The Crufts entries are now out with 13 dogs and 16 bitches, one up on last year. Mrs Joe Jolley, the judge knows the breed well she used to have a lot of Silkys in the 1980s under her Dekobras affix.
She also wrote a small but very comprehensive handbook in 1984 called "Grooming The Australian Silky Terrier" which I have a copy of. It is an interesting read. She clearly has done a huge amount of research in to the breed to write such a detailed book. The Silkys in her book were much heavier and more terrier type than today and I would think she will probably favour that "old fashioned" type and NOT the finer type. One can never be sure but having been under what we call "old school" judges who have owned and favoured the "old type", they usually stick to what they like. Also of course she will have been used to docked tails.
The problem is there are not many of these "old type" around, though there are some still in the UK. I am sure she will find it interesting judging the breed now. So we must wait and see........
One thing she will know about is coat and texture and colour. The Kennel Club are on a big drive to stop any artificial enhancements and to penalise dogs with any faults, so all the judges have been warned about this and much more than ever before. You only have to read the Kennel Club website to see this.
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