Midland Chihuahua Club

Midland Chihuahua Club Open Show

25 January 2026

Best in Show

My thanks to the committee for the invitation to judge Best in Show and for their kind hospitality. From the dogs presented before me by their breed judges, I chose the following:

BIS and BPIS – Corbett’s Starceylon Empress by Mandistarz - 9-month-old fawn bitch who immediately appeals for her breed type, balance and overall quality, and it was easy to see why she impressed in the challenge with her excellent showmanship and sound, confident attitude. She is compact, presenting a refined and well put together outline with pleasing proportions. Her head is a strong feature, showing a lovely apple-dome skull with a definite stop, well set large, round eyes and a bright, saucy expression, complemented by correctly sized, well placed ears carried at the desired angle. She has a good neck of moderate length, flowing into a level topline, and is slightly longer than tall, giving a balanced picture on the table. Her tail is well set and well carried, completing her outline nicely. On the move she is brisk and positive, with good reach and drive, accurate footfall and a firm topline. Her smooth coat is close, glossy and in good condition. As a youngster she is still maturing, and could benefit from a little more development in forechest and underjaw, but this development will hopefully come as she matures.

RBIS and BVIS – Lee’s Ridgehawk Freds Legacy - lovely red and white parti veteran dog who is a real credit to his owner and still presents a very pleasing picture at 10 years of age, continuing to show with enthusiasm and confidence. He is small and compact, with a balanced and well put together outline and sound construction. His head remains a strong feature, showing a good apple-dome skull, lean cheeks, a moderately short muzzle and a bright, alert expression, complemented by well set, large round eyes and correctly carried ears. He has a good neck of moderate length flowing into a level topline, with a pleasing shape both standing and on the move. His coat is of good texture with nice feathering and a full plume tail, which he carries well to complete his outline. On the move he still shows good reach in front and drive behind, remaining straight and positive, which is particularly commendable for a veteran. He is a pleasure to go over on the table and has a confident, steady temperament. Inevitably, time has taken a little of the overall sharpness and muscle tone, and while his movement remains free and true, he didn't quite have the same sparkle as the younger winner on the day, which ultimately placed him just behind in the challenge, but he remains a thoroughly honest and high-quality veteran who is a joy to see in the ring.

RBPIS – Hornby’s Bramerita Priceless - a very appealing 6-month-old fawn sable bitch who immediately catches the eye for her correct breed type, balance and delightful presence, and she was certainly a puppy I greatly admired on the day. She is small, dainty and compact, with a balanced, refined outline and a nicely put together frame. Her head is a real highlight, showing a lovely apple-dome skull with a definite stop, lean cheeks and jaws, and a bright, saucy, alert expression. She is well served by large, round eyes set well apart, and well sized ears, flaring correctly and carried at the desired angle. She has a good neck of moderate length, slightly arched, flowing into well laid shoulders, and she moves freely without looseness, showing good reach in front and drive behind, remaining straight coming and going. Her hindquarters show a good turn of stifle, and she has flexible pasterns and a well set, medium length tail carried in a pleasing sickle to complete her outline. Her coat is soft, with good feathering, and while still developing, is exactly as expected for a puppy of this age. She is gay, spirited and confident in character, though just a little unsure on the table, which is entirely normal at this stage. Her topline still needs to settle a little which is purely a developmental point at this age, and this, together with her overall immaturity, just tipped the balance against her in the final decision, but these two puppies could so easily have swapped places. She is a beautiful, very promising youngster with much to look forward to as she matures.

RBVIS – Lee’s Ch Barwater Agatha Christie of Ridgehawk. A beautiful black tri veteran bitch and a worthy champion who presents a very high quality and elegant picture in the ring, showing excellent breed type, balance and confidence throughout. She is small, dainty and compact, with a balanced, refined outline and pleasing proportions. Her head is attractive, with a good apple-dome skull, lean cheeks and jaws, and a well shaped muzzle, complemented by large, round eyes and well set ears with good breadth between them. She has a lovely, clean mouth with a full set of teeth for a veteran, which is a real credit to her condition. She has a slightly arched neck flowing into well laid shoulders and a level topline, and is slightly longer than tall, giving her a very pleasing outline. Her hindquarters are muscular with hocks well let down, and she carries her well set, medium length tail in a good sickle, completing her balanced silhouette. Her coat is in excellent order, with good feathering, a nice ruff and a full plume tail. On the move she is straight coming and going with accurate footfall and shows her soundness well, and she is confident and a pleasure to go over on the table. Could easily have changed places with the BVIS winner.

Rachel Berrington (Pappersley)