Black + White Show in Tuusula, Finnland

Phone call from Finland, a few days after the Bundessieger Show in Dortmund: Juha Palosaari invited me to judge the Scotties at the Black + White Show in Finland.  The original judge suddenly had to refuse because of illness. Finland? By far too far away. I would have to go by plane – NO! In addition I am not an educated judge.

About 10 minutes later I nearly was already convinced. It was an “Open Show” without any tickets on offer. Therefore the judges does not have to be approved by a club. Well - I felt really honoured and during the phone call the attraction of judging many Scotties that I normally would never see in our country, was bigger than my great fear of a 2,5 hour flight. Short consultation with my companion in life, Rainer Schnock. He said: “Why do still consider?” OK, I gladly agreed.

Hotel and flight were booked from Finland. The flight confirmation came by mail – in Finnish. Apart from departure and arrival time the only words I could red were “Düsseldorf” and “Helsinki”. What a language! I also was informed that 34 Scotties were entered and that there were no complaints concerning a judge change so close to the show – very nice.

The week before the show was exiting. Would I be able to cope with the task? Within 25 years I have touched a great number of Scotties but to judge and place them was something completely different. How would I cope with classes of equal quality of dogs? Or what would I do with unbalanced classes – maybe even more difficult. What if I like or dislike several points on different dogs? Would I find “my type”?

The hotel Flamingo is part of a huge shopping center.

I got-off on Friday. Thank God it was a calm flight to Helsinki. My thoughts went to the exhibitors. Are they as curious as I am before every show? At this time I normally would be busy at the trimming table to bring my dogs into best possible condition for the next day. Would they match the judges favour? Who would be in competition and who not? It was exiting to view this scene from a different side.

I smiled – although I sat in a plane, several 1000m above the Baltic Sea! Nevertheless I was very glad when I was back on solid ground.

My first impressions: Here the cars were louder than in Germany. Because of the weather the tyres were fitted with spikes which are not allowed in our country. In Finland it was getting dark early, at 4 p.m. it is pitch-black. Here they have some – for Germans – unfamiliar rules: At the airport the taxi was assigned by a friendly staff member. In restaurants the customers are requested to „please wait to be seated“.

In the evening I met the coordinators of the annual Black + White Show: Juha Palosaari (Kennel Starrings) and Vesa Lehtonen (Kennel Who’s), both are well known Westie breeders. During dinner they introduced the Weste judge Lorena Lotzniker aus Italien (Kennel Riva d’Arno) and me to the Finnish show rules.

Next morning we drove to Tuusula, close to Helsinki. On the way we had time to visit the house of Jean Sibelius, Finlands most famous composer. Then we drove through a typical Finnish landscape, just like I anticipated it: Lots of forest and lakes with typical wooden housed around.

The show was held in a sports hall, completely prepared in Halloween style. I had a competent ring team: Juha Palosaari was my secretary and Vesa Lehtonen my steward who guided me through the Finnish show rules. The classes were nearly identical to German shows. The biggest difference to our system at home: Here in the final competition the 4 best males and the 4 best females are placed (like in all Scandinavian Countries). Therefore the judge awards a “Honour Price” (HP) to all dogs that should come back for the best dog or best bitch competition

This means: All dogs with HP will later return in the ring in competition for best male or best female, sorted by class and ranking. I really like this system even though it is not very easy to judge.

To judge all 34 entered Scotties was as thrilling as expected. Some classes were easy to decide, others were difficult because similar or different in quality and type

I was impressed to see so many good shoulder placements and caused by that, there were many good top lines. But – as well as in other countries – I think that straight front legs and tight elbows would need more attention now.

Most of the heads were clean (only very few bumpy ones) but most of the heads were lacking stop which spoiled the expression – again: as well as in other countries. Tail sets and hindquarters varied a lot but there also were some really good ones. I was especially astonished that some dogs with not that strong hind angulations moved with lots of drive while some with excellent angulations moved with short steps.

Size and bones were comparable to our dogs (in Germany) but some were nearly too elegant with extremely long necks.

My Best of Breed (BOB) Scottish Terrier and Res. Best in Show went to Ch. Brueik Summa Creation (Ch. Berrybreeze Ilumination x Ch. Brueik Summabreeze), bred in Great Britain by Liz Bradley. Owner: Arja Tuuliniemi.

This male won a strong champion class of 5 dogs. He is just my type of dog. Lovely head and expression, Really strong, short coupled body and lovely fluent and straight movement with drive. When I opened the catalogue after judging I was surprised and had to laugh. I picked the only British import for BOB!

I have heard that this dog has been shown in several European countries this year, but I never met him before.

Also the 2nd. Best male was an import, this time from Germany: Lucky Star’s Mr. Merlon (Ch. Stuane Lock Smith x Lucky Star’s Midnight Lady), Breeder: Viola Rogolus, Owner: Tuula Taipale, Kennel Mistings. He won the intermediate class.

Best female came from junior class and was a daughter of the BOB: Quaint Nuez Moscado (Ch. Brueik Summa Creation x Ch. Quaint Like a Spice). Breeder and Owner: Reijo Portala.

She is a beautiful just 10 month young brindle bitch. Very stylish and elegant but already sound and deep in body. With the time she settled and showed her lovely movement keeping her nice outline. On top I was really pleased to award Best Junior in Show to her. After judging I have heard, that this was her first show – well done! The next nice surprise was to see, that she is a daughter of my BOB.

Quaint Nuez Moscado,  Ch. Brueik Summa Creation

Sightseeing in Helsinki: Juha Palosaari, Vesa Lehtonen, Maren Bichel, Lorena Lotzniker

The Best Scottie Group also went Best Group in Show: Kennel Bartos, Breeder: Jouni Perttula.

All entered dogs of this kennel were very similar in type. There were 6 litter brothers and sisters entered in 6 different classes (male and female each in Junior-, Intermediate- and Open Class) and 4 of them won their Classes. In competition for Best female they were placed 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th. This litter was sired by a dog from Germany: Ch. Zito vom Landsberg.

It was an indescribable great experience to judge all these lovely Scotties. I enjoyed every minute!

View from the cathedral over the houses to the port

After the show the comitee organised a stylish dinner with the judges and also with Arja Tuuliniemi, This was a very nice conclusion for this exiting day.

On Sunday Juha Palosaari and Vesa Lehtonen also turned out to be perfect tourist guides, taking Lorena Lotzniker and me for a sightseeing tour in and around Helsinki

Then an exiting weekend ended up with an exiting turbulent flight back home. Surprisingly I survived and got home in one piece.

Maren Bichel

Black + White Open Show

in Tuusula, Finland, 31.10.2009

entered Scotties: 34

Judge: Maren Bichel

The results:

right: Perhaps Stepping Stone, BOB Puppy

left: Bartos Ultra Max, BOS Junior

right: Quaint Nues Moscado, BOB Junior

left: Quaint Nues Moscado, BOS

right: Brueik Summa Creation, BOB

Father and daughter. Both elegant and with substance.

left: Happy White Hard Step, Best in Show

right: Brueik Summa Creation, Reserve Best in Show

Beside a report about the show all judge reports were published. It was really interesting to read my own reports again while thinking on the appropriate dog.

Again I realised how difficult it is to breed an excellent dog in all parts - Dabei wurde mir wieder einmal bewusst, wie schwer es ist, einen in allen Teilen vorzüglichen Hund zu züchten - But this makes breeding so exiting!

When I returned from Finland I was often asked whether I now want to start a judge education. Answer: No. It was great fun to judge all these nice Scotties. But I also love to show my own dogs and beside that I enjoy as many weekends at home.