Southport & Birkdale Kennel Association

Firstly I would love to thank the society for inviting me to a really friendly and welcoming show. It was a really good atmosphere and a really nice committee. Thanks to all the exhibitors who entered under me and the terrier exhibitors who maintained their entry after their judge, Fred Gadd, had to step down due to ill health at the show.

Whippets

Thank you to all exhibitors for a fabulous first entry of these hounds. I had some wonderful hounds present and it was not an easy job in a very good way!

Puppy (1,1)

Post Graduate (8,1)

1st – Brown’s Oakbark Magic Touch ShCM – pleasing hound with a lovely keen expression, deep chest with well sprung ribs, and definite tuck up, hocks well let down with well ben stifles. Moved out well and covered the group with ease.

2nd – Searle’s Quicksilver He’s the One – clean head with alert expression, nicely set small ears. Long graceful neck into well laid back shoulders. Pasterns strong into good feet. Graceful arch over loin, deep chest and brisket. Moved well.

3rd – Clarks Coynachie Crazy Desire

Limit (3,1)

1st – Clark’s Whilloer Wait on Me – clean correctly shaped head with lovely expression. Nice length of neck into well laid back shoulders, deep chest and brisket, gentle arch over the loin. Graceful on the move while maintaining topline. Correct set and carriage of tail. RBOB

2nd – Sampson’s Nevedith Zufor Zayni JW ShCM – very similar to 1 and I was splitting hairs in this class. A quality hound with similar attributes to 1, I just felt that today a little lacklustre on the move. It was very cold in the hound ring and I think this may have had an impact – could change places with 1 on any other day.

Open (8,1)

1st Sampson’s Koppelwell Kola Kube ShCM – Long lean skull, appealing expression. Long muscular neck into well laid back shoulders. Graceful arch over the loin and moved with a long, easy stride whist maintaining topline, correct set, length and carriage of tail. A real pleasure to watch and go over. BOB and G3

2nd Bebb’s So Naughty but Nice at Shynee – a whippet of smaller mould to 1, pleasing head with keen expression, graceful on the move. Well-muscled throughout and in good hard condition. Strong hindquarters with well let down hocks and stifles well bent.

3rd Leadbeater & Kerrigan’s Chelridge Sir Lancelot

Beagles

Junior (3,0)

1st Parker & Stevens’ Serenaker Daydream, – really lovely tri puppy bitch, soft feminine head with mild expression and dark eye. Nice length of neck into well laid back shoulders, good upper arm which resulted in good reach. Well-formed quarters and correct tail set. A really balanced hound for one so young, I look forward to watching her progress. BPIB and delighted to see her take HPG1 and BPIS.

2nd Davies’ Saccojack Hearts Reward – nice dark tri bitch with good bone. Moved out well fore and aft, nice head with correct set leathers and good length of neck. Balanced with good topline and tail set.

3rd Jones’ Serenaker Lealia for Stanseren

Limit (6,2)

1st Arden’s Madika Spot on JW – A really lovely feminine bitch who moves well with reach and drive. Maintains her topline throughout with correct tail set. Good quarters, correct hocks and pasterns into good tight feet. Well-muscled and in top condition. She has a beautiful head with dark eye and correct set leathers. Completely free from wrinkle and with a kind soft expression. BOB

2nd Parker & Stevens Serenaker Sign of the Times – masculine dog with good bone. A rangier hound who covered the ground with ease. All in proportion throughout and in good hard condition. His head was a little heavier set than I would normally like but I liked everything else about him.

3rd Woodcock’s Roddwood Rhea

Open (3,2)

1st – Woodcock’s Roddwood Melody ShCM – Nice bitch of a larger mould. Moves well with purpose and had good pasterns and feet. Well-muscled quarters front and back, maintained her topline on the move. RBOB

Pharaoh Hound

Junior (1,1)

Limit (0)

Open (1,0)

1st - Parker & Stevens Serenaker Khamsin – Long, well chselled lean skull with a keen expression. Long, lean, muscular neck with slight arch leading into well laid shoulders. Hind quarters strong and muscular with moderate bend of stifle. Well-developed second thigh and limbs parallel when viewed from behind. Free flowing movement that looked effortless (although a little excited!)

Basset Hounds

Junior (1,0)

1st Pearson’s Armardio Angel of Harlem by Malrich BOB, HG2 - this boy moved with such grace and power that I had to award him BOB. For a younger hound he was well muscled, and not excessive in anyway. He is long and deep throughout with well sprung ribs and shoulders well laid back. Good hind quarters and correct tail carriage.

Limit (2,0)

1st – Peasron’s Armardio Almost an Angel – Good head with well-set ears, shoulders well laid back. Short powerful forelegs with plenty of bone. Well sprung ribs with decent forechest. Moved out well.

2nd – Daelman’s Warradam Blowing in the Wind – good head, neck and top line. Plenty of bone and well-muscled throughout. Moved out well but I just preferred the movement on 1.

Open (1,0)

1st – Pearson’s Malrich in the Nick RBOB – Substantial boy with a masculine head. Well muscled throughout and with good bone. Nicely sprung ribs and good front and rear quarters. A little reluctant on the move compared to the BOB but it was a close call.

Borzoi

Junior (0)

Limit (3,2)

1st – Dawson’s Stubbylee the Sax Man BOB HG4 – A hound in beautiful condition, he was in full coat and top condition. Lovely lean head with good veining, well filled in below the eyes. Good depth of brisket and good tuck up. Beautiful movement, truly was effortless power even in a small ring.

Open (2,1)

1st – Dawson’s Stubbylee Prima Donna JW RBOB – well-proportioned bitch, litter sister to my BOB winner so they shared a lot of the same attributes. Pretty head, again well veined and filled in below the eyes, graceful top line which she held on the move with correct tail carriage.

Border Terrier

Junior (6,0)

1st – Duxbury’s Ridgebow Rusty Rivet BPIB, RBIB, PG1 – lovely head with dark eye with keen expression. Good small ears falling correctly and close to the cheek. Forelegs straight with small feet. Good ribs, not overly sprung and well back. Good double coat, moved out well with straight movement.

2nd – Metcalfe’s Tojamatt Myth for Chevinor – typey terrier, nice head, good eye, moderate length of neck into strong shoulders. Moved out well, preferred the overall shape and bone of 1.

3rd – Duxbury’s Ridgebow Hobgoblin

Limit (1,0)

1st – Taylor’s Diggsad Dizzy Dizzy Dora – Pleasing head with good dark eye, moderate length of neck into well placed shoulders. Strong pasterns and small feet, well-muscled throughout.

Open (6,2)

1st – Haughton’s Chorbeck Chatty Man JW BOB G2 – Really liked the overall shape of this terrier. Not over done in anyway. Moved out well in a workman like fashion. Good coat, bone and topline. Tail correct set and carried correctly. Otter like in head with dark eye.

2nd – Keefe’s Keebank Charlie’s Diamond – very close between 1 and 2, moved well maintaining topline on the move and had all the right attributes, preferred the head and expression of 1.

3rd – Duxbury’s Ridgebow Tracker

Parsons Russell

Junior (0)

Limit (2,0)

1st – Aspell & Dixon’s Chadbrook Lady Sahara (RBOB) Nice example of the breed, workman like with sound movement, good topline, tail set and length of neck. Preferred the overall shape of my open winner when it came to BOB.

2nd - Aspell & Dixon’s Logierait Loki – different type of terrier but with good movement and bone, nice head, good length of neck into storng shoulders. Was out moved by 1 today.

Open (1,0)

1st – Rimmer’s Maanmainion Doubleshot Over Kylin (Imp Fin) BOB G3 Strong wedge shaped head with a flat skull, dark eye and keen expression. Well-muscled through neck into good front quarters, strong hindquarters. Moved well.

Manchester Terrier

Junior (0)

Limit (0)

Open (1,0)

1st – Rowbottom’s Calastoa’s Amber Gambler at Ttombowor (BOB) G4 – In really good condition, not an ounce of fat on this terrier. Lovey head, graceful neck into sloping shoulders. Short with well sprung ribs, slightly arched over the loin and cut up behind ribs. Strong quarters with well bent stifle, demonstrated drive on the move which was balanced. It was a shame it was as cold in the hall on the day as this did seem to affect this dog.

YKC Members handling classes

6-11 years (8,4)

1st Willow Johnson – Really smart and competent handler, really straight lines and subtle in every way. Completed everything I asked of her while maintaining a rapport with her dog. She wasn’t a distraction in any way. One to watch in the future, I was delighted to award her BJH on the day as she is such an unassuming handler, she didn’t let the challenge overwhelm her and she maintained her accuracy throughout despite being up against some stiff competition – well done.

2nd Ellie Beach – it was a close run thing between 1 and 2, lines just need to be a bit straighter and lead control a bit tidier but this will come with time and practice. A well accomplished handler with bags of promise.

3rd Llewelyn Thorold

12-16 years (6,1)

This was a particularly tough class to judge, the quality of handling in this class was probably the best I have seen in a long time.

1st Sophie Wildig – a very accomplished handler. A polished but not overdone performance in the class. A smart well turned out young lady who was attentive to her dog at all times while being able to keep an eye on what I was doing without being obvious and over the top. Lead control was spotless and her pattern work was flowing and without interruption. Shadow work was excellent and she consider everyone around her. It was close in the challenge for BJH but I just felt that your lines were not as straight as the younger handler.

2nd Luke Sampson – A very smart young man who was sympathetic to his hound at all times, I was impressed with how relaxed he was and his lead control was also spotless. Shadow work was brilliant with consideration of his fellow handlers. A very accomplished young handler and was close to taking the top spot in this class. I just felt that Sophie was a bit smoother in her pattern work.

3rd Megan Roberts

17-24 years (2,0)

1st Elanor Brown – smart and quiet handler, shows her experience. Well turned out and sympathetic to her charge at all times, good pattern work and lead control. Just needs to tighten up on her corners and sharpen everything up and there will be little fault.

2nd Elizabeth Newton – It was difficult to split the two but 1 was just a bit more polished. Lots of practice and you’ll find yourself in the top spot. Sympathetic to a charge who didn’t always make the jo at hand easy, good pattern work and was gentle showing teeth.

Andrea Keepence-Keyte (Alandobel)