Crufts

CRUFTS

11th March 2016

Hungarian Wirehaired Vizslas

I wish to extend my grateful thanks to the Crufts Committee for giving me the experience of a lifetime. The moment I stepped out onto that green carpet is one I shall never forget. My most sincere thanks must also go to the exhibitors for spending their hard earned cash in entering under me. I reiterate the fact that I often hear people talking of the great variance of type in the HWV but type is there to be found. I think that sometimes the great variance in coat colour from golden sand to russet is confusing for many as is its texture and length. It must be harsh and close fitting, up to 1.5 inches long on the neck and body and with an undercoat. A few long hairs along the back will not suffice. It must be short and coarse on the head and muzzle and dense eyebrows and a beard are very distinctive features. The standard also allows for a considerable variance in size of less than 3 cms (about an inch) as long as the dog remains in proportion. This variance can of course be more or less than the height standard and when considering this it can amount to quite a lot of dog. A worrying trait that I found was the number of exhibits with round skulls and low set ears which give a very untypical and settery appearance to the head. An important feature of this breed is the underline; they should not be ‘tucked up’ like the shorthaired Vizsla and it must be remembered that this breed owes as much to its ancestor the German Wirehaired Pointer as it does to the Vizsla. Always remember that whatever the results were today you all took the best dog home. VD. ( 3, 1) Two grand old chaps here of 10 and 9 respectively. Both are very well made with great forechests and depth. 1. Parry & Newman’s Leiborschy Wilfek. Balanced in head and with a very kind eye he has a good wire coat and stands on neat feet. His frame is better covered and he has a more positive front movement than 2. Cameron’s Morrinos Golden Broom At Kasprowy. His head is divine and so well furnished and he is moderate all through. He must have been as delighted to be here as I was to see him for his tail never stopped wagging. PD. (1) 1. Stone’s Sonnetend Shylock. The temperament of this breed is described as lively, gentle mannered and demonstrably affectionate and this puppy dog has it in abundance; he is full of puppy joy. I find his head rather long and lean and he is top size but he has an excellent wire coat, is well boned with a super forehand and length and return of upper arm. When settled on the move he shows splendid front action with good drive from behind. BPD. JD. (8) This was a very good class with all 3 exuding breed type. 1. Parry & Newman’s Csovarberki Ravasz Amid Leiborschy (Imp Hun). This 13 mth old has an exquisite head with its moderately broad and slightly rounded skull, well placed ears and moderate stop. The colour of his eyes harmonises with his golden sand coat, his eyebrows are dense and his whole body is covered with a harsh and dry wire coat. I love his size, balance and well proportioned body which is slightly longer than its height. His movement is animated and ground covering and, although clearly immature, when it came to the challenge his forward reach and drive took him to the Res. CC. He is a very exciting prospect for the future and maturity will come. 2. Collier’s Belatarr North By Northwest. A well known and well grown youngster who has deservedly done a lot of winning. He is sound and well balanced, has a superb expression, strong bone, excellent length of upper arm, plenty of depth and strong quarters. Just unlucky to be up against Ravasz today. Another good prospect. 3. Gray’s Gonegos Climb Upon My Music. Displaying a very happy temperament he has an excellent prosternum and wide powerful quarters. His nervous hander seemed quite surprised to get 3rd place; don’t know why, she has a good one there. PGD (12, 2) 1. Erskine & Upton’s Tragus Aladin At Stukely. Another nervous and surprised handler who needs to have more confidence in her dog. On the stack he tends to roach his back but he carries a sound and level topline on the move. His

head is simply fabulous, his shoulders clean and well laid back. He has depth, a good spring of rib and moderate angulation. He moves well and according to his ever wagging tail, is very happy to be in the show ring; his handler just needs to catch up. 2. Aldridge’s Gwaithmaes Hades. He is of good type and has an excellent wire jacket, first rate forehand and a better tail set than the winner but can’t match him in head. 3. Howard’s Lanokk Szivos JW. He has a very handsome head with profuse furnishings, a kind eye and a nose made for scenting. Moderately made in size and balance I just wish he’d shown a bit more animation. LD. (6, 1) 1. Spillane’s Belatarr Hercules. This dog is robustly built, is well ribbed up and so has a very good length to height ratio. His head is handsome and well furnished and sits on a strong neck that flows into clean shoulders. Nothing over done about him. 2. Stephenson’s Leiborschy Lincoln Of Fryerfold. I liked this one very much and on the stack I thought he would be my winner but his front movement didn’t match that of the winner’s today. He has a superb forehand with depth and strength in body, strong loin and well muscled quarters. 3. Glazer’s Napvirag Dolgos Botos [ATC AT00522HUN] Decent enough type but I would like to see more length in body and he was tending to knuckle over. OD.( 6, 1) 1. Upton’s Sh Ch Ragnolds Fantastic Mr Fox To Tragus JW. The last time I awarded CCs in this breed I gave this dog his 3rd CC and have no reason to change my opinion of him today so I hope his owner does not mind that I repeat most of my critique from Windsor 2014. ‘There is a phrase in the breed standard that says ‘a more robust build and a stronger bone structure than the shorthaired Vizsla’ and for me this dog personifies just that. He has the bone, substance and strength in neck and body required of a lively hunting dog. When posed he is a picture of moderation and is most certainly of distinguished appearance. His handsome head is very well balanced with his foreface being slightly shorter that his skull and has the furnishings to give it the somewhat square striking appearance. His eye is slightly oval and the colour harmonises with his coat. His shoulders are well laid back with his chest being deep and his elbows closely tucked in. Ribs are moderately well sprung and carried well back to give him the correct length to height ratio. His hindquarters are moderate and well developed and he stands on tight feet. His close fitting and harsh jacket is of a dark golden sand colour. I have watched this dog many times and his youthful exuberance on the move has been the one thing that disappointed; but not today. His handler got the very best out of him and they moved totally as one. His footfall is precise and in profile has plenty of reach and drive. He is only too willing to demonstrate his affectionate and gentle nature and mirrors that of his handler for him.’ Almost two years on from this he has gone from strength to strength and I was delighted to award him his 12th CC and BOB. I was so proud of him and his owner/handler in the group; they put on a storming performance are the perfect combination, even down to their matching beards. 2. Aldridge’s Gwaithmaes Shameless. This boy is well up for size but I like his head and there is no mistaking his type. He has plenty of heart and lung room backed up by wide and very well muscled quarters. Moves on an easy, open side gait. 3. Spillane’s Belatarr Charlie Parker ShCM. Presents a strong outline with good return of upper arm, more facial furnishing is needed, moved OK. GCDS. ( 5 ) 1. Godfrey’s Tragus Rudo. Res. in OD and not disgraced there. He is of good sound type with a fabulous head of correct proportions, the muzzle being slightly shorter than skull. He has ample spring of rib and depth of brisket. Moves well. 2. Godfrey’s Tragus Fire King. Taller and rangier boy but moved well in this class. 3. Allison’s Monkstrod Hornet. Built on smaller and more compact lines. Doesn’t have the depth of coat of the winners.

VB (4) 1. Smillie-Gray’s Farnfield Pussy Galore At Galicar ShCM. Rising 10 years old she still commands attention. Excellent type, body covered all over with wire coat. Still loving her after all these years. 2 .Johnson’s Blamtrinever Dancing Queen. She is finer in bone and doesn’t have the presence of the winner. Her wire coat lacks undercoat however she has a pretty head and has great muscle tone. Moves well. It was a close call between her and 3. Wearing’s Zoldmali Ubrez At Genlusa (IMP) 9 yrs old and sound as a pound. Very well muscled quarters. PB ( 3 ) 1. Newman’s Lanokk Violeska. A bitch with a sense of humour! She knows exactly how to play her handler and she did make me smile. There is no mistaking her type in outline and temperament. Her head is very pretty and she has good bone and substance. Her antics on the move brought a welcome levity to the proceedings but she finally got it together enough to win the class and BPIB. Well done! 2. Tyrrell’s Oakberrow Gin Gernut. I found her rather narrow in front and quite fine but she holds a good strong topline and is very well muscled behind. 3. Cooper’s Deifstock Deutzia. She has a good pro-sternum and length of upper arm but her coat needs to develop. JB. (6) 1. Parry & Newman’s Leiborschy Jante A Legacy. Such a pretty head on this young bitch with all the required furnishings, she is of the size and shape that I like. She has excellent balance and is moderate throughout with an adequate turn of stifle. She moves well and steadily but at times lets her tail drop. This exhibitor nearly went home with both res. tickets; she clearly breeds some excellent stock and long may she continue to do so. 2. Burt’s Pitswarren Virginia. Finer and rangier than the winner but nevertheless she has good breed type with a wire coat covering her whole body. Her moderate angulation put her here but boy was she a fidget! 3. Martindale’s Belatarr To Catch A Thief. Longer in the leg than the two in front of her, she has a very pretty head with a moderate stop, dense eyebrows and beard. Good length of upper arm. PGB. ( 13, 2) An excellent class with my first three standing out for type. 1. Lewin’s Vynesbrook Savanna. Not a big bitch but within the variance of height that is the anomaly of the HWV breed standard. Having said that she is a Wire Vizsla through and through with her substance and distinguished appearance. She has a very noble bearing and at times looks quite haughty. Her outline is one of balance and moderation. She is well ribbed up and therefore has the required length of body to height. Her head is so appealing and of correct proportions and she carries a wire coat with undercoat. It is on the move that she comes alive with her oh so precise foot fall, forward reach and drive behind. And it is exactly this which took her to win the Res. CC. 2. Harris-Mayell’s Blackcraig Lace Around Fitzrovia. I liked her enormously and she is very similar to the winner but a little rangier. Full of breed type, very well muscled and with good bone and substance. 3. Edminson’s Kisdons All Over Again. I could say that all over again as the same remarks apply. Her width of quarters and flare over the hips are superb. LB (7) Again, three very typey bitches. 1. Richardson’s Tragus Apricot Beauty Of Carlequin. She possesses a very beautiful head covered in dry, short and coarse hair and with good eyebrows and beard. Moderate stop and good ear placement. She has a moderately long neck that fits cleanly into her well laid shoulders. Wide chest, well ribbed up, strong loin and slightly sloping croup. She has plenty of width behind and stands on very neat feet. 2. Smillie-Gray’s Oakberrow Gintastic. She has a very well proportioned body, excellent underline and a good wire coat. Just lost out in second thigh development. 3. Deighton’s Kisdons Attribute. Clean over the neck and shoulders, well ribbed up and very muscled behind. OB. (11) Talk about save the best till last, what a stunning class! 1. Moss’ Sh Ch Silvanus Modesty Blaise. As I turned round to see her on the stack she filled my eye with her outstanding breed type, distinguished appearance and robust build and then as I viewed her from the front I found her head, eye and expression simply to die for. It is said that the eyes are the window to the soul and as she looked back at me her gentle manner and sensitive, affectionate nature were reflected back. She has a harsh, golden sand coat with undercoat, dense eyebrows and full beard. Her footfall is precise as she moves on a long, open stride and her handler gets the very best out of her as they move as one. In 2011 I awarded her her first CC and history repeated itself again as I awarded her her 5th today. 2. Collier’s Belatarr Mahalia Jackson ShCM. This is a lovely bitch and she was so unlucky to come up against the winner today. I have previously given her a Res. CC and on that day she would have had the CC had there been a full set to give. She has a most appealing head, strength in body and hind quarters and carries a golden sand coat of excellent texture. I just felt that she had lost some condition since I last judged her. 3. Smith’s Tragus Ayana. A taller bitch but she has the substance to go with it. Great body properties and a big, strong bum. Very much my style of bitch. SWB. (5) This class was a pleasure to judge, all have tremendous muscle tone. 1. Wand & Rickman’s Herlinga Herleva ShCM . She has bone, substance, width of chest, heart and lung room and is very well handled. All topped off with a very pretty and typical head. 2. Wearing’s Zoldmali Anizs At Genlusa (IMP HUNG). I loved her for size and she is so very well ribbed up. Great coat, golden sand in colour. Didn’t have the quarters of the winner. 3. Newman’s Lanokk Aurelia. Terrifically well muscled with the best second thigh development, just didn’t have the all over wire coat of the others. GCDS (2) 1. Howes’ Firefrost Amethyst. Oh so very pretty, she is of a size I like, has a super coat and was the best mover of the two. 2. Grove’s Zoldmali Sari (IMP HUN) Decent sort but doesn’t have the substance or quarters of the winner.

Christine Morgan