Northumberland and Durham Collie club Championship show 17 th September 2022
Show results HERE

I’d like to thank the officers and committee for inviting me to judge and to the new committee for honouring my appointment amidst Covid postponements and cancellations. I’d also like to thank Mary and Dave Robbins for stewarding, the first people who showed me the ropes at training class back in the 90’s . Rather fitting for me personally they were coincidentally here today for my first CC appointment. I really enjoyed my appointment and I’d like to thank everyone who entered for an entry of quality bitches all having been wonderfully prepared.

I’d like to say a few worlds on issues on the breed watch and other issues we discuss in the breed and a general impression of what I saw on the day. Cow hocks appeared less common than I remember, observed standing and even less so on the move, although there was evidence of more moving with width in rear action. Also if a bitch carries too much weight and has a brick of fat between her front legs she will never be able to move properly. We had a few bricks here today! I felt heads overall were more consistently balanced with very few snipy muzzles and a much better ratio of better filled forefaces, I think within the construction of the head this makes for a better under jaw and bite. Eyes are perhaps the most changing feature in the breed, in a very short time, going on todays’ entry. I noted no extreme overly small eyes at all, many were good but some were the correct shape but lacked the oblique placement and we have a larger eye creeping in, which is round and obviously not correct. An almond shaped eye can sit obliquely but a round eye by its very nature can only sit in one plane and therefore can never be right. Front construction also seems generally improved with so few straight shoulders evident and the cobby bodies and short deep through heads either didn’t enter or they are not being bred for now. I handled one head today which I considered extreme in being short and deep through. However some exhibitors still seem to favour the look of a deeper stop and like to skillfully coiffeur the skull hair to gives that illusion!

Don’t be fooled ringside! I was conscious it was a late start so having got through the bitches in about 2 and half hours I truly hope exhibitors felt I gave them enough time to show their girls off properly.

Minor Puppy 4,0
1) Rose’s Beldones Clementine S/w The most settled of the youngsters here and understandably it was long day for these babies and places could change under different circumstances. This little lady had a super balanced head with good fill to foreface, flat skull good ears, which she used and a clean stop. Good top line standing and on the move, She had a pleasing body shape with length to her back and slight rise over the loins, stood well at the rear and this carried into her movement. She went through to win Best puppy bitch on her overall balance, very steady confident manner and movement.
2) Walder’s Tamira’s Miracles Cornflake Girl for Hanvale (imp Hungary ) S/w. Attractive head, good ear set and pleasing eye giving an appealing expression. I’d like a little more fill to foreface. Good proportions overall but a little high over the loin standingas the moment. Moved out confidently.
3) Turner’s Delfluvia Blue Rain for Paulara

Puppy bitch 3,1.
1) Turner’s Santin Dream du Clos du Seawinds. S/w pleasing head pattern and eye and well used ears giving a feminine expression. Very attractive eye set giving her an appealing expression just needs to fill a little in foreface. Good ear set and used well. Moved ok just needing to strengthen in the rear standing.
2) Jones and Blackburn’s Erjon Embroidered in Blue b/m of correct colour. Good sized girl with cracking length of back just needs time to grow into herself and mature. Her head is clean, flattest of skulls with a longer head pattern to 1. Her eye is the correct shape but would like it a little more oblique and as with a longer head pattern I fancy this will change as her head settles. Ear set is good. She moved well.

Junior 4,2,
1) Melvin and Jopsons’ Lillyway Lemon Sparkle at Nithview. S/w with good balance all over. Correct oblique eye, refined head but good fill to foreface and smashing ears, which she used all the time. Very appealing expression, Good angulation and moved out well.

2) White’s Majola main event S/w a pleasing bitch to go over. Balanced head, good fill to foreface, ears bang on. Oblique smaller eye but not incorrect. Good top line and proportions with correct rise over loin. Moved accordingly keeping her top line. Just preferred the expression of 1.

Yearly bitch 3,1
1) Turner’s Paulara keeping the faith. Glamourous S/w. Head planes are good. lovely oblique eye with well set ears. Balanced preoprtions and she moved out well with good rear action although I did prefer tail carriage of 2. In the challenge she was a little giddy on the move.
2) White’s Majola Main Event

Novice bitch 2, 0
1) Watt’s Roughrigg Ray of Sunshine over Culbrae. Nice balanced head with good fill to foreface, a little reluctant to use her ears. She has a good top line which is a little misrepresented by her coat over her rump. Angulation was good and she moved well and carried her tail down. She caught my eye several times in the challenge.
2) Walders Tamira’s Miracles Cornflake girl for Hanvale

Graduate bitch 3, 0
1)Rose’s Uffspring ultravox tri. Very balanced head, correct eye shape would like a little more
obliquely set. Good ear set and when used gave a pleasing expression. Good foreface and underjaw. Smashing rise over loin and overall balance of proportions and angulation. Good rear action and drive on the move.
2) Clark Kerrs’ Uffspring Uniquely Mayd for Whitecraigs tri. A little heavier in back skull than 1 but foreface was well filled and more or less balanced this out. Same correct body shape and angulation as 1, moved well and carried her tail properly.
3)Boyle’s Barrenclough Touch of Silk

Post Graduate bitch 9,3
1) Iley’s Call me Dreamer in Blue for Ileyda Della Verde Scozia b/m bitch in smashing condition and glorious coat of correct colour. I really liked her. Her head handled well and sat like a true wedge in my hand. Well rounded muzzle and the kindest brown eye, good ears and used well giving a pleasing expression. Moved true and carried tail well, presenting a flowing picture. In the challenge she was a little less positive on the move.

2) Poplawska and Fabczak’s Rashel Fairy Dust, tri in gleaming condition I nearly sent her round again just to check her coat was really THAT glossy in the sunshine! She had a longer head pattern than 1 but still balanced. She had a larger eye but it was almond shaped but a planer set. When she used her ears this brought her expression together. Good top line and moved out true. Overall a rather nice example.
3) Jones and Blackburn’s Erjon Evening Mist

Limit bitch 14, 5
1) Brookers’ Paris Venice du Bois Des Amazones for Corisian JW (imp fra) Most appealing s/w with a captivating expression, correct eye and set. Ears bang on and used all the time. Head handed well, which is refined but balanced and had enough under jaw and good fill of muzzle. Pleasing length of back and rise over loin and everything flowed on the move. I almost got a mouth full of grass when she set off with smashing drive on the rear. She has a wealth of feathering but the coat fits the body so this presented a very elegant overall picture. In the challenge she sang the Hallalujah chorus louder than all the others and demanded the ticket. From her owners reaction I guessed this was her 3 rd and crowning one.
2) Harrison’s Lady of Loch’aber at Cariadhaf. S/w larger eye than 1 but still attractive with a good head pattern with parallel planes and a good fill of foreface. Good ear set. Overall shape was correct with good proportions and angulation. As her shape suggested she moved out very well keeping a top line throughout. Considered her for the RCC.
3) Walker and Richie’s Starlenga It’s All About Me

Open 13,4
1) Shipp's Gillyflower Della Buca Delle Fate (imp Ita). Eye catching classy girl with a smashing overall shape with no extremes. Balanced head pattern, pleasing eye size shape and set, natural ear set and used them all the times, Angulation is very good and good reach of neck. Moved very well with true drive on the rear and good reach keeping a good top line throughout and stood well in rear. Very pleased to award her the RCC.
2) Walders Ch Beldones La Vita Bella for Hanvale JW. Lighter coloured sable with a a very balanced head although I preferred the expression of 1. Her head handled beautifully with a well filled muzzle and good ear set. Her overall shape is smashing with a good length of back, angulation and rise over loin. Moved out with drive with a good top line and presented a lovely picture standing in profile and on the move.
3) Tipper’s Revdvicki Black Diamond at Tiganlea

Veteran bitch 5,0
1) Cook’s Aniesh Forever Blue with Whatacoo. B/m of good colour. I have judged this girl before and I think she has improved with age. She has a larger eye than 2 but not incorrect but a better fill to foreface for me. Balanced head and fab ear carriage and a kind expression. She is in smashing condition, not carrying too much weight and moved with drive, matching
her angulation and correct proportions. BVIS
2) Brooker’s Telforth Sweet Dreams to Corisian JW I particularly liked her expression. Her head is refined with good planes. Very good ear carriage. I would have liked a little more fill to her foreface. Really loved her overall shape with the appropriate rise over the loin. She moved out true and steady.
3) Wray’s Beldones Duchess of Dreams

Anita Fox