AFFENPINSCHER BREED NOTES - 12th March 2008
Congratulations to Jessica Gruninger and Ch. Downsbank Tattiebogle with Marchog who was Best of Breed at Crufts winning the Dog CC from an entry of 80 Affenpinschers judged by Brenda Banbury. Tattiebogle was bred by Ruth Mochrie and is sired by Ch. Darkle Devil May Care ex Kilbarchan’s Hotenuff. The Bitch CC went to Mhairi Brown and Andrew Oliver’s homebred Orlock Carpathia – her first, I believe. Carpathia is sired by Ch. Ingerdorm Drosselmeyer von Orlock ex Orlock Mirkalla Karnstein. The Res. Dog CC went to Mr. and Mrs. Lay’s Am. Ch. Tamarin Tonio Rheingold making his first trip to Crufts from America. Bred by A. Fraticelli, K. Meeker and Jackie Stacey, who handled him in the ring, he is sired by Am. Ch. Tamarin Tip Off ex Am. Ch. Tamarin Tatiana. The Res. Bitch CC went to Karen Edwards’ homebred Ch. Roxilyn Just for Jo JW sired by Ch. Scapafield Schwarz Jet ex Ch. Avantgarde Madam Moonshine. Best Puppy went to Just for Jo’s daughter by Ch. Tonsarne I Claudius JW, Roxilyn Just Miss Behaving owned and bred by Karen.
The Affenpinscher entry included four foreign dogs but only two were shown and both acquitted themselves well – Mieke Cooijmans’ one winning Limit Dog and the other the Res. CC. Meike’s other dog had to stay in Calais. Dutch /Lux. Ch. Tamarin Tamino Rheingold bred by Jackie Stacey did not have the correct paperwork. Apparently his first rabies vaccination had been given before he left America but he was microchipped later in Holland. She said that several dogs were turned back at Calais for similar reasons and some had travelled hundreds of miles across Europe hoping to compete at Crufts. Conveniently, it seems there was a representative from a local boarding kennel on hand to take in the rejected dogs. Ingunn Axelsen decided to leave her dog in Norway but she was delighted to be taking home Darkle Dishily Dishevelled and was even more thrilled when his sire had won Best of Breed.
Well done to 11 year old Rosie Shepherd who had qualified for the YKC Handling Competition for 6 – 11 years by being placed first in her age group in YKC and JHA handling classes held at qualifying shows thoughout 2007. Rosie was handling her grandmother’s dog Konishiki Man in Black and was declared the overall winner on the day. Later she handled her own dog, Darkle Shabby Chic in his breed class.
Other juniors who did well were Lottie and Millie Garratt. Millie who is 11 years old groomed Herman (Avantgarde Desperate Dan) her mother’s Affenpinscher and was declared overall runner up in the Young Groomer of the Year competition. Millie won the class for under 12s and her 9 year old sister was 2nd in the same age group having groomed a crossbreed. Obviously two talented youngsters who share their mother Lesley’s interest in grooming as she runs the Canine Design Academy of Grooming in Somerset. Lesley told me that their local TV news filmed the girls with the dogs at home prior to the show.
It was certainly a good Crufts for the breed. The booth in Discover Dogs won 4th prize thanks to the hard work of Beryl O’Donoghue who designed and decorated the stand and set it up with the help of her husband John. Thanks also to the helpers and their dogs over the four days who included Alan and Joyce Warrington, their grand daughter Mollie, Pauline Radford, Paule Pimble, Jenny and Sophie Todhunter, Gillian Obringer, Sarah and Linda McGill and Prue Towner. Jenny had a particularly busy Crufts as she and John had the Breed Club Stand by the ring on Thursday. Unfortunately, that did not run smoothly as when they arrived at 6 o’clock the stand was not in place. It was almost 9.00 a.m. before the stand arrived and they were able to display everything. Fortunately, we were not first in the ring but it was a very frustrating couple of hours for Jenny.
The March issue of the Kennel Gazette has details of three Affenpinscher judges for forthcoming shows. Jackie Reader has been appointed for Driffield this year; Jackie completes the list of judges for 2008. In 2009 Ros Brakes will be awarding CCs in the breed for the first time at UK Toydog in March and Sonya Saxby will be judging at Three Counties in June – her second appointment in the breed.
TONI TEASDALE