City Of Birmingham Canine Association

CITY OF BIRMINGHAM CHAMPIONSHIP SHOW 6TH September 2026

Judge : Graham Cruse (Australia)

JAPANESE SHIBA INU

Thank you everyone for the wonderful entry of 58 in a breed I absolutely love judging. It has been many years since I last judged Shiba’s in the UK, so I was really looking forward to it and had a brilliant day judging. My main priority when judging this breed is type. I feel without the ‘oriental’ expression… which consists of obliquely set almond eyes, ears slightly inclining forward over eyes & well filled cheeks you lose the Shiba type. I was happy to find this in most of my main winners.   

 I always strive to find the positives in my critiques, however I also feel one should mention the faults as well as the virtues as every dog has a fault, I usually depict this as things I would prefer and as to why I placed one dog over another.

Veteran Dog (4)

1. Bryans’ Ch. Shiomaru Raionat Marilouvale. 7 year old Red. He has a very good head & expression. Correct obliquely set eyes, ears correctly inclining forward over eyes. Holds a good shape in outline with a level topline. Moved very well with moderate stride. 

2. Jackson & Wright’s Akai Hana A’Hikeru Black Tekehiro. 9 years old, a very nice male with lovely outline and shape. He was very animated and moved very well, his coat and body are in great condition. I would prefer a more oblique set eye to give him a more typical expression.

3. Ellershaw & Cliff’s Ch. Shiomaru Escape to the stars at Galvikki.

Puppy dog (2)

1. Dunill-Hall’s Vormund Ezo No Shogun. 10 months old Black & Tan with a great outline and shape. Excellent earset… carried over the eyes, good body, very alert and animated, quick and energetic on the move. I would prefer more of an almond oblique set eye, but nevertheless he is a lovely young male.    

Junior Dog (1)

1. Stanley & Dunhill-Hall’s Vormund Power of Ten. 16 month old Black & Tan. He has good length of leg, level topline, very good tailset. Movement was ok, ears slightly wide set and I would prefer a more almond eye shape.

Post Graduate Dog (2)

1. Greenwood’s Jarshima Baz’s Bear. 3 ½ years old. He has a good head and skull, earset and carriage are good, he moved ok…. is very lively and energetic. I would prefer him to have more of an almond eye shape.

Limit Dog (8)

1st and 2nd was a close decision as they are two lovely dogs. The winner was in full coat today which was the deciding factor.

1. Wright’s Black Matrix Di Poggio Petroio to Sealandair (imp Ita). Very good head type with super eyes & expression & correct bite. Earset correctly slightly inclining over the eyes. In great condition throughout with very well balanced body. Good level topline & tailset. Moved well with quick, light energetic stride. Res DCC

2. Dunhill-Hall’s Vormund Ken Kanekii. Lovely 2 year old male, super head & expression. Has a very good body and outline, moved very well… brisk and true. Not in full coat today which was a decider in the class winner.

3. Bryans’ Marilouvale Fool me once.

Open Dog (8)

1. Dunhill-Hall’s Vormund Xmas Bonus. 5 year old Red. He has a super head type and correct expression. Super obliquely set, dark almond eyes, good earset and carriage, correct front, level topline, very good tailset. He is in full coat and has a dense harsh coat texture and an excellent intense red colour. Moderately angulated, he moves with a brisk light energetic stride. DCC.

2. Bryans’ Marilouvale Black Raven. 5 years old. Very nice Black & Tan male. Very masculine head and expression with a strong muzzle. He is very stylish looking, moved well, for preference I would prefer a slightly higher earset. 

3. Law’s Tapena Go Giyu Shin.

Good Citizen Dog (1) absent      

  Special Beginners Bitch (2)

1. Watson & Bryan’s Tinaka Du Bois de Compiegne at Marilouvale (imp Fra). 4 year old, nicely balanced, has a very good head type and expression with dark almond eyes that are obliquely set. Very good earset & carriage, light quick and energetic on the move. Quite out of coat today.

2. Mackenzie’s Vormund to the moon n back. 2 years old. Has good dark eyes, level topline and very good tailset. Head and expression not as typy as the winner. Very well handled.

Veteran Bitch (3)

1. Jones’ Vormund Black Widow. 8 years old black and tan. Very feminine bitch. She has a good dark eye which I would prefer to be more almond in shape. Correct scissor bite. She is in great condition for her age. Quick and energetic on the move.

2. Mothersdale’s Amivike’s Super Minx ShCM. 12 years old Red Sesame. She has a very good head and expression, very much showing her age on the move.

3. Best-Rawling’s Trixwood goldeneye VW.

Puppy Bitch (3)

1. Dunhill-Hall’s Vormund Ezo No shogun. 6.5 months old, beautiful puppy, has a great outline and balance. Super head and expression with dark obliquely set eyes. Very good earset and carriage. Good tailset, good intense Red colour coat with harsh texture coming along nicely. Loved her typical Shiba attitude. Should have a great future.

2. Bryans’ Marilouvale Here We Go Again. Black and Tan, 11 months old. Very nice puppy with a very good head, dark eye. I would prefer slightly higher set ears to give her a better expression. Good mover. 

Junior Bitch (5)

1. Dunhill-Hall’s Vormund Saigo No Uta. 13 months old Black and Tan. She has good dark eyes, more oval than almond in shape and I would prefer them more obliquely set. She has a good earset and moved quick and energetically. The best outline and shape of the class.

2. Jackson’s Lacsar Don’t nutella Soul (IKC). 15 months old. Well filled in body with good topline. Slightly longer in body, she moved very well. I would prefer eye to be more almond in shape and more obliquely set.

3. Best-Rawlings’ Trixwood Golden Assahi.

Post Graduate Bitch (6)

1. Stanley’s Vormund Dorian Grey. 19 months old Red. She has a very good head and expression with dark almond eyes, obliquely set. Lovely body and outline with good topline and tailset. Mover very well with moderate energetic stride.

2. Greenwood’s JarshimarMyer Watashi. 3 ½ years old red. She has a good head, expression is ok. Correct bite. Great level topline, moved well. Not in full coat today.     

3. Brennan’s Kaytoni Who’s That Girl.

Limit Bitch (9)

1. Greenwood’s Amivike’s Dezigned For Jarshimar. Black and Tan 6 years old. Won this class on her type, balance, outline & movement. Has a very good head and expression, good level topline. I would prefer her tan to be more defined but had to win the class on her type, balance, outline & movement.

2. Mothersdale’s Amivike’s Cos I am special too. Red Sesame 6 ½ years old. Has a lovely head and expression, slightly longer in body than the winner. Coat is in very good condition, has a good tailset and carriage. Moved well.

3. Knipe’s Rahima I’m Seren At Xenora.

Open Bitch (8)

1. Dunhill-Hall’s Vormund Vivienne Westwood. 4 ½ years old Red. She has a very typical head and expression with super dark eyes that are obliquely set. Great earset and carriage which she combines well with her eyes to create that desired typical Shiba Expression. Very good outline and balance, good size and shape, well bodied, excellent intense Red colour. Moved light and quick. Lovely bitch. CC & BOB…. I was Very delighted to watch her win Group 3 in an excellent quality Utility Group. Well done.

2. Bryans’ Marilouvale Break The Bank. 2 years old Red Sesame. Another lovely bitch with a great outline and shape. Good head and expression. Not quite as lively and animated as the winner. Res BCC.

3. Jackson’s Lacsar You Can’t Stop.

Good Citizen Bitch (1)

1. Mackenzie’s Vormund to the moon n back. 2 years old. Has good dark eyes, level topline and very good tailset. Head and expression not as typy as the winner. Very well handled.