Coventry (Foleshill) Canine Association

COVENTRY (FOLESHILL) CA, Nov 2

Congratulations to Coventry (Foleshill) CA on achieving its centenary - its celebration open show at the Connexion had a real ‘Roaring 20s’ spirit with a number of judges & exhibitors resplendent in suitable costume. Thanks to Alan & Kath Walker & their team for their hard work & we all look forward to the next hundred years! Thanks also for my generous ‘hot & spicy’ gift.

The breed & group judges sent through quality line-ups to compete for the top awards & I’m sure many will make the going tough next year.

In the BIS selection I thought that the standout winner was the Australian Shepherd. Rosschell Maid Out Of The Blu JW. Not long out of junior, she is I believe already a Ch & certainly looked the part today, so feminine & so beautifully balanced, she has an appealing head neither coarse nor underdone, enough neck flowing smoothly through clean shoulders into an immaculate topline, the right amount of bone for her size, well sprung ribs & came into her own on the move, true both ways & excelled in profile with a smooth unexaggerated ground-covering gait & the topline never wavered. Well presented & effectively handled. The last Aussie I rewarded at an open show was a puppy named Allmark Fifth Avenue & I’m not surprised to see that this one descends from the same lines.

There were several in close contention for RBIS & I went for the Ridgeback Carlincox Knock Ya Socks Off, whose head, bone, feet, neckline and power & drive on the move appealed a great deal. Of similar age to the winner, he has plenty of scope to mature into a really impressive male.

A good even line-up for BPIS from which I chose the exuberant Smooth Collie Blamorder Starstruck, loved her head proportions, eye & expression, super reach of neck into shapely body, flowing lines, true well boned front, matching hind angulation & a sound enthusiastic mover.

Reserve was the Norwich Kaju Skippy In Blue Jeans, most appealing baby without any exaggeration, typical head & expression, well balanced all through with excellent topline & enough neck, well boned, sound & solid without being stuffy.

Some superb veterans from which an exciting winner was the Portuguese Water Dog Ch/Can/Am Ch Macduff’s Critical Acclaim, such a handsome chap with a good male head, firm bone & a beautifuilly balanced outline enhanced by superb presentation of his curly coat, moved out with style & nice to see enough width behind. Handled to very best advantage.

Reserve, the classy Italian Greyhound Ch Gemolli Antique Tapestry JW ShCEx OSW, a picture of quality & refinement, lovely size & outline, excellent dentition & altogether in great condition with fine coat & skin.

VARIETIES - Alan Emeney memorial MP: Such an enjoyable class. 1 Lloyd & Webster’s Yassir del Ghyryo, was very taken with this Afghan baby, already a beautiful shape with good reach of neck, excellent front angles with super return of upper arm, correct topline, prominent hip bones & typical tail, great sweep from hip to hock & moved with some style as befitting his conformation, look forward to seeing him when mature; 2 Hannington’s Boudivella Dottie, very promising Glen of Imaal with a strong but feminine head, clean neck & shoulders, typical topline, powerful hindquarters, sound steady mover, another to watch as is 3 Harrison’s Millpoint Silver Wings who was thoroughly enjoying herself here & had settled well by the time I saw her again later in the BPIS line-up. Jean Selby P: Another exciting class. 1 Georgiou & Wong-Curley’s Maltese Silkwhite Dreams Fun And Zen, stylish well balanced Maltese male, quite the showman & steady mover retaining his outline, good head proportions, dark eyes & typical expression, promising coat of correct texture; 2 Huikeshoven & Allenby’s Jour Apres Jour Twice As Nice, very appealing PBGV of super proportions, feminine head, matching angulations, firm topline & a super mover, sound & with plenty of reach & drive without exaggeration; 3 B Dottie. Brenda Jary J: 1 Stevenson’s Shenleyvale Fifty Shades Of Orange, masculine typy Shish Tzu whose head & expression I admired, body well set into sound front, well ribbed, good topline & tail set, smart arrogant mover with plenty of drive; 2 Johnson’s Waterley Rumour Has It at Ellmarvern, excellent Tibetan Terrier with a super outline, good front & feet, feminine head with good skull-muzzle proportions, enough substance, another sound true mover & close up here; 3 Cassidy’s Standard Xolo Ring Rider Wrecking Ball at Chinaskys. Betty King Y: 1 S Fifty Shades Of Orange; 2 R Wrecking Ball at C, another impressive youngster with lots to admire, especially her shape & clean outline, super hindquarters, good skin & moved with drive; 3 Gray’s Cocker Purdyspride Rave On JW. Peggie Ingram N: 1 Fleming’s Flegato Force Of Nature, quality feminine Border Terrier, shapely body, true front with enough bone, good length of muzzle, correct coat texture; 2 Brown’s Campionside Silver Locket at Popebel, cobby substantial Cocker with plenty of bone & typical head proportions, moved smartly retaining her topline; 3 Gould’s Shetland Sheepdog Shazbec Dolly Daydream. Joan Winters members’ OD: Happy memories of Joan, a real character & so much fun to talk to! 1 Reynolds’ Kleinstar Moongazer, smart Min S/h Dachs of quality, good male head, well boned, good keel & outline which he kept on the move; 2 Armstrong’s Rigaze Dalai Gartok at Tizzycharm, mature all-male Tibetan Terrier, smart outline, strong head, good bone & feet, close up to winner who just scored in front movement. OB: 1 Armstrong & Cherry’s Tibetan Terrier Araki Fantasy Funtime at Tizzycharm JW, as feminine as her kennelmate is masculine, a quality girl with a lovely square outline, plenty of substance & moved out well with style; 2 R Wrecking Ball at C; 3 Bingham & Stokes’ Cairn Carradine Miss Hayley.

SIMON PARSONS