Bernese Mountain Dog Club of Wales

Bernese Mountain Dog Club of Wales Championship Show 2026

I would like to thank the Committee of the BMDC of Wales for the invitation to judge at their Club Championship Show. The Show itself ran very smoothly, and I would like to than my Steward, Julie Fairclough, for her excellent management of my ring. I would also like to thank the exhibitors for making the journey and for applauding my decisions, it was greatly appreciated.

I had some lovely exhibits and the quality in my top classes, Limit, Open and Champion, was excellent. I thought my Best Baby Puppy and both my Best Puppy Dog and Bitch were super and all three show great promise. Generally, the bitches were of a higher quality than my males

I would like to give my thoughts on the entries as I have not commented on these in my individual critiques:

There were several exhibits with incorrect dentition and an increasing number of level bites compared to the scissor bite which is preferred.

Temperaments overall were excellent with just a couple of youngsters being a little apprehensive due, I am sure, to the echo produced by the loudspeaker system in the halls.

Dog CC & Best of Breed Manix & English’s Ch Waldershelf Bjorn To Be King JW ShCEx

Res Dog CC Reid & Given’s Fortonpark Senator

Bitch CC Gurney’s Monalou Devil Woman

Reserve Bitch CC Green & English’s Ch Waldershelf Can’t Ignora JW

Baby Puppy Dog (2 entries, 1 absentee)

1st Marsden & Robertson’s Pegbern Mr Blue Sky At Trudaleaze

Four month old, medium sized youngster, balanced and compact. Promising head with gentle expression, level topline and correct rear angulation. Moved very well.

Best Baby Puppy in Show

Baby Puppy Bitch No entries

Veteran Dog (2, 1)

1st Bird’s Ch Cullumbern Milano JW ShCEx OSW

Eight year old medium sized male of good type. Good head, dark eye and pleasing expression. Compact with excellent shoulder placement, level topline and well angulated rear. Moved soundly.

Minor Puppy Dog (2)

1st Baldwin’s Fortonpark Hot Mail

Six month old very promising youngster. Good head and expression with lovely dark eye. Correct reach of neck leading to level topline and well angulated rear assembly. Moved exceptionally well both coming and going. B.D.P. and BPIS

2nd Bridges’ Kernow Winter Woolly

Eight month old and another pleasing youngster. Similar attributes to winner with good head and expression, good spring to ribs and level topline. Moved well.

Puppy Dog (1)

1st Bridges’ Kernow Contraband

Eight month old puppy of good size, compact and with excellent bone. Pleasing head and eye. Good shoulder placement and level topline. Positive movement both coming and going.

Junior Dog (1)

1st Harwood’s Waldershelf Tintagel Thor

Just twelve months old and maturing nicely. Lovely head with gentle expression. Deep chested with good bone. His topline was level and maintained on the move, adequate rear angulation. Moved with purpose towards and away.

Yearling Dog (1)

1st Love & Johnson’s Gorsebern Mister Twister

A medium sized male with a pleasing head and expression. Broad chested and with good bone. Correct reach of neck and level topline. His movement today was not as positive as I would have liked.

Novice Dog (1)

1st Edge’s Malindibeach Harlequin

A two year old male of medium size. Pleasing head with gentle expression and lovely dark eye.Correct shoulder placement leading on to a level topline and nicely rounded rump. Unsettled on the move.

Graduate Dog (1)

1st Austen’s Norburylou Karias Star

Coming up to four years of age a medium sized male with a balanced head and good expression. Good shoulder placement and reach of neck. Level topline. Moved soundly.

Post Graduate Dog (2)

1st Baldwin’s Fortonpark Top Tones

A medium sized male with excellent bone and substance. Good head with lovely expression, good length of neck and strong level topline. Sound movement with positive drive. A promising youngster who is maturing nicely, shown in excellent condition.

2nd Meakin’s Angelrain Dark Prince

Another male of medium size, compact with good shoulder placement and correct length of neck. His movement was not as consistent as my winner and he tended to carry his tail a little high on the move.

Limit Dog (9)

My first three placing were all of excellent quality

1st Reid & Given’s Fortonpark Senator

A medium sized male with excellent bone and substance. Balanced and with correct proportions. Good head, lovely expression and correct ear set. Good length of neck and strong level topline. Sound movement with positive drive. Pleased to award him the R.C.C.

2nd Wort’s Meadowpark What A Dream At Glorybern

Another male with very similar qualities to winner. Compact with good bone and substance. Lovely head and expression with good eye colour and shape. Good shoulder placement, level topline and well-sprung ribs. He moved well but did prove to be a handful for his owner.  

3rd Gurney’s Monalou What Ho Jeeves

Res Jones’ Collansues Abracadabra

VHC Krjukova’s Finite Melle Dulcior (Imp Pol)

Open Dog (2, 1)

1st Cooke & Stevens’ Tickbern Yardhand

Medium sized male, balanced and with correct proportions. Pleasing head with gentle expression. Good shoulder placement, short coupled and with good rear angulation he moved with drive. At one with his owner, they performed well together. Not in full coat 

Champion Dog (3)

1st Manix & English’s Ch Waldershelf Bjorn To Be King JW ShCEx

A lovely dog, above medium size with excellent bone and substance. Beautiful head with gentle expression, dark eye and well defined stop. Deep chested with correct length of neck and good shoulder placement, straight firm back, well muscled and with well bent stifles. In profile he is impressive with near perfect reach and drive and his rear movement is excellent. Shown in excellent condition and expertly handled. I was pleased to award him the C.C. and subsequently Best in Show

2nd Atherton’s Ch Valentinn Vom Durrbachler Wald (Imp Nld)

A medium sized male with good head and gentle expression, dark eye and correct ear set. Compact and balanced with correct front assembly, good shoulder placement and level topline. I have judged this male before and liked him then but today, unfortunately, he was unable to match the movement of my first place.

3rd Copeland’s Ch Kernow Dollar Promises At Maxjabar ShCEx

Veteran Bitch (1)

1st Wright & Kirk’s Ch, Int, Fr, Ir, Rom, Rom GCh Objet D’ Art Du Hameau De Baïka Avec Roesilbern JW (Imp Fra)

Lovely eight year old bitch of medium size, balanced and compact with good bone and substance. She has a feminine head with gentle expression, dark eyes and good ear set. Medium length to neck, well angulated shoulders and firm, level topline. She has good hind angulation and moved positively coming and going with reach and drive. Shown in excellent condition and perfectly handled

Minor Puppy Bitch (7, 2)

1st Reid & Given’s Fortonpark Hot Pink

Lovely six month old puppy who thoroughly enjoyed her day. Balanced and of medium size with feminine head and gentle expression. Correct length of neck, good shoulder placement and level topline. She was the best moving puppy in the class and pushed her litter brother hard for BPIS. B.B.P. 

2nd Bridges’ Kernow Booty

A more mature puppy but many similar attributes to winner. Pleasing head with good expression, correct reach of neck, level topline and good rear angulation. Moved well.

3rd Wilson’s Monalou Devil In Disguise At Blumental

Res Copeland’s Kernow Prize At Maxjabar

VHC Edge’s Monalou Lucky Devil

Puppy Bitch (4, 1)

1st Wilson’s Monalou Devil In Disguise At Blumental

Third in the previous class. A young bitch with pleasing head and expression. Good reach of neck and shoulder placement. A typical eight month old puppy who, today, was a little bum high. Moved well. 

2nd Edge’s Monalou Lucky Devil

Litter sister to my winner and with very similar attributes. Pleasing head and expression, nice shoulders and level topline. Preferred the movement of my winner.

3rd Baldwin’s Fortonpark Hot By Design

Junior Bitch (3, 1)

1st English & Hallam’s Waldershelf Prim ‘N Proper

Lovely compact bitch of medium size, in full coat and excellent condition. Feminine head with gentle expression. Deep chested with correct front assembly, level topline and good rear angulation. Another with good reach and drive, moved soundly both ways.

2nd Meakin’s Angelrain Everlasting Love

A bigger bitch than my winner and a little out of coat today. Good head and expression and correct shoulder placement. Good rear angulation but topline not as level as I would have liked. Moved well . 

Yearling Bitch (2)

1st Wright & Kirk’s Roesilbern Fors Fortuna JW

Medium sized, compact bitch with good bone and substance. Good head and expression with lovely dark eyes. Good reach of neck and level topline. Excellent rear angulation. Moved positively with good reach and drive.

2nd Oakaby’s Tickbern Only One Carina At Iscabern

Another bitch who was not in full coat. Pleasing head and expression, correct length of neck and level topline. Moved well both ways.

Novice Bitch (1)

1st Meakin’s Angelrain Dancing Wave

Yet another bitch not in full coat. Medium sized with pleasant head, gentle expression and lovely dark eyes. Correct shoulder placement, good length of neck and level topline. Would have preferred more positive movement.

Graduate Bitch No entries

Post Graduate Bitch (2, 1)

1st Meakin’s Bellatrix Do Monte Dos Ursos (Imp Prt)

A pleasing bitch with good head, gentle expression and lovely dark eyes. Good length of neck and level topline. Moved well both ways and with good reach and drive.

Limit Bitch (7, 5)

1st Gurney’s Monalou Devil Woman

A bitch of excellent type, balanced and with good bone and substance. Lovely head and expression, dark eye and correct ear set. Well proportioned with broad deep chest, correct shoulder placement and reach of neck, good rear angulation and a level topline which she held on the move. Sound movement front and rear. I was pleased to award her the C.C

2nd Hartley-Mair’s Meadowpark North Moonlight

Anoth nice bitch with good bone and substance. Pleasing head with gentle expression and lovely dark eye. Correct front assembly with pleasing outline. Dipped a little at the withers. Moved well both ways and with good reach and drive.

Open Bitch (9, 2)

1st Green & English’s Ch Waldershelf Gin And Tonic

Compact medium sized bitch with good bone and substance. Good head and expression, dark eye and correct ear set. Deep chested with correct shoulder placement and length of neck. Level topline and good rear angulation. Moved very well both ways and with good reach and drive.

2nd Baldwin’s Ch Fortonpark Chase That Dream

A more mature bitch, balanced and with good general proportions. Pleasing head with gentle expression and dark eyes. Good shoulder placement and reach of neck, level topline which, unfortunately, she lost a little on the move. Good rear angulation. Moved well with positive reach and drive.

3rd Worrall’s Ch Fortonpark Sweet Dreams At Oakbern

Res Murphy’s Babuska Von Der Alten Hinterburg At Kinelarty

VHC Murphy’s Belleek Von Der Alten Hinterburg At Kinelarty

Champion Bitch (4, 2)

1st Ch Waldershelf Can’t Ignora JW

A bitch of excellent type with lovely head and expression, dark eye and correct ear set. Well proportioned with broad deep chest, excellent shoulder placement and correct length of neck, very good topline and rear angulation. Sound movement front and rear. I was pleased to award her the R.C.C

2nd Baldwin’s Ch Fortonpark Valentallina

With very similar attributes to my winner, this bitch is both compact, balanced and very feminine. With a good head and gentle expression, good shoulder placement, correct length of neck, level topline and well sprung ribs. Moved well both coming and going.

Judge – Jackie Green (Arvella)