WITH JOAN ECKERT, MARETH KIPP, MARGO KLINGER, MIDGE MARTIN, BETTY MCDONNELL & RICHARD POWELL
their AKC Delegate ever since the division of the combined Norwich and Norfolk Club. I am a Breed Mentor and am now a Permit Judge of Norwich. RICHARD POWELL
BM: 1) Small terrier but with good substance, 2) Short legged with balanced angulation, 3) Typical head with expression full of winning attitude. RP: I must have a Norwich that is sure of himself. The tail has to be up all the time whilst in the show ring. 3. Are there any traits in this breed you fear are becoming exaggerated? JE: Breeders, finally, are understanding more about structure and why you must adhere to the written standard. MKipp: The Norwich is no longer the little dog with prick ears, he is not a Norfolk whose ears stood up instead of folded over. His body is (as a very famous Terrier handler once told me) slung in behind his shoulders. He is more compact than his cousin and certainly has a different head. He is a delightful little dog with tons of personality. MKlinger: Good ear set and tail set, good balance, equal proportions. MM: I find that the Norwich Terrier to be a bit higher on leg and more compact than his closes t relative, the Norfolk Terrier. This was not the case 20 years or so ago when they were different varieties of the same breed. They are among the smallest of the working Terriers, but require the same gameness and sound and balanced angulation as their bigger cousins. Even if they don’t rid the farm of vermin any more, they certainly must have the gameness and construction to do so. BM: Small, short legged; square, compact body; balanced angulation. RP: No. 4. Do you think the dogs you see in this breed are better now than they were when you first started judging? Why or why not? JE: Much better angulation and lay back of shoulder. Fewer wide fronts. More substance. Better bites. MKipp: Over the years we have seen quality have its ups and downs. There always seems to be a few really good ones out there no matter which decade we are talking about. I think presentation has become more professional and I love seeing the breeder/owners in the ring. I always look forward to a Norwich assignment, eager to see what the entry has to offer. MKlinger: Yes! I see more consistency and beautiful, keen expressions in recent years. I think they are better in the last 10 years. MM: From my vantage point, I can’t really say whether the breed is better or worse than when I started judging it. I think that there is a group of dedicated breeders who care passionately about this breed and who are doing a good job of preservation of the breed’s traits and essence. After all, our job is preservation, not innovation. BM: I am just starting to judge this breed, but compared to the original Norwich description in the standard and to early photos, most modern Norwich carry more coat length. The easy, no-groom ancestors have evolved so they now are high maintenance and the dogs that win must be groomed by skilled hands. Judges expect well- groomed dogs. Now judges must put their hands on the
I have owned and bred Welsh Ter- riers for roughly thirty years. I am honored to have been asked to judge the National Specialty for the second time in 2016. I have also judged the breed in Canada, South America and in Scandinavia. I live in central Penn- sylvania with my wife, Sue and we have raised two sons whilst running
a busy kennel and small farm. We are about to move to a new house with much less land where, apart from enjoying time with the dogs, I hope to be able to expand the garden and continue showing chickens. I have shown dogs since I was ten years old, English Cockers in Junior handling, then Eng- lish Setters and then all sorts of Terriers. Right now we are concentrating on the Welsh and Dachshunds in a very lim- ited way. I have been judging for over ten years. My favorite assignments are the specialties but I must say judging huge entries of English Setters at championship shows in England has been exciting.
1. Describe the breed in three words. JE: I find the Norwich to be funny, interesting and adventurous.
MKipp: I usually like to describe a breed with one word, but asked for three gave me some thinking to do. I think my three words are sturdy, compact package. MKlinger: Tenacious, hardy, fit and compact. MM: Sturdy, stocky and fearless. BM: 1) Small/square, 2) Confident, bold attitude, 3) Devoted and comical companion. RP: Small, cobby and active. 2. What are your “must have” traits in this breed? JE: They must have good health and pleasing dispositions, as well as be good specimens of the breed standard. MKipp: Like other judges, I look for overall balance and pre- sentation as the dog enters the ring. I wish for that com- pact body, nice tail set and correct head and ears with a nice eye. I want to see him move on a looser lead, trotting out with head and tail up, and of course, four good legs. MKlinger: I look for good bone and substance, foxy expres- sion and weatherproof coat. He should be fearless— despite size! MM: Must have traits in this breed: compact body, substance without cloddiness, alert, foxy expression, sound construction and proper coat. I find some exhibits to be rather larger than the standard calls for, as well as some that are somewhat Toy-ish. Thankfully, this is not the norm.
288 • S how S ight M agazine , J une 2018
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