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These Are The Breed Council PRO Notes by Stevie B

STAFFORDSHIRE BULL TERRIER BREED NOTES 

17/11/2025

This week, our breed received news that one of our most experienced judges will be stepping down and retiring from giving her most valued opinion on our beloved Staffords. It takes a lot of guts to give your opinion on anything in life when you know you will be in the spotlight. But to do so over a sustained period shows popularity when clubs are selecting and voting on judging appointments. It also shows that your knowledge and opinions are respected.

This week, my notes will be dedicated solely to Lesley McFayden (Araidh), whose judging career is all that is mentioned above and more. Lesley has been in our breed formany years and showed her first Stafford in 1986, having owned them since 1976. Lesley decided to judge after judging a few handling matches in various counties, all specific to Staffords. She then had her first judging appointment in 1992at the Herts Canine Society and has judged just over 2500 Staffordshire Bull Terriers. Lesley has awarded CC’s on 13 occasions, with the first being at the Bath Championship show in 1992, and has also judged abroad, firstly in South Africa and then in Australia twice, France twice, Sweden twice, New Zealand, Holland, France, Northern Ireland, Ireland and Spain.

Let us take a look at Lesley’s UK judging career!

Lesley’s first set of CCs were handed out at Bath in 2002,where she awarded DCC & BOB to CH Valglo Casanova at Crossguns, DRCC went to Marstaff Dragon Lives On, BCC went to Crashkon Mel Bee and BRCC to Macadermus Tuesday Girl.

Her second appointment in 2006 was at the East Anglian SBTC. Her BCC was awarded to CH Challimers Molly Malone at Fergustaff, and BCC to Ebony Breeze at Rowellstaff. 

Her third appointment was at National Terrier in 2008, where she awarded her DCC to Aus Gr CH Koendidda Umrum and DRCC to Ir CH Kilvara Coast to Coast. Later that year and her fourth appointment took her to East Midlands SBTC,where the awards were served to Trufflestaff Monifa Kanika for BCC, and BRCC went to Taraiel Trinity.

2011 was the next time Lesley was called upon to judge again, this time at the Scottish Kennel Club, where she awarded DCC and crowned Kalhol Dark Maruda, who also took BOB.DRCC went to Ramblestaff Ebenezer, the BCC went to Taraiel Trinity and BRCC to Craigails Indian Summer.

In 2013, it was a trip down south to The Downlands SBTC,where she was asked to judge Bitches, the BCC went to CH Dare to Dream, and the BRCC to Briganah Limited Edition.

Lesley’s next UK appointment was in 2015, where she judged bitches again, but this time it was for the Northern Counties SBTC, and top honours went to Celunas Know It All for the BCC and RBCC was handed to Hocus Pocus of Spiritstaff’s (Deu)

The following year, in 2016, it was a cross-country journey for her to judge at the Western SBTS, where dogs got the pleasure of Lesley’s opinion, and DCC went to Jazz De Power Breton (Fra), and DRCC went to Manark Murphy’s Law

Three years later, in 2019, Lesley travelled up to Scotland again to judge at the North of Scotland SBTC, where she awarded BCC to Ellchansha Once Upon a Time and BRCC to Tillcarr Baptism of Fire. Later that year, it was back to the dogs with an appointment down in Wales at the SBTC of South Wales. The DCC went to Sikaistaff Mindhunter, and DRCC was handed to Dazmarnic Know What I Mean.

Then in 2023, she judged bitches at Crufts, and Lesley had the pleasure of judging a whopping entry of 185 bitches and awarded Catstaff’s If I Had a Heart (Nor) the CC and the BRCC went to Gazstaff’s Black Velvet at Skyestaff. Then, a few months later, Lesley judged for the second time at the East Anglian SBTC, where DCC went to Catstaff’s Soul Rebel (Nor) and DRCC went to Callastaff Son of The Moon.

Then, finally, Lesley’s last appointment came at the SBTC, “the parent club” in 2025, where dogs would be handed her final set of CC’s and the dog CC went to Biggleswick Devils Dream, and DRCC went to CH Hasburtstaff Top Gun.

Lesley has travelled up and down the UK and abroad, serving her breed as a judge for many years. This is dedication at its best, and I'm sure she has enjoyed every moment doing so. She will have put huge smiles and cheers of joy into every exhibitor that she awarded CC’s, RCC’s and BOBs too, and she will have had the respect of every exhibitor who entered the shows she judged. 

We have many aspiring judges emerging in our breed, and Lesley is a judge they can all look up to and aim to emulate.So, in all, she has been and is a fantastic role model for future judges. Her critiques have also always been value for money and enjoyable to read for the exhibitors who asked for her opinion. 

Lesley does a hell of a lot for our breed, and judging it is just one of the aspects in which she gives to the breed, and I'm sure she will be doing and continue doing all she can when she can, giving 100 per cent to our breed as she always has. 

For those reading from outside the breed who watch Crufts, and in particular Staffords in agility, the voice you will have heard in recent years is our very own Lesley, introducing and giving the viewers the details on every Stafford that runs the course.

Legendary status is earned with hard work at what you do by committing yourself and always applying a professional attitude to what you do. I think I'm safe to say in our breed, Lesley is just that, A LEGEND!!

I’m sure the whole SBT community would like to thank Lesley for her time judging the breed. She has always done the job to the highest standard and with the utmost integrity. Although Lesley will not be judging, she will still be greatly appreciated for all the other work she does for our breed. 

Steve Bainborough SBT PRO

STAFFORDSHIRE BULL TERRIER PRO BREED NOTES.

It has been a wonderful weekend for our breed, as we had two back-to-back shows: the East Midlands SBTC, celebrating its 75th anniversary, & The Staffordshire Bull Terrier Parent Club, celebrating its 90th anniversary.

This is always the weekend I personally look forward to the most, as you know, there will be a fantastic atmosphere, and the effort the two clubs put in is always at the highest level. Thank you to both clubs for putting on a great weekend for all your exhibitors.

On Sunday, our Parent club always remember those who perished in battle to protect their country. It was, and always is, so nice to see this marked as one of the show's vocal points.It was fitting to see that the Watchman VI was in place for the 11.00 march alongside his service men & women.

This weekend pretty much marks the end of the show year, all barring our open show at Notts & Derby SBTC and LKA in December,but from next year, we will see the Downlands Staffordshire Bull Terrier Club Championship show move to December, so another late opportunity to qualify for Crufts!

East Anglian SBTC has their Christmas party on 7th December at Moulton Village Hall, CB8 8SP, this will be from 12.00 to 15.00. A warm welcome will be offered to all. The club's winter magazine will be published to its members by the end of this month.

This week, we have SBTC of South Wales have their 50th anniversary Championship show, where dogs will be judged by Jack Coates and Bitches will be judged by Brian Aubury. The show will be held at Merthyr Tydfil Leisure Centre, Merthyr Tydfil CF48 1UT

Good luck to both judges and all exhibitors.

Steve Bainborough PRO

THE STAFFORDSHIRE BULL TERRIER CLUB SHOW REPORT.

It was the SBTC parent clubs' 90th anniversary championship show on Sunday,9th November. There was a fabulous entry of 295 split between judges Andy Dodsworth (bitches) and Lesley McFadyen (Dogs). Wehad a wonderful, electric atmosphere, with a huge parade of champions from 52!
The Dog CC was awarded to BiggleswickDevil's Dream, and the Reserve Dog CC to CH Hasbury Top Gun. Bitch CC awardedBriganah the show must go on, her second, and Reserve Bitch CC went to Fairlenium Iron Queen at Lornicstaff
We had some special visitors and guests that came along, including the Watchman VI with other armed forces personnel doing the honours for Remembrance Sunday and the 11.00
Salute. Overseas visitors included Fred & Brenda Holmen from the USA, and our own RKC Chairman, Ian Seath, came along, spending time chatting to quite a few people and generally taking in the atmosphere of a fantastic show.

Money raised through the two huge veteran class entries will go to a veteran’s charity.