Sh Ch Abbeystead Psion of Haselorhill

Owner : HASELORHILL Breed : Labrador Retriever
Location : ALCESTER, Warwickshire
Birthdate : 10th April 2018
Colour : Black
Health Tested ⓘ

Bodicea -- an Anglo-Saxon name -- was the name of the Queen of the Iceni Tribe... but its literal meaning is "Victory."
Kennel name "Bodicea" (or "Bodie" for short.)

It was a lovely litter for Bodie's mum Haselorhill Encore (kennel name "BB") and Bodie's dad "Heath" (Paradocs Bellwether Heath) over in the UK on loan from his home in the USA.)

Bodie's litter sister and brother were also out campaigning at dog shows (until the Pandemic slowed then halted all UK dog showing) and the trio were doing very nicely in the show ring too...

Updates:
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Bodie was placed "Very Highly Commended" (VHC) at her very first show; Northumberland & Durham's Championship Show, then placed VHC at her 2nd show too; the North West Labrador Retriever Club show...
Her third show-ring outing at The Lab Club of Wales -- where she came a pleasing third (her litter-sister "Abbeystead Pickle" winning her own Minor Puppy Class (very well done to Sue and "Rosie"! both at their first ever show too! Congratulations..!)

Bodie's next Championship show was at United Retriever Club where she was placed 4th and was in the winning line-up again -- she placed at 4 shows out of 4; no mean achievement for such a young pup!)

Bodie was being handled by dear friend and fellow Labrador breeder Lynne Minchella (Abbeystead Kennels) and the duo were on a roll for Bodie's next show outing -- Midland Counties Canine Society Championship Show -- Bodie won the class AND qualified for Crufts too. Lovely result..!

The show critique for Midland Counties Championship Show actually read:

"...Abbeystead Psion at Haselorhill... My notes say wow..! I just loved her outline, super quality classic black with my kind of head, so pretty and feminine with not too broad a head, lovely length of muzzle, head proportions exactly what I was looking for in a Minor Puppy bitch. Such a super clean neck and topline, enough rib for age, good leg to body ratio, lovely bone and feet, well made throughout and moved really well..."

Thank you so much to Show Judge Alison Scutcher for thinking so highly of Bodie... and to Lynne too for campaigning our girl... and very well done to Bodie too... of course..!

At the Gundog Society of Wales Championship Show the Judge Huw Bishop happily awarded Bodie 1st place in his Novice class and commented...
"..."Black and well off for size, but not overdone at all. Good balanced shape, nice head with correct planes through from nose to skull. Good reach of neck into well-laid shoulders – level topline carried through to tail. Tight feet. Moved well and purposefully, covering the ground..."

Showing had been going well for Bodie but then, everything, for everyone slowed and changed...

With the awful Pandemic taking over all our lives, a litter had already been planned for "Rosie" (Bodie's litter-sister) and what LOVELY puppies they turned out to be too... potential new show-ring stars in the making..!)

Bodie's litter-brother "Abbeystead Pageant at Rumhill" had also sired a couple of litters for his owners at Rumhill Kennels by then too -- with some lovely pups being born -- and his own show career moving on apace too.

Wanting to continue with this lovely line -- plus knowing of results from Bodie's siblings too -- we decided to have a litter with Bodie in August 2021 while she wasn't being shown and happily picked out the proven and lovely stud dog Ch Naiken Zephyr for his looks and wonderful temperament too...

... then had a hard time choosing just the one bitch puppy to run on in the kennels too... but eventually, choose we did and young "...Hanna..." joined the gang at HASELORHILL...!

Nearly back to show-ring form new mum Bodie attended her first shows in 2022 and feedback has been lovely..!

At the March EAST ANGLIAN LABRADOR RETRIEVER CLUB Championship Show over in St Ives, Show Judge Joan Woodall kindly awarded Bodie 1st place in her Post Graduate class and said:

"...Eye-catching black built on a larger frame than some of my other class winners but could not be overlooked as she is so well balanced with a clean, flowing outline. Beautiful head and expression with a lovely eye shape and colour. Excellent leg length with a good spring of rib. Well angulated front and rear with well-boned legs leading to tight feet. Level top-line with tail straight off her back. Deep through the chest. Moved out well to win this good class. Made it into my final cut..."

Then it was on to the NEC and Crufts where friend Lynne and Bodie were placed third in a very strong class (+ qualified for Crufts 2023 too) with Show Judge Ronwein Phillips who kindly said:

"...Abbeystead Psion of Haselorhill black of great style and quality has a super outline plenty of size with good length of leg. Her body is strong and clean she is built in one piece balanced and correct in all departments moves with little effort carries a dense coat, shown in hard condition..."

...a very pleasing result and feedback for a new mum getting her figure back after having kids..!

Then it was on to July 2022 and the "Joint Labrador Retriever Championship Show" in Tamworth... and what a result..! Bodie won her PGB class... then went on to win "Best Of Breed" AND was awarded her FIRST Challenge Certificate (CC) too..! Bodie had also gained her Kennel Club Stud Book Number... What a great day out..!

At the Driffield Championship Show under Judge Margaret Brown Bodie gained her SECOND Challenge Certificate... Wow..!

The Judge commented:-
"...ABBEYSTEAD PSION OF HASELORHILL ...I have underlined in my notes that “we don’t see many of her type and quality in the ring anymore” Nothing is exaggerated in this bitch, beautiful head and expression, her head is clean-cut without fleshy cheeks, her nostrils are well developed and she has good length and depth of muzzle, I really loved her head and the way she looked at me, kind and intelligent in expression, she may not be immediately striking and many preferring a more modern type Labrador would walk past her. However, she is of unmistakable quality; her front construction is superb, not too short in rib nor is she too long; she has a beautiful neck and shoulders and has a good length of leg-to-body proportions, which gives her scope; she has the correct depth of fore chest, level topline which she holds so well on the move, excellent feet and pasterns, she has sufficient angulation in quarters but has one better side than the other, reminds me of my own Rogue Trader who always had to be shown on his best side, she carried a first-class coat, short and dense, carries her tail well and it is well clothed. She moved so very well when viewed in profile, I loved her, and although there were many lovely bitches of quality in the final lineup, I couldn’t resist her. No “bells and whistles” just Labrador. Good luck with her third CC..."

Bodie also has had some lovely write-ups from her Show Judges too... at the Three Ridings Labrador Club Championship Show in March 2023 she won her class and the Judge, Andrew Brown, commented:-

"....ABBEYSTEAD PSION OF HASELORHILL - another class full of quality bitches; my winner had such a beautiful head with the correct length of muzzle and feminine willing-to-please expression, good length of leg-to-body proportions, well laid back in the shoulder, impressed by her overall shape & type, sets herself up so well standing four square and showing her excellent balance & construction excels over the neck & shoulders, short coupled without being too short in the body, sweet feminine head, calm disposition, strongly considered, in my final pick..."

At Paignton Championship Show Bodie, now coming back into coat, gained a very laudable 2nd place and the following day came 2nd at National Gundog but... these were great warm-ups "for the main event"... The United Retriever Club Championship Show and, under Judge Sharon Rogers, Bodie gained her 3rd Challenge Certificate and, GREAT NEWS..! Bodie has now become a SHOW CHAMPION...!

"Sh Ch Abbeystead Psion of Haselorhill"

Congratulations to Lynne & Bodie... for a wonderful -- and very well-deserved -- result too..!

Brilliant News...!

:-)