NORTHERN COUNTIES SHETLAND SHEEPDOG CLUB

SHOW HISTORY

In May 1960 the Northern Counties Shetland Sheepdog Club (NCSSC) organised its first show.  This was an Open Show, held in St Hilda’s Church Hall in Darlington.  The Judge was Mr T.D. Purvis (Danvis).  He was obviously a popular choice as there were 94 dogs making a total of 282 entries.  At this first landmark show the judge chose Pippet of Plovern as his BIS with Shantung of Shelert as his BOS.  The Best Puppy was Honey of Whytelaw.  There were a total of 13 trophies on offer donated by various members and the Committee.

After the first Open show the next target of course was to obtain a Championship Show.  This was obtained and it was held at Gosforth Central Hall on the 8^th April 1961.  The judge on this occasion was Mr W. Guthrie (Tintobank) and he attracted 104 dogs making 285 entries.  For this first Championship show Mr Guthrie chose Meil of Callart as his BIS with Helensdale Vanessa as his BOS.  The Best Puppy was Antoc Francehill Fortune.  The year continued with a second Open Show held at Carlisle, the judge being Miss O. Gwynne-Jones.  She attracted an entry of 107 dogs making 299 entries.  She chose as her BIS and Best Puppy Dilhorne Blue Puffin and her BOS was Ch Greenscrees Nobleman.

The following year, 1962 saw what was, with only minor alterations of date, to become the show pattern for the NCSSC until 1969  A Championship Show was held at the beginning of April in Gosforth, an Open show was held (on this occasion) in Leeds in October and a Sanction Show was held in Darlington in December.  The venue of the late Open Show varied between various sites in Yorkshire and Cumbria during these years, but the venues for the Championship Show and the Sanction Show remained constant at Gosforth and Darlington respectively.

A change occurred in 1970 when due to space restrictions the Championship Show was moved to a new venue.  This was The Plaza at Tynemouth, and the judge at this new venue was Mrs M. Searle (Norman).  For the first time at an NCSSC show there was an Obedience Section with Mrs Jacques of Nottingham as the judge.  The tests available were Beginners, Novice, and Test A. Also in this year the Sanction Show was held in July at Darlington, whilst the Open Show was held in November in Leeds.  This year marked a state of flux in the shows of the NCSSC.  In 1971 the Championship Show moved to Wallsend Sports Centre.  The Obedience classes were expanded by the addition of a Special Beginners Class.  This show remained at this venue until 1977  This general pattern of shows continued until 1973 when the Summer Sanction Show was upgraded to an Open Show.  In this year it was held at Gosforth Park in Newcastle upon Tyne.  The Autumn Open Show was held in Ripon in this year.

In 1974 there were further changes.  The Obedience tests were moved to the Summer Open Show, this year held in July at Hurworth Community Centre, Darlington.  The other shows conformed to the pattern which had been established.  In 1975 the Obedience tests were moved yet again this time to the October Open Show, held in Ilkley, whilst the Championship Show and the Summer Open Show were held in Wallsend and Hurworth respectively.  The Obedience tests were like a shuttlecock being shifted around from place to place, because in 1976 they were back at the Summer Open show at Hurworth. where they remained until they were dropped from the schedule in 1978.  In 1978 the Championship show, which had had a stable venue since 1971 moved to the Bowburn Miners Welfare Centre in Durham.  The Open Shows were held in Wallsend( June) and Ripon(September) in that year.

The pattern of shows which exists today was established in 1979, although venues still tended to vary.  In January an Open show was held in darlington.  The Championship show was held in April in South Shields, whilst the Autiumn Open show was held in the Hugh Ripley Hall in Ripon

                                                                                                                TO BE CONTINUED