Crufts

Crufts 2018

Estrela Mountain Dogs

An honour to be asked to judge this breed & since my last appointment I feel the breed has improved. There was more uniformity of breed type with some lovely youngsters coming through, which always bodes well for any breed. Temperaments across the breed were superb, as a guarding breed they where aloof but none showed any sign of backing off or nervousness. On the whole most of the dogs had good muscle tone & could have done the job they were bred to do. I found no faulty mouths & most of the exhibits had a distinctive rigid hock in there tails. A couple of exhibits would have benefited from a bath & groom to remove dead coat.

Junior Dog 1

1st Ramos: Tugaestrela Teddy; Just coming up 15 months, bodying up well with enough bone. Broad masculine head, dark eyes with good pigmentation. Strong neck on well placed shoulders with good depth of chest, firm back. Moderate rear angulations with well let down hocks, tight feet. Good tail carriage & set. Well presented.

Post Graduate Dog 3

1st Dean's: Asterel Baloo, lovely dark brindle with strong broad head, moderate stop with broad muzzle, dark oval eyes with good pigmentation, rose ears that folded back when on move, large open nostrils & moderate stop. Strong muscular neck with a thick rough. Good lay back of shoulder with deep chest & ribs well sprung. Sloping croup & good rear angulations with good muscle-tone & hocks well let down. Very easy purposeful trot on move which won him this class. When it came to the challenge he just had the strength & vigour that was impressive for the breed. BD & BOS.

2nd Holt's: Asterel Sam Spade, not quite as strongly built as 1st but had a balanced outline. Good head & correct eye shape & well pigmented, moderate neck & shoulders, slightly longer in body than 1st, moderate rear angulations allowing steady movement.

3rd Bailey's: Bamcwt First Knight,

Open Dog 4

1st Bermingham, Kendrick & Almeida's: Port Ch/Lux/Benel/Dt Ch (VDH) Odi Da Casa De Loas Em Bamcwt ( Imp Port), 4yr old male strongly built & impressive. Strong broad head with oval eyes well pigmented, large nostrils & moderate amount of stop, lovely rose ears on move. Strong neck & good shoulders well sprung ribs & firm over back. Moderate rear angulations with adequate bone. Beautifully presented in good coat. Effortless on move. RBD, sadly in challenge just lost that little bit of sparkle.

2nd Dean's: Asterel Deeago, strong broad head, moderate stop dark eyes well set with nice ear carriage. Muscular neck & good lay of shoulder with good depth of chest, strong over loin & sloping croup well muscled hindquarters & well let down hocks, tight feet. In good dense coat. Easy on move but just felt 1st had slightly better drive.

3rd Sawyer's: Ch Tarsneyisle Odysseus An Ch16 CW17,

Veteran Bitch 3

Lovely class of veteran ladies, all moved out well & a credit to owners. All had same Dam & all very similar in type.

1st Bermingham & Kendrick's: Asterel Mamma Mia Of Bamcwt EJW09, 9.5 yrs old. In lovely condition throughout. Feminine head, soft eye, moderate amount of stop & the best pair of rose ears here today. Moderate neck & well placed shoulders, well sprung ribs, reasonably strong over loin & slightly sloping croup with well muscled hindquarters, neat firm hocks, moved out steady with easy purposeful trot.

2nd Osborn's: Asterel Cracklings Rose, 8 yr old half sister to winner of this class, lot of similar qualities but slightly stronger build bitch than 1st. Strong head & good shoulder placement, firm top line & well muscled throughout, just preferred 1st more ground covering movement.

3rd Reid's: Asterel Chiquitita At Milagre, full sister to 1st very similar.

Junior Bitch 3

1st Linnet's: Bellalua Sephoar Brilha Para Conquell, just 14 months an developing well, solidly built bitch with ample bone. Nice broad head with well defined stop, dark oval eyes with good pigmentation, moderate neck going into well placed shoulders, well sprung ribs & firm loin. Moderate rear angulations & firm hocks. Lovely dense coat developing. Easy purposeful trot on move. Easier winner of this class.

2nd Ramos's: Tugaestrela Maggie, litter sister to junior winner & similar in type. Slightly finer in build to winner of class & just needs time to body up & tighten up but everything is in the right place.

3rd Chisholm's: Bellalua Nushaba At Belezaocao

Post Graduate Bitch 5-1

Loved this class & was nice to later learn than 1st & 2nd are mother & daughter.

1st Robert's: Asterel Kaa At Garregddu. 2 yr old dark brindle, lovely broad head with moderate stop, dark oval eyes with good pigmentation, firm neck on well laid shoulders, going into well sprung ribs, nice depth of chest & strong loin. Gently sloping croup & good rear angulations, shown in lovely coat beautifully presented, so effortless on move, did push very hard for RBB

2nd Dean's: Asterel Xquita, dam of class winner, they are like carbon copies. Certainly breed type. Feminine strong head, well defined stop, lovely gentle eyes. Rose ears quite hard to see on such dark coat, muscular neck with good lay of shoulder with good depth of chest, well sprung ribs & firm back, moderate rear angulations, allowing effortless movement, but just preferred 1st driving movement.

3rd Baker's: Asterel Sheer Heart Attack

Open Bitch 10-2

An absolutely super class of quality bitches & I was really spoilt for choice.

1st McKinley & Johnson's: Milagre Got A Feelin At Estjak, judged this bitch before an she just seems to get better. Super head broad but feminine with slightly rounded skull, dark oval eyes, rose ears, well defined stop. Muscular neck with good fore chest, well laid shoulders & good depth of chest, slightly rounded croup & moderate rear angulations, with good bone throughout & tight oval feet. In good coat beautifully presented. BB & BOB

2nd Bermingham, Kendrick's & Almeida's: Rainha Da Casa De Loas Em Bamcwt (Imp Port) EJW16 another I've judged before, lovely broad head with good stop & lovely dark eyes well pigmented, broad muscular neck on we'll placed shoulders & well sprung ribs. Gently sloping croup with well muscled hindquarters, hocks well let down. Presented in good coat & condition. Preferred 1st general appearance & movement. RBB

3rd Dean's: Drinka Da Costa Oeste At Asterel (Imp Pt) another quality bitch with many breed attributes,

Good Citizen Dog Scheme Bitch 2

1st Bermingham & Kendrick's: Int/ Ir/ Lux/Bell Ch Haifa De Casa De Laos Me Bamcwt (Imp Port) ShCM BW Lux 17. 7 yr old bitch lovely feminine head & expression, dark eye & defined stop, muscular neck & well placed shoulders, good depth of chest & well sprung ribs, strong loin & good rear angulations allowing easy purposeful movement. BVIB

2nd Robert's: Austerely Belle Starr at Garaged 3.5 yrs nice type just lost out on movement.

Judge: Mrs Sue Bird