Aunt Carrie and the bold, bad Belgian

Although every endeavour was made to produce small dogs around the 10-12 lb mark, I can remember very large sums of money being offered for such animals. As much as one hundred pounds was offered for a tiny dog bred by a Mr Tom Gutteridge of Barnsbury, Islington at the show in the Agricultural Hall.
Despite the quest for toys, there was one occasion when a veritable giant of a dog cleared the board at the show held at the Royal Horticultural Hall. When the show was announced, it stated that a judge was being brought over from the Continent, Belgium, in fact. As soon as my dad and uncle (Arthur Gutteridge) knew, they called upon my aunt Carrie. At this time, my aunt owned a very popular stud dog. He was a prolific stock getter and a very fine specimen, his only fault in our estimation was that he was large, very large, probably the full weight allowed by the club. My dad and Arthur suggested to Carrie that she should enter the dog for this show. At first she refused point blank, the dog had been shown just once, and did not even get a VHC , so Carrie didn’t fancy her chances under a foreign judge
After a great deal of explaining about Continental standards they persuaded her to enter the dog, but she was still very reluctant. The day of the show! We arrived at the venue ready to do battle with the Townsend Greens, the Reckits, the Colemans, the Resmoir Gordons etc. After the first parade of the first class Carrie sidled over to me and asked if the judge had shown any interest in the dog. “Carrie, he has not shown interest in any of the dogs, but his eyes have never left you from the moment you entered the ring and if you use your loaf he will award you the Horticultural Hall amongst the prizes”. At this Carrie’s eyes lit up and she went to work. The sidelong glances, the simpering smile, the demure looks, the fellow never stood a chance. Mind you,Carrie was an attractive woman in her fur coat and feathered hat, she certainly stood out among the country tweeds and flat-heeled brogues.
She and the dog won everything in sight, including Best in Show. If the judge was trying to impress her he certainly succeeded. I was not in the least surprised when Carrrie asked me to look after the dog and see it safely home. The last I saw of Carrie and the judge that day was in one of the saloon bars having a rare old time. This could not happen today, could it? After this wonderful win the stud fee was increased by a further guinea, even to Dad and Arthur who were expecting at least a free service ( from the dog of course!) for their advice and effort. But this was not forthcoming and led to a family squabble which lasted about a year. I don’t think the judge was invited again much to the dismay of aunt carrie. Unfortunately for the dog he was in such great demand, and, aided by certain sex stimulantsof the day, he did not live to a ripe old age, about four years. A short life but a happy one.
All this happened so many years ago, in the early twenties. I still wonder today if the judgement of my dad and Arthur was based on the knowledge of Continental standards or on the judge’s taste in women. So take heart all you unsuccesful exhibitors, get a page three lookalike to parade your dog and who knows, it may be your lucky day.
Carrie was awarded a lovely bronze stauette of a Frenchy. Is this prize still given today? I wonder who has possession of it now? ( The FBCE still award a bronze medal to the BIS at their open show held in October each year.)