London and Provincial Collie Club Open Show July 3rd 2026

Rough Collies

I feel that before beginning on individual critiques a word about movement will not go amiss. Dogs do not move from the front, they are (in car terms) rear wheel drive.

The hock joint should be well let down giving a good turn of stifle, a tendency for straight 'tight' hock joints gives what to the untrained eye can be mistaken for 'rise over the loin' but in truth such dogs are what us old timers call 'bum high' ie: the hip joint is as high or even higher than the shoulder! This is not what is meant by a 'slight rise over the loin' Also lets not forget that the front extension should be balanced by equal hind extension and the hind movement should drive the dog along. Off my soap box now but it is one of the 'jobs' of the judge to keep the breed on track, so it needs to be said.

AV BABY PUPPIES DOG OR BITCH (1)

Allsopp and Moore's Omordha Luna Eclipse 5 month old tricolour bitch with jet black coat and glamorous shawl white collar. Presents a very elegant picture. Long neck enhanced by the white collar. Confident and happy, well off for bone she stands on excellent legs with good feet. Head is promising with length and balance but I especially loved the cleanness through her cheeks, no flare at all, and a correct stop for age. Promising puppy.

VETERAN DOG (2)

1. Randall's Ch Ladnar Must tri harder. Eye catching 7 year old tricolour male with ring presence, beautifully presented jet black coat with huge sparkling white collar. Arched neck of good length presents a very attractive outline although I would prefer a little more let down of hock/stifle joint to complete this wonderful elegant picture. Clean head with good muzzle and chin creating a true wedge. Obliquely set eye giving him a sweet yet dignified expression. He is a dignified dog.

Very good shoulder and ribbing and body is of good length. Strong bone, straight front legs and lovely feet. Moved with ease extending nicely at the front.

2) Bartram's Ambartr King of the Ring. 9 year old sable male of beautiful breed type, classic head with an excellent back-skull, clean cheeks and well filled muzzle. Nice fill under the eyes which are of the correct shape and obliquely set, I loved his beautifully moulded head and his gorgeous expression, old school and absolutely correct. Good neck, body length, nice overall balance and curve of stifle. However on the move he fell to pieces, very erratic.

MINOR PUPPY DOG (1)

1. Blakes Corydon The Visionary. Very promising masculine puppy of good size. Loved his general head pattern with nice finish to the chin and clean through the cheeks, early promise of developing the correct amount of stop and back skull. Soft dreamy expression. Long arched neck set into a good shoulder. Just need time to strengthen all through.

PUPPY DOG (2)

1. Blake's Corydon World Vision. Litter brother to previous class winner, very similar remarks too and it is difficult to separate them. At this stage this brother had just a tad more confidence and a miniscule more length of chin, that was how I separated them for best puppy dog. Two promising youngsters. BPD

2. Cooper's Kelekona Hearts of Fire. Big elegant tricolour puppy who has lots to like but presently a little overawed by the razzamatazz of the show ring. Moves easily, very well balanced in body proportions.

JUNIOR DOG (3)

1. Flower's Serenlas The Jokerman. Masculine sable male of good size and overall balance. Love his length of head which perfectly harmonises with his length of body that is covered by a straight harsh jacket. Clean head with nicely filled back-skull, rounded muzzle finished by a strong chin. Sweet yet masculine expression. Won this class on his movement. He is well let down at the rear with strong hocks that when standing are parallel and on the move drove him along showing the correct balance between front and hind movement. One of the few with sufficient space between his hocks as he moved away.

2. Thorne's Chelborn Look at me. I did just that as my first impression was that he would be my winner. He has a grand outline and he uses himself to advantage. Lovely blue jacket fits that outline. Expression is beautiful but a little wide in skull although it is well filled. well placed stop. Moved a tad close behind.

3. William's Mejola Endeavour

POST GRAD DOG (4:3)

1. Randall's Ladnar Call my Name JW masculine merle and lovely clear blue coloration. Stands out well on strongly boned legs and tight feet, hind legs standing correctly. This along with his arched neck of good length produce a very attractive outline. Head handles well with softly rounded muzzle although I would prefer a touch less width of skull, but having said this he does have a flat well filled back-skull! Eyes a tad small but nicely placed and his expression is one of sweet inquisitiveness. Moved ok.

2) Collino's Imaginist A Griffin's Mark Tricolour of good size whose foreface and eye placement are absolutely spot on regards the breed standard. Good ear set. He is a difficult dog to show and refused to concentrate today on the job in hand but I managed to catch enough glimpses of him in repose to see his shapely out line, very balanced. He still needs time to come to his best as he is slow to body up. Moved well.

3) Waltons Sassari Smudge

LIMIT DOG (7)

1. Crawfords Stregato Foolish Guy for Delseirios. Big majestic sable dog, standing with impassive dignity from every angle, he doesn't put a foot out of place. Tremendous ring presence, my eye kept being drawn back to him. Well muscled. Long well arched elegant neck, firm top-line, the correct slight rise over loin, excellent ribbing giving plenty of heart room. Loved his rear assembly, strong hocks standing parallel but joy of joys a super let down in the hock joint and beautiful sweep of stifle. Head is balanced and of good length with well formed chin and flat skull. I would prefer a touch more fill under his eyes a tad more rounding of muzzle. Expressive intelligent dark eyes set somewhat obliquely. Excellent ear size and carriage. However it was on the move that he couldn't be stopped. When I first entered the show ring over 50 years ago this type of driving fluid light effortless movement was seen more often. So seldom do we see it now that such dogs become the 'odd man out' but not with me, experience is a wonderful thing but especially when hind construction has been a case study of mine from the age of six, a very long time indeed! Even so this was a tough decision as I loved the boy in second place too and they could change places another day. BD

2. Blakes Corydon The Baronet JW tricolour of smaller stature but is not without dignity and presence. In many ways he reminds me of a dog I owned a few years ago. My own dog 'Neon' was blue merle but the similarities in eye, expression, size and over-all balance and body shape are striking. Good things can come in smaller packages. Loved his well filled muzzle, clean cheeks and his flat back-skull it was well filled but not over done. Nice filling under the eye helped to produce an exquisite expression. His eyes are bordering on being a tad too small but the shape, colour and placement are exemplary. Straight front legs, good angulation fore and aft, strong hocks, well let down with good turn of stifle. Uses his neck effectively to give elegance and he moves with confidence. These two males were some of a small number who had the correct space between the hocks when moving away, sign of a good pelvis. Two wonderful males, very different but both fitting the breed standard. RBD

3. Hansons Jards Ring Presence.
4. Holmes and lusty's Blamorder Gold Plated
5. Tilley's Gemheid May'd of Amber for Detillio

OPEN DOG (7)

1) Mellish's Demelewis Silver Spur at Corydon. Blue merle of medium size. He caught my attention on entering the ring with his over all balance and elegance, moving with fluidity. He doesn't make the most of himself and can easily be overlooked because of this, but a showing fool, although pleasurable to show and easy to place, is not always the best dog. This male is good to handle, correct body proportions, nice length of arched neck, firm top-line, well angulated rear with good let down. Eyes are a tad too small but it doesn't mar his expression, and his head is clean through the cheeks with good chin tight lip line, correct amount of stop and rounded muzzle. When moved at his own pace he was light and effortless.

2) Allsopps Aqualita It's a Miracle. Tricolour who is not the flashiest guy in the class but he is beautifully balanced and very sound. Today he used his ears too and showed me his lovely dark eyes and soft yet masculine expression. Strong rounded muzzle and well filled back-skull, a touch more stop than my first placed male. Very balanced on the move, light and effortless. Good width between his hocks moving away.

3) Williams Ch Mejola Top Gun
4) Cooper's Kelekona Hearts of Gold JW
5) Phillip's Essanjoy Against All Odds

VETERAN BITCH (5:2)

  1. Stillwell's Bellawave Caught in a Dream. Tricolour just three weeks short of her twelfth birthday. Standing on very strong legs with no weakness showing in hocks or front pasterns, she is still very sound moving too. Strong arched neck, excellent body length to height ratio, correct slight rise over loin. Head handles well, very clean through the cheeks, flat skull and correct stop. Lip line, chin and teeth are all good for her age. Kind expression from medium size obliquely set eyes and good ear carriage. BVB
  2. Philpin's Sassari Snow Shimmer for Tudorlyn. 11 year old blue merle with clean balanced head, beautiful eyes giving a super sweet expression. She is beginning to lose strength in her hind quarters so tended to stand under herself which showed both standing and in her movement.
  3. Skinner's Samhaven Time is Money with Nikal

MINOR PUPPY BITCH (3)

  1. Walsh and Lusty's Afterhero Fantasma. Tricolour baby of just 6 months but brimming with confidence and showmanship. Beautiful outline she stands on strong well boned legs and feet, her sparkling white collar enhancing her lovely long well arched neck. Already has an excellent let down of hock with beautiful sweep to her stifle. Jet black body coat. Pretty head, balanced refined and feminine with good finish to her chin. Super expression. Movement is beautifully coordinated and belies her tender age, good front extension well coordinated and balanced against her strong rear action, long tail. Very promising baby. BPB, BPIB and BPIS
  2. Walkers Aldredelie Ancient Ruins. Sable girl of eight months. Elegant and refined. I liked her overall balanced proportions. Moved sensibly. Clean refined head of good type, sweet eye of medium size. Well handled.
  3. Mellish's Corydon Faithful Vision for Demelewis

PUPPY BITCH (4)

  1. Blake's Corydon Perfect Vision. Just six months, ultra feminine sable puppy, balanced and well coordinated. Loved her softy rounded muzzle, clean cheeks and well formed chin with tight lip-line. Very sweet expression. Good length of neck and correct angulation. Just needs time to strengthen in her rear action but she is otherwise light and easy on the move. Showing lots of promise.
  2. Flower's Serenla's She's on Trend. A difficult decision here as there is a big age gap between these two. Elegant and well proportioned young lady, looking very 'adult' when standing beside the much younger puppy. She has length in both head and body and very good angulation, long arched neck, firm body covered by a very straight harsh fitted coat. Moved with positivity. Clean head, flat skull, rounded muzzle and good chin. A difficult decision but the younger puppy had that irresistible 'puppy appeal' which won me over today. I look forward to seeing both once fully mature, both very promising.
  3. Aldredelie Ancient Ruins
  4. Coopers Kelekona Pearls of Hope

JUNIOR BITCH (4,2)

  1. Ransome's Serenla's Dream Maker. Very elegant and refined richly coloured sable, presents a lovely outline. Good top-line and that all important underline too with correctly positioned elbow and let down of stifle/hock. Confident both standing and moving. Pretty feminine head with clean cheeks (no flare) and nice chin, flat back skull. Medium size eyes are well placed and together with her well used ears give a lovely expression.
  2. Hanson's Jards Cudmirrah Special. Tricolour with a lovely head, ears and expression. Not as well balanced in body proportions as my winner and today when she moved she was unfortunately crabbing (front feet out of line with her back feet).

POST GRADUATE BITCH (7,3)

I realised later on receiving my catalogue that all four of these girls are closely related!

  1. Boyd and McGill's Gemheid May'd of Gold for Stregato. Wow such a feminine and elegant young lady, absolutely my 'cup of tea'. Uses her neck at all times giving her a real 'dignified presence' in the ring that cannot be ignored. Beautifully balanced, on her toes and using her small well placed ears to advantage. She floats around the ring with a fleetness of foot that epitomises correct breed movement. Simply no effort involve, and her handler moves her at the perfect speed. Firm top-line and gentle rise over loin, fabulous front with strong straight front legs planting her feet facing forwards on the ground when standing, correct shoulder and good ribbing. Well bent stifles, strong hocks that are well let down giving her flexability and drive on the move and when she comes to a natural stop, her hocks are parallel to the ground. Beautifully presented. Her head harmonises with her body, refined and clean, bright intelligently sweet expression. I Loved her. RSB RBOB and RBIS
  2. Collino's Imaginist My Fair Lady Sable. Sable girl just coming into a fresh new coat which was clean and sparkling. Very similar in overall type to my class winner but at this stage she doesn't have quite the same panache. A strong class with some 'splitting hairs' decisions.
  3. Bartram's Ambartr Dignity and Pride JW
  4. Bartram's Ambartr Written in the stars

LIMIT BITCH (4,1)

  1. Beardsworth's Maysinder Sapphire Reign. Very attractive blue merle of good colour and markings. Love her head, eye, ears and expression. Good length of neck which she uses, attentive to her handler. Good bend of stifle and strong hocks. Today she was lacking coat and she looked a tad overlong in body when compared to height. Moved soundly with elegance.
  2. Bartram's Ambartr May Queen. Richly coloured Sable bitch of lovely breed type but slightly over weight which lost her a point as it takes the edge off the elegance. However she still moved well. Lovely head and expression. Very nice honest collie.
  3. Wensley and Lusty's Blamorder Any Dream will Do

OPEN BITCH (5:1)

What a class this was, all four girls were brimming with quality.

  1. Newman's CH Phreelancer Phormal Dress. Sable bitch bursting with merit. Outstanding outline and ring presence, every inch a champion. Presented immaculately in super condition, her coat fitted her outline perfectly and her long feathers gave the added glamour, it was the icing on the cake! Perfect size and combination of substance, strength and femininity. Beautifully balanced all through from head to tail and she stands quietly and calmly with true impassive dignity. Loved the soft moulding of her muzzle and flat skull, she is clean through the cheeks with beautiful filling under the eyes. The latter brings a softness to her expression which is exquisite. Soft, dreamy yet intelligent, and eyes are of medium size too. Beautiful under-line to her body emphasising her elegant bend of stifle and let down of hock. Top-line equally good, arched neck, good ribbing and strong back, correct gentle rise of her loin. She is effortless on the move. At the end of this long day she just simply stood and shone, dignified and feminine, but without giving way to exaggerations. I couldn't resist her. BB BOB and BIS
  2. Flower's Serenla's Pumpkin Spice. Shaded sable of lovely breed type. Pretty feminine refined head, beautiful expression. Moved out really well powering along. In profile I preferred the winners length and use of her neck and that made the difference, however this girl is top quality, a beautiful bitch.
  3. Cronks Ch Chelborn Tell Me your Wish
  4. Howard's Gib Ch Serenla's Angel of Casatentola


Angela Harvey

 

 

 

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