Spring starts in May and we got some seriously hot weather for the Fleetwood weekend double header of Champ shows held on the first Bank Holiday.
On the Sunday we had the Merseyside club and a warm welcome from Del Boy AKA – Paul Stanway, the veteran catalogue seller extraordinaire.
This Club shows a bit of imagination when choosing their judges and this show was no different – we had Dayna Lemka (Affix DayDream)over from the USA
doing the bitches (pictured left) and from down the road (up the M6 actually) judging the dogs was Gill McDermott (Affix Macadermus), right.
The North West didn’t have a lot to shout about in the Dogs until we reached Open Dog, although the Axe’s did come 2nd in Yearling with Harley’s Choice.
However the Liz Stanway latest import Australian Ch Mosstrooper Kentucky won the Open and went on to take the RCC, pictured below.
There were creditable third places in the Dogs for the Stanway’s Waystaff Strike Force in Yearling; Anna Murray & Trev Fawkes’ Antrelleda Squadron Leader in Post Grad and Nick Yorke’s Braunstaff Feel The Noise in Limit.
Meanwhile over in the corner we had a posse of NW committee members who looked like they were having a good time. Up to no good obviously.
Over in the Bitch ring things weren’t going much better for the North West until Gem Rowe came 2nd in Yearling with Illori Believe In Me.
But then we had a winner in Post Grad with Steve and Julie Simpson’s Briganah Body And Soul, starting a terrific run of success for this bitch, a happy trio pictured below.
It was in this class when taking a photo of our bitch in 4th place (Tikkurilan Spot On) that I noticed in 5th place was Chris Howard and her bitch Caymenstaffs Little Minx – this is the result – a few things going on here which I only realised when I processed these photos.
Moving on – and a win in Veteran for Pendlestaff Brindle Babe at Tikkurilan – she went on to win Best Veteran, so well done to us – Tec & Elaine Norton.
Success for the Nortons didn’t stop there though – contrary to my misgivings on paying £5 for raffle tickets we actually came away with a bottle of Southern Comfort and a bottle of white – here she is with a fist full of tickets and her haul.
The top prize was claimed by the Axe family – a digital TV.
And so closes the first day of the Fleetwood weekend.
Yes, this show has Morecambe Bay in full view, you can’t get much nearer.
The days judges were local girl Elaine Pearson (Affix Sundow) with the Dogs and from South Wales, Steve Thomas (Affix Samtan) the bitches.
Things started off well with Steven and Pat Tighe winning the Minor Puppy Dog class with their new puppy Tegumen Ace Of Spades.
Now then – if you can’t be happy for these two winning this class you have no soul – it was a joy to behold seeing Steven’s joy – they come from Rossendale, yer know.
In the puppy dog class Geoff & Eleanor Boote’s Belnite Balor at Gelstaff came third, as did Bruno Blanch Calonge’s Diamonds Of Blanch Knock-Out in the Junior class – handled by Jose Martinez with Glyn Major’s Maxsta Floyd Lord Of Went in fourth, handled by Kim Cape.
Harley’s Choice went one better than the previous day by winning the Yearling class – just a reminder that this dog has been a consistent winner throughout his show career, owned by Dean Axe, handled by Harley, shown here with the judge Elaine Pearson going over the dog.
Onto Post Graduate – only three in the class – and a second place for the Robert’s Briganah Indeed I Do
And the same result in a very strong Open Dog class for Andy & Linzi Mayren’s Bellarouge Adonis at Fergiestaffs, left with Andy handling – not a bad placing behind the ultimate CC winner.
There’s always a great atmosphere at these two events at Fleetwood – the sea air maybe, presence of a bar perhaps, whatever, everyone seems to enjoy the weekend – well the Sunday/Monday – exemplified by these three – NW members David & Julie Cartwright and Jan Wilson.
Onto the Bitches and looking at the Puppy classes there was no NW representation!
And the same could be said for the previous day at the Merseyside show.
However Junior provided a second place for Michaela Riley and her bitch Molru Shine Ya Light (co-owned with breeder Mel Corcoran), pictured left with Michaela.
She hails from Rossendale as well; in fact Rossendale is a hotbed of Stafford activity what with the Stanways and, for over twenty years, yours truly.
The next class – Yearling – was a win for NW member (amongst other clubs) for Wayne and Karon Jackson and their Jackabyte Miss Moneypenny – Penny Pops.
In this photo, right, I have just about managed to get the second placed bitch into the shot, another NW member and another Karen, this time Karen Waltham with her bitch Dringshaw Boule De Neige – snowball.
And now onto the piece de resistance for the NW – a great first prize for John and Chris Howard and their bitch Caymenstaffs Little Minx in the Graduate class – well done.
Post Graduate bitch saw the Simpson’s with a second place with Briganah Body And Soul and this placing was repeated in Limit for the Butlers and Joemikeste Play the Game. Also placed in this class was Jan Matthews and her bitch Janjoma Boniwee Gurl with a fourth.
That concludes proceedings at Fleetwood for another year.
We had a new judge for this show – Karen Johnson (pictured above writing out one of the CC’s) of the well known affix Tillcarr and by special request two able ring stewards Tec & Elaine Norton.
It wasn’t a bad day at all for North West exhibitors, starting with the winner of the Minor Puppy dog class and Jose Martinez (handling for Bruno Blanch Callonge) and the young red dog Stormfire Lebron James, left.
Things got even better – at the end this dog was awarded the Best Puppy – well done boys.
This was followed in Junior Dog and a first place for Debbie Desmond’s Elitebulls Challenger, right.
But things didn’t stop there, this dog went on to take the RCC – the start of something big for this outstanding dog and the prospects of an illustrious show career.
Onto Yearling Dog and a second place for Harley’s Choice, below – at the moment this dog seems to be oscillating between 1st and 2nd place in Yearling.
I reckon (in 2018) he has 4 Firsts (one in Junior) and 3 Seconds; pretty consistent you’d have to say.
Limit dog saw Bryn Allsopp’s Rubericla Trailbreaker (below) taking second place here and I think that was it as far as the Dogs was concerned.
The North West enjoyed more success in the bitches but had to wait until Yearling for anyone to make an impact – a second place for Wayne & Karon Jackson’s Jackabyte Miss Moneypenny — it doesn’t seem 5 minutes since her first show in minor puppy last year (under Elaine Norton).
Yes, it is Karon – she’s obviously concentrating on the job in hand here.
This last class was swiftly followed by Graduate with Gem Rowe in First place with Illori Believe In Me, pictured here.
Ok she was the only one in the class but you have to agree she’s looking good here.
And what’s after Graduate – Post Graduate and another win for Steve & Julie Simpson and their Briganah Body And Soul, photo-ed here with handler Roy Day.
This bitch is on a really good run at the moment having won a couple of Yearling classes along the way before repeating the feat in Post Grad – I’m sure we’ll be hearing some more of “Demi”
Finishing second in this class was another NW member – David & Julie Cartwright’s Zakstaff Winterfell – another who is consistently in the cards.
The Limit Bitch class provided another double for the North West, this time Dave & Vicki Butler’s Joemikeste Play the Game came in First – a top win in a very strong class.
This home bred bitch is there or thereabouts in these tough classes – we just need that final shove!
Looking at this photo she reminds me very much of Ch Tikkurilan Ticka Teboo – her 1st CC came when she was nearly 3 and her 3rd at 5 – perseverance!!
In second place in Limit was Dave McKimm’s Biggleswick Fifty Fifty, another North Wester – treading water at the moment but still getting in the line-ups and looking well in this shot.
In this game these elusive green cards might seem a million miles away sometimes but things have a habit of creeping up on you – just keep going, you two!
This May event was judged by Helen Reaney and a few NW members made the journey north to the Royal Highland Centre, next to Edinburgh Airport.
It was certainly worth it though as North Westers took both Certificates in the Dogs – the CC going to Liz Stanway with her Australian Ch Mosstrooper Kentucky Moon; this award coming only a couple of weeks since receiving the RCC at the Merseyside show (see above).
The RCC to went to Anna Murray and Trev Fawkes with their home bred dog Antrelleda Squadron Leader pictured below with Anna – a terrific thrill for these two exhibitors and very well deserved.
The Minor Puppy dog class was won by Stormfire Lebron James – the photo here is of this dog after it was awarded Best Puppy at Birmingham the previous week pictured with Jose & Izzie Martinez, with whom the dog resides whilst being campaigned in the UK on behalf of breeders Clara Blanch and Bruno Blanch Callonge.
And so to the bitches – a bit of a damp squid apart from a couple of third place cards – one in Limit for the Stanway’s Stormfire Crack The Code at Waystaff and the other in Open for the Cox/Robinson axis and their Studstaff Sugar And Spice of Hamason.
There was one glimmer of light though – a second place in Post Graduate Bitch for John & Chris Howard and their Caymenstaffs Little Minx – a great result. You’ll have to get out more with this bitch you two!
The picture below was taken at Fleetwood, don’t suppose she’s changed much in 2 weeks.
Not a large NW presence to report on – Elitebull Challenger came 2nd in Junior Dog; Waystaff Strike Force a third in Yearling Dog; Rubericla Trailbreaker a third in Limit Dog and ditto for Bellarouge Adonis at Fergiestaff in the open dog class.
Your intrepid reporter spent all day yapping by the bitch ring so I’m sorry to say I didn’t capture these awards on camera.
In the Bitches the Simpsons carried the flag for the NW with their Briganah Body And Soul winning another Post Grad class (her third), below with Roy Day handling on this occasion.
The Limit Bitch class was another second place for Dave McKimm’s Biggleswick Fifty Fifty, below
The NW gave the Open bitch a swerve – actually there was no-one from the NW in there; but in the Veteran class – which had the highest bitch entry of the day (of actual bitches in the class – 15 turned up) we did manage a third place with Tec & Elaine Norton’s Pendlestaff Brindle Babe at Tikkurilan in the starring role, pictured below.
Gem Rowe is an Officer of the East Anglian Club, but she is also a member of the North West.
On the day she was entered in 11 classes with various Illori’s – I make it that she got 6 Red cards, plus she won the Brace class as well – these two pictured below.
North West Staffordshire Bull Terrier Club 