COLLIE CLUB OF WALES BREED CHAMPIONSHIP SHOW 01 APRIL 2017

In males today a modest entry by any standards. I imagine some may assume it should dictate a modest critique but speculation and reality are not always close companions and in any event one dog would deserve the same courtesy as one hundred.

In Ireland most especially since becoming an FCI country we have become accustomed to regular visits from overseas judges. Long before that of course we already had the tradition of inviting British breed specialists so it is nice to see a little “traffic” in the opposite direction ,my grateful thanks  then to CCOW for the invitation and to the exhibitors for trusting me to offer a fair unbiased opinion.

Through its history, in terms of popularity ,the sport of Dog Exhibition rather than being cyclical, enjoyed with the exception of some obvious punctuations, a steady rise to a point in time. If one was fortunate enough to have been there for the peak of that popularity then one was just that – fortunate. None of us have a crystal ball (NONE) but those times have passed it seems, the world has changed and it seems futile now to lament the passing of the best of times for Collies. More pertinent now is surely the fact that the  novices of today are probably more important than at any other  time for at least 60 years. Novices need to enter a sport where the standards of fair play and sportsmanship are highly valued . They need to be part of a sport which is as accessible as possible. By accessible I do not mean the licensing of more and more events as in some jurisdictions , such steps may well still yield end of year statistics reflective of where the quality lies, they may reflect where the ambition is (not a bad thing) but they may also produce a picture of where resources lie and money will not necessarily produce good stockmen/women. There is nothing to suggest that the novice or small hobby breeder could not produce the next pivotal dog or bitch in a breed, nothing that is save the exclusion of their potential by disillusionment with behaviours less gentlemanly than our gentle breed is worthy of, or by simply being priced out of participating. It is the breed clubs such as this almost 60 year old CCOW who have consistently remained at the forefront of attempting to strike a balance between keeping costs down and running friendly sociable events like this one today.  Our premier high profile events by that very definition require a best foot forward  attitude by all , before , during and after the event but these breed club events where so many novices gained a foothold over the years, they deserve the same. Look after you breed clubs, looks after your novices and in return both will look after your breed.

So to the dogs (finally!)  a couple I could have happily signed a ticket for, a couple more I found interesting but not quite there just yet. Size I found good, head length the same , movement on this surface  -well difficult to access completely. One or two not quite the flatness and filling in skull upon handling .Presentation generally but not universally good. As always I appreciated the opportunity to judge not only my winners but every dog – thank you for bringing them and your acceptance of my decisions was noted and appreciated.

 

MINOR PUPPY DOG

  1. Cronks Chelborn Storyteller. 7 month old flashy tri of quite some promise. Nice for size, scores for outline with good  angulation and reach of neck. Head handles well, balanced with well placed stop, dark eyes well set and neat well placed ears which he knows how to use. When he settles more on the move could be one to watch. Good luck with him.
  2. Primmers Tremaro Double Dare. Another well grown on , good bone and substance to him, good through the rib cage. Moved happily enough on well boned legs and tight feet. Good for head length, the winner at this stage that bit cleaner and sweeter in head.

JUNIOR DOG

  1. Lockyers Gatai Beau of Surprises Masculine but clean through the cheeks with it , good stop , ok in skull, eye is nice and dark, for preference somewhat softer for me but neat well used ears and alert expression. Good length of back with plenty of heart and lung room, enough angulation and good hocks, moved freely.
  2. Ratcliffes Shulune Dressed in Black for Colecliffe. Another tri with good black coat who was close enough up to the winner, not getting his ears as tight but quite pleasing in expression with well mounded nicely filled muzzle, again enough size and bone and moved quite freely.

YEARLING DOG


1 Randalls Ladnar Moondust.  I was quite taken with this one, he is one I would like to see again with another year on his back. He has all the essentials, I like his make and shape, enough reach of neck, well angulated fore and aft and he covers enough ground on the move. Clean and balanced in head, quite pleasing in eye, ears are placed correctly , when he uses both and projects himself in that way that many did not it marks him out for attention. Wasn’t far from my final thoughts.
2.Congdons Aaronwell AyeBeeCee . nicely moulded  head piece, sweet dark expressive eyes well set,  nicely boned . not quite the shape or confidence on the move of the winner.


MAIDEN DOG

  1. Cronks Chelborn Storyteller
  2. Primmers Tremaro Double Dare

NOVICE DOG

  1. Cronks Chelborn Storyteller
  2. Primmers Tremaro Double Dare                                                                                                                                                               

GRADUATE DOG
1. Browns Mertrisa Wild Fire. Very well presented golden sable with lovely softly moulded clean and balanced head. Dark nicely set almond eye good stop and skull. Moved ok.
2. Boyles Barrenclough Diamond Days. Has quite a few of the basics going for him may have benefited from a little more exclusive time and attention.

POST GRADUATE DOG

  1. Wrays Takhisis Trick or Treat. Well up to size , good substance and a bit more muscle tone that a lot had, enough reach of neck , spring of rib, good turn of stifle and strong hocks. Good ears when he uses them , ok in expression and nice length of head. Not 100% happy with moving in all directions but well deserved this class.
  2. Patmans Pick Pocket Via Samhaven.  Nice make and shape, good height to length ratios. Clean in cheeks and pleasant in expression.

MID LIMIT DOG

  1. Congdons Monsolana Velvet Blue for Aaronwell. Headed a nice class. This one all male in full jacket and looking the part here today. Full rounded foreface supported by good underjaw  blends through smooth cheeks into flat nicely filled backskull, marginally stronger here than some but the balance and quality of the head into which are placed expressive eyes did please me.  Ears tipped correctly complete an appealing look. I found enough neck here to please me too, strongly made  body , good turn of stifle and well let down strong hocks. Like most I would prefer to see him outdoors and extending himself fully but he did enough on the move here to take the class and in the challenge he just had that impressive  air about him that this was his day. Dog CC.
  2. Hollywoods Amalie Lynmead Say it Again. Glamorous lad in nice coat and condition. Quite nice in outline with enough length of neck. Particularly sweet in eye and they are set in a smooth  headpiece of good length and proportion carried nicely on good shoulders.  Topline is good and nicely let down hock.

LIMIT DOG

  1. Tippers Tiganlea Too Good To Be Forgotten. An upstanding dog without trace of coarseness. Super outline with reachy neck, good shoulder and upper arm with enough depth of rib. Good rear quarters complete and the action is free and smooth in all direction. Head handles nicely, pleasant in expression. Pleased to award him the Res CC . hope he goes on to better things.
  2. Ross’s Tremaro Star Touch at Samshernik. Nicely balanced head carried well on good neck and shoulder, neat ears well used , well boned, nice  shape. Moved ok.

OPEN DOG

  1. Foy & Hawkins Ch Beldones Double Diamond. Attractive male with a smooth muzzle and well placed stop complimented by a nicely shaped dark eye, well laid shoulder and good upper arm with nice topline, turn of stifle and nice hocks. Moved freely.
  2. Walkers Starlenga Dizzie Rascal. Not entirely happy with the floor and a pity as he is a handsome dog all round. Masculine moulded head with good stop and expression. Enough neck and nice bodyline. Wish him better days.

VETERAN DOG

  1. Waltons Markenfield Sirius Black. Attentive sable who is clean in head and quite a nice body shape. Moved ok.

Paul Battigan                                                                                                                                                               

 

 

 

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