Collies (Rough) Judges Critique – Paignton Championship Show, 6 August 2018

Thank you to the Committee for giving me the honour of awarding CCs for the first time to the breed I have bred, shown and loved for over 30 years. 

A huge thank you to the exhibitors who accepted my decisions so sportingly and to my ring stewards who kept things flowing efficiently.  I thoroughly enjoyed my day and was impressed by the quality of the Collies I handled. 

Movement has improved greatly and   I feel the quality of the puppy classes indicates a bright and exciting future for the breed.

Minor Puppy Dog (1)
1.  Conway’s Amalie Says It All
Seven month old pale sable and white.  Very raw baby but on his first time out showed and moved well enough to earn his placing.  Well balanced head, enough stop, dark almond eye. Good use of ears, swan neck enhanced by wide white collar, good length of back.  Moved erratically but has time on his side.

Puppy Dog (4, 2)
1.  Ship’s No More Heroes Du Clos De Seawind NAF TAF (Imp)
Nine month old golden sable.  Head handles well, dark almond eye, good stop, well used neat ears.  Good layback of shoulder, level top line.  Excellent length to height ratio.  Moved well but a tad close behind. Best Puppy Dog. 

2.  Tipper’s Tiganlea Good To Go
Eleven month old shaded sable.  More mature and heavier all over than 1.  Clean head, well moulded foreface, dark almond eye.  Wealth of coat made him appear stuffy in neck but he has adequate length.  Sound on the move. 

Junior Dog (2)
1.  Lockyer’s Think Of Me Prince of Sunlight At Gataj (Imp)
Fourteen month old sable and white.  Losing coat but what was there served to accentuate his excellent angulation fore and aft.  Well portioned head but back skull needs to flatten.  Good reach of neck, level top line, superb bend of stifle.  Moved very well.

2.  Broadhead’s Rahlissa Only Make Believe
Eighteen month old golden sable. Attractive head but would prefer more fill of foreface, adequate stop, nice almond eye, well used ears.  Slightly reluctant on the move, but it was hot.

Graduate Dog (4, 1)
1.  McLaughlin’s Moondance De Cabrenysset For Brihow (Imp)
Two year old blue.  Wonderful head and expression but still masculine.  Head handles very well, good reach of neck, level top line.  Presentation immaculate with well broken blue.  Wasn’t in the mood today but did enough to win the class.

2.  Wray’s Takhisis Dream Weaver
Two year old shaded sable.  Nice head, good eye, moved close behind.  Showed well for his handler but needed his ‘mum’ to get the best out of him.

Post Graduate Dog (4, 1)
1.  Lockyer’s Gataj Beau of Surprises JW
Two and a half year old tri.  Have loved this dog since I first saw him and was not disappointed on going over him.  Head handles well, good stop, well used ears.  Richest of tan markings into gleaming black coat.  Moved with drive and purpose.  Delighted to award him the RCC.

2.  Scamp’s Aaronwell Ayebeecee
Three year old tri.  Slightly unsettled on handling but this is a new partnership.  A lot to like about him, balanced head, reluctant to use ears but when he did I glimpsed the expression I was looking for.  Level top line, good bend of stifle.  Moved well.

3.  Corben’s Caprioara Prince Of Thieves.
Limit Dog (3)
1.  Congdon’s Monsolana Bounty Taste For Aaronwell (Imp) JW ShCM
Four year old tri.  Masculine head but lacking the melting expression I look for.  Good angulation throughout but I would have preferred more length of back.  Moved with drive which, together with correct tail carriage, won him the class.

2.  Cronk’s Chelborn Storyteller
Two year old tri.  My heartbreak of the day.  Loved this gleaming tri dog.  Head and expression to die for, good confirmation, moved soundly but flying his tail which cost him the class.  When he ‘grows up’ he will be unbeatable.

3.  Corben’s Caprioara Silver Cloud.

Open Dog (6, 2)
1.  Congdon’s Jugband Blues Du Close De Seawind via Aaronwell (Imp)
It is no secret that I have admired this dog since his debut in England, however before today I had never touched him.  I was literally holding my breath in case I found something unexpected under the wealth of immaculate blue coat.  I needn’t have worried everything was exactly where I wanted it to be.  Head handles beautifully, clean wedge, good fill of foreface, super dark almond eye, well used ears, flat skull, good reach of neck.  Excellent lay back of shoulder, level top line, good spring of rib, correct bend of stifle, strong second thigh, with well set tail.  Moved as his construction suggested with drive and purpose.  Standing he epitomised the impassive dignity the Standard calls for with the melting yet masculine expression I was looking for.  A pleasure to award him the dog CC.

2.  Collins’ Chelborn Soul Desire For Triburle
Five year old sable and white.  Unlucky to meet 1 today.  Head and expression I was looking for.  Dark almond eye, well used ears, good reach of neck, level top line.  Moved with drive and purpose.

3.  Tipper’s Ch Tiganlea Too Good To Be Forgotten.

Veteran Dog – No entries

Special Beginners Dog (1)
1.  Scamp’s Aaronwell Ayebeecee (Best Special Beginner)

Special Beginners Bitch (1)
1.  Hoffman’s Brooklynson Amelia Earhart
Three year old shaded sable and white.  Head handles well but would prefer a softer expression.  Good reach of neck, well laid shoulders but tends to stand tucked up which detracts from the desired level top line. Moved OK but handler needs to listen to the judges instructions more carefully.

Minor Puppy Bitch (6)
This class made my heart sing.  What a lovely class of babies.

1. Cronk’s Chelborn Wish List
Six and a half month golden sable.  What a poppet.  Sweetest of expressions, balanced head, almond eye, well used ears.  Gleaming coat, good reach of neck, well laid shoulders enhanced by wide shawl collar.  Good length of back, moved very soundly.

2.  Ware’s Kind Of Magic Della Buca Della Fata At Wassail NAF/TAF
Six and a half month tri.  Different in type to 1, leaner and more rangy.  Well balanced head with lovely expression.  Construction sound fore and aft, level top line, moved with drive and purpose.

3.  Lockyer’s Gataj Girl’s Best Friend.

Puppy Bitch (2)
1.  Tipper’s Tiganlea Too Good To Be True
Eleven month golden sable.  Lives up to her name.  Mature puppy, sweet expression, head handles well with dark almond eye and neat ears which she uses well, good stop.  Good angulation with level top line and excellent bend of stifle.  Moved with drive. Best Puppy in Breed.

2.  Ware’s Monsalana Call Me A Star At Wassail NAF/TAF
Eleven month blue merle.  Head handles well but needs to mature, heavy black marking detracts from the sweet expression but it is there.  Moved well. 

Junior Bitch (4, 1)
1.  Lockyer’s Beldones Coco Mademoiselle At Gataj
Twelve month sable and white.  Head handles well, ears slightly wide set but when she uses them gives a melting expression.  Would prefer a slightly longer neck, but otherwise constructed beautifully.  Moved very well.

2.  Tungate’s Prince of Sunlight Let Me Love You
Eighteen month sable and white.  Well  balanced head, dark almond eye, ears bang on top.  Good reach of neck, level top line, well set tail.  Slightly unsettled by noises around the ring which cost her the class, but moved very well.

3.  Tame’s Rahlissa Charmaine.

Graduate Bitch (10, 3)
1.  Shipp’s Gillyflower Della Buca Della Fata (Imp)
Nineteen month immaculately presented sable and white.  Pretty head and expression although would prefer slightly smaller ears.  Good reach of neck leading into well laid shoulders, level top line.  Moved very well.

2.  McDade’s Fridens Captivation With Lyndale (Imp)
Two year old blue merle who sadly had left her clothes at home.  I loved everything about this blue, most attractive head and expression, good reach of neck, level top line.  Moved very well. 

3.  Tungate’s Prince of Sunlight Let Me Love You.

Post Graduate Bitch (6, 2)
1.  Humphrey’s Shasam Shades of Guilt
Twenty-three month golden sable.  What a stunner!  Head and expression I was looking for, dark almond eye, well filled foreface, ears tight on top.  Good reach of neck, well laid shoulders enhanced by huge white collar.  Level top line, good bend of stifle.  Excelled in movement, just floated around the ring.  Delighted to award her the RCC, her day will undoubtedly come, unlucky to meet the CC winner today.

2.  Tungate’s Prince of Sunlight Let Me Love You

3.  Tame’s Rahlissa Charmaine.

Limit Bitch (8, 3)

1.  Randall’s Fata Turchina Ladnar Di Cambiano (Imp)
Two year old blue merle.  A lesson in presentation.  Well balanced head, sweetest expression enhanced by two blue flecked eyes. Neat ears, well used.  Good reach of neck, well laid shoulder, level top line, deep ribbing.  Good bend of stifle, moved with drive.

2.  Lockyer’s Fairy Tale Surprise
Three and a half year shaded sable.  Heavier head than 1 but still had sweet expression with dark eye and good stop.  Her driving movement gave her the second place.

3.  Congdon’s Aarowell Azure Betty

Open Bitch (12, 4)
1.  Walder’s Ch Heart Of Gold De Cabrenysset For Hanvale (Imp)
My notes say ‘perfection’, which sums her up completely.  What can I add to her already glowing testimonials? I have seen ‘Super Flo’ on many occasions but she still managed to take my breath away as she entered the ring.  Head is beautiful, well filled foreface, good under jaw, dark almond eyes, ears bang on top and perfectly tipped giving the desired feminine “look at me” expression. Good arch of neck, well laid shoulders with good angulation, neat feet, level top line, good spring of rib, excellent turn of stifle, well set tail.  She flowed around the ring on the hottest of days without any hesitation. I am sure she could do a day’s work if required and I defy anyone to watch her and say Collies are bad movers.  In the challenge for Best Bitch she stood off from her handler who she obviously adores and presented the perfect picture, standing on a loose lead.  Delighted to award her 8th CC and BOB.  She is a credit to our lovely breed and I was very proud of her in the Group ring. 

2.  Cronk’s Chelborn Kiss ‘n’ Desire
Four year old dark shaded sable.  Different type all together, heavier all round.  Sweet expression, good stop, well used ears, immaculately presented.  Moved with drive.

3.  Smedley’s Antoc Soul Diva.

Jane Stevens - Judge