Not sure what to do........

I'm really not too sure what to do here so i thought i'd ask your opinions,sorry its long.

Alfie is entered in his first Champ show on Tuesday (East of England Ch show)
I get pretty nervous and have only entered Open shows before never a champ or breed show.
He only started showing last Spring at the grand old age of 21 months (i was too ill with ME before and couldn't attend any shows with him,something i really regret)
He got off to a flying start by winning BOB at the HCEA under a experienced judge and Beagle owner and continued to place at every show we attended last year,However i have always had doubts about his height and felt that he would become too tall ,(Part of his BOB critique said 'Although well up to size' etc etc..)
I measured him at the start of the year and inevitably he is now 17 1/2 to 18 inches (breed standad max is 16) I entered a few shows ,one being this one to see how he went this year,his first was last month and he took a 1st in post grad but didn't go any further (i'll be interested to read the critique) his next one was last weekend but i came down with tonsilitis so we didn't go.
I am really starting to panic about going on Tuesday,the beagle entry is 151 and i'm so nervous.There will be some very experienced beagle exhibitors there and i don't want to look silly as he looks distinctively tall stood next to the other beagles now.He adores showing,has a good gait and is a good example of the breed except for his height.
I am thinking maybe i should stop torturing myself , leave it and not go,i just don't know,i know different judges have different preferences but his height is getting glaringly obvious, although i don't think he will get any taller.
Plus i will be even more nervous as a champ show is slightly different and new to me,he has never been benched before either,i don't know how it all works first hand.
What do you think,

If they don't measure then you'll be fine, unlike in poodles where they have to go under a measure!
Becky

Hi, try not to worry too much, I know it's easy for me to say. If he's too tall, that's just a fault like any other. Remember the perfect dog has never been born, they all have faults.

Take him to the show and enjoy yourself, there's serious shopping to be done if all else fails.

Have fun and good luck, remember to report back.

Dawn R.

Thanks guys,
Thats the thing I suppose Dawn,he has so many good qualities,perfect teeth,topline,spring of rib....I could go on and on but for his damn height.
I just feel in such a panic about it,silly i know but i almost don't want to go....I'm such a chicken,always have been.

A champ show is just another dog show but with more entries. For benching, I always use a cage so the dog feels secure. We don't have benching here so if I go to the UK it's a bit of a novelty.
The height issue is rife in Dalmatians and I think if they went under a measure, most would be thrown out. Judges are divided between ignoring that aspect if the dog is well balanced, and marking them down so as not to encourage future stock coming out increasingly tall.
As stated, every dog has faults. For me, I have no problem with a male being "well grown" if everything is right in other departments.
Just go - and enjoy!

Oh absolutely, you must go!

Every dog has faults, there is literally no such thing as a perfect dog. Go and have fun, try and relax. You obviously have a good dog on your hands there, fingers crossed for you.

Thank you everyone,I feel slightly more encouraged when you put it like that i guess it is a fault the same as any other,
Still feel sick to my stomach when i think about Tuesday though lol !!

Deccy...
I was speaking to Pita at the last show and she said it was a shame he was getting that bit too tall as he is lovely.She said she thought he would do well over in Ireland.You must tell us all about your judging appointment with the beagles once you've done it,i would be very interested to hear about them.Do you find them to be much taller over there ?

I haven't judged them in Ireland yet although as they are the same Group as us, I am getting to look at them more closely. However, it is many years since I have been involved with them in the UK so I have lost touch a bit. The ones in Ireland appear to be smaller than my own Beagle but that was in the 1970's so my memory may well be faulty
As I am stewarding next weekend at a Champ show I will have a look at heights but I must say there is a very eye catching male who really owns the ring and he seems to be on the tall side. It doesn't do his results any harm but there again his construction from what I can see, and his movement are excellent.

PS If you want to come to Ireland I have a stock of the IKC forms to register UK dogs so just send me a PM and I'll put one in the post. Mind you, if you enter the show where I am judging I will have to get off the fence!

LOL !!

Thank you Deccy,I have the time i just wish i had the money I know nothing about shows in Ireland or Beagles in Ireland,just out of interest i think i'll do some digging on the internet see what i can find,Thanks for the help.

when judging I would always place a well made dog that's a touch over standard over a standard sized dog with poor construction, like others have said it's a fault and no dog is perfect, a good judge will judge a dog on it's virtues and not it's faults.

A little tip, try to look for other dogs in his class that are also top sized to stand beside in the ring and avoid dogs that are on the smaller size which will make him look bigger.

Good luck and enjoy your day.