LEEDS CHAMPIONSHIP SHOW – SMOOTH COLLIES

I  enjoyed my appointment and thank Leeds championship show for the invitation and the exhibitors for their entries, especially for a Friday and at a show which for many requires a lot of travel time and probably an overnight stay. I’m mindful that the entry of 26 whilst up to the standard of recent entries numerically probably doesn’t give a totally representative view of the breed.  I mention this because although I hesitate to make a general ‘state of the nation’ type of preamble because of the low numbers, I feel that in the interests of the breed going forward, I must do so. Inevitably this means identifying faults and I am a strong advocate of not fault judging, so I hope that you will look upon this as constructive criticism and points to consider in your breeding programmes.

Firstly, I was really surprised that a lot of exhibits had tails that only just reached the hock joint.  Of course this is acceptable, but I am used to seeing tails that go well past the hock joint. I hope that this is not an emerging trend. In some of the affected dogs, they were also too short in back for my interpretation of the standard.  We are unfortunately used to finding lack of angulation in the upper arm – today was no exception. This affects front movement and the ability to do a day’s work as required in a pastoral breed. We had a lovely big ring on the day and we were able to make good use of this.  I deliberately told exhibitors not to go too fast round the ring since this does the dogs no favours, however, even at a sensible pace, movement was disappointing in some. Finally, the small numbers in our breed will always make inconsistency in type more obvious but this is nevertheless disappointing when we think back to the entries of a few years ago. It was hard to get a type line-up.

Puppy Dog (3,0)
Three promising puppies.
1 Griffiths’ Shulune Imperial Galaxy. A well balanced s/w puppy shown in good body and condition. His conformation is very good with a better front assembly than 2. Lovely reach of neck and correct length of back. His head is pleasing but stop still needing to clear. Very pleasing expression. Well boned and moving very steadily and confidently. Well handled to get the best out of him. Best puppy and I think he has a bright future.
2 Cole’s Shulune Imperial Kasvelyn. Litter brother to 1 and very similar. A little smaller and would like him a little longer on the leg. Conformation is good but would like a little more length of back and tail. His head is balanced and has a better stop than 1 but it needs to lengthen and at present he flares a little in backskull. Shown in super condition and handled very well to make the most of his showmanship. Moved very well covering the ground very soundly. Took this place over 3 who is a different type; very well constructed, moving well but his head needs to improve and colour clear.
3 Denton’s Rylance Moonshine over Brackenhaye.

Junior Dog (1,0)
1 Hayward’s Foxearth Formula One. Super dog of excellent breed type. His conformation is first class with desired reach of neck, length of back and front and rear angulations. He has a lovely balanced head with a super expression whilst retaining masculinity. All that was lacking today was overall condition. He needs to fill out in body as at present he is narrow all through. Although sound in front movement, his rear movement disappointed, throwing one leg out consistently. I wish too he was a little more enthusiastic.  No doubt his day will come as he is a quality dog. Res CC.

Post Graduate Dog (2,0)
1 Howard & Trundley’s Jack Mack’s Va Buidhinn of Shandlmain. Larger stamp of male shown in fantastic condition and well handled to get the best out of him. At just over 18 months he is at a stage where he needs to drop into himself. By that I mean that I found him a little unbalanced being a touch square in outline and lacking in angulation. His head needs to finish and his backskull flatten and stop clear. I found his eyes too round and ears too wide set for my interpretation of the standard. He moves with reach and when he gets into his stride, with drive too.
2 Perrin & Mobilia’s Koczkodan Midnight Sky. A nice type of male but very difficult to assess due to his behaviour. Head is pleasing and conformation is good but his handler really needs to assert herself with him.

Limit Dog (0,0)

Open Dog (2,0)
1 Trundley’s Blamorder Back to the Future. On the day, this dog presented the best overall package. Shown in good body he has ample bone but I would prefer a little more length of back. Moved better in front today than I have seen in the past and showed to perfection. He has a nice head and lovely expression and I was pleased to award him the CC, his 3rd – congratulations.
2 Beeney’s Coneypark Black Sabbath. Bigger stamp of dog who is too strong for me and lacking elegance. He has a very sweet expression.  He is well put together and balanced but didn’t move with his usual freedom today I thought.

Veteran Dog (0,0)

Special Beginners D/B (2,0)
1 Jerrett’s Blamorder Sunny Sky. Nice type of bitch, feminine and balanced. Pleasing head with nice expression although her eye could be darker. Moved very well and handled very competently. Best Special Beginner.
2 Caulfield’s Blamorder Marvellousness. I was very pleased to see how much this pairing have improved in showmanship. The conformation of is feminine tri is pleasing and she is balanced if a little fine in bone. Her head is nice and she has a lovely dark eye. Needs a better underjaw. She moved well. 

Puppy (2,0)
1 Fort’s Shulune Imperial Seduce Me. Very promising puppy of good type. Beautifully schooled she presented a lovely picture. Feminine and rather small at the moment, I hope she grows on a little. She has all the essentials in conformation but I found her a little too short all over. Her head and expression is very pleasing. She moved very well.
2 Lusty’s Toonian Tall Tale to Blamorder. Completely different in type to 1.  Excellent conformation with lovely angulation and moving well. Head pattern is very pleasing but would prefer a tighter ear set. A very promising puppy just not as together on the day as 1.

Junior Bitch (5,0)
This was a nice class.
1 Naulls and Barker’s Foxearth Fudge Wynele. Very lovely s/w who is so well constructed with correct angulation and length of back.. Movement was exceptional and gave her the edge in this class. Her head is balanced and she has a pleasing expression which would be further enhanced by a darker eye.
2 Griffiths Foxearth Vanilla Fudge. Litter sister to 1 and very similar. This girl is more feminine and has a darker eye than her sister but couldn’t match her for front extension.  Splitting hairs here – both these bitches are of excellent breed type.
3 B Sunny Sky

Post Graduate Bitch (4,0)
1 French’s Foxearth Fabostina. Very promising young tri bitch of excellent type. So well constructed with very good angulation, reach of neck and length of back. She has a clean head with a sweet expression. Moved freely with reach and drive as her construction would suggest. She just needs to mature then I think she’ll be troubling the best.
2 Russell’s Koczkodan Midnight Sun JW. Smaller s/w bitch who is very feminine. Well balanced with correct conformation and moved very well. Head is clean and she has a lovely dark eye. Very light ears.
3 B Sunny Sky

Limit Bitch (3,0)
Another nice class.
1 Flower’s Breckamore Butterfingers JW. Very feminine bitch of ideal size and balance. Her conformation is excellent with super angulations. She moves very well, covering the ground with ease. Her head is balanced but flares a little in backskull. She has a sweet expression but a darker eye would enhance. Handled and turned out so well.
2 Lusty,  Hutchings & Williams Blamorder Ice Cream Dream. A litter has improved this bitch. She is a good type with a lovely head and expression. Good reach of neck, upper arm could be better angulated and front movement lifting as a result. Could be a touch longer in back.
3 French’s Wynele Back to Black.

Open Bitch (4,1)
Fabulous class.
1 French’s Wynele Alice Bluegown with Breckamore. Top quality bitch excelling in breed type. Conformation is excellent and she moved effortlessly round the ring. Good reach of neck and length of back presenting a balanced picture. Bigger than some but still so feminine. Her head is clean with correct planes and desired sweet expression. Superb blue merle colouring. Unlucky to meet the eventual CC winner today but her day will come and pretty quickly on this form. Res CC
2 Hartley’s Ch Foxearth Finnish Spirit at Jimjacks. Standing I thought this bitch would be my winner but she couldn’t match 1 for movement. Very feminine and another with correct conformation having excellent angulations, reach of neck and length of back. Super head with lovely expression. Carrying a tad too much weight today. Well deserving of her title.
3 Trundley’s Sturtmoor Klarrisant’s Kiss at Juniperwood

Veteran Bitch (1,0)
1 Russell’s Manordeifi Satin Doll at Koczkodan VW. The star of the day. Judged her recently and made her BIS at a Club open show. Today with more competition she proved what a top class bitch she is. Perfect construction with every aspect balanced – correct angulations, reach of neck, length of back. Long tail carried low. Feminine with correct bone and substance. Her head has not lost its qualities and her expression is still pleasing. I placed a lot of emphasis on movement throughout the entry today and this nearly 10 year old bitch out moved the whole entry. Was close between her and the open winner for the CC but she really deserved it today. Congratulations. BV, CC & BOB.

Bev White (judge)