Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier Club Of Great Britain

I have always maintained that judging a breed club show, whether open or championship, is a singular honour for the judge elect. My most sincere thanks to the Officers and Committee of the club for inviting me to judge the show in their diamond jubilee year and the exhibitors for allowing me to judge their dogs. I have had a longstanding interest in the breed since the early 80’s and, it was with great delight to officiate at this lovely show set in very picturesque countryside. Thank you for your magnificent entry of 46 dogs making an entry of 56. My daughter Sarah, who stewarded for me, and I had a lovely day and thank you for the warm welcome we received.

I congratulate you again on your endeavours with temperament there was not a cross word. Type is still variable both in coat and outline. Mouths need watching as I had two level bites. There were couple of mouths with teeth that were crowded, this is normally indicative of insufficient width of jaw. Most tailsets were OK however, please do keep an eye on the tail set. Coat colour ranged from ripe wheat to barley. I felt there was more depth of quality in the bitches.

I would reiterate my comment I made when I judged at Leeds, my overall impression was a breed that is in good and caring hands and I commend you all for your efforts. I thought the majority of dogs were well presented, clean and a credit to their owners care and attention.

Best in Show and Best Bitch - Ch Janeyjimjams Jemima

Reserve BIS & BOS - Ch. Middlebury Shooting Star

Reserve Best Dog - Zaraslake Lucky Seven

Best Puppy & Reserve Best Bitch - Clarke’s Flaxella Weaver of Dreams

Dogs

Veteran (1. 0 abs)

!st Glews Wentloog Mozambique at Braelochyen. 10 year old dog who belies his age. Pleasing head of correct proportions. Scissor bite, with big teeth although a couple were missing as one can expect in our oldies. Good layback of shoulders and depth of brisket. Short loin and correct rear angulation. Moved well for his age.

Puppy (2, 0 abs) A nice class of youngsters of differing type they who were enjoying themselves.

1st & Best Puppy Dog,  Tilley’s JaneyJimJams Jubilee Star at Starzak  An 11 month old puppy   who is maturing nicely. Correct head shape with correct length of foreface to skull, Good length of neck and lay back of shoulder. Excellent rear angulation with low set hocks. Tailset OK. Needs to steady a little on the move however moved out well with good front and rear extension.

2nd Lui’s Eblanahalls Aye Right Another nice albeit immature puppy of 8 months, who was unfortunate to meet the winner. Head slightly out of balance with length of muzzle exceeding length from eyes to ociput, hopefully as the head develops it may balance out.  Reasonable forequarters and length of loin. Held topline on the move, preferred front extension and rear angulation of winner.

Junior Dog (1, 0 abs)

1st & RBD. Watkins’ Zaraslake Lucky Seven  Beautifully presented young man, a class act. Correctly propotioned head with parallel planes, flat skull and very good earset. Strong neck going into good forehand with lay back of shoulder. Deep chest with good spring of rib. Moved positively and with purpose.  This young man is a very good example of the breed and shows a lot of promise. Pressed the Best Dog very hard indeed.

2nd JaneyJimJams Jubilee Star at Starzak

3rd Pattinson’s Harkmojoni Dillon’s Boy. Young 15 month old dog at his first show. Good head shape of correct proportion. Good forehand and length of loin. Nice rear angulation and he moved well.

Special Yearling Dog. (3, 1 abs)

1st Pascoe’s Calvenace My Sweet Lord for Middlebury. 20 month old young man. Pleasing head shape with parallel planes. Good bite and underjaw. Strong neck going into good forehand with lay back of shoulder. Deep chest with correct spring of rib. Moved positively and with purpose.

2nd Mcferran’s Kirktonhill Cara Dilis. Similar age as 1st , a little wide in front and not as mature as winner. Correct head shape but would have liked a bit more of it. Nice lay back of shoulders with correct depth of chest and length of loin. Rear angulation OK, moved erractically.

Graduate Dog.(3, 1 abs) Not the strongest of classes

1st Leverton’s Carkbark Good Luck Charm Young dog that shows promise but needs extra training of both dog and handler. Head of correct proportions with parallel planes. Correct bite with powerful jaw. Lovely forehand and length of loin with good bend of stifle. Covered the ground well but needs more training.

2nd Mackenzie’s Kirktonhill Rumour Has It. Smaller dog. Proportionate head. Lay back of shoulder could be better, good depth of brisket and length of loin. Moved OK

3rd Glew’s Braelochyen Abracadabra. 2 1/2 year old dog who needs more coat. Head proportionate, reasonable forechest needs to be stacked better as was loosing rear angulation as he was over extended. Moved OK

Special Beginners Dog (1, 0 abs)

1st Kirktonhill Cara Dilis

Limit Dog. (4, 0 abs)

1st  Macintyre’s Thistlebee Mr Bojangles ShCM.  Dog with head of good proportions. Good eye shape and alert expression. Parallel planes with flat skull. Strong neck going into good forequarters. Good depth of brisket and body outline with correct tail set. Moved well, with good front extension.

2nd Moles and Wiliams’ Celtannia Extra Suave Young dog of 21 months who needs a little more time Smaller dog of quality. Good head shape with parallel planes. Strong neck going into good forehand with lay back of shoulder. Deep chest with correct spring of rib. Nice bend of stifle. Did not move as well as 1st.

3rd Braelochyen Abracadabra

Open Dog (1, 0abs)

1st,  BD, RBOB nd BOS Pascoe’s Ch. Middlebury Shooting Star. I gave this dog BD the last time I judged before he became a champion. I make no excuses for repeating what I said at Leeds then.  Masculine dog. Head of correct proportion with parallel planes. Correct eye colour and shape which enhanced his expression. Good strength of jaw and correct bite. Clean neck flowing into good forehand. Had depth of chest with plenty of heart room. Correct body shape with good rear angulation and tail set. Moved well.

Bitches

Veteran Bitch (6, 0abs)

Ist and BV Tilley’s Starzak Solid Gold Ez Action JW ShCM. 9 year old bitch who moved better than a lot of the dogs that were half her age. Lovely feminine bitch with well proportioned head and parallel planes. Pleasing expression. Strong neck with very good forehand. Correct length of loin and good rear angulation. Moved very well

2nd Pascoe’s Middlebury Silver Lady Similar remarks apply to this bitch as to the winner. Another who is a credit to their owner.

3rd Glew’s Calvanace Hazy Days of Braelochyen Slightly bigger bitch than the 1st and 2nd. Pleasing head of correct size and parallel planes. V good forehand and length of loin. She was being over extended ad as a consequence her rear angulation suffered.Moved OK

Puppy Bitch (6, 2abs) Some very promising young ladies lovely class to judge. I wrote on my judging book the Maurice CHevalier song title ‘Thank heavens for little girls’. Thought the winner had a better coat at this point in time.

!st, BPB, BP and RBB. Clarke’s Flaxella Weaver of Dreams. I judged her mother at Leeds and gave her RBB too. Has all the attributes of her mother and then some. Would love to see her in a year or so. Head of correct proportions with parallel planes. Scissor bite with strong underjaw. Correct length of neck, strong and clean. Forequarters well angulated, good depth of chest. Rear angulation good, with low set hocks. Moved well.

2nd Roberts’ Janeyjimjams Jubilee Grace. Another lovely puppy who is not quite so mature as the winner, but I am sure will trouble the best once mature. My comments about the winner equally apply to this young lady.

I look forward to hopefully seeing both of these promising puppies in a year or so.

3rd Glenton’s Eblanahalls Hitchen Koo. Younger puppy and had to give way on maturity, she is very promising and I am sure the owners will have a lot of fun with her. Feminine head without weakness, parallel planes, pleasing expression. Good forequarters and length of loin. Rear angulation good, moved well. Unfortunate to meet the 1st & 2nd in such sparkling form.

Junior Bitch (2, 1abs)

1st Flaxella Weaver of Dreams

Yearling Bitch (2, 1abs)

1st Mole & Williams’ Celtannia Extra Chic. Litter sister to the 2nd in Limit and similar remarks apply with a feminine emphasis.Thought she had a better head shape than her brother with parallel planes. Strong neck going into good forehand with lay back of shoulder. Deep chest with correct spring of rib. Nice bend of stifle. Moved well

Novice Bitch (3, 2abs)

1st Pattinson’s Braelochyen Cora Sundrop of Harkmojonj 4 year old Feminine head and OK length of neck, slightly upright in shoulder. Depth of chest OK, length of loin ok Movement a little erratic.

Graduate Bitch (3, 0abs) Lovely class although 3 different types.

1st Brown’s Carkbark Brown Eyed Girl. Feminine bitch with good head shape and parallel planes. Good bite and underjaw. Strong neck going into good forehand with lay back of shoulder. Deep chest with correct spring of rib. Moved positively and with purpose.

2nd Hughlock’s Janeyjimjams Jolene  What a shame she was suffering form a bit of ‘stagefright’. Once she managed to settle she showed her quality. Pleasing head with parallel planes, flat skull and correct length of foreface. Strong jaw and and scissor bite. Reasonable length of neck going into good forequarters. Excellent rear angulation with correct bend of stifle, moved very well once she settled.

3rd Macgregor’s Kirktonhill What I Believe ShCM. Different type again, smallest of the 3 bitches and carrying a little too much weight. Good head shape of correct proportions. Flat skull and correct earset. Strong neck into good forehand, length of loin good, rear angulation OK, moved well. Good texture to coat.

Special Beginners Bitch (2, 1abs)

1st Janeyjimjams Jolene.

Limit Bitch (2, 0abs) Two pleasing bitches

1st Clarke’s Flaxela Everlasting Love Ir Jr Ch. Correct head shape, good bite and strong underjaw.  Good reach of neck and lay of shoulder. Pleasing body outline, angulation front and rear good, positive drive on the move.

2nd Lui’sThistlebe Them There Eyes at Eblanahalls ShCM. A very pleasing bitch with feminine head of correct proportions Powerful neck into excellent fore hand. Loin and rear angulation very good. Moved with drive and purpose. Seemed a little distracted.  

Open Bitch (5, 0 abs) This was another lovely class of bitches.

1st BB & BIS Charleton’s Ch Janeyjimjams Jemima A very worthy Best in Show. Lovely bitch with a feminine head of with correct proportions.  Parallel planes, flat skull and good ear set. Alert expression with good eye shape. Clean powerful neck flowing into well laid back & correctly placed shoulders. Good depth of brisket with plenty of heartroom. Correct outline and tailset. Muscular hindquarters with length of second thigh and low set hocks. Covered the ground with ease.

2nd Clarke’s Flaxela Everlasting Love Ir Jr Ch.

3rd Glew’s Braelochyen Koh-I-Noor  Bigger type than 1st & 2nd. Stronger head although of good proportion. Earset was a little erratic but she managed to settle them eventually. Good reach of neck into very good forechest. Correct length of loin and bend of stifle. Moved well

Colin Richardson