Suffolk Kennel Association

Suffolk Kennel Association

2nd August 2026

Critique

Thank you to the committee for inviting me to judge at your show and to my stewards for their support. It was a very warm day which some dogs struggled with, and the rings could have been bigger for some of the larger breeds I judged however was a really lovely show to be at. I was delighted to see My Whippet Puppy Hound group winner take Best puppy in Show and my Rhodesian Ridgeback Veteran take Reserve Best Veteran in show. Congratulations to their owners. 

Border Collie:

Puppy (1 entry)

1st. Dalby’s Story Rex Heritage Guess for Axernamoon (Imp Ita). Feminine 7 month old black and white with lovely head and expression and balanced muzzle to skull proportions and good ears. Nice neck going into a good enough front and good feet. Still quite narrow in chest where she needs to drop in, and hindquarters need to strengthen but overall balanced and moved well for her age. Best Puppy

Special Yearling (2 entries, 1 absent)

1st. Dalby’s Story Rex Heritage Guess for Axernamoon (Imp Ita)

Open (2 entries)

1st. Gadenne Ratcliffe and Green’s Arrodare No Matter What. Quality 5 year old black and white with beautiful head and expression, lovely muzzle to skull proportions and a super eye shape and ears. Nice strong neck going into an excellent front with super feet and well sprung ribs. Excellent topline with balanced hindquarters and sound easy typical movement. In excellent coat and condition. Best of breed and delighted to see her take Group 2.

2nd. Dalby’s Taytinja Speeed of Light over Axernamoon JW. Promising 23 month old black and white bitch of nice breed type with a good head and eye shape. Not quite the front of the winner and probably still has some maturing to do in chest. Very good feet and a good spring of rib with well angulated hindquarters and a good coat and topline. Moved well. Reserve best of breed.

Lhasa Apso:

Special Yearling (2 entries)

1st. Chamber’s Valento Enigma Code. Very promising 15 month old with super head and expression. Excellent front with good forechest and good spring of rib for age. Very good feet with good length of body and balanced well angulated hindquarters giving excellent drive on the move. Lovely topline and super coat coming through. 

2nd. Crummey’s Deelayne Dancing in the Dark. 13 month old, a touch shorter in muzzle but overall nice head and expression. Anotehr very good front although would like a touch more length in body. Strong hindquarters and a super mover, coat coming through nicely. Winner had the edge on maturity in this class. 

Open (2 entries)

1st. Free’s Kalizmar Million Moons over Marpori. Mature bitch with excellent head and expression, with a good strong neck going into a excellent front. Well sprung ribs of good length and balanced well angulated hindquarters. Super topline and coat texture and lovely jaunty mover. If I could be critical, she’s a touch bigger than I’d like for a bitch but in today’s entry was best of breed on overall breed type, movement and maturity. 

2nd. Hill-Lonergan and Duff’s Jodak’s Party All Night with Barnlou. Another very nice bitch with good head and expression but not quite the front of the winner. Well sprung ribs and very good hindquarters holding her topline well on the move. Coat just a touch softer than the winner but overall, a quality bitch. Reserve best of breed. 

Tibetan Spaniel:

Limit (2 entries)

1st. Brandrick’s Gianni Itspetticoattayles among Lillinca. 2 year old bitch with lovely head, good strong muzzle and chin and nice eye shape and skull. Good neck going into a good front with nice hare feet. Well sprung rib with strong loin and nicely set tail. Better hindquarters of the two in this class and most together on the move, a touch out of coat today however. 

2nd. Neale’s Saxtead Toot Sweet at Timarnea. 4 year old bitch with lovely head and expression and well set ears. Not quite as together on the move as the winner, struggling a bit in the warm weather, however, has a good topline and lovely coat texture.

Open (3 entries)

1st. Brandrick’s Lillinca Bees Bliss. 5 year old who was most together on the move in this class. Good head with nice eye shape and good chin. Excellent neck going into a very good front and good feet. Nice spring of ribs with balanced hindquarters and well set tail. Lovely coat texture and presented in good condition. Sound and easy movement. Happy to award best of breed in today’s entry. 

2nd. Collett’s Velrok Ringing Gold JW. 4 year old male who was struggling a bit in the warm weather. Suuper head and expression with a very good neck and front. Well sprung ribs of good length and good hindquarters and nice tail. Not as strong on the move as the winner. 

3rd. Thornley-Taylor’s Saxstead Moonlight Shadow

Deerhound:

A difficult entry to judge with results more reflecting which dog could manage moving in a small ring!

Limit (3 entries)

1st. Rose’s Hyndsight Better Believe It. 23 month male with dignified masculine head and flat skull, aquiline nose and lovely dark eye. Strong neck going into well laid shoulders with balanced return of upper arm and good bone and feet. Lovely deep chest with arched loin and strong drooping back end. Balanced well muscled hindquarters and super coat texture. Although the tallest hound entered, seemed to manage the small ring better than the rest of the entry. Best of breed. 

2nd. Spring-Arnold’s Hyndsight Changes. 2 year old bitch with super feminine head, lovely eye shape and good flat skull with strong muzzle. Very good front with well laid shoulders although feet a touch long. Good depth of chest with lovely rise over the loin and strong hindquarters. Excellent coat texture and condition. Not as positive on the move as the winner. 

3rd. Girling’s Chuilinn Flare

Open (1 entry)

1st. Shannon’s Packway Downlander at Erewhon6 year old male with super masculine head, lovely eye shape and good strong underjaw, nice flat skull and good ears. Strong neck going into well laid shoulders with balanced return of upper arm and good bone and feet. Chest of good depth with supe coat texture and gentle rise over the loin. Balanced hindquarters and moved as well as he could however would benefit from a bigger ring. Close decision between him and the limit winner but had to settle for Reserve Best of breed today. 

AVNSC Hound

Puppy (3 entries, 2 absent)

1st. Vaughan’s Clanwillow Goddess of Love Odinschild (Basset Hound). Promising Tri colour Basset Hound bitch with a good head, parallel head plance and substantial flews. Well set ears of good length and curl and a strong neck going into a good front for her age. Super bone and feet and well sprung ribs of good length. Well angulated hindquarters and good stern with smooth gait, especially in profile. A puppy with plenty to like. Best AVNSC Puppy and Puppy Group 3. 

Special Yearling (1 entry)

1st. McClean’s Lauralee Dreams of Magic at Stookewood (Basset Hound) Quality Orange and White 15 month old bitch with super breed type. Love her head and expression with clean lozenge shaped eye, balanced parallel head planes and good depth of skull with super ears. Strong neck going into an excellent front with super bone and feet and excellent sternum. Well sprung rribs of good length with atrong loin and balanced hindquarters and an excellent stern. Super topline which she held when she moved correctly and got her nose up. Really lovely Basset who just lost out to the Ridgeback today on movement. Reserve Best AVNSC.

Limit (5 entries, 3 absent)

1st. McClean’s Switherland Gabriella at Stookewood (Basset Hound). Another Basset bitch of good type with super head and eye hsape and well set ears of good length and curl. Strong neck going into well laid shoudelrs with excellent return of upper arm and lovely large feet. Good sternum and well sprung ribs of good length with balanced hindquarters. Moved well enough to win the class. 

2nd. Edwards-Everett and Edwards’ Emeraldax Naked Kiss (Mini Long Dachshund). Nice head shape although a touch rounder in eye and would like a stronger neck. Good shoulders with nice tight elbows and good feet. Good length of rib with strong balanced loin and enough ground clearance. Good coat texture and moved well being sound on up and back. 

Open (2 entries, 1 absent)

1st. Cox, Cox and Musgrave’s Carlincox Don’t Knock It JW (Rhodesian Ridgeback). Quality Ridgeback who I have previously awarded a Hound Group to. Beautiful balanced feminine head with super eye shape and expression and strong underjaw., Excellent length of neck going into well laid shoulders with balanced return of upper arm and super bone and feet. Well sprung ribs of excellent depth with strong loin and balanced well-muscled hindquarters. Lovely coat and colour and good ridge. Super free mover who probably would benefit from a bigger ring. Best AVNSC Hound. Not so positive in the group, possibly struggling with the warm weather, however delighted to award her Group 4 on this occasion. 

AV Imported Breed Register Hound

Special Yearling (1 entry)

1st. Whitlam and Barber’s Cunninghams Buena Vista at Pokitaru (Black and Tan Coonhound). 14 month old Coonhound of super breed type with excellent head and expression, good flews and nice underjaw. Nice dark ears and low set ears of good length. Strong neck going into a very good front with good bone and feet. Well sprung ribs with good depth of chest for age and strong loin. Balanced hindquarters and good tail, carried well on the move. Lovely easy mover in the class with good reach and drive, let himself down in the group as I was sure he would get a place, but still a young hound and one with plenty of promise. Best AV Imported Breed Register Hound. 

AV Hound

Puppy (4 entries, 2 absent)

1st. Wilton-Clark’s Shalfleet Saros (Whippet). 6 month old whippet male who was most together on the move of the two in this class. Love his head and expression with super eye shape and lovely flat skull and rose ears. Lovely length of neck going into well laid shoulders with good return of upper arm and excellent feet. Good depth of chest of age with good tuck up. A bit more angulation at the rear than I prefer but moved well with good reach in front. 

2nd. Vaughan’s Clanwillow Goddess of Love Odinschild (Basset Hound)

Limit (3 entries, 1 absent)

1st. Edwards-Everett and Edwards’ Emeraldax Naked Kiss (Mini Long Dachshund)

2nd. Ward Blower’s Dajean Surely Keifer at Willowmist (Mini Wire Dachshund). Chocolate Mini Wire who has a nice head and eye shape and good length of neck. Elbows could be tighter however feet are good. Nice topline and good ground clearance however hindquarters could be stronger. Moved OK. 

Open (3 entries, 2 absent)

1st. Ward Blower’s Dajean Surely Keifer at Willowmist (Mini Wire Dachshund)

AV Hound Veteran (5 entries, 1 absent)

1st. Cox, Cox, and Musgrave’s Ch Carlincox Pure Gold JW ShCEx OSW (Rhodeisan Ridgeback) Quality 7-year-old Rhodesian Ridgeback and one I remember judging as a youngster!! Super breed type with lovely head and expression, Strong neck going into an excellent front and super bone and feet. Well sprung rib with strong loin and well-muscled hindquarters and in super coat and condition. Could out move most of the youngsters today being very sound and free and easy in profile. A quality example of the breed and delighted to award her best Hound Veteran and see that she went Reserve Best Veteran in Show. 

2nd. Skerritt and Bett’s Monkham Memphis Belle (Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen). Petit bitch of super breed type with lovely head and expression, strong muzzle with balanced skull and good stop and nice ears. Excellent neck going into well laid shoulders and good feet. Well sprung ribs with nice compact loin and balanced hindquarters. Lovely coat texture and one who moved well. 

3rd. Richardson and Wood’s Woodella Purple Haze over Cooperland ShCM VW

Hound Group

Group 1: Wilton Clarke’s Shalfleet Gabrielle (Whippet). Beautiful Whippet puppy bitch with feminine head, super eye shape and lovely skull and underjaw. Elegant neck going into well laid shoulders with balanced return of upper arm and excellent feet. Lovely depth of chest for age with super curves, elegant top and underlines and balanced moderate hindquarters. Lovely daisy cutting typical action, free and sound in all directions. A quality whippet puppy who I was delighted to award the adult and puppy groups to, and one who has a promising future I am sure. She went on to take Best Puppy in Show. 

Group 2: Skerritt and Betts Beaujons Vagabond of Monkhams ShCEx VW (Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen) On the other end of the age scale to the winner, 8 year old Petit who is an old favourite of mine having done him well several times in the past. Super breed type with excellent head and expression, super front and feet and lovely sternum and well sprung ribs. Nice compact body overall, strong hindquarters and a lovely sound mover. 

Group 3: Rushforth’s Campionfield Scrumptious (Beagle). Beagle with lovely breed type, super head and kind expression with good stop and nice ears. Strong neck going into an excellent front with good bone and feet. Well spring ribs of good depth and compact loin with strong balanced hindquarters and good tail. Lovely typical mover. 

Group 4: Cox, Cox and Musgrave’s Carlincox Don’t Knock It JW (Rhodesian Ridgeback)

Puppy Group

Group 1: Wilton Clarke’s Shalfleet Gabrielle (Whippet)

Group 2: Vaughan’s Clanwillow Goddess of Love Odinschild (Basset Hound)

Group 3: Rushforth’s Campionfield Limelight (Beagle). Promising beagle puppy who was by far the baby in this trio. Lovely head and expression with overall good construction and moved well. Showing plenty of promise and just needs time. 

David Knights (Lelaps)