Truly magnificent: a judge’s perpsective
by Zena Thorn-Andrews

This was an exciting show to be part of, extremely well run , every care possible was given to the judges, stewards & exhibitors. We were so well looked after it was a real treat to be present at this massive event.

On the evening of the first day, the judges were invited by the Mayor of Stockholm to a buffet supper at the Town hall. Not just any old town hall, but the venue for the Nobel Prize winners event, & what a magnificent building! Frank Kane kindly explained some of the scenes to me on the walls in the gold hall, where the Nobel supper is held. Quite the most astonishing room I have ever seen. Covered in pure gold mosaics.

I skipped the open-air buffet on the second evening, as I was so worn out, from a long day at the show.
With the judges briefing at 7.30am, followed by an early start to judging, and the groups not finishing before about 7pm, I chickened out of a long bus trip to the outdoor venue.
I believe it was much enjoyed by hardier souls. The sat. evening official dinner was held in the Vasa museum. The early 17-century galleon loomed over our heads as we ate, it must be the most complete galleon to have ever been salvaged so intact. A truly magnificent evening, in such good company too.
The judging rules for a World show are somewhat different to a normal FCI show, and both judges & stewards were very well briefed each day, if necessary. I had no problems with exhibitors, who like wise had had much information before the show, so there was no excuse to go wrong.

First day consisted of 90 bitch Miniature Schnauzers Black & Silver. Six judges for the near 600 Miniatures, must constitute a record for the breed ! Barry Day was my B/S co judge, he also was designated to judge best of breed. I was delighted to see that my bitch winner met with his approval, & she went on to BOB.
26 entered in Junior with the World Junior title going to Chottans Go Gorgeous, she also won the CAC, equivalent to our CC. Young, immature but sound & with an excellent outline. She would do well here I thought. She came from Sweden. Second to her & winning the Reserve CAC was Macmasters Xellent Xanadu also from Sweden. A bit too stocky, & short of neck but very sound & free moving.
21 entered in the Intermediate class, first going to Prazzlas Enjoy The Light. Also Swedish. Great temperament, an excellent Schnauzer all through. Second was House Kazak Rainbow from Norway, a bit on the leggy side & far too much woolly leg hair, but had many good points too.
28 in the Open class, & some close decisions here. The winner was Chottans Zong For Zara, all Chottans breeding. Smart, excellent outline, with good legs & feet & a real personality. Second to Fin/Nord Ch Silbahills Ffs Freya from Norway.
A neat bitch with hard leg hair, just a mite short in upper arm. 12 in the Champions class, & the first was the eventual CACIB & BOB. American bred, living in Sweden, Fin/Sw/Ch Blythewood Swedish Opera. A real stunner for movement, outline, coat, colour & so stylish. Second & reserve CACIB was Multi Ch Fixus Three Wishes, not quite as good in rear movement as the winner but worthy of all her many titles!
Winner of the veteran class could not compete for the CACIB but was a cracker too! Multi Ch Chottans Sound Of Music must have been related to the other Chottans winners, as she was the same good type.

Day two saw me with 86 dogs entered. Two junior classes of Chinese Crested & the veterans.
The breed generally was far too big & some were so large they looked out of place with the other Toys. (Although it is called the companion group in FCI countries). Junior dog first with 37 entering the ring !
Adult dogs were judged by Joan Goldstein USA & the bitches & BOB by Rafael De Santiago.
The winner & “world junior winner” was from Austria, he later won 4th overall in the best junior in show competition, no mean feat with about 80 odd dogs in the ring!
One To Remember De Gabritho was of correct size, cobby type, very good moving and impressive in temperament. Second another hairless from the Netherlands , this was Happy Dancing Gogo Gadget, very similar to the first just a bit shorter in body. Third a nice Powderpuff from Poland, but much younger. Junior Bitch brought in 45 exhibits, as all have critiques it took some while to judge. The winner was Rejects Sixth Angel , from Norway.This would have been my best junior out of the two if I had judged it, as she was just gorgeous!
Lovely type & quality, everything one could hope for at her age. Just a stunner. So elegant, beautiful head , pigment & prominent nose, so good to go over and such a typical moving bitch. Eugenios Inspiration who was the veteran dog winner of the World Title sired her but he was so big . Winner of the bitch veterans was Multi Ch Sea Fires La Rio Alta, sired by a Moonswift export, M Crazy Horse. Second was Multi Ch Eugenios Shining Moon Over Rosco
Back to the Junior B class, second went to a P/Puff, Bed’ykins A’int A Saint from Sweden too. Very nice all through but very much a baby, about 9 mths if I remember correctly.

Third day saw me taking over Terry’s Greyhounds, it was a show he had very much hoped to do, but it was not to be. I was honoured to be thought a worthy replacement. A nice entry of 59 made it a pleasantly easy day. The males were challenging to say the least! It was very difficult to find winners. 7 Junior dogs competed for the Junior World Winner Title, which went to Another Story Hurry Sundown, a very strong sound red, who was a touch “Boxy” .
He was also awarded the reserve CAC. Second sired by an Another Story male too, and third & fourth young Showline hounds. The Open class of five went, along with the CAC to a German owned & bred brindle Int/Ger/Ch Joasis The Hunter, a slightly short necked, sound & curvy hound. He was made up to a Swedish Champion on the day. Champions followed which were mainly extremely disappointing.
Best of the bunch & Dog CACIB was Int Ch Sobers Hamilton, sired by a dog from the EPIC kennel. He was beautifully muscled , true moving, correct in outline, & not as long in loin as most, but he lacked any spring of rib. 2nd & Reserve CACIB was Sw Ch Epic Dogmatic, a very nice hound who had his head down most of the time, & looked very miserable. Bitches were much better & cheered me up !
Best Junior overall & Res. CAC was Showline Sporting Step, pleasing proportions & movement, but as so many present today, very weak in underjaw, which is essential in a hunting hound. However as you first have to catch your prey I had to be lenient on this point. 2nd was Another Story Here Comes The Sun sister to the dog winner, & very like him. 9 altogether in this class.
4 came into Intermediate, this class won by a good bitch. She also won the CAC & Reserve CACIB. Baltic Winner Estet Classic Glamorous is of correct size, good in bone & proportions, and absolutely sound, she too lacked underjaw though. Her sire I see is Gaysyde Christmas Spirit & dam Gaysyde Christmas Majic. Owned & bred in Estonia. 2nd & 3rd were two Sobers bitches from Italy & Sweden respectively .
I really liked the strong bitch S. Kendra, a half sister to the best dog, but she would not go on the floor & hated the mats. This was a great pity.
Open Bitch was a very poor class of 6, & they were not as good as the previous winners. Champion bitches was a huge class of 17 , coming from many different countries. Interesting to sort out, but I was wondering at the end why so many were so overlong in back, with loins well over two hands span, weak underjaws, & a mass of very straight shoulders.
I liked the first 4 very much however. The World Winner CACIB & Best of Breed went to Multi Ch Jet’s Once Upon A Dark Night, sired by the British hound Baldrey Not So Smart With Buebezi, dam the famous Champion Jet’s Once Upon A Dream. This 5 year old black is of classic shape & outline, absolutely sound & free & easy on the move. Feminine yet strongly made, correct size & bone, which is difficult to assess on a black, as they can look light in bone because of the colour.
This beauty impressed the group judge Dr Goran Bodegard too, and he gave her 2nd in a strong group to a fabulous Afghan. 2nd in Champions was Multi Ch Another Story Lyin’ Eyes from Sweden.
A nice strong fawn/White. 3rd Uk/Int Ch Showline Silent Step from Norway, a beautiful brindle, 4th from the USA & very tired & not putting all in, was a very impressive & beautifully muscled houndy girl in Int/Us Ch Chaparral Grandcru Tanzanite all the way from Colorado.
There were 4 breeders groups, quite an impressive sight, won by the Showline kennels that were placed in the enormous all breeds breeders class in the BIS ring. They were 4 very alike brindles, all moving well.

A day off Sunday, then the climax of BIS. Not too much razzmatazz thank goodness, but we could well have done without the huge blowers blasting yellow & blue pieces of paper, into the finalists faces & scaring the Sealyham half to death. Some wonderful dogs made the finals in the 10 groups. I have fond memories of the enchanting Fauve shown by our very own Gavin Robinson, charming the crowds with an ever wagging tail. The stunning Pharaoh & Afghan, a super looking Weimaraner from Portugal, & of course the Sealyham , everyone was tipping from day one, & after watching him, I’m not surprised.. the best I have ever set eyes on.
So nice that the BIS judge, had so many lovely exhibits to choose from. He did a good job, & came up with a lovely line up. Well done the Swedish KK, you gave the World a remarkable event.