Collie Club of Wales Ch Show
6th April 2019
Rough Collie bitches

It was a real honour to be asked to award CC’s in the breed I have owned since I was 10! I then started showing in 1994 and loved it since. I was initially never in a hurry to judge at this level, but over recent years felt that the time was right. So, thank you to the Officers and Committee for their kind invitation and their hospitality on the day. Thanks, must also go to my stewards, Marina and Margaret, for their hard work and keeping the ring going so smoothly and to the exhibitors for their kind entries and accepting my decisions. I thoroughly enjoyed my day.

For me, the phrase from the standard, ‘standing with impassive dignity’, always stands out. This requires balance and elegance throughout. There were some lovely bitches present, many with a lot to like. When I stood back and viewed my final line up for the first time, I was delighted to see that all were of a similar outline, fitting that line perfectly. I was also looking for that lovely collie expression and was lucky enough to find this in plenty.

In general, presentation was excellent, although there were a few where I wanted to take a brush to the hocks. Thank you to everyone for keeping my hands clean throughout! I was also pleased with temperaments; none backed away or were worried about being handled. However, the floor in this venue can be tricky. I’ve fallen foul of it in the past with my own dogs. Whilst I tried to be sympathetic to this, a few who I liked standing fell apart on the moved, which was reflected in their placings. Such a shame, but there will be other days.

I was so pleased to have been in full agreement with my co judge, Carole Smedley, in the Best of decisions, with Best of Breed, Best Puppy and Best Veteran going to my ladies.

MPB (5,1): A difficult class to start the days due to the floor. They were all born within a fortnight of each other; 3 being litter sisters, and 3 at their first show.  1st Barron & Jenkin’s Tiganlea Twinkling Saphire at Rannalerock, 6 months old blue, and what a lovely colour she is with a silvery blue and sparkling whites. Nicely balanced head with a flat skull and good stop. Lovely, well placed eyes. Would have preferred slightly tighter ears but she used then well. Super shape with a good shoulder and neck. Showed well and, while a little unsure on the move, showed good reach. 2nd Davis’ Beldones Uptown Girl of Rosschell, really loved this 6 month sable at her first show, but sadly she fell victim to the floor having slipped earlier. She’s just my type, similar to one of my own who I bought from the same breeder at a similar age. Very pretty, with a lovely eye, well set ears, good stop and super foreface. She’s got super bone, a lovely shoulder and shape. 3rd Baker’s Tiganlea Twinkling Sky

PB (8,1): 1st Burrows’ Revdvicki Blackdiamond, 11 month tri with a jet black coat and full white collar. There’s nothing exaggerated about this girl. She has a super shape and outline, with a good reach of neck and angulation front and rear. Her head is clean with a flat skull and good stop. She has a kind eye and well-placed ears that she used well. As expected from her confirmation, she moved very well. Although she was getting tired towards the end of the day, we both agreed she should be BPIB and she then went on to BPIS – well done! 2nd Tame’s Oh Susanna Du Clos De Seawind at Rahlissa (imp Fra), 10 month s/w, very pretty with a lovely ears, super ear carriage, well placed stop and a flat skull. Lovely outline, with a super front. She showed no stop and moved very well. I preferred the length of back of the winner. 3rd Llewellyn’s Salsina Share the Love

JB (10,2) : 1st Walder’s Hanvale Polly Shelby, 14 months s/w, super outline, with a lovely neck and good angulation. Balanced throughout, she has a super head and expression, with a lovely eye and ears that she used non-stop. She flowed round the ring happily and with ease, and every time I looked was simply standing naturally on a loose lead. 2nd Tame’s Riverside Song Xtra Sweet at Rahlissa (imp Rom), s/w of similar age and similar comments apply, she had the outline I was looking for. She has a lovely eye and moved very well. It was a close decision between the 2, I just preferred the ear set of the winner 3rd Hollywood’s Amalie All Most Blonde

YB: (6) 1st Tame’s Riverside Song Xtra Sweet at Rahlissa (imp Rom), 2nd Lockyer’s Beldones Coco Mademoiselle at Gataj, 21 months shaded s/w, loved the head on this girl, very clean with a super eye and expression. Very good front and rear angulation, and this showed in her movement. Would have preferred a little more neck to complete the outline.  3rd Growcott’s Lillyway Lemonade Blush

NB: (6.2) 1st Tame’s Oh Susanna Du Clos De Seawind at Rahlissa (imp Fra), 2nd Barron & Jenkin’s Tiganlea Twinkling Saphire at Rannalerock, 3rd Baker’s Tiganlea Sweet Treat

GB: (7,1) 1st Shipp’s Gillyflower Della Bucca Delle Fate (imp Ita), really liked this young lady. Her head is lovely to handle, a good wedge with no sign of flaring or depth. Well placed stop between lovely dark eyes. Ears are well set, and she used them non-stop to give a lovely expression. She has a super outline, with a well arched neck and good bone and feet. Her hindquarters are strong, which, together with her good front angulation, enabled her to move freely with reach and drive. Beautifully presented and showed very well. Seriously considered her in the challenge, I’m sure she’ll trouble the best in time. 2nd Ware’s Kind of Magic Della Bucca Delle Fate at Wassail (imp Ita), lovely tri in full bloom, from the same breeder. Nice head, with a lovely eye and well filled foreface, but I found her slightly wider in back skull and ear set than the winner. Shorter in body than 1st but with a good shoulder and hindquarters which allowed her to move well. 3rd Congden’s Aaronwell Aloe Vera

PGB: (6,2) 1st Newton & Patterson’s Chelborn Double Desire for Darahill, s/w in lovely coat and condition. Super outline, with a lovely length of back, well arched neck and good angulation front and rear. Lovely head, with a good flat skull. Well set ears that she used well. Her eye is a good shape, and well set but I would prefer them a tad larger. She moved well with drive and showed well. Easy winner in this class. 2nd Burrows’ Erjon Esme at Revdvicki, b/m of good shape and outline. She has a good neck and shoulder and moved well. She has good length of head and a well-placed, but wider in back skull and I would prefer a sweeter eye. 3rd Leslie’s Monsolana Have a Dream Rosschell

MLB: (6,1) 1st Humphrey’s Shasam Shades of Guilt, s/w in full bloom and presented beautifully, not a hair out of place and caught my eye immediately. Loved her outline, she has a super shape with a good reach of neck. Super front and good hindquarters, with good short hocks, which allowed her to move beautifully. Lovely, clean head of good length with a well-placed stop and flat skull. Lovely eye and super ear carriage which she used well. Moved confidently and showed well. Delighted to award her the RCC, well done. 2nd Margetts’ Collingvale Chardonnay, shaded s/w, in good coat and condition. Good length of back and shoulder. She has a good, clean head but I preferred the eye and length of head of the winner. She moved and showed very well 3rd Flower’s Serenlas Keeping Faith

LB: (7,3) 4 very different types in this class 1st Davis’ Maskori Bella Mia for Monsolana (imp Rus), flashy b/m with profuse feathering, perhaps a bit too much, it would be good to see her once she’s had a full change of coat. However, she is put together well underneath. She has a super length of back and outline, good reach of neck into correct shoulder with good rear angulation. I liked her head, she has a lovely foreface, but a tad wider in back skull than I would prefer. Showed beautifully, and moved very freely. I loved her temperament, very happy and inquisitive! 2nd Swain & Hopper’s Aaronwell Azena for Lexcol, b/m of finer type. She has a pretty head with a good stop and very good ear set, but her eye is slightly larger. Overall a good shape, but not quite the outline of the winner.  3rd Mellish’s Demelewis Dare to Tell, tri bitch with a good overall shape, nice head with a lovely eye. Sadly, she slipped and didn’t cope well afterwards on the move.

OB: (4) Super class, with a lot to like about all 4 ladies. 1st Cronk’s Chelborn Kiss’n Desire, shaded s/w in glorious coat and condition, presented to perfection. She caught my eye immediately and I thought she was absolutely beautiful. Her outline is lovely, so well balanced with a lovely arched neck onto good front. Good spring of rib and length of back leading on to strong hindquarters. Her head handles so well, no depth or flaring. Not the most enthusiastic showgirl today, but she did enough for me to see the most gorgeous expression. I loved her dark, melting eye that’s just the right size, and her well filled foreface, with good underjaw. On the move she was everything I’d hoped for, with good reach and real drive, keeping her topline. Absolutely delighted to award her the CC, her crown (subject to KC confirmation), and in complete agreement with my co-judge, BOB.  She was later BIS – well done and thank you for bringing her. She was also mother to the PG winner. 2nd Walder’s Beldones La Vita Bella for Hanvale JW, golden s/w, who is mother to the JB winner and has passed on her many qualities to her daughter, they really are like peas in a pod. I judged her as a puppy, and she has really blossomed. Longer in type, but still balanced throughout. Clean head with a well placed stop, lovely eye and super ear carriage. Showed non-stop on a lovely loose lead and moved freely and happily round the ring. Just not quite in full bloom. 3rd Congden’s Lolita Lempicka Du Clos De Seawind via Aaronwell (imp Fra)

VB: (5) A super class of veterans, thank you for bringing them today. All could have been worthy winners 1st Growcott’s Jopium Fascinator, tri who has just turned 7 and is in beautiful coat and condition, she won this class on overall shape and movement. Super neck and outline, with good length of back and angulation. Although a bit deeper in stop than I prefer, she has a lovely eye and well-set ears which she used well. BVB and on agreement BVIB, well done. 2nd Walder’s Ch Heart of Gold de Cabrenysset for Hanvale (imp Fra), lovely s/w who has also just turned 7. Again, in beautiful coat and condition and, as all from this kennel, beautifully presented. She has a super head, with lovely rounding to her muzzle, a super eye and well set ears which she used well. Good shoulder and hindquarters, and she showed non-stop. 3rd Jeffries & Alexander’s Dallinaire Touch the Sky at Deorwine

Judge Sophie Wray-Ramsden