5th November: Working and Pastoral Breeds Association of Scotland - Championship Show, Judge: Mrs C. A. Wilson (Blumental).

Johann: Minor Puppy male: Four entries in class all present, we had entered Johann, he was placed First in the class, he beat the Puppy male and Johann was awarded Best Puppy male. Here is his judges critique: " Instone's Staubach Johann von der Wald, a nice shaped puppy at 8 months (he was 7 months as I told the judge). Head broadening well, good hind angulation with good hocks. A little narrow in front at the moment but has plenty of time, moved well around the ring carrying his tail a little high today' (Best Puppy male).

Jenta: Minor Puppy female: Six entries in class, Jenta was placed 4th.

 

 

29th September: Driffield Championship Show, the judge was breed specialist Mrs Gillian Sharman.

Minor Puppy male: There were two entries, the second entry was Ellerton Midnight Sun who is a half brother, he is just turned 8 months old. We entered Johann (Staubach Johann von der Wald) he was 6 months 2 days old at this his very first show.Johann was awarded 1st place and Best male Puppy in Breed. Unfortunatly he could not win the Best Puppy in Breed award as the judge gave the Minor Puppy female the Reserve Challenge Certificate. Here is the judges critique for Johann: Promising baby with good bone and nicely shaped body. Nice dark eyes, moved well for age.

Minor Puppy female: There were 7 in the class with 1 absent. We had entered Johann's litter sister Jenta (Staubach Jenta von der Wald), also her very first show, she was awarded 3rd place which qualified her for Crufts 2012. In 4th place was her litter sister Jasmine (Staubach Jodi von der Wald). There was no judges critique for 4th place.

 

Post Graduate female: There were 10 in the class with 1 absent, we entered Elkie (Tiggerifik Lady in Red at Staubach), she was awarded 1st place. Here is the judges critique for Elkie: Sweet headed bitch, lovely dark eyes, nicely shaped body with enough bone, moved well.

Note the judges comments on the Dark Eyes, Elkie and Johann's father is our imported male from Norway, Geilo (Dale Gudbrand's C-Geilo ZaLa at Staubach (Nor Imp), he too has Dark Eyes.

 

 

24th September: Bernese Mountain Dog Club of Great Britain - 40th Anniversary Championship Show. The two judges engaged for this event were breed specialists: Male's - Mr Jan Herngren (Sweden) and Female's - Mrs Sandra Gatward (England).

 

Veteran male: 7 in class, 2 absent. Geilo, 1st in class, lost out to Veteran female in Challenge for Best Veteran in Show. Judges critique: Excellent type. Good size and balance. Beautiful head and eyes. A little bit straight in upper arm. Good forechest. Good tailset and rear angulation. Short hocks. Excellent bone. Nice feet. Good movement from side and rear. A little narrow in front. Good markings.

 

 

Special Junior female: 6 in class, 1 absent. Freya, 5th in class.

 

Post Graduate female: 15 in class, 6 absent. Elkie, 3rd in class. Judges critique: Moved out better than most in this class. Compact with broad chest. Dark eyes. Would benefit from a little tidying, especially the feet. - When the judge Mrs Gatward was writing her comments for Elkie at the table after the class had been judged she told me Elkie's feet needed trimming as there were long hairs around her front dew claws. With total disbelief at this comment, for the first time ever I made a comment to the judge. I pointed out politly that this was not possible because Elkie does not have dew claws on her front legs. Perhaps she should have looked closer.  

 

The following classes were judged jointly by both judges.

Progeny Dog: There were 2 entries in this class, we had Geilo and two of his daughters, Elkie (Tiggerifik Lady in Red at Staubach) and Quilla (Clashaidy Nidelva Flowing of Balahunz). The other entry was a group of five from the male Goodboy van't Stokerybos. We were delighted when the judge's selected Geilo, Elkie and Quilla as the Best Progeny Dog group in Show, we would like to thank Yvonne Fison-Bates and Quilla for their support.

 

Brace: Unlike shows on the Continent where the exhibits must be one male and one female in England your pair can be any sex, two male's, two female's. There were 9 entries in the class with 2 absent, we entered our successful pairs combination of Geilo and his daughter Elkie in this class, we were delighted that they were awarded 3rd place. The pair in 2nd place also had a Geilo son in it.

 

11th September: KBS Club Show, Burgdorf, Bern, Switzerland. (Club Show of the Bernese Mountain Dog Club of Switzerland). This was Freya's first long trip in the van and her first holiday in Switzerland and her first International Show, we were very pleased with her results. This year the show was held indoors in a very nice venue with large rings for the dogs and lots of space for the many enthusiastic owners and visitors for watching the judging. There were four judges appointed and a total entry of 219 exhibits, all the exhibits were given a writen critique by the judge and the judging took no longer than in the UK, even with some classes having more than the total number of exhibits we have in Bernese entries at some Championship Shows here in the UK. Following are our show results:

Open male, 38 in class, Judge Frau Elin Normannseth. Geilo, Graded Excellent, Fourth in class. Judges critique: 7 years old, in very good condition, excellent head, good expression, dark eyes, a little loose lips, very good front, very good filled out chest with good length. I would like to see a little more angulation behind, excellent bone and feet, he turns in his left foreleg during movement and could have a little more action behind, excellent coat and colour, very calm temperament (critique in English).

 

Open Female, 42 in class, Judge Frau Gabi Schrank. Elkie, Graded Sehr Gut (Very Good). Judges critique translated for us as follows: 4 years slightly small, good bone, femanine head, nice dark eye, scissor bite, chest not fully developed, a bit steep in front, good rear angulation, back slightly up, fluent mover, soft in pastern.

Junior Female, 26 in class, Judge Herr Roland Sporr. Freya, Graded Sehr Gut (Very Good). Judges critique translated for us as follows: 16 months, feminine head, good bone and type, correct ear set, in proportion, scissor bite, good neck, correct topline, slightly rounded croup, tail good length, front to be more developed, good pasterns, good movement and good temperement.

Pair's Class: There were 7 pairs in the class, unlike England these had to be one male and one female in the class, Geilo and Elkie look very good in pairs classes, the judge awarded them 3rd place.

Breeder Group: This was the first time we had entered a Breeder group, there would be no better place to do this than at the Swiss Club Show. In our group we had Geilo and his daughters Elkie (Tiggerifik Lady in Red at Staubach) and Freya (Kinelarty Nordic Freya at Staubach). There were 11 breeders in the class and looking down the line there were some outstanding Bernese on show, after the judge had assessed all the groups we were pleased to be awarded 4th place in such a strong breeder group.

This year at the KBS Show we again had a great time, many people congratulated us at the show and as always we were made exceptionally welcome by our Swiss friends and club members.  

 

 

23rd July 2011: Leeds Championship Show - Judge Mrs Virginia Stenner (Clashaidy) Breed Specialist.

Elkie: Post Graduate female: First - four in the class. - 1^st Instone Tiggerifik Lady In Red at Staubach. Nice size, lovely head and expression.  Medium bone, good conformation, lovely long tail.  Sound mover, good temperament.

Freya: Junior female: Fourth - five in class

 

 

19th June 2011: Border Union Championship Show - Judge: Mrs Gaye Strassen (St. Fillans) This was our first Championship Show this year, it was also the first Championship Show for Freya. We were very pleased with Freya, she behaved very well and allowed to judge to fully assess her with no problems. 

Elkie: Post Graduate female: 2nd five in class with two absent - critique as follows: Pretty head with kind eye and good markings. Excellent front and depth of chest, well bodied and nicely angulated throughout.  Moved well.

 

Freya: Puppy female: 2nd five in class with two absent - critique as follows: A more mature puppy than 1st with a pretty head, well constructed body and with good bone and substance.  Lovely markings and coat and moved well. I just preferred the head of 1st

 

5th February 2011: Darlington and District Canine Society Open Show - Judge: Mr M. Webb (Mauraine)  This was Freya's first show, was was 7 months old. 

Freya: Open Male/Female: 2nd - 4 in class, 2 absent. The class was won by the 3 year old male, Freya went into the Puppy Group as Best Puppy in Breed. (she was the only Bernese puppy).

Working Puppy Group:  Freya was placed third in the Working puppy group from six represented working breeds.