I would like to start by thanking the committee for inviting me to judge not only my first set of CCs, but in a breed I adore and at my favourite show of all time. The ring was a wonderful size, the weather was good and the turnout was fabulous.

I was thrilled to see my class winners and top winners all sporting the correct toplines, quoting from the UK Breed standard “Moderately long and full muscled. Sloping shoulders, back reasonably level, blending harmoniously between withers and slightly arched loin.”  However, I was deeply saddened at the bad sportsmanship displayed by some.  Breeders and exhibitors I have looked up to for many years quoting parts of the breed standard loud enough for me to hear and a couple refusing to take place cards when leaving the ring.  This was a side to showing I hadn’t seen before which really put a dampener on my day of handing out my first CCs.

Puppy Dog (5,1)

1^st McLennan – Cheguevar Paddington Bear – BP

Handsome young male, quality head, dark eye, good ear set with correct mouth.  Front coming on and brisket filling, long ribbing and keel. Well angulated behind and moved true and with presence for one so young.

2^nd Paget & Carroll – Metadale Lark Ascending

Beautiful head, dark eye and good ears. Slightly more upright all through than 1, but I am sure he will settle into his angles as he matures. Good ribbing and keel. Straight coming and going.  Moved well and with purpose.

3^rd Andison & Peel – Clentry Greatest Showman

Junior Dog (3,0)

1^st Andison & Peel – Clentry Hear Me Roar

Handsome and elegant, quality head, good ears, dark eye and a beautiful set on from back of skull to neck. Well-constructed front with good feet, decent ribbing and prefer keel a little further back. Profile and coming towards on move was excellent but just a little looser behind when going away than 2^nd.

2^nd Mason – Teckeltown Something Magic

Slightly toyish head, but not unpleasant as I am sure this will change as he matures, good eye, ear and mouth. Well-constructed front and well-padded feet, keel could also be further back. Lower hocks then 1^st, good width of second thigh. Underline was really nice but sadly a little unsettled on move.

3^rd Starkey – Carpaccio Black Obsidian for Hamoura

Novice Dog (2,0)

1^st McLennan 0 Cheguevar Paddington Bear – BP

Two super boys in this class!

Handsome young male, quality head, dark eye, good ear set with correct mouth.  Front coming on and brisket filling, long ribbing and keel. Well angulated behind and moved true and with presence for one so young.

2^nd Hyslop – Zilveraat Goldfink

Very smart hound, nice quality, slightly heavier all through than 1^st but at that age. Beautifully angulated shoulders with plenty of prosternum. Topline spot on and underline sweeping. Beautiful in profile and a real joy to watch.

Post Graduate Dog (3,1)

1^st Andison & Peel – Clentry Knock Em Dead Norman

Very handsome and all male, good width of muzzle, strong underjaw, correct mouth and fill under eye. Elegant neck flowing into well-constructed shoulder, plenty of prosternum. Well-padded feet, super topline and underline. Prefer a slightly deeper second thigh. Moved well coming an going and beautiful in profile. Seriously considered for RCC.

2^nd Hyslop – Zilveraat Goldfink

Very smart hound, nice quality, slightly heavier all through than 1^st but at that age. Beautifully angulated shoulders with plenty of prosternum. Topline spot on and underline sweeping. Beautiful in profile and a real joy to watch.

Limit Dog (8,0)

1^st Paget & Carroll – Marvale Master Of Disguise

Nice head but prefer a slightly longer muzzle to balance it though, good ear, darkest of eyes and correct mouth. Set on from back of skull to neck is very elegant, textbook front assembly, topline and underline spot on, ribs well back and good long keel. Balanced rear angulation also. Moved beautifully in profile. Prefer slightly more condition overall, but perhaps hormones played its part here with ladies about and being at that age.

2^nd Cumberland – Mumysami Clicalicious For Yorami JW

Smart head, good dark eye, ear set and mouth, good fill under eye. Neck elegant. Good layback of shoulder, prefer a slightly longer upper arm to balance. Preferred the length of ribbing of 1^st. Moved out well in profile, coming and going. Handled to perfection. A real showman!

3^rd Williams – Wilmerella Go West

Open Dog (4,1)

1^st Mitchell – Ch Bronia Biaggio – DCC & BOB

This handsome male caught my eye straight away. Very elegant, super head, quality and not feminine but not overdone. Textbook front assembly, well padded feet, good long ribbing and length of keel. Strong loin, topline and underline exactly how it should be. Rear assembly is as balanced and sound as the front. Moved out well with purpose and drive. A real super hound in fabulous condition. I could have happily taken him home. A real joy to judge.

2^nd Blackburn-Bennett – Stargang Barracuda – RDCC

Very similar to 1^st in most ways and a real shame to meet as I am sure they will and probably have changed places often. Handsome, not overdone, everything is exactly where it should be. 1^st sadly out moved him today with rear drive and presence.

3^rd Smith & Connor – Ch Bronia Gregorio JW ShCM

Veteran Dog (1,0)

1^st Herrington – Ch Kathington Coeur De Lion

A handsome older man of 11 years, still a showman! A handsome and greying face which melts my heart. Good eye and ear with nice fill under eye and strong jaw. Elegant all through, beautiful front which is balanced, plenty of prosternum, keel long, ribs deep and long, loin strong, rear is balanced but maybe a little stiff today, however still sound but the weather had also turned slightly cold at this point of the day. One the move his tail was flying high today as he enjoyed his day, but sadly breaks those clean sweeping lines throughout. A pleasure to judge.

Puppy Bitch (8,2)

1^st Andison & Peel – Clentry A Star Is Born

2^nd Kent – Lokmadi Catherine Wheel

Two young girls, 1^st head was maybe slightly more toyish than 2^nd , neck set on 2^nd was more correct which flows into well set shoulders, both fronts are well made and balanced. Both had good long ribbing, prefer the length of keel of 1^st, preferred the elegance of 2^nd, both have good hind quarters and nice chunky second thighs. Both true coming towards me and in profile, 2^nd slightly wider going away. Two promising girls who are still developing and will take some time. Both had best toplines and underlines in class.

3^rd Williams & Moes – Cwmdarhian Lah Ti Dar

Junior Bitch (7,1)

1^st Russell – Russteck Tea Cake – RBCC

A real smart type of bitch. Quality head, not overdone in anyway, good fill under eye, good ear, mouth perfect. Neck flowing into a textbook front, underline sweeping, long ribbing and keel. Padded feet and well knuckled. Balanced hindquarters, good width of second thigh, strong long. Good tail set. Real quality bitch all through. Steadiest in class on move in profile and true coming and going. Pleased to award her the RBCC which I believe is her second.

2^nd Blackburn – Stargang Desert Orchid

Another quality bitch with a beautiful head, filled under eye, good ear set. Very similar to 1^st in many ways, but maybe slightly longer cast. Stunning set up but sadly slightly unsettled on move today, but it was starting to get windy!

3^rd Hutchison – Russteck A Piece Of Cake

Novice Bitch (7,4)

1^st Kent – Lokmadi Catherine Wheel

Critiqued in PB.

2^nd Thomson – Zilveraat Silver Lining

I believe this was her 1^st show. A lovely dapple girl with plenty of covering. Just 6 months. A nice head but maybe slightly too much stop for me. Nice dark eye, ear set good and mouth correct. Elegant neck flowing into well angulated shoulders. Brisket still to fill. Good length of ribbing and keel. Well angulated behind. Good H-L ratio, balanced throughout. A little unsettled on move, but certainly not the worst today. Beautifully handled and presented.

3^rd Mason – Teckeltown Daisy Magic

Post Graduate Bitch (7,0)

1^st Blackburn-Bennett – Stargang Song of Ice N’Fire – BCC

A quality bitch, eye catching, balanced and sound. A nice head, good dark eyes, width of muzzle, ear set and mouth but stop maybe runs a little smooth for me. Elegant set on from skull to neck, shoulders are well angulated and balanced, rear to match. Ribbing and keel well back. Padded and knuckled feet, strong deep loin. Beautifully conditioned and muscled. Moved super in profile and flawless coming and going. Pleasure to award her the CC which I believe is her first. A real hard choice when in for BOB.  Look forward to following her progress in the future.

2^nd McDermott – Carpaccio Susie Cooper

A smart and happy little bitch. Preferred her head to 1^st as more classic. Good fill under eye. Slightly more compact throughout than 1^st. Good length of layback but slightly shorter in upper arm. Ribbing well back, keel could be longer. Plenty of prosternum. Topline spot on and sweeping underline. Balanced hind quarters, good width of second thigh. Moved really well with purpose and drive in profile and coming/going.  Brought back in to challenge for RCC and I was hard pushed! She was unlucky to meet the JB today. 

3^rd Kent – Lokmadi Magic Dragon

Limit Bitch (10,3)

1^st Herrington – Kathington Just By Chance JW

2^nd Mitchell – Bronia Bellezza

I am sure both of these bitches will have and will again change places on other days. Both smart girls. Neither are overdone in anyway. Balanced and well-constructed. Enough ground clearance on 2^nd, preferred the second thigh of 1^st. Good long and deep ribbing on both, keels well back. Feet padded and knuckled. Loins strong. Both super movers, but 1^st really shone in profile, covering more ground and fiercely driving behind. Both super. A really nice class actually.

3^rd Thomson – Stargang Wagtail For Zilveraat

Open Bitch (7,1)

1^st Messers, Melbourne & Carroll – Donnadoon Sea Vermillion At Marvale

2^nd Blackburn-Bennett – Ch Stargang Cherry Berry

3^rd Hunt – Carpaccio Clarice Cliff JW

A really nice class of bitches. These top three are all quality. All similar in type. Preferred the classic heads on 2^nd and 3^rd, all good dark eyes, ear sets are good throughout. Mouths in the top 3 were correct, a couple not so much. All 3 have correct and well angulated fronts with plenty of prosternum. Preferred the keel on 1^st and 2^nd, ribbing good on all three and all have great toplines and sweeping underlines.  2^nd was slightly unsettled on move in profile. All three covered plenty of ground. 1^st won on rear angulation and movement coming/going.  Nicely covered winners and all well presented.

Veteran Bitch (2.0)

1^st Melbourne – Ch Golden Algonquinette Of Melriding

2^nd Cumberland – Whirlygig Wottatodoo At Mumysami

I love to see veterans representing their breed, these two are both smart bitches.

Nice size both of them, elegant throughout. Preferred the classic head on 1^st, both have well-shaped and dark eyes, fronts were well-angulated, good length of upper arm in both. Toplines good, preferred the underline of 1^st which also had longer ribbing. Both could do with longer keel. Rear angulation was balanced in both. Both moved with presence and purpose but 1^st just outshone 2^nd today. Nice condition on both. Well presented.

Judge: Johnny Morgan (Cotherstone)