Breed Notes for April 2008

At UK Toys Dog CC and BOB went to Ch Bodebi Rhythm Is A Dancer, bred and owned by John Turner who went on to take G4. Bitch CC went to Jo Davidson Poston's Spinillons Saffire, I believe her first, Reserve Dog CC to Carol Lees Ch Bodebi Ray Of Success At Lafford bred of course by John and his late brother Gary and Reserve Bitch CC to Pat and Tom Unwin's  Paparottsie Painted Lady. BP was Debbie Burns' Petitchien's Tri'lemma Latte.

At the Combined Canine International Show in Ireland GSB, CACIB and BOB went to Sean Carrol and James Newman's Ch Denemore Icon's Butterfly, GSD and CACIB to Carol Lees Ch Bodebi Ray Of Success At Lafford  (whose affix was omitted in the report of the St Patrick's Day Show), RGSD to Sean and James Denemore Icons Ruben, RCACIB to Diane Mooney's Omaonaig Firebird, RGSB and RCACIB to Diane's  Ch Conysluck Magic Flute. In Phalenes GSD, CACIB went to Marion Sloan's Neth/Lux/Bel/Ger/Fr/Int.Ch Austrene Academy Award who was shortlisted in the Group, GSB, CACIB to Diane's Ch Aporia Chiassoso, RGSD to Eileen Roberts and Caroline Smith's Serenglade Flag Ship by Rayol. RCACIBs and RGSB were not awarded as the exhibits were too young for these awards. 

At the South Wales Papillon Club Open Show BIS went to Amy Mason's Thoughts of Stardom at Amsema JW.

The Papillon (Butterfly Dog) Club will be sponsoring three classes of the Breed at the South end on Sea DCS Open Show and will be offering sashes for BOB, RBOB and BPIB. Schedules are now available and exhibitors should keep an eye out ion Dog World for details.

Unfortunately Mark has had to withdraw from his appointment to judge dogs at the Papillon (Butterfly Dog) Championship Show. At the moment he is in a lot of discomfort with arthritis and the PHN and it was doubtful he would have been well enough in time to undertake this appointment. He thought it best to advise the Club sooner rather than later to give them time to make alternative arrangements. He would like to extend his apologies to all exhibitors who entered under him and needless to say is disappointed at having to take this action as he was greatly looking forward to this appointment. Dogs will now be judged by Brenda Taylor (Brentville).

I am sorry to have to report that Lynda Phillips' husband passed away suddenly. Our condolences go to Lynda and the family at this saddest of times.

First I have a note to alert members to an Open Show at Southend-on-Sea on 17 May (a pity, as it clashes with the South of England Open Show!), where there will be 3 classes of Papillons, the judge will be Alan Pearch and the Papillon (Butterfly Dog) Club have presented Sashes for BOB, RBOB and BPIB.

At Birtley & Dist. C.S. Open Show on 6 April, where the judge was Mr T.J. Ellis-Jones, the Thurmans' Lysandra's Kahuna Nui took BOB; Thornton's Shevid French Lace won BPIB and then was placed 4th in the Puppy Group: well done both dogs.  At Birmingham Toydog, where the judge was Roger Chaston, Bartram's Burghbridge Maid of Gold (Lottie), took BPIB - well done to her.

At the South Wales Papillon Club Open Show on 6 April, the judge was June Gummer (Juara): she awarded BIS to the best dog, Mason's Thoughts of Stardom At Amsema (from Limit), RBIS was the bitch winner (from Junior), Morrell & Teague's Temelora Lucky Lady, and BPIS was Morrell & Teague's Temelora Forest Nymph; Brunsdon's Gleniren Golden Icon took Best Veteran.  Congratulations to all these winners.

I'm sorry to end my stint as note-writer on a rather sour note.  Some people may have seen a note put on Papnet with details of the awarding of trophies at the South Wales Club's last Championship Show (before censorship intervened and the note was removed).  Since the incident is now in the public domain, I would like to report the true facts myself, as judge, and to register my extreme disgust at the behaviour of the South Wales Papillon Committee, who overturned my judging at this show. I awarded BIS to Wilson's Invergarick Modern Milly, out of a very large entry of 177 dogs, and this automatically made her the winner of a new Trophy given by their twinned club, the Papillon Club of New South Wales, Australia.  It stated in the Show Catalogue, in the words of their Secretary, that they were giving this Trophy 'to be presented to your Best Member's Exhibit'. If the winner of BIS is a Member, then it goes without saying that their dog is the 'Best Member's Exhibit' - there is no other.  SWPC regrettably first of all said Mrs Wilson was not a member (patently obvious from the Catalogue that she was), then said that she had 'refused' the trophy.  (I can't think of anyone who, having entered a competition where prizes were on offer, would ever 'refuse' one.)  The fact was that she was told there was a trophy but, not wishing to take it away with her, she said she was not interested: nobody told her that the trophy had plaques on it to engrave the winning dog's name. (And if only she had been told this, all the ensuing unpleasantness would have been avoided.)  As it was, unbelievably, the SWPC gave the trophy to the beaten dog, the RBIS. Though, surprisingly, no group photographs at all (Judge with winning dogs, etc.) were taken - as is usual at the end of a Championship Show - I was asked to pose (outside) for a Trophy presentation photograph with the owner of the beaten dog: when I said it was not the right dog, I was told 'there was a query about Mrs Wilson's membership'. This photograph was sent to the New South Wales Club that night and the RBIS's  name has been engraved on the Trophy, in place of the true winner: both these actions are a false record of the facts and should not be allowed to go into the history books.  I thought that the judge's decision was meant to be final - not to be overruled by a Committee!

I think everyone reading this will sympathise with Mrs Wilson - she has been very poorly treated - and perhaps they might think of some way of bringing pressure to bear on the SWPC to remedy the situation.  I have spoken to two members of the Kennel Club about it, and both were quite clear that the BIS winner's name is the only one that should be on this trophy - she is patently, by being Best in Show, the 'Best Member's Exhibit'. But the KC, I suppose quite rightly, will not interfere in what is purely an ethical matter for the club in question to remedy.  I am more upset by this than I can say, and it has spoiled what was, up till then, a very happy, if challenging (177 entries!), appointment, not to mention the upset caused to the owner of a lovely Best in Show winner. This was, after all, a Club Championship Show, and we were entitled to expect everything to be done correctly.

Phil (thank goodness!) will be back next week.  Also, I hope everyone coming to the SOEPC Charity Match on 3 May is busy getting their dogs sponsored to raise money for our charities!  That's all - send all news to Phil now, please!