Reserve Best Bitch. Considering the heat, Lily showed really well and was unlucky (IMHO) not to do better - we await the Judge's critique with interest.

Plushcourt Gloriana At Belfalas, B. Feminine head, nice eye with an alert expression, good length of neck, balanced angulation front and rear, good in hocks, good on the move. RBB

As we loaded up the van for our three and a half hour trip to Stafford, we had one eye firmly on the weather forecast. The previous day had been the hottest day of the year but a break was forecast with some heavy rain coming in from the west. We were due to be in an open air ring, would we get away with it?

A reasonable entry for our Judge, Mr Dick McCoy to cast his eye over. We had a nice big ring but, if I am nit-picking, the grass could have been shorter for a small breed. I'm sure it made no difference to the Irish Wolfies before us, but we only have little legs!

A good day.

Lily won Limit Bitch and then got Reserve Best Bitch.

Ronnie got Best Puppy Bitch, then went on to get Best Puppy. Cassie got second in Puppy Bitch, with CC getting third.

Thanks to the Hound Association for organising the weather, we got away in the dry.

Windsor on a lovely sunny day saw a decent entry of 19 dogs for our Judge Colin Ashmore to cast his eyes over.

Ronnie's day finally came (I kept telling her it would) as she won Best Bitch Puppy, CC took Second and Cassie had to put up with Third. Ronnie is starting to look like she gets the whole show thing.

1. Belfalas Ladytron - A very feminine bitch of nice breed type, sweet feminine head of nice proportions, eyes very dark and expressive almond shaped, correct ears set and reach of neck, very good length of body to height, nice front and rear, good depth of chest and well ribbed, level topline, correct tail set, moved well. 

2 Belfalas Sea Breezes - Another nice looking bitch, litter sister to above, feminine head and expression, nice length of body to height, level topline, very immature would just like a little more all round moved well just needs time.

Lily won her last Post Graduate class, Limit and Open from here on in.

1 Plushcourt Gloriana at Belfalas -  Mature bitch of very good breed type, well balanced shape and outline, nice proportions, breed typical feminine head and expression, dark almond eyes, nicely muscled and angulated hindquarters, level topline with well placed tail, moved well. 

Neither of our girls got pulled out in the Bitch challenge, being beaten by the winner of Open Bitch

This was Kimchi's first day out at a UK Champ Show on the day after his 4 'Monthday'.  He is such a confident little dog, taking everything in his stride making friends with humans and dogs alike.

Thanks to everyone for their good wishes on my birthday and for helping me celebrate (?) the passing of another year.

Back to Malvern for the second time this year.  A reasonable sized entry, with only a few absentees, for the judge, Janet Kay, to go over.

It was CC's turn to take best Bitch puppy, with Ronnie second and Cassie third.  Best Puppy went to Maggie Pinder's Plushcourt Good Luck

1. Belfalas Sea Breezes - At 6 months these girls have plenty of time to build in confidence. This girl is the smallest of the three but time is still early. Pleasing feminine head with an alert expression head skull had a slight arch, high set fine ears which where taller than broad expressive eyes good length of muscular neck and enough chest at this point in her show career. Her ribs were nicely sprung for age and reached well back. She moved the best of the 3 at this time. 

2. Belfalas Ladytron - Slightly taller than winner of class, good dense smooth coat, nicely ribbed back she grew in confidence as time went on. I’m sure all three will change places often as they attend more shows, getting used to other people.  

Lily won Post Graduate Bitch in the biggest class of the day.

1. Plushcourt Gloriana at Belfalas - Smooth, very appealing 3yr super feminine with her wedge-shaped head and high set ears. Ample length of muscular neck into shoulders. Enough chest and spring of ribs which reached well back to her muscular loin well angulated hind. On the move in profile, she was light on her feet. I considered her in the challenge.

Fighting our way through the rush hour traffic on the M27, it looked like we might not make it in time, but judging was postponed by 30 minutes due to an accident on the A34, so we made it in plenty of time.

The three puppies went into a mixed sex class and got first, second and third.  CC took first place, Cassie second and Ronnie third.

Lily won Post Graduate.

In the challenge, Lily went Reserve Best of Breed and CC got Best Puppy.

Another good day, with more experience in the bank.

Thanks to our Judge for the day, Mr. Neil Straw (Shaolin)

Another Bath Champ Show, another glorious day.  Once again proving that the Universe loves the Portuguese Podengo.  The best showground on the UK circuit and the best organised show gets the best weather.

We continued with our second show of the day, the PPCoGB Open Show under Judge David Shields. 

Lily won her second first place of the day in Post Graduate Bitch, but was then beaten by one of her puppies in the Special Smooth Open Bitch (really, she is fine with it!).

1. Plushcourt Gloriana at Belfalas. Well made smooth who I see is the dam of the three puppy bitches so you can see where they get their positive breed attributes from. Good head, well set ears and a pleasing expression. Well ribbed along with firm quarters. Best mover in the class.

CC rounded off her excellent day by winning first in Puppy Bitch, and then beating Mum in Special Smooth.

Ronnie took second in Puppy Bitch and third in Special Smooth, having the good sense to let her Mum take second.

Cassie had to be happy with third in Puppy Bitch and fourth in Special Smooth on this occasion.

Puppy Bitch - Class of three siblings all of which had positive breed attributes. 

1 Belfalas Sea Breezes. The most together of the three on the day. Smooth youngster who was on her toes at all times. Lean wedge shaped head, clean cut and a good eye. Firm topline and well made quarters. Once she settled moved well, BPB, BOSP.

2 Belfalas Ladytron. Not as forward as her sibling. Pleasing head and expression. Good front assembly, level back and a good tailset and correct carriage. Like the winner, once she got her confidence moved on a good stride.