Summary of minutes of Cairn Terrier Breed Council Meeting 27 September 2026
Representatives from all 6 UK Breed Clubs attended this meeting at Greens Norton
1. New CC winners
Owners of first time CC winners were reminded that this form should be completed as soon as possible after the win. The form can be found on the CTBC website at https://cairnterrierbreedcouncil.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/First-CC-request.pdf and should be sent to Linda Saich (Breed Historian). Year Book editors should try and include a mention of this in their Year Books.
2. New Trimming Leaflet
This is now on the Breed Council website at https://cairnterrierbreedcouncil.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/How-to-trim-your-Cairn-Terrier.pdf
3. Eye Testing
• Sue Manning BVSc (Hons) DVOphthal MRCVS will be giving a presentation on Cairn Terrier’s Eye Health in the lunch interval at the Midland CTC’s Championship Show on 6 December.
• There was a discussion on DNA Testing Kits available from the Cairn Terrier Club of America and a further meeting of the CTHWG would be held to discuss this further but it was agreed that CTHWG funds be used to purchase kits.
4. Financial position
The balances held by the CTBC and the CTHWG were notified to the meeting. The meeting was pleased to learn that the CTHG had received income from Frances Goldfinch (sale of the late Alma Smee’s memorabilia) and that there was an indication that a donation would be received from the Cairn Terrier Club.
5. Cairn Terrier Health & Welfare Group (CTHWG)
a) The committee (2 per Breed Club) –
Cairn Terrier Cub – Joan Percy & Pam Gardner
Midland CTC – Sarah Munday & Alison Waites
Cairn Terrier Assoc. – Joanne Johnson (Secretary) & Jackie Jones
S W & WOE CTC – Maggie Shopland & Geoff Thomas (since elected as Chair)
SCTC – Linda & Karen Saich
NOI CTC – to be decided.
The helpers – Heather Young, Janet Sinclair, Sharon Confue, Jo Smith, Gwynne Wright & Daphne Purvis
b) Draft constitution to be finalised.
c) Further fund raising to be discussed by the Group
d) Venue for future Eye Testing sessions to be explored.
6. Breed Education Co-ordinator
a) The number of Observations and Mentoring session undertaken in 2026 was notified to the meeting. Geoff Thomas to be added to list of Mentors and Lynda Hughes to list of Observers
b) From 1 January 2027 Judging Lists will no longer be maintained by the Breed Council. Instead there would be a link to RKC Find A Judge site. BEC to follow up with RKC to see if Breed Specialists could be identified on this site. Judges no longer judging would be required to notify RKC.
c) Training Day organised by Dawn Inett and Ann Waugh 18 September. Dawn’s report was read to the meeting and the day had proved successful.
d) Changes to Judges Education Programme –
• A3 assessments undertaken before 31/12/25 can now be used instead of Breed Specific Assessment
• MCE can now be taken before all other Level 1 criteria met
• L2 judges will be limited to 10 breeds until achieving L4 status in one breed.
• New L5 judges, and existing L5 judges for newly recognised breeds, will be able to achieve L2 status for breeds in their respective group by attending a Breed Appreciation Day (BAD) and passing a Multiple-choice Exam (MCE).
e) Breed Appreciation Day 11 April 2027 at Green Norton – arrangements were discussed.
7. Breed Notes & Our Dogs
It was agreed that Linda Firth would continue to write these and include them on the CTBC website.
8. Competition Awards & Our Dogs
Hopefully the competition would continue for 2026. Geoff Thomas agreed to devise a system for the BC to run on the BC website for 2027, to be finalised.
9. Date of next meeting
Date to be advised.