The Smooth Collie Club of Great Britain’s Championship Show 20th September 2015

It was a great honor to judge this prestigious show back in 2002 and it was a real trill to be invited back to judge the same show again this year. I got very excited and humble when I heard it was a record entry of Smooth Collies.

I have followed and admired the breed since I was 12 years old and saw them in UK for the first time so to judge such a big entry in UK was for me really inspirational. 
Bev White took extremely good care of me. It was a long drive taking me back and forward to Heathrow but we had a lot of fun on the way. What a pity I had to go home just after the show.

The stewards were top professional, which always is a great help. I felt secure and safe in there competent hands.
I would have loved to have judged outside on grass on this beautiful day because Collies do of course look better outside when the weather is good. I do, however, understand that it is safer to plan for an indoor show in the middle of September.  

I know that some of you went home without getting the result you had hoped for, but I never saw a miserable face or heard an unpleasant word. Everybody was showing great sportsmanship.

I am not a breeder of smooth collies; my breed I Rough Collies. I have, however, followed the Smooths extremely close for more than 45 years and I have judged the breed in a lot of countries.

A breed will always have its ups and downs over a period of years, but I can honestly say that you have kept the breed in a sound and good condition. The Smooths have always had better conformation, silhouettes and movements than the rough. It is interesting that we haven’t got a single smooth with the head placed directly on the top of the shoulder as we so often see so in the Roughs. How can it be that all Smooths move, perhaps not perfect, but sound and decent while the rough’s movements often are all over the place? I don’t have the answer to that but it is true. With a few exceptions, you haven’t been able to put the perfect eyes and expression on the smooth. What is creeping in is small and round eyes which totally destroy the expressions. Another thing you must try to change is ear set and carriage. The smooths are starting to have just as bad ears as the roughs. They are wide set and tipping over with more than half of the ear’s length. This is a fault, which totally change the head and the expression. It also spoils the topline because the correct topline on a collie does start were the ears bend over. Correctly placed ears improve a Collie’s outline.

As far as the outline of a Collie is concerned we must remember that this is not a square built breed. I saw some smooths which were too short and too tall giving a square impact, which is totally wrong.

I was very impressed by the tail carriage; wish we had the same good tail carriages on the roughs. Coat texture was generally good but I can’t say the same about the blue merle colors. There were too many with a muddy tint. In many country’s we now find that the blue merles are more black/white than blue/merle and this is just as bad.

Temperaments were friendly but some were lacking the desired spirit and twinkle in their eyes. I think handlers can make a big deference in how their dogs behave in the show ring. Be funny; keep the dogs happy and try to do something unexpected which makes your dog follow you with interest. Why should the dog think it is funny being in a show ring if you behave like you are bored?

It was wonderful to see that my CC and RCC dog winner was grandchildren of my BOB winner from 2002. And that the best veteran was her daughter. UK is for sure gifted with some very intelligent breeders who understand the breed inside out. It was a true joy to be the first person to judge the BIS bitch in the UK and to give her top honours. She is in my eyes very close to perfection and I am sure we will hear a lot more from her. 

Thank you for having invited me and thanks for your kindness and hospitality. I loved the very beautiful in scripted vase you gave me and I promise that this will be treasured. I hope you enjoyed the day just as much as I did. Hope to see you all again and please keep up the good work. We do want to keep the collie as a breed of great beauty!

Minor Puppy Dog 3 entries, 1 abcent.

1. Mr T and Mrs B Hayward’s Foxearth Final Countdown.  A very extrovert and happy boy, just as a Collie puppy should be. Beautiful silhouette, slightly receding skull at the moment, Very nice neck and topline with slight rise over the loin. Moves parallel but I would like slightly more reach and more knee angulation. A puppy with a lot of potential. BDP.
2. Mrs C. Norman’s Seanua Signature. Slightly shorter in body than the winner. Very masculine, beautiful skull and nice ear set. A bit narrow in chest and therefor a bit loose in front movements.

Puppy Dog 3 entries.

            This was not a very strong class

1. Ms A. French’s Breckamore By Design He was in my eyes far the best in this class.  He is a big boy so I hope he doesn’t grow any bigger, but he has the correct proportions of height to length. Beautiful head and ears, flat skull, correct eyes, beautiful neck, perfect substance and bone. He is nicely balanced and moves well. Blue-merle color could be clearer.
2. Mrs A.R. Kinsey’s Sturtmoor Khaos of Kaswyn. He gives a square impression. Heavy ears and a bit too round in eye. Nice neck a bit loose in front.
3. D A Cole’s Sturtmoor Dream of Kasvelyn.

Junior Dog 1 entries

1. Mrs A.R. Kinsey’s Sturtmoor Khaos of Kaswyn. He gives a square impression. Heavy ears and a bit too round in eye. Nice neck, but a bit loose in front.

Post Graduate Dog 2 entries

1. Mrs ED Vickery’s Oakestelle Sebastian Bach. Nice size and type. The nose line is falling off. He lacks stop and his ears are set to broad, which in my eyes disturbs the correct collie expression. Nice neck and very strong back, short croup which is falling off too much. Nicely angulated behind, slightly straight in front but he moves quite well.
2. Ms D G Bell’s Koczkodan Nosblyth. A rather heavy and big dog with heavy ears which together with round eyes spoils the expression. Nice flat skull, strong body, nice tailcarriage. Short croup. Lacks angulations in knee and hocks.

Limit Dog 8 entries, 1 absentee.

1. Mrs CH Leach’s Manordeifi Dionysus at Hilltarn. Beautiful type, love his balance and proportions. Not high and square as some of the others. Wonderful dark eyes, but he doesn’t want to use his ears. He is well angulated and moves freely. Everything fits together in this dog and he has a correct tail carriage. His blue-merle color could be better.
2. Mr & Mrs B Blamorder Back to the Future. He is a bit short and square, but extrovert with perfectly placed ears which he uses nonstop. Good flat skull, a bit round in eye. Beautiful neck, nicely angulated behind, acceptable angulation in front. Short croup and a high set tail which he is very proud off. 
3. Mr R C & Mrs D J Gay’s Yagane’s Blue Mist.

Open Dog, 6 entries, 1 absentee.

1. Ms A French’s CH. Foxearth Flock Master for Breckamore. My heart jumped when I saw this dog. For me there was no doubt about this being the best dog in the entry. What a smooth collie. Everything fits like hand in a glove. Splendid silhouette with the typical slight rise over the loin. It was no dip behind the shoulder which we see so often. He had good bone and was perfectly balanced. He moved freely and it was a pleasure to see him both standing and moving. You can fault them all and to be critical I would like this stunning smooth’s back skull slightly less deep. But let me say this clearly: I loved him. He was an impressive representative for his breed. CC, BOS, RBOB.
2. Mr T & Mrs B. Hayward CH Foxearth Flintab. Litter brother to nr. 1. A beautiful Smooth, but not quite in the same league as the first one. He lacks a few of the finer details which his brother has. He is a fraction long in loin but very much the same type as Flock Master. He does, however, not have the same correct eye and his right ear is too heavy. Nice neck and silhouette. He is well angulated and he moves very well. He too is a bit deep in back skull. He hasn’t got the winner’s wonderful croup, but he has got a very beautiful blue-merle color. He is really blue and merle, with small black markings. He is a bigger and heavier dog than my winner. RCC.
3. Mrs I M G Griffiths’ Alopex Matt Finnish.

Veteran dog, 1 entry.

1. Mr & Mrs B Trundley’s Juniperwood King of Kings. Sound well-constructed male with a beautiful temperament. A smooth collie of the correct model, nicely balanced. Good expression with almost black eyes, correct wedge shaped head, but he refuses to use his ears. He needs to have his teeth cleaned. Moves correctly.

 
Minor Puppy Bitch, 5 entries, 2 absentees

1. Mrs J Hartley’s Foxearth Finnish Spirit at Jimjack. Very feminine bitch of beautiful type. Perfect ear set which really do a lot for the correct expression. Very nice neck but she could be a bit stronger in topline. Nice bone and angulations, perfect tail carriage. She could reach out a bit more on the move seen from the side but perfect up and down. Many of the dogs were a bit weary of the surface which did affect their movements.
2. Theobald & Norman’s Seanua Softly Softly. Very feminine but needs to slim down a bit before next bikini season. One of the few with almond shaped eyes. A bit big and wide set ears, good bone, nice croup, well angulated and moves well.
3. Miss A Lusty’s Blamorder Just Like Magic.

Puppy Bitch, 4 entries, 1 absent.

1. Mrs D A & Miss F L Forbes’s Natalain Kilkenny at Willowhurst. Feminine bitch of perfect size. Beautiful neck and correct topline. Skull a bit receding at the moment, acceptable ears, nice croup and very good tailcarriage. I don’t want her more angulated behind. A very promising puppy which showed her head off. BP
2. Mrs A R Kinsey’s Sturtmoor Kurious Kadence. Nice type. Good neck. Her topline could be better. She has a dip behind the shoulder instead of a slight rise over the loin. She moves extremely well. She has unfortunately got too small and round eyes. Her ears are unstable. With a better topline I could easier forgive her the small details in head. Her tail carriage is very good.
3. Mr & Mrs B Trundley’s Sturtmoor Klarissants Kiss.

Junior Bitch, 4 entries.

1. Mrs D A & Miss F L Forbes’s Natalain Kilkenny at Willowhurst.
2. Mrs A R Kinsey’s Sturtmoor Kurious Kadence.
3. Mr & Mrs B Trundley’s Sturtmoor Klarissants Kiss.

Novice Bitch, 1 entry

1. Mr & Mrs B Trundley’s Sturtmoor Klarissants Kiss. Nice type with good balance, nice wedge shaped head, but a bit round in eye. Ears a bit wide set. Nice neck and topline. Correct bone. Would like her a fraction more feminine.

Post Graduate Bitch, 8 entries, 3 absentees.

1. Miss A Peacock’s Blamorder Back to the Start for Saraneth. I really liked this bitch. She is Smooth collie type from nose to tail; I would just love a more almond shaped eye and better placed ears. She is very beautiful and well balanced with a perfect silhouette and topline. Nice neck giving the dignified look this breed should have. She moves very well. I am sure she will go far in the coming years.
2. Mr & Mrs B Trundley’s Juniperwood Kinda Special. What a pity this beautiful bitch looks bored and without spirit. I would have loved to have seen her shown by a professional handler. They are experts in keeping the dogs happy even if they aren’t too enthusiastic about being shown. This bitch has a lot to offer the breed. She has perfect type and silhouette; she is very sound and well put together. I would prefer eyes more almond shaped. She is moving a fraction shorter than the winner of the class.
3. Mrs D A & F L Forbes’ Willowhurst Vanity.

Limit Bitch, 8 entries, 2 absentees.

1. Mr T and Mrs B. Hayward’s Plaisance Betty La Belle. I had almost given up finding a bitch with the correct expression but here she was. I hope smooth collie people will look at this bitch’s eyes and ears because they are perfect. She is so extrovert it is unreal. Nice skull, good length of neck but the neck is too thin in proportion to body. Well filled out in chest and body. She is well angulated and well moving.
2. Miss D J Moores’ s Manordeifi Silver Sparkle. A bit heavier type than the winner and her bones is also on the heavy side. Beautiful head shape with perfect parallel planes. A bit heavy ears, black eyes and nice expression. She is well put together but lack a bit of spirit and could show with more enthusiasm.
3. Mr A French’s Breckamore Bang Tidy.

Open Bitch, 14 entries, 3 absentees.

1. Mr T and Mrs B Hayward’s Clingstone’s Hot Shot at Foxearth. Wow, here she was! Smooth Collie from the tip of her black nose to the white tip of her tail. No wonder this breed, as the one and only, is described in the standard’s general appearance as: “appears as a dog of great beauty”. As soon as I saw her I knew that this was my BOB. I had goose pimples all over when I went over her and I was overwhelmed by her beauty. What a model, what a type, what a silhouette. She has beautiful long, elegant lines as the breed should have, nothing is out of place. Not too much of anything, neither too little. Topline starting at the correct set ears, adding a few centimeters to the neck and topline as it should do, but seldom does. Neck, topline and movement were classic. She was so close to perfection as a dog can be. I was later told she had never been shown in UK before. But I will eat my old hat if this stunning bitch isn’t going to be a big winner. Thank you for giving me the chance to be the first to award her top honours. This aristocratic lady does for sure deserve it. I wish her all the best for the future. CC, BOB, BIS.
2. Miss A G Lusty’s Juniperwood Just a Dream. The same beautiful type as the winner.  Everything fits together with a perfect balance, but her topline could be stronger. She has a very attractive well rounded croup. I would like her eyes more almond shaped. She moved very well. I liked her very much because she was such an excellent representative for her breed. RCC.
3. Mr T & Mrs B. Hayward’s Ch. Kiiramanna She Makes My Day at Foxearth.

Veteran bitch, 6 entries, 1 absentee.

1. Mr T and Mrs B Hayward’s CH Sandcastles As You Like It at Foxearth. This is the type I love. She is standing with impassive dignity and with the most beautiful silhouette you can dream off. I was told she is a daughter of my BOB from the show in 2002 and she does for sure look very much like her mother Blithe Spirit. She has a bit heavier and wider set ears than her mother had and her eyes are beginning to round of a bit. I can easily forgive this in a bitch at the age of 9. She has a very attractive topline and a beautiful tail carriage and moves soundly for her age. She is the mother of the CC and RCC winner dog. The apple doesn’t drop far from the tree. BISV
2. Miss A G Lusty’s CH Juniperwood Dream Maker at Blamorder. Very nice extrovert and sound veteran. A bit shorter and more square type than the winner. Black eyes of acceptable shape, very well moving with a nice topline. Could be better angulated behind. 
3. Mrs V Neff’s CH Hightri Until ShCM

Open Show, Rough Collies, same venue.

It wouldn’t be fair to write a general critique of the roughs based on an open show with 44 entries were 18 was absent.

Puppy Dog, 4 entries, 2 absentees.

1. Mr J N & Mrs V Geddes’ Ingledene Spirits Arise. Couldn’t believe my eyes when this young handsome male entered the ring. Almost too good to be true. Let me make a long story short: This is how I want a Rough Collie male to look. Great type, balance and silhouette. Perfect size and substance. Everything fits. Beautiful wedge shaped head, very nice ears, nice bones and sound movements, good tail carriage. He is groomed to perfection,  not a hair is out of place. This is another big winner in the making. Just wait and see! To be super critical I would like a more almond shaped eye, but we could fault all the great once. BP in show, BOB, RBIS.
2. Mrs C J & Mr M A Howard’s Brooklynson Errol Flynn. Nice young male of correct type. Very attractive silhouette. A bit broad in back skull, very nice neck, topline and croup. Doesn’t like the surface but moves well when he wants to.

Junior Dog, 1 entry

1. Mr D A Abbott’s Cotswoldway Brave Hearted. Very beautiful wedge shaped head, nice ears and good bone. Looks a bit short and stuffy because of too much puppy coat, especially over the croup. Don’t be afraid to strip some of the excess coat out on the roughs. That would as a role make their outline look better. Moved well but lacks attitude and self-confidence.

Post Graduate Dog, 7 entries, 4 absentees.

1. J. Hanson’s Jards Grand Attraction. Good type, very masculine. A bit short in head. Very nice expression. His coat follows the outline of the body as it should do. Beautiful croup moves soundly and correct. RBD
2. Mr. D Stanton’s Chelborn Just Decided. Young male with a lot of self-confidence. Beautiful neck and attractive silhouette. Far too heavy ears and a broad back skull. He is very proud of his tail. Moves very well.
3. Mrs G M Hull’s Lizmark Winter Wish.

Limit Dog, 5 entries, 2 absentees.

1. Dr. L W Boyle’s Barrenclough Moonglow. What I would call an “honest” dog with attractive shape. Very broad set and heavy ears. Weak underjaw, good bones, moves soundly.
2. Mr. D Stanton’s Chelborn Just Decided.
3. Miss S Skinner’s Nikal’s It’s Gud To Be Black.

Open Dog, 4 entries, 1 absentees.

1. Miss M Davis’ IR CH Rosschell Bobby Dazzler at Wassail. Correct type and size. Very masculine, moves soundly. He is very proud of his tail. Deep warm color and correct coat.
2. Dr L W Boyle’s Barrenclough Touch of Class. Very attractive type. Perfect size and substance, but very small and deep set eyes which spoil the expression. Moves soundly and except for the eyes it is a lot to like about him: he is, however, not groomed to the skin, only on the surface.
3. Mrs G M Hull’s Lizmark Gold Standard.

Puppy Bitch, 8 entries, 3 absentees.

1. Miss M K Benton’s Brooklynson Jane Russell of Oakestelle. Wow, what a promising puppy this is. Very attractive type, feminine, charming and full of herself. The handler was clever and kept her happy all the time. That’s the way to do it. A bit straight in front with a slightly short upper arm. Correct ears and the most gorgeous almond shaped and dark eyes giving an expression which melted my heart. Well angulated behind but moves a bit narrow. BPB. 
2. Miss J Hodges’ Jopium Secret Fantasy. Another of the type I was looking for. Beautiful puppy with a very correct head. Perfect ear placement but they tip over a bit too much. Good chest and body, moved well, but would like her a bit higher over the withers. Pressed the winner hard for the top spot.
3. Mrs S Flowers’ Serenlas Keeping Faith

Junior Bitch, 5 entries, 3 absentees.

1. Mr J H Flint’s Highnol Candy Hearts. Nice bitch, very extrovert which I did like. Feminine bitch with beautiful ears and eyes. Attractive topline, well developed in body, moves and stands correct. R Best Bitch.
2. Dr L W Boyle’s Barrenclough Golden Charm. This bitch should have stayed at home. She has been shedding her coat for a long time but hasn’t been groomed out. Not the way to present a ough Collie. But there were a decent and sound collie under all the loose wool.

Post Graduate Bitch, 7 entries, 2 absentees.

1.  Mr. J H Flint’s Highnol Candy Hearts.  
2. J. Hanson’s Rendalea Crystal Clear at Jards. A very typical and correct Collie but I would like her to show herself of a bit better. Everything fits very nice together.
There is a lot to like about this bitch.

1. Mr J N & Mrs V Geddes’ Ingledene Frost At Nite.

Open Bitch, 3 entries, 1 absent.

1. Mr J N & Mrs. V. Geddes’ CH Ingledene All Dressed in Blue. Ladies and gentlemen, this is a classy Collie. This beautiful bitch comes very close to my interpretation of the standard. Lines, lines and more lines. Perfect silhouette and balance. Coat which fits the outline of the body. She has the attitude and dignity the standard asks for. She is the type of Collie I am looking for when I am judging. A bitch which looks like she is capable of doing a hard day’s work and still look a million dollars.  Best Bitch.
2. Mrs G M Hull’s Lizmark Gold Nugget. She is a bit short but quiet a nice type. I would like her better filled out in foreface. Beautiful well placed ears. Bones could be a bit stronger. Moves soundly.

Veteran Bitch, 1 entry.

1. Mrs G Gazeley’s Amalie She’s No Angel at Nikal. I am sure this nice bitch once was a very attractive Collie, but I think her days as a show dog has come to an end. She is extremely week in pasterns perhaps due to very long nails. Her ears are a bit wide set. But I must admit she shows with great enthusiasm and high spirit. B Vet.

Charlotte Høier