(Updated 22/4/01)

South Wales Open Shows' 'Dog of the Millenium'

Story and Photos by Margaret Greening

THIS YEAR, for those who believe that 2001 is really millennium year, the South Wales Kennel Association held the second “Dog of the Millennium”, which was most generously sponsored by Hill’s Pet Nutrition Ltd. To qualify for this spectacular event the dog had to win best in show at an open show held in Wales. Forty seven dogs had been entered, all but four being dogs who live in Wales with their owners.

Hills gave every entrant a Hill’s towel, a cool-bag, a key ring and a Frisbee, and the SWKA gave everyone a most appropriate gift for a Welsh event, a Welsh Loving Spoon.

When I arrived at the very posh Parkway Hotel, the room was smartly set out for the competition with the committee looking really good in green blazers for the men and yellow jackets for the ladies.

The judges for the day were Jack Bispham and Terry Nethercott, neither of whom really needed any introduction from commentator Andrew Brace, but that didn’t stop him! Apparently they had been allowed to judge in Norway recently but due to the Foot & Mouth had had to be disinfected and wear overalls for the event!

Poor Isobel Dyke was on crutches due to having had her foot trodden on and a blood vessel broken by an Irish Wolfhound while judging in Kenya in January. She managed to organise the event superbly despite this handicap, but she obviously has a wonderful team in the SWKA Committee.

Photo by Margaret Greening
SWKA chairman Mr Bryn Cadogan thanks the two judges Mr Terry Nethercott (left) and Mr Jack Bispham.

Not all of the 47 dogs who had been entered were present so the first round had several byes, and the real competition in several cases came in the second round and the Welsh Springer Spaniel, Typica Countryman JW didn’t have any competition until the third round.

The judge for the first half of the first round was Jack Bispham. The first five dogs in had byes to the next round, one was Di Fry and Tracy Jackson’s Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Amantra Cloth of Gold, from the West Country! The next one in was Ms J Mahoney and Mrs G Hill’s Borzoi, Colhugh Cream Coffee Ay Yanjoy followed by Mrs Power’s Miniature Pinscher Torilea in Time. Next in Mrs Phillip’s Shih Tzu, Rochelynne Enchanted Jewel At Graigllan, then Mr K Davies’ Kerry Blue dog Perrisblu Emperor. The we actually had two dogs in together, Mr & Mrs Rees’ Bichon Frise, Myrgwyn Ice Master with the Cesky Terrier, Pendevour Dion owned by Mrs Evans; the winner of this competition was the Bichon. After this the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Mrs Caswell’s Rammey Sweetheart stood alone - then another match between the Irish Wolfhound, Mr & Mrs Pask’s Fearnhead Apollo at Baronglen and the Beardie, Mr & Mrs Leggett’s Bendale Flash Harry, the Wolfhound going on to the next round. Then another bye for another Wolfhound, Mr & Mrs Mulligan’s Ashkyem Drager The Merciless, another bye followed for the West Highland White, Mrs Chudley’s Chryzara Morning Glory, then a match between the two Golden Retrievers entered, Mr & Mrs Edwards’ Lovehayne Quentin JW and Mr & Mrs Williams’ Trebettyn Musket, the first named was the winner here. Next the Saluki, Mesdames Shellard and Corcoran’s Sea Fleet Zarzuella stood alone and another match followed between Miss Grainger’s Skye Terrier, Pyon Mister Softee and Miss Barnett’s Border Terrier, Brockfox Black Thorn, the Skye was the winner. Two byes and a match followed for Jack Bispham to complete his stint here. First to come in was Miss C Dovey’s Keeshond, Neradmik Pyjama Party at Sturtmoor, then the Akita, Mr and Mrs Morgan’s Ch. Redwitch Chippendale came in before going on to the next round. The last match in Jack Bispham’s first session was between Mrs and Miss Lovell’s Boxer, Winuwuk Temptation For Pinedown, another West Country finalist and the other Boxer here Mr & Mrs Davis’ Rojcastle Rafferty’s Rules, the latter going through to the next round.

Terry Nethercott then took centre stage for his stint.

First into the ring on another Bye, the West Highland White Terrier, Mrs Smith from Bristol’s Benary Special Consort, followed by Ingrid Greatrex’s Pekingese, Brynach Vladivar who also stood alone, then a match between Mrs Hill’s Siberian Husky, Powder Face By Kriserliz and Mrs Price’s Bouvier des Flandres Ch. Kanix Camilla, the Bouvier being the winner here. Next, two more byes for Mrs Lipman’s Great Dane, Lisvane Laissez Faire and Mrs Halliwell’s Welsh Terrier, Wigmore Ladybird. Then another match between Mrs Rees & Mr Scott’s Pharaoh Hound, Ch. Anharbn Great Pretender at Talk Accatur and Mrs Davies’ Cocker Spaniel, Gwendraeth Crescent Moon, the Pharaoh Hound being the winner here. Next a bye for the Welsh Springer Spaniel owned by Mr & Mrs R Rees, Typica Countryman JW who in fact had a bye in the next round as well. After this a match between Mr & Mrs Rees’ Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Stadwen Black Tulip and Mr P R Davies’ Kerry Blue bitch, Ch. Perrisblue Royal Fern - the Kerry Blue going through to the next round. After this we had two more byes for Mr & Mrs Quigley’s Doberman, Swyndwr Crime Stopper and Mr & Miss Cadywold’s Lhasa Apso, Xanton’A S’Kar. Next was another match between Messrs Harvey & Kemp’s Cocker Spaniel, Akita Roberto at Richian and Ms J Mahoney’s Afghan, Altside Tantrums and Tiaras At Yanjoy, the Afghan going on to the next round. Then a bye for Mr & Mrs Howell’s Beagle, Emorlen Crackle and then the last match in this round between Mrs Jones’ Sealyham, Ch. Pindaric Misletoe For Tommary and Mrs Box’s Boxer, Rojastle Renegrade For Boxken, the Sealyham being the winner here. We finished with two byes in this round - Miss Jimpson’s Rottweiler Isabell Die Kleine Amsel Von Jimeva and finally Mr & Mrs Richards’ Newfoundland, Harbourdeep Lauenbrau of Sheridel; this completed the first round, but Terry Nethercott stayed in the ring to go over the winners which Jack Bispham had sent through from the first round. The dogs that Terry then set through to the next round were the Borzoi, the Miniature Pinscher, the Kerry Blue dog, the Irish Wolfhound, one of the West Highland Whites, the winning Golden Retriever from the first round, the Keeshond and the Akita.

Overall winner in the South Wales Open Shows' ' Dog of the Millenium' knock-out competition was Kerry Blue Davies' Ch Perrisblu Royal Fern

Great applause

Terry then had a well earned rest while Jack Bispham went over those that had come through from round one under Terry. His winners here were the West Highland White from Bristol, the Bouvier, The Pharaoh Hound, the Welsh Springer, the Kerry Blue bitch, the Lhasa Apso, the Beagle and the Newfoundland. Jack stayed in the ring to go over the third round placings and he chose to go forward to the quarter final the Borzoi, Colhugh Cream Coffee At Yanjoy, the Kerry Blue dog, Perrisblu Emperor, the Golden Retriever, Lovehayne Quentin JW and the Akita, Ch. Redwitch Chippendale. Then Terry’s turn again and his quarter finalists were the Bouvier, Ch. Kanix Camilla, the Welsh Springer, Typica Countryman JW, the Kerry Blue bitch, Ch. Perrisblu Royal Fern and the Beagle Emorlen Crackle. Terry stayed in the ring to sort the semi-finalists from Jack’s quarter finalists, and his choice for the final round were the Kerry Blue dog and the Akita. Once again Jack was back in the ring and his choices for the semi-finals round were the Bouvier and the Kerry Blue bitch. He stayed in the ring and his choice from Terry’s semi-finalists was the Akita, Ch. Redwitch Chippendale, while Terry’s choice from Jack’s semi-finalists was the Kerry Blue, Ch. Perrisblu Royal Fern. The two judges came together to choose the final winner - and to great applause they chose Royal Fern as the top winner with Ch,. Redwitch Chippendale as the runner up. The winners were presented with super rosettes generously donated by Mrs Olive Thomas. The top winner was also presented with a voucher for lunch at this super venue. After the photo had been taken we repaired to the bar to wait for the delicious lunch which Hills also sponsored. It was a really good event and so nice, not only to see the super dogs who had won their way to this event, but to be able to go to a doggy event after so long prevented from doing so by the Foot & Mouth.

Photo by Margaret Greening
Runner up in the contest was the Japanese Akita Morgan’s Ch. Redwitch Chippendale.

Many congratulations are due to the SWKA team for, once again, masterminding such a brilliant event. They hope there will be another such an event sometime in the future, sponsorship being forthcoming, I do hope so.