Northern Ireland Show Dog Of The Year 2000
The winner of the Northern Ireland Show Dog of the Year 2000 competition
sponsored by OUR DOGS & hosted by Queen’s Island CC was Miss Cathy
Neill’s Kerry Blue, Ch, Ir Ch Kensbridge Karbon Kopy, the Runner up
was Mr Stephen Lloyd’s Lhasa Apso Ir Ch Owenavera Lying Eyes.
They
are pictured with from left to right Mrs Andrea Stubbs, Mrs Meg Purnell-Carpenter,
Mrs Meriel Hathaway, Mr John Mutter and Mr Tom Bailey.
Northern
Ireland Show Dog and Show Puppy of the Year 2000
Less
than two weeks after securing the title of Pedigree Chum Irish Dog
of the Year 2000, Cathy Neill’s homebred Kerry Blue Terrier,
Gb & Ir Ch Kensbridge Karbon Kopy also laid claim to the title
of Northern Ireland Show Dog of the Year, 2000.
Bailey claimed the Northern title by beating the other thirty-one
finalists to the top spot in the event organised by Queens Island
Canine Club at the Highways Hotel in Larne on Saturday, 6th January.
He carried off, as did all the main winners, several pieces of beautiful
crystal and assorted silverware which were sponsored by OUR DOGS and
Pedigree Chum. All competitors received a commemorative rosette and
an OUR DOGS diary.
As this event is run by special permission of the Kennel Club, naturally
only wins at English Kennel Club shows qualified dogs for this event
The committee, quite rightly, insisted on using graded criteria which
ensured that only the top dogs actually qualified for the event. There
was a slight variation to the format of the competition this year
in that, during the morning, two judges both assessed each exhibit
and separately awarded points out of a maximum of 50. These two scores
were then added, totalled and the top six scoring dogs were then invited
to return in the evening to take part in the grand final. The two
judges for the main event this year were Mrs Meg Purnell-Carpenter
and Mrs Meriel Hathaway. The after-dinner final was judged by Mr John
Mutter.
Tension
After Mr Mutter had examined all the seven finalists (yes, there were
seven instead of six finalists as two dogs had actually tied on sixth
place), silence descended on the audience as the four top placings
were announced in reverse order. In fourth spot was Eva Keenan’s
Miniature Poodle Ir Ch Tirkane Another Fantasy For Heneva. Andrew,
who was handled in the ring by Henry Stanley, has four BIS win and
numerous reserve BIS and group placings under his belt. He was also
runner-up NI Utility Pup of the Year a couple of years ago. Andrew
is obviously trying to emulate the example set by his father, Int.
Ch. Bedingfields the Power of One who Henry campaigned to his Irish
title before he went out to the Continent to collect a fistful of
titles. In third spot was Joan and Brian Lyons’ Newfoundland,
Ir Ch Newfamble Ripple; Dean has several Best in Show and reserve
BIS wins to his credit this year. As the tension mounted, Stephen
Lloyd’s homebred Lhasa Apso, Ir Ch Owenavera Lying Eyes was declared
NI Reserve Show Dog of the Year, 2000. Dudley’s parents have
both won Utility Dog of the Year in the past and his brother and sisters
have become Irish and New Zealand champions so he was obviously upholding
the family tradition of winning top awards. Dudley has also won five
groups at both championship and open show level as well as BPIS awards
at Open shows in NI and reserve BIS at South Tipperary Championship
Show. The spectators expressed their agreement with the announcement
that the winner was Cathy Neill’s Gb & Ir Ch Kensbridge Karbon
Kopy. Cathy must be running out of space at home to display all the
prizes won this year as Bailey has clocked up three Best in Show awards
under IKC rules at Dundalk, Drogheda and Dublin Championship shows
together with Best in Show at South Wales as well as numerous Terrier
Groups.
The other three finalists on the night were Roy McCleave’s Irish
Setter, Raesha Caoimhe, Gerry McFaul’s Standard Long Haired Dachshund,
Gb & Ir Sh Ch Glasvey Lilac and Marleen and Maynard Collins’
Australian Shepherd Dog, Ir Ch Accra Limited Addition.
Delight
During the afternoon, Mrs Purnell-Carpenter and Mrs Hathaway had run
the rule over the qualifiers for the NI Pup of the Year competition.
The names of the six top-scoring puppies were then announced and these
returned to the ring after the Show Dog of the Year had been announced.
Mr Mutter examined and moved all six dogs and awarded points out of
50. Once again the results were announced in reverse order. However,
there had been a tie in the scores for third spot so the three judges,
after moving both dogs concerned once again, conferred and decided
that third place should go Carole and Sam Laverty’s homebred
Basset, Lisnoe Firedancer while fourth spot would go to Gillian Mathews’
Shih Tzu, Virtulvilage Little Huligan. The Reserve Pup of the Year,
2000 was then declared to be Viven Coulter’s homebred Whippet,
Collooney Silver Silas. Then, much to the delight of Jimmy and May
McFarlane, their Lhasa Apso, Saxonsprings Golden Wispa with Michaedo
was crowned Northern Ireland Puppy of the Year, 2000. Fourteen month
old Lincoln, who is named after the famous Abraham, won his first
GS two weeks previously to add to the six he collected as a puppy.
And not to be forgotten, as it is an achievement in itself to make
the grand final in such strong company, the other two puppy finalists
were Peter Embelton’s Bernese Mountain Dog, Bernemcourt Enchantment
and Janet Duke and Tracey Gill’s Moirabank Shasta.
Mrs Hathaway also judged the finals of the Northern Ireland Junior
Handler of the Year during the break between the Show Dog and Pup
of the Year preliminary rounds. Class A was won by Brett Connolly
with his Maltese, Sinissipi Gotta Be Gucci while Class B was won by
Nicola Erwin with her Whippet, Rusden Memphis Belle. Mrs Hathway awarded
the overall title of Northern Ireland Junior Handler 2000 to a delighted
Nicola Erwin.
-
Full Report in January 12th 2001 Issue of Our Dogs
- Get your copy of Our Dogs by Subscription
