Midland Collie Club
Championship Show

7th February 2026
Rough Collies

Thank you to the committee of the Midland Collie Club for inviting me to judge Rough Collies, my last judging appointment.

Mr Derek Smith was down to judge, but unfortunately was unwell. I felt very humble to be his replacement, and I will tell you why.

I bought my first Rough Collie in 1968, a blue merle bitch from Miss Clare Molony (Westcarrs). On Miss Molony's advice, she told me to mate my bitch to Derek's Champion tricolour dog, which I did, and Derek and I have been friends ever since, for 56 years.

Miss Molony gave me much help and advice. I once asked her who she thought was the best Rough Collie judge; without any hesitation or doubt she said Mrs Aileen Speding and Mr Derek Smith. This was great praise from the early days of the Rough Collie breed. I wonder what Miss Molony would think of the dogs today? I don't think she would recognise them as Collies.

My opinion of the Collies entered at the show was that presentation was very good.

I thought 90% of the Collies entered had beautiful dark almond-shaped eyes, helping to give nice expressions. But eyes alone do not make a good Collie. I found lots of faults in abundance, mainly short heads, deep through heads, deep stops, low-set ears, lack of underjaw, but what I disliked most was the incorrect length of body, many looking like square boxes. It was difficult to find in some classes a dog with dignity and no part out of proportion.

Movement was poor, particularly hind movement. I think it should be mandatory that every judge and breeder of Collies should have a copy of the Collie Standard and its interpretation by Mia Ejerstad. Read it before it's too late.

ROUGH COLLIE DOGS

Veteran Dog (4, 3 abs)

1st Bartram’s Ambartr King Of The Ring
Nine-year-old sable/white. Nice type head, good eye and ears, very good conformation, nice coat and condition. Moved OK.

Minor Puppy Dog (2)

1st Thorne’s Chelborn Look At Me
Blue merle of very poor colour. Balanced head with correct stop. Well-placed ears, good eyes giving correct expression. Good mover. BP Dog.

2nd Collins’ Triburle The Spellmaster
Sable/white, very immature 6-month-old. Balanced head, the stop is too deep. Lovely dark eyes. Body is too short, cobby type. Very poor movement.

Puppy Dog (4)

1st Williams’ Mejola Endeavour
Sable/white. Balanced head but a little deep through. Lovely eye giving a fair expression. Excellent conformation. His back could be slightly firmer. Hind movement poor.

2nd Llewellyn’s Prince of Sunlight Tadaam Salsina (Imp Hun)
Tricolour in excellent coat. Nice head, eye and expression. Nice outline, fair movement. Unsettled and reluctant to show.

3rd Aaronwell Asks The Question

Junior Dog (1)

1st Lockyer's Gataj I Got You Babe
Nice balanced head, lovely eye and expression, well-placed ears, correct stop, nice conformation. Moved well.

Special Yearling Dog (3)

1st Randall's Ladnar Call My Name
Blue merle, balanced head but deep through. Nice eye, ears could be tighter. Moved OK. Very poor tail carriage.

2nd Ross's Samshernik Majestic Boy
Sable/white, lovely head, eye and expression. Needs more underjaw. Nice conformation. Hind movement poor, correct tail carriage.

3rd Blake's Corydon The Baronet

Maiden Dog
No entries.

Graduate (2, 1 abs)

1st Lockyer's I Am Maximus
Tricolour, sweet eye and expression. Stop is too pronounced. Fair conformation, needs a better reach of neck. Moved OK.

Post Graduate (4)

1st Tipper's Tiganlea Turned To Black
Tricolour, good head, nice expression, eye on the verge of being too small. Excellent conformation, well presented. Moved very well. RCC.

2nd Gilder's Libanel Erebus Eternal Love
Tricolour, fair head, stop is too pronounced, rather full in eye. Nice conformation. Moved OK.

3rd Dix's Barrenclough Diamond Skies

Mid Limit Dog (1)

1st Ross's Siluto Blue Wizzard at Amberwish
Blue merle of poor colour. Nice head, excellent eye and expression. Moved OK.

Limit Dog (2, 1 abs)

1st Harris's Geosamka Loves To Love at Ithilien
Sable/white, balanced head, nice eye. Stop is too pronounced, ears a little heavy. Fair conformation, needs a better reach of neck. Moved well.

Open Dog (6, 4 abs)

1st Williams' Ch Mejola Top Gun JW
Sable/white, 2½ years old. Not the most glamorous dog I have ever judged, but today was head and shoulders above any other male. Excellent head, correct profile, nice eye and expression, good ears. Excellent conformation, excellent mover, correct tail carriage. DCC.

2nd Fiorcara Brave Explorer
Sable/white, nice type head, a little full in eye, good ears, nice conformation. Moved well. A little unsettled and reluctant to show.

Special Beginners Dog (2)

1st Bartram's Ambartr King Of The Ring

2nd Dix's Barrenclough Diamond Skies
Sable/white, well presented. Stop far too pronounced, reluctant to move.

ROUGH COLLIE BITCHES

Minor Puppy Bitch (3,1abs)

1st Cronk and Preddy's Chelborn Blue Me Away
Blue Merle of fair colour, very good head, lovely eye and expression, excellent conformation, moved very well, Best Puppy in Show

2nd Johnston's Geosamka Summer
Pleasing head, eye and expression, a touch low on the leg and her back could be firmer, very erratic on the move

Puppy Bitch (8, 3 abs)

1st Aaronwell All About Elsa
Sable/white. Beautiful head, eye and expression, neat ears, very good conformation, good reach of neck. Movement could be better.

2nd Shipp's Tremaro Fantasy
6-month-old sable/white, lovely head, eye and expression. Lacked length of back and reach of neck. Moved OK.

Junior Bitch (5, 1 abs)

1st Hawkins and Foy's Beldones Rich Velvet
Sable/white, lovely head, eye and expression. Excellent conformation, but topline a little slack. Moved very well.

2nd Williams' Mejola Edge Of Glory
Sable/white, lovely balanced head, good eyes, beautiful moulded foreface, good conformation. Moved well but with poor tail carriage.

3rd Cratt's Wicani Belladonna for Bearven

Special Yearling Bitch (7, 2 abs)

1st Hodges' Jopium Follow My Heart JW
Extremely beautiful sable/white. Beautiful head, eye and expression, neat ears, excellent conformation, superb mover, excellent presentation.

2nd Llewellyn's Salsina Mystic Rose
The same comments as first place. These two bitches were like twins, very difficult to choose between them. They have the same sire, and I consider them both CC quality.

3rd Ross's Samshernik Penny Lover

Maiden Bitch (2,2abs)

Novice Bitch (5, 1 abs)

1st Aaronwell All About Elsa

2nd Ross's Samshernik Penny Lover
Sable/white, lovely head, eye and expression, neat well-used ears. Moved well, feet could be a little tighter.

Graduate Bitch (1, 1 abs)

Post Graduate Bitch (4, 1 abs)

1st Blackburn's and Jones's Erjon Eyes On Me
Blue merle of perfect colour and markings, very good head, excellent conformation. Moved very well.

2nd Collins's Triburle Leading Lady
Balanced head, but stop too pronounced. Very nice dark eye. Would like more neck and length of back. Movement poor.

3rd Ambartr's Dignity And Pride JW

Mid Limit Bitch (4)

1st Tame's Gataj Time After Time at Rahlissa
Sable/white, lovely head, eye and expression, neat well-used ears. Excellent conformation. Moved well.

2nd Lockyer's Gataj Someone You Loved
Sable/white, full sister to first and very similar in type. Would prefer a better back skull; it is receding. Moved OK.

3rd Barnesmore's Squalita Magical Winter

Limit Bitch (3)

1st Hodges' Unusual Beauty Des Conquetes De Juan at Jopium
Excellent coloured blue merle, wealth of coat, excellent head, eye and expression. Excellent conformation, good mover. RCC.

2nd Ross's Most Majestic Timeless Touch at Samshernik (Imp Hun)
Sable/white, good head, eye and expression. Excellent conformation. Moved well.

3rd Lockyer's Gataj Exotic Girl

Open Bitch (11, 3 abs)

1st Newman's Ingledene Crystal Vision of Phreelancer
Blue merle of superb colour, very glamorous, wealth of well-presented coat, beautiful head, eye and expression. Excellent conformation. Showed and moved well. CC, BOB and BIS.

2nd Llewellyn's Artaiak Strawberry Rose for Salsina (Imp Esp)
Very beautiful in every way, excellent overall. A CC quality bitch without doubt, unlucky to meet the winner.

3rd Howard's Gib Ch Serenlas Angel of Castentola

Special Beginners Bitch (4, 2 abs)

1st Bartram's Ambartr's Dignity And Pride JW
Sable/white, balanced head. Eye and expression could be sweeter. Nice conformation. Moved well.

2nd Gatt's Wicani Belladonna for Bearven
Tri, balanced head, good conformation. Moved well.

Trevor Hayward (Judge)