Judging

I (Karen) have been judging at one level or another since 1980 when my first appointment was an Exemption Show (now called Companion Dog Shows) in Milton Keynes. I found my Best in show in the shape of a 13 month Red Setter, he was the very picture of a lovely typical dog of the breed and I suggested to his owners that they visit the breeder and see if he was as good as I thought he was. They did, he was and within a short time he became a Show Champion!

I undertook a number of appointments at Exemption, Limited and Open show level, judging both GSDs, corgis and other pastoral breeds, whilst attending various courses and also stewarding appointments, learning all the time.

My first Cardigan Breed Club show was the Welsh Corgi Club of Cambria in 1994, what a privilege to be able to handle so many super dogs so early in my Cardigan judging career, with several Champions present it was a joy and a great learning experience.

My first Championship appointment was in 2003 at the Working and Pastoral Breeds of Wales, since then I have had the honour of judging our Association Championship show and Crufts, these two appointments are to my mind the pinnacle of a breed judges career.

I have awarded CCs (Challenge Certificates) in Cardigans on seven occasions and am also passed by the KC to judge Pembroke Corgis at CC level.

I have also had the great pleasure and honour to judge the breeds overseas, in Denmark (several times), Finland, Ireland, and twice in Russia, in Moscow, and the lovely city of St Petersburg.

Sadly Covid stopped trips to France and a return to Moscow when travel was curtailed, another trip overseas should have been taking place in October 2021, umm, we shall see.