Yorkshire Collie Club
Open Show
Sunday February 5th 2017

I would like to thank the committee for inviting me to judge this club show and for their care and friendly hospitality while I was there.
There were a number of absentees but I found the overall quality very good indeed and I thank the exhibitors who travelled to the show to allow me a choice of such quality. I believe Collies are always more at home in an outdoor ring and there were a few lovely bitches who were unsettled in the hall which was a shame. My overall line ups in both dogs and bitches pleased me greatly.

Only one exhibit was presented in the ring full of knots behind the ears and elbows. There is just no excuse for this.
Lastly I would like to thank Mr Bob Devine, the BIS judge who chose my Rough as BIS on the day against tough competition from a beautiful Smooth bitch. He also kept me thoroughly entertained during lunch with his breed history and magic tricks and it was a pleasure to spend this time with him.

Collie (Rough)
Class 1 Special Beginners Dog/Bitch (2,1)

1. Rodwell’s Pomnenka Where is the Love

6 month old tri bitch, a friendly soul thoroughly enjoying her day out. Clean head, nice dark eye, ears naturally tipped and used well. Gait was loose but I would hope this would tighten with age.
Class 2 Veteran Dog (1,0)

1. Wray’s Takhisis High Voltage

What a glorious dog who belies his 10 ½ years completely. B/M presented in outstanding form, perfectly groomed and well muscled throughout, he stood and commanded the ring like a true professional. He has a lovely eye, which is a good shape, size and set, and dark with a certain kindness in his alert expression. His teeth are still good, he has a good flat skull and nicely set ears which he used to his advantage. He is well made throughout and moved with real drive and was in consideration for my top awards. Thank you for bringing him. BVD, BVIB and then onto BVIS.
Class 3 Minor Puppy Dog (1,1)
Class 4 Puppy Dog (3,1)

1. Walker & Ritchie’s Beldones Seducteur at Starlenga

11 ½ month old upstanding rich sable dog who exuded masculinity and breed type for me.  I loved his size and shape in profile. Presentation was excellent. His head is so mature for a dog not yet a year old, not one hint of coarseness here, just a clean wedge with a perfectly set dark eye and beautifully moulded foreface. His ears are well set, sized and when his attention is held, his expression is out of this world and exactly what I look for in a dog. He is constructed well throughout and holds his topline and tail perfectly when he moves out with real drive. When his body matures throughout he will be an exceptional adult I am sure. BDP, RBD, BPIB and then onto BPIS.

2. Boyle’s Barrenclough Diamond Days

Another good sized rich golden sable dog of 11 months who is well off for bone, I would prefer a little more length of back on him to give him the proportions that I look for. His head is clean with a dark eye of a good shape and size. He stood attentively but his ears are light and I find this does detract from the desired expression. Needs a little more control at the rear on the move.
Class 5 Junior Dog (3,2)

1. Boyle’s Barrenclough Diamond Days

Class 6 Maiden Dog (1,0)

1. Walker & Ritchie’s Beldones Seducteur at Starlenga

Class 7 Graduate Dog (2,0)

1. Blaikie’s Kourika Kosta Koffee

Gleaming 18 month old tricolour dog presented in outstanding form, has come on a lot since I saw him as a pup. There is a lot I like about this dog and his expression is quite captivating with a beautifully sized and set dark eye. His head is clean and well balanced with good proportions from nose to stop and from stop to occiput. His skull is beautifully flat and his stop is clean, but one could be forgiven for thinking otherwise if you are ringside as he has been blessed with rather more hair on his skull than I would choose. He’s sound on the move but could have a little more angulation and reach at the front. Son of my BOB bitch I believe, and certainly very typey.

2. Boyle’s Barrenclough Diamond Days

Class 8 Post Graduate Dog (4,1)

1. Wray’s Takhisis Trick or Treat

2 ½ year old tricolour dog with the most lovely outline when viewed in profile. I loved his length of back and angulation throughout which means he is able to move out well with ease. His shoulder and rear angulation are very good indeed.  Good eye shape and set, ears are wider than I would choose and this impacts his expression slightly.

2. French’s Samhaven Name That Tune

18 month old rich sable dog with a lovely masculine head and expression. Loved his eye.  Nice size to him and just about right in his height to length of back proportion.  Well off for neck which can be missing in a lot of Collies these days. He was a little slack in his rear today, perhaps as he wasn’t particularly happy in the hall. A quality dog that I’d like to see outside.

3. McLoughlin’s Sunaker Elvis Presley

Class 9 Limit Dog (4,0)

1. Tipper’s Tiganlea Too Good to be Forgotten

I judged this sable dog first as a pup and he has come on leaps and bounds. He is now three years old and the first impression when you see him in profile is one of absolutely perfect balance, proportion and soundness. I love his shape, size, substance and masculinity. When he brings everything together, you can add to all of that a super reach of neck and a lovely expression that comes from a well put together head. His movement makes me smile outside and in and comes from a sound underlying structure combined with extraordinary fitness and musculature. This gives him such a good action which is light yet full of drive and power, it is such a joy to watch. BD, RBOB, BOSIB & went onto BOSIS.

2. Brooker’s I am Fantastic du Bois des Amazones

S/w dog who I also judged as a  young pup. He is well proportioned throughout, I personally would just prefer a little more of him all over. He has a really very appealing sweetness to his expression with a dark almond shaped eye that oozes kindness. His is another dog who carries a lot of hair on his skull which makes his stop look steep and his skull round, but when you get your hands on him, he has a well proportioned head and a nice flat skull with good parallel planes and a not overdone amount of stop at all. He has a nicely set shoulder and a well angulated rear but unfortunately today decided he did not want to be in the hall and would rather have been at home which was a shame.

3. Hollinshead’s Starlyn Diamonds ‘R’ Forever

Class 10 Open Dog (3,1)

1. Hodge’s Jopium Drifting Mist

Almost five year old blue dog, another masculine dog, lovely colour and presented well. Very attentive, eye shape and set is lovely, I would prefer just a touch more length of head. Shoulder set is good but I would like a little more length of back and neck on him. Moved out well and held his topline nicely.

2. Sargeant’s Coahabeg Sea Hawk

5 year old tri dog, jet black coat in gleaming condition but reluctant to use his ears today.  Good length of back to him and level topline which he held well. Would prefer more moulding around his foreface and his stop to be more defined.

Class 11 Veteran Bitch (3,1)

1. Whitaker’s Sabiha’s Sweet Memory

Glorious golden sable bitch of nearing ten years, almost brought me to tears as she reminded me so much of a bitch we used to have, I could tell her breeding immediately. Loved to see her profile as she stood in the ring showing herself off to her best advantage. She has a well laid shoulder and a nice length of back and tail. She has a super clean head, being critical, I would like her eye and her ears both one size smaller. She moved out really well and was unlucky to meet the beautiful veteran dog on the day.

2. Sargeant’s Coahabeg Kaleidoscope

Heavily marked blue bitch of going on ten years, thoroughly enjoying her day. Nicely proportioned and boned, teeth still in good order. Bounced around the ring like one many years younger which was lovely to see.
Class 12 Minor Puppy Bitch (5,2)

1. Brooker’s Gerian Sunkisses over Corisian

Not a hair out of place on this 8 month old golden sable bitch who has instant sweetness and appeal and is a real showgirl. Cracking outgoing temperament on one so young. She has lovely proportions and wow what a neck! Super shape and make throughout, she is well off for bone and really has everything going for her at this stage. Moves out well for a pup. Her expression is soft and her head is clean. Ears used perfectly and attentively, I shall watch her develop with interest. Very unlucky to meet the more mature puppy dog but a worthy BPB, RBPIB and then onto RBPIS.

2. Boyle’s Barrenclough Touch of Time

Nicely sized and shaped sable pup who stood well on the day and used ears attentively. I would like more underjaw and more moulding to her foreface. Moved ok but short upper arm means her reach at the front could be better.

3. Rodwell’s Pomnenka Where is the Love

Class 13 Puppy Bitch (3,2)

1. Boyle’s Barrenclough Golden Pearl

11 month old golden sable bitch, preferred this little bitch to her kennel mate in the last class, she has a good shoulder and neck and a well angled rear. Head is clean but I find her eye a touch too narrow and I would like a little more length of back to her. Presentation could be improved.
Class 14 Junior Bitch (5,3)

1. Wray’s Beldones Pandora

Lovely quality bitch, good bone and substance but still with a real femininity about her. Dark eye which is a good shape and size. Head is almost ‘textbook’ with good balance, clean wedge, flat skull, good parallel lines and just the right amount of stop. Nice shape throughout, well put together and moved out well.

2. Boyle’s Barrenclough Golden Pearl

Class 15 Maiden Bitch (1,0)

1. Boyle’s Barrenclough Touch of Time

Class 16 Graduate Bitch (6,1)

1. Tipper’s Tiganlea Turning Tricks

This bitch exudes instant appeal on first glance around the ring, with a lovely shape, and an excellent reach of neck. Another who was presented to perfection and in outstanding condition and muscle tone. Lovely head planes, ears are wider and heavier than I prefer which detracts for me from her expression. She moved really freely and with drive on the day holding her topline well.

2. Boyle’s Barrenclough Golden Pearl
3. Rodwell’s Cahabeg Forget Me Not at Pomnenka

Class 17 Post Graduate Bitch (7,4)
Two beautiful bitches headed this class, both were unfortunately very unsettled on the day in the noisy village hall and I had sympathy for them both. I was splitting hairs between them and on another day, and given the chance of a nice outdoor grass ring, I would like to see them both do themselves justice.

1. Sibbald’s Telforth Little Mix

Petite golden s/w bitch, very much my type. She has a super shape and form with a neck like a swan and lovely proportions for a bitch with a good length of back to height ratio. Her head planes are clean, her muzzle softly moulded. Her dark eye and expression are lovely. She moved surprisingly well given how unsettled she was in the hall. I would love to see her outdoors.

2. Makepeace’s Donohill Magic and Sparkle at Lynaire

Nicely marked blue merle bitch, again unsettled and doing herself no favours today. Lovely type, super eye and expression. She has a well angled rear that provides great drive on the move, another I would like to see in a big grass ring outside. I preferred the front assembly on 1 and that was what made my difficult decision for me today between the two.

3. McLoughlin’s Sunaker Summer Sky Light

Class 18 Limit Bitch (4,2)
A class of quality over quantity here with two lovely bitches present.

1. McGowan’s Barrenclough golden Charm at Westoak

Well presented quality bitch of excellent size and substance. Nicely planed head, I liked her eye and sweetness of expression, she used her neatly tipped ears well. Her shoulder is well put together and she moves out soundly with good reach at front and drive at the rear. RBB.

2. Brand’s Rononsprey Rumour Has It

Another lovely girl, I liked her very much also. A good lesson in how to present a collie beautifully. I liked her overall balance and proportions. She used her ears well, her head is well balanced, I would prefer just a touch more moulding in her foreface. Nice depth of chest, colour is well broken and she moves with grace.
Class 19 Open Bitch (7,3)

1. Blaikie’s Kourika Karizma

Outstanding, stylish tricolour bitch, every inch the true lady. She is my textbook interpretation of type. Her head is so well made, clean, true and softly moulded with a flat skull, just the right amount of well placed stop and an eye set and shape that for me, just could not be better.  Her ears are the right size, set and tipped exactly as they should be and these things come together to give perfection in her soft yet intelligent and enquiring expression. I love her shape and femininity with a neck that glides into a super topline and well angled rear. She moves so well, parallel at the rear but with such drive. She absolutely could not be denied BB, BOB and then onto BIS from the decision of Mr Devine. Thank you for bringing her.

2. Tipper’s Hazelnut des Vergers de Iacchos

Honest sable bitch who was a little sluggish at first but when she found her feet was on good form. Nice dark eye but not the sweetness and expression of 1. She has outline shape, size, proportion and balance. Super topline which she holds well on the move.

3. Brand & Reid’s Ronansprey Midnight Kiss

Hannah Walder (Hanvale)