BARKING CC OPEN SHOW

SATURDAY 30TH SEPTEMBER 2017

Thank you to the committee for the invitation to judge at their friendly show at its new venue. The weather was good, the outdoor rings were large and the tarmac surface was especially good for judging feet!  Thank you to all exhibitors for your entries.  I thoroughly enjoyed my day and was thrilled to see my Whippet BOB & BP go on to BIS & BPIS – Congratulations!

ROUGH COLLIE – I feel there is the need to make a general comment before the individual critiques. I always enjoy judging the sister breed to my own Smooth Collies but today there were several dogs let down and letting the breed down, by the standard of their presentation.

All dogs appeared well groomed to the eye but I didn’t expect to find several with good sized mats in the undercoat, to the point where one dog missed out on a top award because of it. This is not acceptable. Please ensure your dogs are presented properly for their sake as well as yours and that’s before we even consider the judge… Alternatively, if you can’t cope with grooming a Rough, there’s always the Smooth option.

P (1) Hull’s Lizmark Gold Standard. So much to like about this happy, bright gold sable boy of 8 months. Fabulous temperament, great outline and balance. Lovely head, with good length, planes, eye shape and placement, ear set and carriage giving the sweetest expression. Stop just needs to clear as to be expected. Has length of neck to give a dignified carriage, (not that he has much dignity at the moment, life is too much fun!). Great front and rear angulation and especially pleasing to see good return of upperarm in a Rough baby. Good bone, lovely body for age, just enough length, lovely flow over the topline to long tail and excellent feet. On the move, when he settles, shows a lovely length of stride with the promise of good drive from behind and reach in front. Should really be able to move when he is older. Just needs to tighten going away but that should come with maturity. In pristine coat and condition, I thought he was very promising and look forward to seeing him in the future. BP and PG2. Well done.

L (4,1) 1. Philpin’s Sassari Snow Shimmer for Tudorlyn JW. This 2 years b/m bitch caught my eye on the first circuit of the ring for her lovely shape and outline on the move and I just hoped that hands-on wouldn’t produce any nasty surprises. It didn’t, she is a very well constructed bitch. Feminine in head with good length and planes with a well placed stop. Ears are very neat and well set when she uses them and this combined with a good eye shape and position gives a very pretty expression. Skull could be a little flatter and could fill in muzzle a touch more to advantage. She has a good length of neck and a very good front, with excellent lay of shoulder and return of upper arm, lovely body shape and rear angulation matches the front with well turned stifles, well let down hocks and a lovely length of tail to complete the picture. In good fitting coat of the correct texture, good blue colour, nicely marked and certainly no complaints on presentation. On the move she looks her best and holds a perfect topline, going with smooth reach in front and easy drive from the rear, sound up and down, everything in balance and just a pleasure to watch. An easy BOB and pleased to see her rewarded with G3 in a strong group. Congratulations.

2. Lister’s Platinum Moon at Newarp. Masculine 23 months b/m boy in fabulous coat and condition and a glorious colour. If anyone needs any lessons on grooming, then ask this exhibitor for help. No doubting his sex in head, preferred his skull to 1 but her cleanness through the cheeks. Well filled in muzzle, almond eye, good ears correctly tipped giving a sweet, almost languid expression. Could pull his ears a bit tighter. Enough neck, well laid shoulder, not the exceptional upper arm of 1 but still decent enough. Well matured in body, preferred the flow over the croup of 1, good turn of stifle and well let down hocks. Tail of good length which he tends to raise a touch on the mover but he is very aware of the opposite sex! Goes well in profile but couldn’t match the front reach of 1 and he does go a little close behind. A good sort and deserved his RBOB on the day.

3. Ludlow’s Tudorlyn Misty Dreams for Malina.

O (3) 1. Hull’s Lizmark Gold Standard. 5 years dark g/s male with a dignified presence. Head is a good blunted wedge, flat in skull with good planes, fill of muzzle, stop and eye set and shape giving a sweet, dreamy expression when he can be persuaded to use his well set, neatly tipped ears. Has enough neck, wouldn’t want him any shorter in body. Good front and rear angulation and another with a pleasing upperarm. Lovely flow down over the topline to well turned stifles and he has good bone and feet. In full coat which is a super colour. Clinched first place on the move where he is smooth and balanced, lovely reach in front, good drive from the rear and sound out and back, holding a good topline.

2. Philpin’s Tudorlyn Little Princess ShCM. 7 years sh/sable bitch with a feminine head and expression. Good planes, reasonably flat skull, sweet eye and expression and uses her well set ears to advantage.  Good angulation front and rear, wouldn’t want her any longer in body but looks good on the stack with a lovely flow over the topline to a long, well set and carried tail. I expected her to move very well and indeed she is so sound up and down, has good extension in front and drive from behind but disappointingly she was losing her topline on the day which lost her a place.

3. Ludlow’s Maqueeba Just A Dream for Malina.

SIMON BURTON (Judge)