Critique for
East Anglian Collie Association Championship Show
4th August 2019

My thanks to the committee for the honour of being invited to judge Rough Collie Dogs at this well run show which always has a friendly garden party atmosphere.  Also to my two able stewards who kept things running smoothly.  The recent heatwave had caused havoc with many of the dogs’ coats, and with several feeling the effects of the high temperature on the day, resulted in several nice dogs losing out on higher placings.  My co-judge and I agreed on the BOB awards, with BOB going to the bitch, Thistlewing Harp String, winning from Junior. Attractive s/w, presenting a very feminine outline. Appealing expression from nice eye shape and well set ears. Good planes to her head, if a little wide in skull for me. Movement was free and flowing. Went on to take BIS – Congratulations. All the BIS winners went home with some beautiful framed award cards designed by the bitch judge, Maxine Mellish.

Rough Collie Dogs
VD (4)
1 Bartram’s Aqualita One Love.  8 yrs. sh/s/w. Not in the best of coats but maintaining his good body shape and outline. Decent head with good eye shape, well used ears, excellent dentition for a veteran. Well bodied with good muscle tone, allowing positive movement.
2 Hainie’s Wicani Classic Renaissance. Top size s/w 8 yrs. old. Impressive outline with great reach of neck, good bone, balanced head, with enough stop. Felt he was a little lean, and lacking muscle on his hindquarters which affected his drive on the move.
3 Skinner’s Nikal It’s Gud To Be Black.

MPD (2)
1 Bluck’s Phreelancer Chill Phactor. Well-schooled, quality youngster of just 6 mths. Stunning silvery blue coat, head developing well, with good planes, well placed stop, good underjaw, nice eye and correct ear carriage. Excellent reach of neck, front assembly and turn of stifle. Good bone, correct set and carriage of tail. Steady and controlled on the move. Very promising, and what a great start to his show career, taking BPD, BPIB & BPIS.
2 Beardsworth’s Gelato Italiano Blu di Canbiano Amori Maysinder NAF TAF. Another b/m, 6 ½ mths presenting a pleasing body shape with nice proportions. Good neck, into well laid shoulders, well bodied with good bone and feet. Neat well used ears, but found him rather deep through in skull, and would prefer a sweeter eye. Colour needs to clear. Sound on the move.

PD (4, 2 abs)
1 Geddes’ Ingledene Mercury Risin. 10 mths. b/m who has already made his presence felt. Shown in good body condition, he was totally naked today but this only emphasised his flowing outline and good construction. Shares the same sire as the MPD winner and they share many of the same qualities. Cleanest of heads, balanced, with well carried ears, med. eye, excellent reach of neck, firm topline, well ribbed up, with firm topline, correctly placed and carried tail. Very well muscled for a youngster. Easy, ground covering movement with great length of stride.
2 Wray-Ramsden’s Takhisis Magic of Dreams.  Jet black tri, 1 day short of his 1st birthday, and one of the few to hang onto his well-presented coat. Flat skull with well place and tipped ears, nice eye shape giving sweet expression, but rather wide in skull and not as clean through the cheeks as 1st. On the move he was loose in front and is a little proud of his tail.

JD (3)
1 Carlyon’s Dycoshem Havasupai Wonder. 16mths s/w, being lean and short of coat he initially appears overlong in body and too narrow all through. Head is ok, with a well-rounded muzzle and neat ears. Movement was steady, with good tail carriage on the move which earned him his place. Should improve as he matures and bodies up.
2 Alexander Ingledene Aramis. Also 16mths s/w, and similar remarks apply, both being at that awkward junior stage. Decent head, with good dentition. Nice long tail, but spoilt his outline on the move by insisting on carrying it over his back.
3 Wray-Ramsdens T. Magic Of Dreams.

ND (5,1abs)
1 Bartram’s Ambartr King Of The Ring. Rich gold s/w presenting a clean, elegant silhouette. Another not in full coat, but what he had was fitted and well presented. Flat skull, clean cheeks, nice eye and ears right on top, with a good reach of neck, good angles fore and aft, firm topline, good leg to height ratio, and a long well set and carried tail. In good body condition, and plenty of muscle power in his hindquarters he moved effortlessly round the ring with good reach and drive. At 2 ½ yrs. maturing into a nice dog – and clean white teeth too!
2 Beardsworth’s Gelato Italiano B.D. C. A. Maysinder.
3 Carlyon’s D. Havasupai Wonder.

GD (4)
1 Fuller’s Hanvale Arthur Shelby With Damos. Beautifully presented 18 mths. s/w in full coat. Sweet expression from well-placed ears and dark eye, stop a little deep. Well balanced with nice overall shape, good arch to neck and good front and rear angles. Correct tail set and carriage, sound on the move, coming and going. Totally at one with his handler. I would prefer him a little more masculine, but he has yet to mature.
2 Carlyon’s D. Havasupai Wonder.
3 Ludlow’s Tudorlyn Misty Dreams For Malina.

PGD (4,1abs)
1 Bartram’s Ambartr Keep The Faith.  Mature tri who excels in construction and outline. His head is stronger and deeper through than my ideal, but is in balance with the overall dog. Neat well set ears, good length of neck, firm topline and good angulation fore & aft, correct tail carriage. Well presented fitted jacket of good texture. Another well-muscled dog in hard body condition from this kennel. This was evident in his light, ground covering action, showing extensive reach and drive which earned him his place.
2 White’s Mejola Dangerous Liaison. Love this b/m lad’s shape and outline and thought at first he would be my winner. Not yet in full coat, but it was well presented and showed off his good neck, topline with nice sweep over the croup, good angulation and length of leg. Clean balanced head of good length, well used ears, eye could be a little bigger for me, but is correctly set. On the move sound both ways and in profile, but maybe due to the heat on the day, not the reach and drive of the winner.
3 Ludlow’s T. Misty Dreams for Malina

MLD ((4, 1abs) 1 Wray-Ramsden’s Takhisis Dream Weaver. Well presented s/w with pleasing head and expression, flat skull and nice dark eye. Decent neck, good shoulder, but a little                      
steep in upper arm. Moved out well, with correct tail carriage. In the challenge he insisted on standing with hocks underneath him, spoiling his shape.
2 Lister’s Jotars Platinum Moon at Newarp. Attractive masculine b/m, coat of good colour and texture. Good neck, length of body, firm topline and depth of chest. Nice expression, with well used ears. Moved out ok but a little proud of his tail.
3 Ludlow’s Maqueeba Just A Dream For Malina.

LD (5)
1 Geddes Ingledene Well Sooted. This jet black tri headed a lovely class. Loved his shape and balance, from good lay of shoulder, strong topline, sweep over the croup with long correctly set and carried tail. Good turn of stifle, well off for bone with lovely tight feet and strong well let down hocks. Body firm and well-muscled. Clean head with good ear placement. Ideally he could have a slightly longer reach of neck, but he carries it well. Beautifully presented harsh textured fitted coat enhanced his outline. On the move his light effortless movement showed extensive reach and drive which won him the class. CC, RBOB, BOSIB, BOSIS.
2 White’s Mejola Fate And Fortune. Another well coloured b/m with excellent body shape who has matured well. Classic head of good length, clean throughout with balanced planes and good stop, neat correctly place and carried ears, and nicely set eye. Good for coat and body condition his movement was light and sound.
3 Benton and Smith’s Brooklynson El Dorado. Completed a trio of lovely dogs.

OD (5)
1 Pryor’s Aqualita Dr No. 6 yrs. shaded s/w, an old favourite who has improved as he has matured. Well constructed throughout, with a long clean, balanced head, flat skull, good reach of neck and correct body length, with good angles fore and aft with a lovely turn of stifle, and long well set and carried tail.  Shown in excellent body condition with good muscle. Very sound on the move. Just coming back into full coat. In the challenge he appeared a little long in back due to new coat growth over his croup. Once back in full coat will be making his presence felt again.
2 Vogan’s Lenosann Midnight Rascal. Well constructed tri in full coat of good colour. Balance outline, masculine head with good ear and eye placement, correct stop and well filled muzzle giving a sweet yet masculine expression. Good bone with tight feet, good tail carriage. Moved well.
3 Collino’s Wicani Altitude At Imaginist.

                                                                                                              
CH.D (2)
1 Quince’s Ch. Karafaye Black Quillan. 8 yrs. tri, wearing his age well. Good head with lovely, kind expression. Well presented coat of good colour and texture. Mature, with good depth of chest and spring of rib, good body proportions, still with plenty of muscle tone allowing free easy movement. His tail is correctly set, but he was enjoying his day so much he was carrying it a little high in the challenge. RCC/BVIB.
2 White’s Mejola I Am Persuasive JW. 6 yrs. rich sh/s/w, judged him as a puppy, and has now matured into a handsome adult with clean classic head, good ear carriage and nice almond eye. Lovely conformation, with fitted harsh jacket presenting a clean outline. Moved well. It was hard separating these two worthy champions.
Open Stakes D/B (8,1abs)
1 Benton’s Brooklynson Jane Russell of Oakestelle.  S/w Rough b, in full coat and looking the best I have seen her. Balance head with flat skull, good ears. Good construction with good body length, correct set and tail carriage. In hard, muscular condition she moves with great extension & drive, and looks as if she could go all day.
2 Howard’s Jack Mack Va Buidhinn of Shandlmain (Imp). 16 mths. tri Smooth d. Masculine head developing well with perfectly tipped, well placed ears and lovely dark, almond eye giving gentle, intelligent expression. Good neck, topline, croup and tail set, good forechest with decent angles, and well-muscled hindquarters allowing steady driving action.
3 Flower’s Serenlas Keeping Faith.

Judge:  R MacDonald