Devon, Cornwall & South West Beagle Society

Thank you to the committee for inviting me to judge their autumn open show, thanks to my stewards for keeping me on track and organised. Special thanks to all the exhibitors who entered and allowed me the privilege to go over and judge their hounds. There was excellent quality present and the majority were in excellent condition. Sadly a few were either overweight or underweight and a couple could have done with attention to claws. My main winners were: BIS, BD Walden & Thorntons Nedlaw Benedict with Maplelayne JW, RBIS, BOS, BB Browns Raimex Reed Bunting, BPIS, BPB Kingslands Redcap Amelia Earhart, RBPIS, BPD Mitchell & Wrights Huntshill Tornado, BVIS, BVD Davis’ Ch Barrvale Overture RBVIS, BVB Conways Baterhound Begonia at Bedeway. RBD Kingslands Redcap Drumstick, RBPD Davis’ Barrvale Flashman and RBB Laughtons Redcap Sherbert Pips for Brimbleway. RBPB Firths Nictoney Upbeat

Minor Puppy Dog (2,0)

1. Davis’ Flashman – Very raw young man. Lovely expression, dark eye and correct set ears. Moved out and back well. Look forward to watching him grow up. RBPD

2. Spareys Trackfoot Golden Arrow – Nice well-proportioned boy, longer cast than one with good spring of rib. Carrying a little bit too much weight.

Puppy Dog (3,0)

1. Mitchell & Wrights Huntshill Tornado – Dark blanket tri boy with good length of neck into well laid back shoulders. Plenty of bone and knuckle, fantastic feet. Compact hound who covered the ground well and with reach and drive. BPD & RBPIS

2. Waldens Nedlaw Trumpeter – T&W boy, longer cast than one and finer in type. Well-proportioned throughout with a beautiful head and expression. Balanced on the move and sound out and back. Close between these two puppies and a tough decision here.

3. Spareys Trackfoot Golden Arrow

Junior Dog (2,0)

1. Kingslands Redcap Drumstick – Open tri dog who is striking in his appearance. Well-constructed with plenty of bone and good muscle. Melting expression and beautiful head. Correct set and length of leather. Moved soundly and maintained his topline on the move and has a correct tail set. Did not hesitate to award him RBD and he is one for the future.

2. Spareys Trackfoot Golden Arrow (as MPD)

Novice Dog (3,0)

1. Davis’ Barrvale Falshman (as MPD)

2. Waldens Nedlaw Trumpetter (as PD)

3. Spareys Trackfoot Golden Arrow

Graduate Dog (3,0)

1. Kingslands Redcap Drumstick (as JD)

2. Mitchell & Wrights Huntshill Tornado (as PD)

3. Spareys Trackfoot Golden Arrow

Post Graduate Dog (2,0)

1. Waldens Nedlaw Quincy – All in proportion T&W dog of 19 months. Level top line which was maintained on the move with correct tail set. Good spring of rib, correct angulation front and hind. Lovely head with dark eye and soft expression.

2. Chapmans Dialynne Solace at Gemark – Compact boy who I have judged before, moves sound and covers the ground. A real workman type hound who could do a day in the field. Shown in hard condition.

Limit Dog (3,1)

1. Kingsland’s Redcap the Patriot – good sound movement on this dog. Great bone, good feet and strong pasterns. Masculine head with soft expression, correct set of leathers. Maintained his topline on the move with correct tail carriage. RBD

2. Berrow’s Meganjin Muckle Flugga – a heavier set and longer cast hound than 1. Pleasing head with appealing expression and dark eye. In hard condition and well muscled throughout. A little eratic on the move today sadly.

Open Dog (2,1)

1. Walden & Thorntons Nedlaw Benedict with Maplelayne JW – A showman from the very moment he entered the ring. A lovely example of our breed. Stunning head of correction proportion and balance with the softest of expressions. Fabulous length of neck in to well angulated shoulders. Ample forechest with great spring of rib. Nice coupling and well angulated hind quarters with parallel hocks, strong muscling throughout shown in hard condition. Covered the ground with ease with reach and drive. A joy to judge and a pleasure to award him top honours at this show. BD & BIS

Veteran Dog (2,1)

1. Davis’ Ch Barrvale Overture – 7 years old and still giving his owner and handler hell! A lovely boy with the most beautiful of heads. Movement still sound and strong, maintained topline on the move and a tail with correct set and wag all the way round. Well deserved BVD and BVIS.

Minor Puppy Bitch (1,0)

1. Firths Nictoney Upbeat – A real baby, sweet head and expression very raw. Unsettled on the move but she moved out well when she had settled a bit.

Puppy Bitch (5,0)

1. Kingslands Redcap Amelia Earhart – Stunning young bitch who is constructed well with good bone and muscle. Beautiful feminine head with appealing and alert expression. Great neck into well laid back shoulders. Good neat feet and pasterns. Excellent fore and aft on the move with correct tail set. Pushed hard in the challenge for RBB but I was delighted to award her BPB & BPIS

2. Mitchell & Wrights Huntshill Teasel – Finer in bone than 1 and longer cast. Lovely head with soft expression and correctly set leathers. Good angulation front and back, moved well and covered the ground.

3. Preceys Detrick Once in a Blue Moon

Junior Bitch (4,1)

1. Laughtons Redcap Sherbert Pips for Brimbleway – T&W girl with excellent bone and construction. Melting expression, good dark kind eye and well defined head. Moved out well and maintained her topline on the move, correct tail carriage and set. Was a little unsettled on the move and a little close behind but I really liked the soundness throughout in this girl. I was delighted to learn later that she is litter sister to my RBD. She was RBB today and worthy of it.

2. Mitchell & Wrights Huntshill Teasel (as PB)

3. Kingslands Redcap Cleopatra

Novice Bitch (3,1)

1. Firths Nictoney Upsydaisy – Very raw young bitch, moved well although a little unsettled. Well constructed and beautiful head, loved her expression.

2. Alvis’ Emorlen Viennese Waltz – Nice bitch, well constructed, pretty head and kind expression. Carrying a little more weight than I would like.

Graduate Bitch (8,2)

1. Browns Raimex Reed Bunting – Lovely well proportioned and balanced bitch. In hard condition. Pretty, correctly proportioned head with well defined stop. Kind and appealing expression, correct set and length of leathers. Good length of neck into well angulated shoulders with excellent return of upper arm. Nice tight feet and strong pasterns. Good spring of rib and length of coupling. Tail set and carriage correct, correct angulation behind. Moved out excellently and covered the ground with ease, clean in front and behind. Pushed hard for BIS, unfortunate to come up against the BD. She was definitely worthy of BB, RBIS & BOS.

2. Scarletts Rossut Trendy at Michelroy – I have always liked this bitch and she was unfortunate to be against 1. However, she held her own moving well and workman like with reach and drive. She is well proportioned and constructed throughout and was shown in hard condition. Lovely head with alert and keen expression, a happy girl at all times, a credit to her owner and handler. She was considered for higher honours later in the day.

3. Warners Awreridge Watercolour JW

Post Graduate Bitch (7,2)

1. Browns Raimex Reed Bunting (as GB)

2. Waldens Nedlaw Queen of Hearts – This bitch is very balanced and on the move is so sound. Constructed well and boasts quality. Stunning head with lovely soft expression and correct definition. Another one unfortunate to meet the class winner today and again was considered for further honours later on in the day.

3. Websters Moonjoon Lily of the Valleys

Limit Bitch (6,3)

1. Mitchell & Wrights Huntshill Starstruck – Sound type bitch shown in hard condition. Nice head, length of neck and lay of shoulder. Good forechest and spring of rib. Legs well under and tight elbows. Excellent turn of stifle and rear angulation. Correct tail set and carriage on the move, moved soundly and cleanly.

2. Firths Nictoney Polyanna – pretty feminine bitch, smaller and finer cast than 1. A little unsettled and reluctant on the move today so she was just out moved by 1. She is a soundly constructed hound and has a beautiful head and expression. Well angulated in front and behind.

3. Barrows Meganjin Eriskay

Open Bitch (5,1)

1. Mitchell & Wrights Barrvale Ursa Minor at Huntshill – workman like hound who moved soundly and with reach and drive. Well constructed throughout and shown in hard condition. Maintained her topline and tail carriage on the move.

2. Precey’s Stormpasture Trump Card Over Detrick – sound bitch with good angulation front and back. Well constructed rear and front quarters with her hocks parallel and good muscling. Moved cleanly and with purpose.

3. Firths Rossut Volley at Nictoney

Veteran Bitch (10,1)

Largest class of the day with some fabulous old ladies present. I am really pleased to say that they were all in stunning condition and all still very jolly and up for a day showing. Thank you for bringing your old ladies out. A great class.

1. Conways Barterhound Begonia at Bedeway – such a happy girl, tail always wagging and constantly keeping her owner and handler on his toes! Great construction and in great condition. Moved out well, cleanly with reach and drive. Beautiful head with an alert but kind and soft expression. She defies her years. BVB & RBVIS

2. Browns Raimex Rowanberry JW – I have long admired this bitch. Another who defies her age and still moves as soundly as some of the younger bitches. Gorgeous head with good dark eye and soft expression. Another in good condition.

3. Websters Moonjoon Sweet Nothings ShCM

71 entered, 57 present