Windsor Dog Show Society

Windsor championship show

Basenjis

A pleasure to judge at this show which holds a special place in the hearts of Basenji people & has so many memories for us all. Today’s open classes were spectacular & decisions were very much ‘on the day’ - as we all know Basenjis can look quite different from one show to another depending on how the mood takes them!

Overall, poor feet & light eyes were points to watch. Size, coats & temperament were good throughout & many had the elegant proportions I love to see.

V (3) 1 Palubicki’s Ch Woodella True Song, such a handsome tri, in great form at 11 years, masculine head with correct ear carriage, eye could be a shade darker, correct amount of bone for his size, the right width through the front, arched neck, tight feet, compact body, fine coat in super condition. Topline & tail carriage understandably not quite as steady as in his youth but he still comes together on the move, went freely & with style. BV; 2 Holloway’s Aksaifleet Russki Rose, delightful pretty feminine girl of 8 years, super skull-muzzle proportions, well chiselled, eye a shade round now, OK neck, good tail set & carriage, well made hindquarters, exemplary coat & condition. Feet could be a shade tighter. Not quite as leggy as 1 but a quality girl; 3 Matthews’ Flugelberry Fizz Princess. PD (1) 1 Palubicki’s Jessella Milo Sunfyre, quality 6 months baby, makes an eyecatching picture with super long legs, promising well proportioned head, correct eye shape & colour, ears could be a shade smaller but sure he will grow into them, super arched neck, OK shoulder, good upper arm, OK tail, well made hindquarters, needs time to couple up but already looks good on the move, keeping his shape & with the promise of a long free stride. BP. JD (2) 1 Tiziana’s Abdiscovery Mr Paradise, most impressive youngster with a lovely well wrinkled masculine head, small well carried ears, dark obliquely set eyes, OK bone, enough width in front, well set tail, compact shapely body, balanced unexaggerated angulation leading to an eyecatching side gait holding his topline. Feet could be a shade tighter. Made a strong bid for the CC up against the ultra-leggy open winner. RCC, hope to see him again in this country; 2 Holloway’s Aksaifleet Dini Divai, quality leggy youngster of a finer type, liked his head proportions, eye could a bit darker, fine bone, better feet but not so compactly built as 1, moved freely but a shade narrow behind, winner kept his shape better going round. LD (1) 1 Knights & Stokes’ Lelaps Time Lord, classy boy of excellent type & balance, very good eyes & ears, muzzle could be a shade shorter though better than his deceptive markings suggest, the right amount of bone, correct tuck-up, short back & long legs, fine coat, good tail set & curl, OK hindquarters, free stride. Considered him in the challenge where he didn’t quite ‘give’ so much going round, his day will come & should make up. OD (7) Super class, plenty of quality if quite a variation in type. 1 Carrington’s Ch/Int/Multi Ch Bushwacker Oceans Eleven, this tri is just my cup of tea for type & overall balance, glorious outline & proportions, refined all through but still masculine enough, correct head proportions with quizzical expression, arched neck into ideal topline, good coat, the right bone, matching angulation neither straight nor overdone, lovely free, elegant, springy stride retaining his topline. CC. Close decision for BOB, winner just a shade truer coming towards me; 2 Williams & Wright’s Ch/Nld Ch Mawali Going Four Gold, excellent all round dog, ‘smooth’ is the word that occurred to me with his clean lines, fine coat, correct bone, clean shoulders & steady ground-covering movement. A shade stronger in head than 1 who is a touch leggier, but this was yet another strong contender for the RCC; 3 Vescan’s Mawali New Kid On The Block.

PB (1) 1 Palubicki’s Jessella Matilda Meleys, pretty typy tri, similar to her brother colour notwithstanding, attractive head which needs time to develop, super elegant neck, long fine boned legs, elegant outline. Somewhat overawed first time out but looked more composed on the move. Will be interesting to watch her & her brother’s progress. JB (2) 1 Stratton’s Justartee This Is Me JW, this tall, elegant, scopy youngster has something about her & if she gets it all together could well go a long way, very appealing head, well set ears & aristocratic expression, fine bone to straight legs, beautifully arched neck, well set single curl tail, feet could be a shade tighter, when settled has a super free ground-covering stride, one well worth working on to polish up her ring performance; 2 Holloway’s Aksaifleet Daydream Diana, another classy youngster from this line, pretty & feminine, well proportioned head with the often missing correct skull-muzzle balance, well shaped eye which could be a bit darker, fine bone, compactly built. Not so clean through the neck & shoulder as 1. PGB (2) 1 Knights & Stokes’ Lelaps River Song, charming feminine girl of a lovely size, attractive feminine head, muzzle of correct length, good eyes & ears contribute to an excellent expression, good tuck-up, steady mover retaining her topline. Perhaps could be a shade leggier but so much to like; 2 English’s Aksaifleet Dada Dunia of Torqmonky, very much the same remarks apply as to her sister in the last class, very similar in head type, good neck, fine bone, indeed refined all through. Winner scored on tail set & kept her topline better on the move. LB (2) 1 Palubicki’s Jessella Lady Margot, daughter of BV & dam of BP, pretty & feminine, well proportioned, long legs with correct bone, OK head, eyes could be a shade darker, quality coat & tail, would prefer a shade more angulation & a longer stride; 2 Matthews’ Flugelberry Cherie Trifle, brindle, well proportioned head, scored on ears, eye could be darker, good topline, fine bone, moved steadily but a bit wide in front. Winner scored on neck & elegance. OB (9) One of the best overall classes I’ve judged in the breed, quality all the way down & every one of them has outstanding qualities to admire. If they can all pass on their virtues to their progeny, the next generation could well be very exciting indeed. 1 Dunsdon’s Ch Mawali New York New York, excellent all round Basenji with a lovely head type, well chiselled & wrinkled, well placed dark eye, nicely hooded ear, arched neck into clean shoulders, super topline, balanced breed-appropriate angles, bone in proportion, correct feet, true coming & going & a super side gait, rhythmic & free striding without exaggeration & retaining her lovely shape. CC & BOB; 2 Clinton’s Ch Akmar Napatan Gold for Westlawn JW, top class tri with the right balance of substance & elegance, full of style, typical head & expression, long legs with correct bone, a pleasure to watch going round, winner a shade more compact. RCC; 3 Casantieri’s Ch/Lux Ch Zvezdny Alliance Genie in A Bottle.

SIMON PARSONS