City Of Birmingham Canine Association

CITY OF BIRMINGHAM CANINE ASSOCIATION 3RD SEPTEMBER 2026

JUDGE : GRAHAM CRUSE (AUSTRALIA)

NEWFOUNDLANDS

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 Newfoundlands 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 3 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.

Special Beginners Dog (2)

Two quite different males but both have their good qualities.

1. Thornton’s Saskinbears Band of Gold. 4 Year Black male of very good type with good size and substance. Strong masculine head. Very good outline with level topline and very good bone and substantial body. Moved true with good reach and drive.

2. Moore’s Starnewf Mr Dark Sky. 2 years old Black. Very nice young male, has a clean outline, more compact than the winner. Very good head and expression, eye medium brown. Good mover, he is very interactive with his handler. I would just prefer his tail to be carried lower on the move and topline needs to strengthen.

Veteran Dog (1)

1. Downing’s Northpiers Non Ducor Duco (Imp USA). Landseer. It is lovely to see an 8 year old in this breed and, even more so in wonderful condition. This male has a lovely head and expression, large broad skull, very good eyes. Outline is excellent and topline firm and level. Good coat throughout. Mover well soundly, with reach & drive. The audience ringside gave him a round of applause to honour his veteran status, and quite rightly so as he deserves it !!!

Minor Puppy Dog (1)

1. Canning’s Oukaya Forever Big Dipper. Very Promising Landseer puppy. He has a very good head & expression with super dark eyes and correct bite. Body and coat are coming along nicely.

Puppy Dog (1)

1. Duff’s Titanbears Primatus, 11 months old. He has a compact body, coat is coming along nicely, has very good feet. He is at that development stage where his hindquarter is higher than his forequarter, probably due to him being more moderately angulated. Hopefully but this will balance itself out as he matures and grows. 

Junior Dog (2) absent

Graduate Dog (2)

1. Hudson’s Shadowrise Fire and Ice. 3 year old black. Large masculine head with correct bite, medium eye colour. I would prefer a little cleaner and less jowl. He has a very good level topline, very good hind angulation which he uses well to drive from.

Post Graduate (1) absent

Limit Dog (8)

1. Duff’s Titanbears Excommunicado JW Ir.J Ch Shcex Osw. 3 Year old Black. Excellent head & expression. Super skull and muzzle with dark eyes. He has a lovely typical outline with level topline, good bone and substance and excellent feet. Moved with reach and drive.

2. Leech’s Mileoak Utah Beach JW. 2 year old Landseer. Very good head type, although I would prefer a little more masculinity in the skull. He has a lovely outline and moves very well. 

3. Farrar’s Disoranto Cool Hand Luke at Darkpeak. 

Open Dog (6)

1. Blake’s Ch. Sandbears Masterpiece. 6 ½ years black. Has excellent breed type with a lovely strong masculine clean head, dark eyes and very good scissor bite. Well constructed in front and rear, super strong level topline, has super spring of rib and substantial body. His correct coat is in wonderful condition and he is presented beautifully. Moved sound and true with characteristic slight roll. Very pleased to award him the DCC & BOB… congratulations on winning BIG 4… I cheered you on from the ringside. 

2. Drakeford’s Nandobears Yabba Daba Doo at Mileoak. 3 year old black. He also has lovely breed type, superb substantial body, excellent coat and condition. Topline is strong and level on the move and he has sound ground covering movement. Very close decision between the winner and this male, I am sure they will swap places other times. Res DCC

3. Brown’s Valhalabears Jibber Jabber.

Good Citizen Dog (2)

1. Thornton’s Saskinbears Band of Gold.

2. Gorvin’s Davistell B’mian Rhapsody of Newfnouveau. Another 4 year old black male. Has good type, profile is good. Very good coat. Moderate in bone throughout. He moved ok in profile but is quite close and narrow coming towards you. 

Veteran Bitch (1)

1. Coldwell’s Jsy Ch. Ch. Zentaur This is Jam Hot JW Shcex Osw. 8 years old Brown in marvelous condition for her age. She has a lovely head and expression, Super outline and topline, good bone and feet , very good coat, movement is sound, very good and she carries herself beautifully on the move. Another one who gained a well deserve veteran appreciation applause from the ringside and again, quite rightly so. I was very pleased to hear she was placed 3rd in the Veteran Group also, well done.

Minor Puppy Bitch (3)

1. Bedford’s Lyske V H Hoogveen. 8 month old Brown. She has a pleasing expression, coat is coming along well. Very good feet and moves freely. 

2. Rennison & Parson’s Aukaya Forever Beyond the Black (imp Fra). Landseer 6 months. Promising puppy, compact body, very much a puppy, lively and enjoying her time in the ring. 

Puppy ( 1)

1. Nixon & Patterson’s Faithful Acres It’s a magical time at Wilderland (imp USA). 10 months old black. Good strong skull and muzzle. Compact body, good spring of rib and well ribbed back. She has good bone and feet. Very good double coat. Moved well with reach and drive, has characteristic slight roll and slightly toes in slightly coming towards you.

Junior Bitch (1)

1. Butt’s You are the the reason de Jacshiva (imp ESP). 14 months old black. Very good head type with correct bite. She has a very good outline with level topline. Correct double coat with slight oily feel, well turned stifle which she used to drive and moved well.

Graduate Bitch (1)

1. Rennison’s Oukaya Forever Asteria of Kizmet to Zaniah (imp Fra). 18 month old Landseer. Lovely expression with dark eyes and very good scissor bite. She has a very good outline with level topline. Good turn of stifle which she uses to give good drive from the rear. Her front movement is a bit erratic, hopefully this will tighten and improve. Overall she is a very nice youngster.

Post Graduate bitch (2)

1. Stanton’s Chanel Legenda Mody iz Zamka Melvin (imp Bel). 2 year old Black. She has a very good skull & muzzle, medium brown eye and very good scissor bite. Outline is pleasing and she has a level topline. Good coat and substantial body. She moved well with characteristic slight roll and slight toeing in coming towards you. 

2. Hosie’s Shadowrise Smash n Grab JW. 21 months old. She is a very nice bitch overall, has pleasing outline and is balanced. Today she is very out of coat which was deciding factor in placements.

Limit Bitch (3)

1. Hosie’s Shadowrise Wild Fire. 3 years old brown. Very good breed type with correct outline, level topline & good bone throughout. She has correct feet and moved very well. Again, she is very out of coat but in this class her overall quality won.

2. Hietschold’s Davistell Babee Love at Christhelkate. . 3 ½ years bitch. She is very nice overall, has lovely dark eye, very good coat, moved ok. I would prefer her mouth pigment to be darker as the pink really stands out on a black dog. 

Open Bitch (10)

1. McDonald’s Ch. Sandbears Dreams and Wishes. 2 year old black. Great type. She has a very good head type and very pleaseing expression. Lovely pleasing outline with great topline. Body is substantial and coat is in excellent condition. Moved soundly. Pleased to award her the BCC.

2. 2. Mills’ Ch.Oialt Black with a Icy three JW. Almost 4 years old. Another lovely bitch who has great type and outline. Good expression, her coat is very good and in excellent condition and she moved very well. Res BCC

Good Citizen Bitch (1) absent