City Of Birmingham Canine Association

CITY OF BIRMINGHAM CANINE ASSOCIATION 3RD September 2026

Judge : GRAHAM CRUSE (AUSTRALIA)

BORDER COLLIE 

I would like to thank all the exhibitors for their entries and for the great sporting manner in which every exhibitor accepted my decisions. Although I have judged Border Collies in many Countries, this was my first time awarding CC’s to the breed in the UK and I had a thoroughly enjoyable day. I was absolutely delighted to see the BOB winner take Best in Group and I enjoyed cheering him on from ringside. 

I always strive to find the positives when judging and reflect this in my critiques. However, I also believe in mentioning faults as well as virtues, this is usually depicted as what I would prefer to improve in a dog or what made me decide to place one dog above another.    

Specials Beginners Dog (2)

1. Wilcox’s Blackgold Age of Aquarius. Outline is balanced, has good type with pleasing head. Correct scissor bite and eyes. Brown & White in colour which is rich and very good, the better mover of the 2 in the class.

2. Shaw & Morris’ Noblewolves Bramleyapple. Red & White, Great temperament and very enthusiastic dog who works well with his handler. Not as good on the move as the winner, lacks reach and drive. Also carries tail higher than desired on the move.  

Veteran Dog (1)

(1) Sharmatova’s Nashdom Putting on the Style JQ ShCex. 9 years old Black & White. Excellent type throughout with very good head and expression, dark eyes and scissor bite. Very well balanced body with level topline and good tailset and carriage. Well bodied with good bone and excellent feet. Moved well with good reach and drive and correctly lowers head on the move. 

Minor Puppy Dog (3) 

None of these moved particularly well today, so my decision was based on which one was the best overall type. They’re minor puppies so hopefully they improve with age. 

1. Spencer’s Tobermoray In To The Wild. 8 months old Black & White. Has a very good outline and profile. Best head in the class, correct bite and lovely dark eyes. Very good double coat. Movement quite erratic at the moment, hopefully this improves with age. Based on type he had to win the class.

2. Carley’s Jupavia The Art of Fusion. 6 months old Black & White. Type is ok, has dark eyes and very good earset. Outline is balanced, would prefer more reach & drive on the move.

3. Castle’s Vicasio Worth Melting For. 

Puppy Dog (1)

1. Spencer’s Tobermoray In To The Wild.

Junior Dog(1)

1. Shaw & Morris’ Noblewolves Bramleyapple.

Yearling Dog(2)

1. Wilcox’s Blackgold Age of Aquarius

2. Shaw & Morris’ Noblewolves Bramleyapple.

Graduate Dog(1)

1. Shaw & Morris’ Noblewolves Bramleyapple.

Post Graduate Dog(1)

1. Walters’ Goytre Born To Be Wild. 3 Year old Black & White. Very Good head and expression with dark eyes & correct bite. Has very good type throughout with good bone. I would prefer a stronger, more level topline. Movement is ok.

Limit Dog(6)

1. Spencer’s Tobermoray Touch of Class JW 2 ½ year old Black & White. Very good type with a balanced outline. Has very good head type with good dark eyes and correct scissor bite. Bone is moderate. Moved well and lowered head on the move.

2. Lewis’ Shemella Moon River. 4 years old Black & White. Very good type, head type and outline. Eyes dark but a bit more rounded. Has good bone and feet. Would prefer a bit more animation and he doesn’t quite cover the ground on the move as the winner of the class.

3. Wright’s Jupavia A Kind of Magic.

Open Dog(6)

The winner of this class absolutely took my breath away.  

1. Akester’s Sh.Ch. Thwaitlake Buzzman. 5 ½ years old. An outstanding male of quality, exceptional type & soundness. Excellent head and expression, very well balanced body with level topline, super bone and substance. Coat and body are in perfect condition. Moved with reach and drive, covering the ground to perfection. Very well deserved CC & BOB and a fabulous Best in Group win to finish the day. 

2. Austin’s Ch. Ir,Ch. Huntly Forged in Steel for Hysteps. 5 ½ years old. Very good outline and type. Very good body, soundness and great coat and good bone. Moved very well. His head is stronger than I prefer, but otherwise he is a lovely dog excelled in other areas.

3. Castle’s Jupavia Divine Dream.

Good Citizen Dog(2)

1. Austin’s Sh Ch. Hysteps Come By. 2 years old Black & White. A quality male with a very well balanced outline. Dark eyes, has a very good strong level topline. Good bone and substance throughout and with an excellent coat and condition. Very sound in construction and movement. Res DCC

2. 2. Wilcox’s Blackgold Age of Aquarius.    

Special Beginners Bitch(7)

1. Allison’s Wenmap Special Arrival. 13 months old Black & White. Good breed type with very good head and expression. Correct bite, good ears. Topline is level and she has moderate bone throughout. Moved with reach and drive, would prefer better feet.

2. Dodd’s Molumiki Down in Upendi. 4 years old. Very similar in type to winner. Has moderate bone. Moved with reach and drive, again would prefer feet to be better.

3. 3. Lea’s Jerseywood Keep on Loving. 

Veteran Bitch(5)

1. Lee’s Sh.Ch. Arrodare Royal Flush JW. 8 years old Blue & White. Very good breed type and outline. Good substance. Moved very well with reach and drive. She was totally out of coat, but coat grows back !!! Lovely bitch who I’m sure looks great when in full coat. Feet a little flat, but I can forgive this in an older dog.

2. Lewis’ Shemella Shepherds Delight. 7 years old, she has lovely type. Again is losing coat but the texture and density is there. Moved ok, but not as good on the move as the winner.

3. Fawcett’s Sh.Ch. Laceway Raise The Roof.

Minor Puppy Bitch(6)

These are not moving great at the moment, which is expected, but they are minor puppies so hope they improve with age.

1. Dalby’s Story Rex Heritage Guess for Axernamoon (imp Ita). 7 mth old Black & White. She has a nice smooth outline, good head and expression. Level topline, moderate bone. She will be a good mover in the future I am sure, but she is a little over enthusiastic and erratic at the moment.  

2. Farris’ Tobermoray Wild at Heart for Flintrix. 8 ½ months old. Very good type, has excellent coat and in great condition. She is beautifully marked and has good feet. Needs to tighten in movement.  

3. Carley’s Jupavia Fusion by Design.

Puppy Bitch(8)

1. Wells’ Kelcasana Into The Groove. 7 ½ months Black & White. Very good outline and shapre, has good type. She moved very well with head lowered on the move. She is a bit unsure at the moment, needs to develop more confidence.

2. Carley’s Jupavia Call it Fusion. 6 months old Black and White. Nice youngster, has very good coat, substance and bone. Would prefer more reach and drive on the move and she holds her head higher on the move. She is a bit unsure also, needs to develop more confidence.

3. Dalby’s Story Rex Heritage Guess for Axernamoon.

Junior Bitch(7)

1. Baxter’s Wild Storm Tamita at Roseley (Sp Imp). 15 month old black and white. Has a lovely head and expression with dark eyes & correct bite. Well constructed throughout with level topline. Very good mover with reach and drive, I would prefer perhaps a little more length of leg.

2. Allison’s Wenmap Special Arrival.

3. Seaborn-Wenland’s Lucky for You Take my heart at Noblewolves (imp). 

Yearling Bitch (4)

1. Lewis’ Shemella to the Moon and Back. Almost 2 years old. Lovely type with smooth outline. Has a very good head and expression, dark eye, correct scissor bite. Medium bone throughout, level topline, tail well carried on the move. 

2. Seaborn-Wenland’s Lucky for You Take my heart at Noblewolves (imp). She is a nice bitch, different head type, carries head high on the move.

3. Neil’s Dollindaw Dolly Daydream.

Graduate(2) absent

Post Graduate (4)

1. Allison’s Wenmap Topkapi Gem. 3 year old black & white. Very good head and expression with dark eyes and correct scissor bite. She has a smooth outline with level topline. Good body and coat, carries herself well on the move.

2. Lewis’ Shemella Sky Full of Stars. 21 months, she has a good head but I prefer the type and expression of the winner. She has a good outline and shape, very good balance and substantial body and moved well.

3. Neil’s Shemalla April Showers of Dollindaw.

Limit (10)

1. Gadenne & Ratcliffe’s Arrodare No Matter What. Lovely 5 year old Black & White. Very good type throughout with very pleasing typical head, with keen expression. Very good outline and shape. She moves with reach and drive and carries herself well on the move. Pleased to award her Res CC.

2. Shahmatova’s Nashdom Lost in your eyes JW. 4 years old black & white. She has a lovely head and expression with a medium eye. Smooth outline with level topline, very good coat. Moved well with reach and drive.

3. Lewis’ Shemella Misty Morning.

Open (7)

1. Fawcett’s Sh.Ch. Laceway Breaking Waves. 2 year old Black & White. Very good head type and expression. She has a lovely typical outline and is well balanced throughout. Moved with reach and drive and lowers her head superbly on the move. Very good coat. Well deserved winner. Very pleased to award her the BCC.

2. Angier’s Sh Ch. Bilyara Donatella Del Rovi Fioriti (imp It) 6 year old Black & White. Another lovely bitch, beautiful expression. Well balanced throughout with level topline. She is a good mover but slower on the move and not as animated as the winner.

3. Lee’s Jaybob Child’s Play. 

Good Citizen Bitch (5)

1. Lea’s Calareto All My Loving. 4 year old Black & White. Very good head and expression with correct bite. She was very out of coat on the day, but moved the most typically in this class.

2. Surridge’s Tonkory Yasmine. 6 years old, has a pleasing expression, level topline and excellent coat. She moved ok, would prefer her to be not quite as long in body.

3. Jones’ Sianworth Rustic Flame for Keltiklan.