LONDON COLLIE CLUP CHAMPIONSHIP SHOW
Sunday, 9th June, 2024
SMOOTH COLLIES

It was my very great honour to be invited to judge Smooth Collies for the London Collie Club’s championship show, held at the excellent Dobermann Club Training Ground. This club gave me my first CC appointment back in 1984 where I judged the rough bitches so this was a lovely way to celebrate 40 years of awarding tickets.
We all had to suffer Arctic conditions which was totally miserable considering it was June but the wonderful atmosphere and all round camaraderie was a pleasure to be involved in.

Secretary Stephen Clark and his lovely committee couldn’t have been more helpful to the four judges, constant offer of drinks (warm!) and the buffet during the interval was par excellence.

The Rough dogs were judged by Doreen Clark (Lynway), bitches by Sue Randall (Ladnar) and Darren Clarke (Peluche) Judged BIS, plus acting as referee. My very grateful thanks to ring steward Jane Margetts.

SMOOTH COLLIES: Dogs –

P (3) 1 Howard & Fort’s Shulune Imperial Inkheart with Casatentola, bred by the latter co-owner, this is quite a stunning blue with a great future in the offing, rising eight months, stands his ground perfectly, exhibiting his very good shape, balanced head, dark eye, sweet intelligent expression, very good ears, good skull and stop, impressive reach of neck, very good shoulder, level topline, good forelegs, tight feet, good bend of stifle, strong hocks, correct tail, very positive on the move, straight as an arrow, good side extension, endearing temperament. BPD, BP; 2 Martins’ Sturtmoor Arceus’s Legacy, beautiful s/w nearing a year so closing in on a fabulous puppy career. But. Today was just a naughty boy who beat himself. Already a winner of three CCs, this homebred athletic type, when putting it all together, looks quite outstanding for his age. Lovely eye and expression, excellent head properties, good ears, stop and muzzle, well muscled neck, level topline not always held on the move due to him acting like a clown. When putting his mind to the job in hand, was foot perfect. When acting the fool, looked like a puppet on a string. Lovely shape, really good harsh coat for a youngster, good bend of stifle, well muscled thigh, strong hocks, playful temperament. I can only put his behaviour down to the fact he is a virtual teenager, and clearly has his mind on other things. When he grows out of it, he’ll challenge the best; 3 Acford’s Coneypark Mattie Brown, 11 months s/w with plenty to offer, well constructed with shape to match, good backend, won’t often meet such stunning opposition, balanced head, pleasing eye and expression, good neck, sound mover, good temperament.

J (2) 1 Sturtmoor Arceus’s Legacy, 2nd in Puppy; 2 How’s Lizoni The Drifter, 17 months tri, another with playful tendencies, pleasing head, good eye and expression, very good ears, nice attitude, still needs to fill out and drop, adequate movement, nice temperament.

PG (2) 1 Seager’s Blamorder Magic Maker with Freejack JW, 21 months all male s/w full of beans, pleasing head, good dark eye, dominant personality, clean head to handle, strong neck, still needs to fill out in front, good shoulder, level topline good rear, excellent thigh muscle, good bend of stifle, tends to run a little close behind, pleasing attitude; 2 Coneypark Mattie Brown, repeat.

L (2) 1 Sewell’s Wynele Strike It Rich to Lewarne JW, 19 month tri, beautifully presented, jet black coat shining despite the absence of any sun, looked a picture standing, full white collar, well arched neck supporting head of quality, so pleasing to go over, good flat skull, excellent ears, good stop, good dark eye exuding masculine, intelligent expression, good shoulder, strong at withers and loin, good topline held on move, good long tail, well held, good bend of stifle, strong in hock, well developed thigh muscle, natural mover, full of confidence and drive with good side extension, lovely sensible personality, pleased to award him the CC, his second after a string of reserves, really good representative of the breed. DCC, RBOB & BOSIS; 2 Warren & Lusty’s Coldelee Jupiter Rises with Blamorder JW, two year old tri bred from champion parents, clean head, excellent eye and expression, very attentive, happy temperament, slight build overall, needs to drop, nice shape, a little close on the move.

O (1) Wensleys’ Constella Hazy Cosmic Jive JW, tri rising three, smart looking, sets himself up well, pleasing shape, full white collar emphasizing good reach of neck, pleasing head to handle, good dark eye, keen expression, good ear set, good front, sound mover, good side extension, lovely temperament, RDCC.

V (2,1) 1 Lusty’s Blamorder Bring Him Home, homebred tri of seven years, lovely shape and presence, looking anything but a veteran, clean head to handle, good dark eye, keen expression, ever alert, lovely overall make and shape, good level topline held on move, kept straight line, good footfall, super temperament. BVD.

Bitches –

P (3) difficult to separate, all had various ear problems but ‘at that age’ and should come right. 1 Cole & Fort’s Shulune Imperial Rum Punch, seven month tri bred by latter co-owner, pleasing shape, clean head, kind eye and expression, good neck and shoulder, needs to fill out in front, good rear, well muscled thigh, true on move, keeping topline. BPB; 2 Lusty’s Blamorder Dare To Dream, very pretty homebred eight month tri, super fit as proved on move, nice overall shape, pleasing head, good eye, feminine, alert expression, good neck, good rear construction, sound mover, good temperament; 3 Richardson’s Lizoni Que Sera Sera, homebred seven month tri, needs to clean in head but still only a babe, pleasing eye, friendly expression, in good body, moved okay, nice attitude.

J (1) Lusty’s Blamorder Dare To Dream, repeat.

PG (4,2) 1 Richardson’s Celeste UTA Anyaru of Lizoni (imp CZE), b/m, almost two, doesn’t want to grow any more but balanced, pleasing eye, friendly expression, good ears, well muscled neck, level topline, good shoulder, moves well, a little fond of her tail, nice temperament; 2 Peacock’s Saraneth Edgedancer, homebred tri of four, very feminine, balanced head, sweet eye and expression, in good body, moves well but slightly out at elbow, friendly temperament.

L (5,a) 1 Howards’ Shandlmain’s Sofistikate, homebred tri closing on four, nice shape, a little finely made but fit for function, pleasing head to handle, good eye and feminine expression, good ear carriage, level topline held on move, good rear construction, sound mover, nice attitude; 2 Holmes’ & Lusty’s Blamorder Makers Mark JW, s/w bred by latter co-owner, ran 1 very close, nice head properties, sweet eye and expression, well constructed body covered by excellent harsh coat, very sound on move, lovely attitude; 3 Trundley & Palmer’s Nuuk Saarskali Bila Kaifa Juniperwood (imp CZE) three year old sired by a Blamorder champion, well built tri of good proportions, pleasing head, good skull and ears, feminine eye, inquisitive expression, level topline, very sound on move, completed a trio of decent bitches.

O (4) Quality class, first three champion litter sisters. 1 Denton’s Ch Brackenhaye Heart And Soul, four year old homebred tri from champion parents, and it shows. Ultra feminine, in tip-top condition, clean balanced head, sweet eye and expression, very good ears, strong neck into good shoulder, good rear construction resulting in very sound movement, lovely temperament; 2 Benton’s Ch Brackenhaye Queen Of Hearts of Oakestelle, b/m of obvious quality who came out of her shell to shine, in very good condition, well fit, head well proportioned, very good ears, beautiful eye and expression, good front and topline, lovely attitude, sound mover; 3 Howard’s Brackenhaye Heartbreaker at Shandlmain, tri of very good proportions, lovely clean head to handle, very feminine, lovely sweet eye and expression, good overall make and shape, good showgirl, very sound mover.

V (3) Best class in entry 1 Lusty’s Ch Blamorder Ice Cream Dream, homebred blue from champion parents, coming up eight, this immaculate girl has the most wonderful shape, impossible to pass her by, in superb condition, has nothing to prove, lovely clean head, pleasure to handle, excellent ears, good flat skull, correct stop, good muzzle, ultra feminine dark eye and expression, good reach of neck into good shoulder, good depth of chest, strong front, good topline, strong in loin, excellent rear construction, very good thigh muscle, good long tail correctly carried, such honest workmanlike movement, good side extension, immaculate presentation, excellent temperament. BCC, BOB, BV, RBIS, BVIS; 2 Benton’s Ch Oakestelle Venus De Milo VW ShCEx, homebred from champion parents, this eleven year old has done so much for the breed, especially in the AVNSC classes, not an easy task. I remember doing the same years ago with my Ch Foxearth Jubilant who did equally well for the breed considering it was then in the working group. This lovely girl gives everything, so super fit for age, excellent make and shape, most correctly balanced head, beautifully feminine eye and expression, excellent ears, flat skull, good reach of neck into good shoulder, good depth of chest, good bend of stifle, well muscled thighs, good topline held on move, full of drive and purpose, good side extension, wonderful attitude, superb temperament. RBCC. 3 Denton’s Ch Brackenhaye Shape O’My Heart, homebred tri dam of three placed champions in open, most dignified eight year old so full of quality, very clean head, super eye and expression, good skull and ear carriage, well arched neck into good shoulder, good depth of chest, strong straight forelegs, in good body covered in correct textured coat, excellent overall conformation, well animated on move, lovely temperament. As in the previous class, completed a trio of classic ladies.

Geoff Duffield (judge).