Hound Club Of East Anglia

HOUND CLUB OF EAST ANGLIA, December 2

Hounds have always been a strong group in East Anglia and nearby regions and this was very much in evidence at the Hound Club of EA’s open show, where the BIS and BP line-ups had quality in depth and there were plenty of well filled classes in many of the breeds including some of the numerically smaller ones. Thanks to Celia Mortlock and her team and best of luck for future shows. The Wood Green hall is an ideal venue for a show of this type and it’s sad the society won’t be able to continue here, but I’m sure its shows will be just as friendly wherever they are. Best in show was Wilton-Clark’s Whippet Shalfleet Sir Tom, an intensely masculine 13 month old brindle dog with a very smart outline and correct topline both standing and on the move, super bone and feet, excellent reach of neck with flowing shoulderline, matching angles, plenty of scope, true coming and going but comes into his own going round, eating up the ground with great freedom but no wasted effort. In the big ring he turned it up a gear at just the right moment and strode away with the top spot. Reserve went to a most impressive Grand Basset Griffon Vendéen, Makey’s Gairside Good Lord, another real eyecatcher with plenty of ring presence, typical head and ears, beautifully balanced, excellent bone and front, enough depth of chest, sensibly presented coat of correct texture, the right angles and moved accordingly, happy showman. BIS3: a Saluki with a real air of distinction, De Souza’s Ch Sufeina Jebel Ali, in his prime at 9 years old, classic type and outline, quality male head, super bone and front with matching hindquarters, combines quality and substance, in great condition, sound dignified mover. BIS4: Thomas’ Ch Annatefkah Theema at Rubasu, really super quality Pharaoh, beautiful head, ears and expression with refinement and chiselling, arched neck, the right angles for the breed, super topline and tail carriage, absolutely true mover, didn’t put so much in on the final lap, otherwise might have done even better. Three of the same breeds also featured in the BPIS line-up but the winner was the beautifully feminine Longhaired Dachshund, Cross’ 8-month-old Glasvey Double Trouble, full of Irish charm, remarkably well balanced and ‘together’ in movement for such a youngster, good forechest, bone and ribbing, unexaggerated outline with was just as good on the move as standing, put up a very polished performance. I was also very taken with the runner-up, Hills’ 7-month-old black and white Whippet Shimmeree Black Liberty who is not only a very good example of this striking colour pattern which is now coming to the fore, but a very nice Whippet of whatever colour she might be! Completely unexaggerated with lovely smooth lines, pretty head, fine shoulders, her angles match, her topline flows and she moves true with a clean free side gait, like the winner beautifully presented with coat gleaming, another whose progress I will keep track of. Third was a most appealing Saluki, Freegard’s Jazalle Athena for Mumtaz, nearly a year but in this slowest maturing a breeds naturally not quite so ‘finished’ as 1 and 2, has masses of promise with a classy feminine head, correct shoulder and front with the legs set where they should be, typical feet, shapely body and hindquarters and looked good on the move. In fourth was Samways’ Pharaoh Kurriera Krystal Amethyst, yet another gorgeous bitch puppy, at 9 months full of class and quality with super neck and topline, sound front with the right bone and good feet, admired her head and ears, neatly made hindquarters and good overall balance.

WHIPPETS – P (6, 1a) Enjoyable class, 1 BP, RBOB, RBPIS Black Liberty; 2 Brown’s Ardencote Sweet Destiny for Bluestreak, lovely quality fawn and white, feminine head, correct ears, sensible length of neck into refined shoulders, smooth outline, good hindquarters. Moved well for a real baby at 6 months and her first outing, just needs to settle in front a shade; 3 Wilton-Clark’s Shalfleet Annabelle. J (7, 1) 1 BOB, BIS, S Sir Tom – when I judged Whippets a few years ago at this venue my BOB was a then relatively little known dog called Lord… Looking at the Archives I see this one is by him ex his own granddaughter, he’s a slightly different style but with many of his father’s qualities and I hope he progresses as well as Lord did; 2 Reece’s Saleehah Suriah, pretty feminine red fawn, quality head, good neck, well muscled hindquarters, true coming and going, topline flattened slightly on the move; 3 Samson’s Zoraden Suprise Edition. PG (8, 3) Hard choice between two totally different types. 1 Knights and Stokes’ Shalfleet Sir William of Lelaps, impressive masculine br/w parti, eyecatching outline standing, OK topline, super reach of neck, well made hindquarters, move true behind, rather bouncy in front action; 2 Richardson’s Selinko Dream On Lewcher, deliciously pretty ultra feminine fawn, delightful head with irresistible eyes, good outline, enough substance for size, nice hindquarters, better front than 1, not quite neck and didn’t keep her shape quite so well on the move, could have gone either way; 3 Abbiss’ Kanati God Of Olympus. L (3) 1 Stock’s Shemist Party Girl, this super br/w parti is very much the balance and style that appeals to me, lovely long lines with plenty of scope and a smooth flowing outline, attractive head, excellent neck into the right topline, good unexaggerated hind angles, really looks the part going round. Very close up to the RBOB, the puppy was just a shade cleaner coming towards me but I liked this one a lot; 2 Cutter and Lubin’s Windfly War Horse for Chosovi, handsome masculine r/f/w, typical head, reachy neck, good topline when stood, well balanced, neatly made hindquarters, not quite fore-reach of 1, flattened slightly on the move; 3 Jansons and Wilson’s Hamiltonhill Sidney Pye to Nixophel. OD (2, 1a) 1 Reece’s Danluke Disco Dancer at Gabledene, very classy fawn, looks the part standing, correct neck, nice size, the right depth of body, unexaggerated angles, true coming and going, firm front, could have a shade more reach of drive but liked him a lot. OB (3, 1) Two similar type correct size feminine girls. 1 Peacock’s Linalkin Meadow Lark, quality refined brindle, super neck, smooth topline retained on the move, neat hindquarters, enough bone for size, but could have a shade more length, in super condition at 7 years and went on to best AV veteran under Alan Mease; 2 Brown’s Ardencote Star Maker, pretty fawn, enough substance, good bone, strong hindquarters, has a classy look. Slightly truer in front movement than 1 who had a shade more reach and drive.

VARIETIES – Premier Jug Challenge: a nice idea, open to all first prize winners who didn’t get BP, BOB or RBOB. With free entry, a pity a few more didn’t stay. 1 Cross’ Stargang Sea Swell into Logetta, lovely type brindle Min Smooth, super head, neck and shoulders, enough forechest, well ribbed, true mover with good topline; 2 S Sir William of L; 3 Skerritt and Betts’ PBGV Monkhams Luna Luvgood. P stakes: Good class. 1 Hartill’s Franco Nero Arsinoe to Jechemo, yet another excellent Pharaoh, good to know that Bedfordshire is still a hotbed of the breed, the Merymut ladies would surely approve! Handsome boy with an excellent head and neck, straight front and super topline; 2 Hornby’s Derochaise Miss Dior, classy W/h Dachs, another quality puppy with good front and forechest, excellent bone and substance, correct coat, close up; 3 Watkinson’s Min S/h Dachs Loggeta Boom And Bust. Y stakes: 1 Arthurs’ Tendrow I Am Legend, well made W/h Dachs, super bone and body, sound mover, enough neck, plenty of quality; 2 Allchorne’s Basset Nelous Thyme Bomb, handsome boy with a certain swagger, masculine head, enough length of neck, super body and bone, nice apple bottom, just needs time to develop a bit more in front; 3 Sutton and Pankhurst’s L/h Dachs Lilia Rose at Damai. PG stakes: 1 Hemming’s Clipperdown Gipsy Woman, small neat Min S/h Dachs, feminine type, true mover, good topline, perhaps could have a shade more bone; 2 Cheese’s Suecaseus Juliet, well balanced L/h Dachs, good neck and outline, carrying a bit much weight, not so true on the move as 1. O stakes: 1 Chambers’ Tendrow Black Pearl with Hototo, another classy W/h Dachs, OK front construction, well presented, shapely body, moced with style; 2 Knights and Stokes’ Ch Toveri Turo of Lelaps, attractive type Finnish Spitz, good head type, clean outline, well balanced, OK tail carriage, not quite so firm in front as 1; 3 Green’s Min L/h Dachs Eldmour Electra. SIMON PARSONS