When asked by Lynn Mair for an article for the magazine I couldn’t think what to write about, and then I thought of the people just starting on the judging list. I would write about my journey to breed club judging.

I started my judging career the old fashioned way firstly judging club Matches, then Exemption and Sanction shows. My first Open show was in 1995 at Annandale Canine Society where my Best of Breed was a young Blueprint Beer’n’Skittles at Walkon his first show just out of quarantine.

Since then I have judged the Boxers at ten shows gaining my numbers (150 before they were lowered this year to 125) to allow me to judge at Breed Club level.

I was delighted when I received the Invitation to judge the South Wales Boxer Club’s Open show. The secretary called to say that Kirsty Tailor was judging the puppy stakes and that she would book us both into the local travel lodge. Ali & I decided we would fly down to Bristol and Kirsty and her husband Mark very kindly offered to collect us at the airport and we would travel the rest of the way together. By the time we reached our destination we had sore stomachs from laughing. We arrived at our lodge-which was very nice but there were gypsies camped in the grounds and horses tied up to trees on every spare bit of grass, there was a generator right outside our window if you opened it the room filled with smoke, the noise was unbelievable, we were offered a room at the other end of the Lodge……………

That evening we asked the receptionist if there was anywhere we could get a meal she directed us to “a very nice pub” which she said was “just down the road” - so off we went - we must have walked over a mile and still had not reached the pub, finally we found it and low and behold it was closed, so back to the lodge for the car, we drove into Newport and found a lovely authentic Thai restaurant, a first for Ali and I but Kirsty and Mark were old hands - and new just what to order, it was delicious, the evening just flew by. Kirsty and Mark were really good company, and a very enjoyable evening was had by all.

After breakfast it was off to the show. Kirsty and Mark went into the venue and Ali and I went off to do some shopping, and a stroll around the town. Then made our way to the venue where Kirsty had finished her judging and it was time for me to get into the ring, I was pleased with my entry and spent a very enjoyable afternoon judging some lovely Boxers. My best in Show was Sliepnir’s Olaf the Stout with his sister Sleipnir’sViking Goddess going res Best in Show, my Best puppy in Show was Carters Joy Nuzz at Susancar

We spent a very enjoyable weekend in the company of Boxer Folk, and got my hands on some lovely dogs… what more could one want.

I look forward to judging my next Breed Club appointment which will be the Mancunian Boxer club’s Open show in October 2006. Below are pictures of my winners.

Cheers

Marion Cowan

Alcomar Boxers ©

Best in Show the Dog Sleipnir Olaf the Stout Res Best in Show & Best Bitch Sleipnir Viking Goddess.

(Both are now Champions)

My Best in show & res Best in Show winners