Dafydd reigns
PEMBROKESHIRE huntsman Gary Barber MFH and his jointmaster Charles Owen were this year’s judges. From the outset they were presented with a ring full of quality young hounds and the momentum continued throughout the day.
The unentered doghound class went to Llanwnnen
Farmers Dafydd (by Tanner 13), whose exuberance and good conformation also won him the championship and overall championship.
The Sennybridge did well, winning a very strong entered class with Bendigo 16 (who was also reserve champion) and the couples with Truman & Traveller 14. Their sire, Gelligaer Topper 11 was later second in the stallion hound class, which was won by his kennel-mate Magnum 13.
After lunch it was the turn of the Llanwrthwl, who won a very strong unentered bitch class with Striker, who later stood reserve champion. Both the entered and the couples classes went to the Llanwnnen with Tulip 15 winning the former and the bitch championship, while Lora and Lois 14 clinched the latter, ahead of the aptly named Beauty and Bella 14 from the Cwrt Y Cadno.
There was further success for the Gelligaer taking first and third in the brood bitches with Dancer 13 and the veteran Lotus 09.
The judges said, “There was even more quality in the bitches and the classes were bigger, so it wasn’t so easy to sort them out.”
As in the English ring the contest for champion hound was a one-pack affair with the Llanwnnen’s Dafydd beating their entered bitch Tulip 15.
Charles Owen said: “His presence really stood out; his enthusiasm had shone through all day — he looked like he wanted to be there.”