AYRSHIRE COLLIE CLUB OPEN SHOW
26th May 2024

Many thanks to the officers and committee for inviting me to judge their open show.  A well run show, thanks to my able stewards, with a lovely atmosphere.   Several dogs appeared to not enjoy the hall, it may have been the tables being placed so close to the mats.  Dentition was good throughout as were temperaments.

Veteran Dog/ Bitch (2,1)
1st        Proctor’s Wilmaranna Out of the Blue for Cathbri
7 ½ year old Blue Merle.  Dark eye of correct shape.  Correctly placed stop.  Well rounded muzzle.  Good length of back with firm topline.  Good turn of stifle, moved well.  Best Veteran in show.

Minor Puppy Dog (0,0)

Puppy Dog (2,0)
1st        Brooker’s  Starlenga All About Majic for Corisian
Well grown 11 month old sable with well placed ear carriage.  Lovely dark eye giving melting expression, correct angulations and good depth of chest.  Lovely reach of neck with good length of back and firm topline. Not totally happy on the move but did enough, a very nice puppy. Best Puppy Dog.
2nd       Mitchell’s  Avonfair Aloysius
10 month old sable another well grown puppy.  Nice dark well placed eye, used his ears well.  Good reach of neck, little shorter in length of back than 1.  Happier on the move than 1 but not as positive being a little close behind.

Junior Dog (1,0)
1st        Mitchell’s  Avonfair Aloysius

Yearling Dog (0,0)

Maiden Dog (0,0)

Novice Dog (0,0)

Graduate Dog  (2,1)
1st        Taylor’s  Thistlewing Fire Dancer at Bryany
2 year old s&w with correct well balanced head. Well placed stop.   Nice correctly shaped dark eye.  Good length of back with slight rise over the loin.  Little long through the hock.

Post Graduate Dog (3,0)
1st        Hodges’s Jopium Love on The Rocks
2 year old Tricolour shown in gleaming condition.  Dark eye, well placed.  Well rounded muzzle with flat backskull, no flaring and well placed stop.  Good length of neck with correct length of back.  Good shoulder and turn of stifle.  Moved out well carrying tail low. Reserve Best Dog.
2nd       Houlihan’s Kourika Frosted Ice
Blue merle of good colour.  Shorter in head than 1.  Not as settled as 1.

Limit Dog (2,0)
1st        Welsh’s  Thistlewing Smokey Quarts
2 ½ year old shaded sable of good size.  Beautifully headed dog being completely balanced.  Dark well placed eye, correct ear carriage with well rounded muzzle.  Correctly placed stop leading to the flattest of backskull with no sign of flaring through the cheeks.  Good length of neck leading to correct shoulder angulations.  Good topline with slight rise over the loin, nice turn of stifle with good length of tail and good second thigh.  Sadly on the move he needs to tighten up behind.
2nd       Taylor’s  Thistlewing Fire Dancer at Bryany

Open Dog  (2,0)
1st        Brooker’s Corisian Parisian Magic
3 year old s&w with soft melting expression.  Lovely dark eye of correct shape and placement.  Well moulded foreface, correct head planes and well placed stop.  Good ear carriage using them well.               Ample reach of neck with correct shoulder placement.  Level, firm topline with slight rise over the loin.  Good turn of stifle.  Moved out well.  Best Dog.
2nd       Watt’s Culbrae Red Again
6 year old sable with firm, level topline leading to slight rise over the loin.  Dark eye well placed but a little round.  Good stop, well placed ears.  Decent length of neck but slightly upright in shoulder.  Moved ok.

Minor Puppy Bitch  (2,0)
1st        Welsh’s Thistlewing Gold Mist
7 month old s&w who although still raw and a little unsettled should have bright future.  Lovely overall shape with dark well shaped eye.  Good length of foreface  and well placed ears.  Nice depth of chest and good shoulder placement.  Level topline with good turn of stifle.  Moved ok.
2nd       Johnson’s Geosamka Loves Kisses
Very pretty 7 month old with good head planes, correct stop giving pleasing expression.   Good depth of chest and reach of neck.  Correct height to length ratio with good ribbing. 

Puppy Bitch  (3,0)
1st         Hodge’s  Unusual Beauty Des Conquetes De Don Juan At Jopium  (IMP FRA)
Blue merle of good colour with a rich tan who cannot fail to catch the eye.  At 10 ½ months she is a nice size with a fabulous reach of neck.  Well moulded foreface, dark eye which is of correct shape and placement.  Clean stop.  Correct angulations fore and aft.  Good depth of front and ribbing.  Firm, level topline with slight rise over the loin.  Well off for bone.  Good tailset and one of the few with a strong second thigh.  Presented to perfection.   A little hesitant initially on the move but quickly sorted herself moving out well.  Pleased to award her Best puppy Bitch, Best Puppy in Show, Reserve Best Bitch and Reserve Best in Show.

2nd       Mitchell’s Avonfair A Million Dreams
Sable with lovely eye and expression.  Well moulded foreface, good clean stop and well used ears.  Good reach of neck and front assembly.  Nice turn of stifle.   Would like slightly more length of back.  Again, presented to perfection.   Moved out well.
2 very nice puppies.

Junior Bitch  (3,0)
1st        Mitchell’s Avonfair A Million Dreams
2nd       Quince’s Oakley Ice Queen for Karafaye (IMP CHE)
Blue merle of 15 months.  Good colour.  Balanced pleasing head and expression but needs a little more stop.  Nice eye, one or both being blue of good shape and well set.  Well placed ears, used well.  Good angulations but overall I would just like a little more of her.  Needs to tighten behind.

Yearling Bitch (3,1)
1st        Barr’s  Roughrigg Ragnfrid
Good overall shape with level topline.  Dark eye, correctly placed but a little round.  Well placed clean stop.  Moved ok.
2nd       MacDonald’s Brilyn Look at Me.
Well made with good angulations.  Dark oblique eye, well placed ear carriage.  Lacking in underjaw.  Moved ok.

Maiden Bitch (0,0)

Novice Bitch (3,0)
1st        Hodge’s  Unusual Beauty Des Conquetes De Don Juan At Jopium  (IMP FRA)
2nd       Hutching’s  Riverside Song thrills of Night at Scottrye 
Tri colour.  Nicely filled foreface.  Dark correct eye.  Ears a little low set.  Good reach of neck.  Good turn of stifle. Moved ok.

Graduate Bitch (4,2)
1st        Johnston’s  Sea Dreamer’s Gracy Love at Geosamca (IMP NDL)
S&W with nice shaped dark eye giving good expression.  Used her correctly placed ears well.  Good front, topline & angulations.  Moved well.
2nd       Taylor’s  Elshajo As if By Magic of Bryany
S&W with lovely expression.  Good overall shape.  Didn’t seem to like the floor so difficult to access movement.

Post Graduate Bitch  (6,2)
1st        Hobkirk’s  Chantique Sugar Moon
2 year old sable with well placed dark eye.  Muzzle could be better filled which spoilt her expression.  Well placed ears. Decent reach of neck.  Moved well.
2nd       Proctor’s  Opernball at Intermittent  Lake  (IMP SVN)
Smaller Blue Merle of good colour.   Perfectly in proportion.  Well filled foreface, nice eye.  Ears could be tighter. Good topline.  Moved ok.

Limit Bitch (4,2)
1st        Mitchell’s  Avonfair a Million Lovesongs
S & w bitch with lovely expression.  Well moulded foreface, well placed dark eye.  Good ear carriage, used well, correctly placed stop although slightly steep, flat backskull but would like more filling. Good angulations.  Moved well.
2nd       Taylor’s  Elshajo As if By Magic of Bryany

Open Bitch (2,0)
1st        Qunice’s   Thistlewing Celtic Soul for Karafaye.
Shaded sable with well balanced head.  Good size and overall shape with fitted jacket.  Ears well placed and used well.  Well rounded muzzle, good underjaw and good stop, dark eye, slightly full, but did not detract.  Well filled backskull.  Good reach of neck, leading to correctly angulated shoulder, correct ribbing and level firm topline with good croup. Strong second thigh, well let down hocks.   Moved as though she could do a day’s work.  Pleased to award her Best Bitch and Best in Show.

Special Tricolour / Blue Merle Dog / Bitch  (2,0)
1st        Quince’s Oakley Ice Queen for Karafaye (IMP CHE)
2nd       Clark’s  Uffspring Uniqueley Mayd for Whitcraigs

Judge Ann French