North West Border Collie Club

My thanks to the committee for the invite to judge this wonderfully welcoming informal show. A great venue, good northern hospitality and very well supported by the exhibitors. Absolutely loved my day. In general, I found the bitches to be of better depth and breadth of quality and could easily have given a few top honours. 

Minor Puppy Dog (2,0) A class of 2 litter brothers with many shared attributes. Both were rather unsettled on the move, much preferring everything going on outside the ring as opposed to inside. Little doubt with time and training, they will settle. 

1st Bryning Highland Scout - 7 mth rangey blue/white male, tall and needing time to fill his frame. Correctly shaped and placed eye, decent stop, nose pigment was definite slate. Neck of good length and level topline. On the move his back end was trying to overtake his front but completely forgivable at this age. He was sound. 

2nd Bryning The Pretender - Litter brother to 1st and smaller in stature. I preferred his overall outline and proportions at this stage. His eye was slightly rounder, but his overall head and expression was more together. On the move however he was not as sound as his litter mate in the rear and so had to give way. 

Puppy Dog (3,0) 

1st Caleykiz Ignite the Passion - 9mth male. Coloured to advantage, and good visual profile. To go over his head was correctly proportioned, well placed ear, correct size and used to advantage. A keen eye always on the watch. Excellent neck and shoulder placement, he needs a little more width to his chest which will no doubt come in time, and I feel this will enable his frame to drop into place. Profile movement coming on nicely - once maturity kicks in and his front balances up with his rear, he’ll be interesting to watch. BPIS

2nd Piece of Happiness Tornado at Petalnote (Imp Hun)  - 14mth sweet looking boy. Skull to muzzle correctly proportioned, ears correctly sized but set a little too far apart for me, preferred the expression of 1st. Slightly lighter in frame but perfectly permissible. On the move he was sound, front pasterns are currently a little loose. Moved gently and evenly.

3rd Bryning The Pretender

Junior Dog (1,0)

1st Piece of Happiness Tornado at Petalnote (Imp Hun) 

Yearling Dog (2,1)

1st Etherial Diamond Lakes (Imp Aus AI) - 23mth all male. Correct head dimension and proportion with good stop. Attentive watchful dark oval eye – very knowing. Liked his expression. Balanced in fore/aft angulation, gentle croup and he has a good long well furnished tail. Would prefer a touch more length to his neck. Gentle mover. 

Novice Dog (2,1)

1st Piece of Happiness Tornado at Petalnote (Imp Hun)

Graduate Dog (2,2)

Post Graduate Dog (4,2)

1st Blackgold Basil - 2yrs and maturing nicely. Balanced clean head profile with a decent stop and blunt muzzle. Broad skull with wide set ears. Correct eye shape. Steady away on the move he held his topline at all times. Decent forward reach, would prefer a tad more angulation to the rear to balance him up. Decent length to tail with correct set and carriage. 

2nd Locheil Written in the Stars JW - A very happy smiley lad! Bigger all through than 1st but in proportion. Expressive ear carriage and couldn’t take his eyes off mum. On the move he had forward reach but his topline fell away, would prefer a touch firmer. 

Limit Dog (2,0)

1st Amkamel Half Blood Prince JW - 3.5 yr male. Presented a good overall outline with nothing visibly out of place. He was balanced in angulation throughout, head of parallel planes with correct proportion. Beautiful dark well placed eye, ideally I would prefer a slightly blunter stop to complete the picture. Very measured on the move and showed his balance to fortune. Flicking his front feet slightly but still with the required reach and dropping his head to give the profile I was looking for. Best Dog. Congratulations. 

2nd Art of Blossom Drowned in Emotion to Borderbrook JW (Imp Esp) - Lots to like about this lad. His head was a picture for me. A wonderful eye in every way with superb fill without excess, complemented by a good strong muzzle, decent stop and broad skull. On the move unfortunately his rear was catching up with his fore so didn’t demonstrate the overall balance of 1st therefore had to give way. RBD

Open Dog (1,1)

Veteran Dog (0,0)

Minor Puppy Bitch (2,) Two fabulous little girls. Was pleased to meet them both. 

1st Blackgold Autumnal Mist - 6mths and her first time out. Always an honour and a treat. Sweetest of heads – still to settle in and with a pretty expression. Currently a level topline and balanced in her angulations, holding a gentle croup, correct tailset and with good length. Movement currently erratic but this can be remedied. Her and her handler need time and training but all the ingredients are there. 

2nd Wenmap Special Arrival - My notes say lots to like on this one – loosely translated – I had a problem to split them! She stood on the best of feet which is a highlight of mine. Larger head than 1st and not currently wholly in balance with her body but this will remedy as she bodies up. Level topline and again a little erratic on the move with her rear overtaking her front at times, but things come to those who wait. No doubt these will change places on other days. 

Puppy Bitch (3,0)

1st Borderbrook Special Dream - 9.5 mth bitch with a substantial head for age, yet still retaining her femininity. Good under hand she had required skull to foreface dimensions with distinct stop. Ears wide set and expressively tipped. Good length to neck and decent shoulder placement, on the stand her topline appears to rise at rear but this is profuse coat – for which there was plenty and of good texture. Her movement was steady and balanced and she covered the ground well, but she did have a tendency to be proud of her tail

2nd Blackgold Autumnal Mist

3rd Wenmap Special Arrival

Junior Bitch (4,0)

1st Thwaitlake Everything I Do - One I have judged recently and was very pleased to meet again. Now at 15 mths, her outline is outstanding. Completely in balance and not a hair out of place. Head was good to handle, beautiful correctly set eye, broad skull, blunt muzzle and balanced by a decent stop. Expressive ear of medium size, tipped and expressive. Decent length of neck, excellent shoulder placement and balanced angulation all through. Wonderful tail. This bitch goes up a gear on the move and I could watch all day. Minimum lift of feet and covers the ground with ease. RBB and RBIS. 

2nd Windwalker Aurora - 15mth blue merle bitch of a more classic fashion breed type to 1st. In balance throughout I loved her neck and body shape and a good return of upper arm. Her head was more refined than first but still with balance to backskull and tapering to muzzle. Closer coated than 1st and with a good texture. 

3rd Bryning Psychedelic Kisses JW

Yearling Bitch (0,0)

Novice Bitch (0,0)

Graduate Bitch (2,0)

1st Chikaramor Carry On - 4yr pretty bitch who was attractively marked with eye catching speckling on her front legs. Stood a lovely balanced outline, and of good proportion. Decent neck and on the go over, balanced angulation with a decent return of upper arm. She was out of coat but this just showed her conformation to fortune. However on the move she was exceptionally reserved due to not liking her surroundings which was a shame and did not demonstrate what I had then expected to see. Was pleased to see she had settled a little in a later class. 

2nd Borderbrook Special Dream - 1st from PB. 

Post Graduate Bitch (4,0)

1st Borderbrook Final Destiny JW - 19mth bitch – in balance and proportion on the stand. Her head appeared a little too domed and with ears wide set it confused my eye, but my hands told me it was all coat and she had all I required. Attentive expression, good shape and colour eye, neck, level topline, gentle croup and good length and set to tail. Moved at a measured pace and her feet were wonderfully tight on decent pasterns. 

2nd Chikamor Carry On

3rd Starside Tina Turner 

Limit Bitch (6,0)

1st Tonkory Black Pearl with Thwaitlake - Well! What a pleasure. Rising 2 year bitch who I loved as soon as she stepped into the ring. A1 graceful outline profile and totally balanced. On the go over she had the sweetest head, bluntest stop without coarseness, required skull/ muzzle ratios, low break to well set ear, and I loved her gently tapering feminine muzzle with strong jaw. In the challenge for BB, it was this point that gave her the edge over the younger bitch plus edging a bit of maturity. Poker straight topline, excellent angulation and with a good return of upper arm allowing that extension to come through. Gentle croup and well set tail completed her picture. Parallel movement coming toward and away, she was sympathetically handled to get the very best from her on the day. BIS. Congratulations.  

2nd Borderbrook Princess Raya at Ravencrag JW - 3.5yr more substantial bitch than 1st with much to like. Balanced in her head, correct eye she had a slightly gentler stop than 1st. Moderate length of neck sitting on balanced moderate angulations. Level topline and very together on the move. My notes say I liked her, I just loved 1st. Unlucky to meet today. 

3rd Kinaway A Million Dreams AI

Open Bitch (4,0) - 1st Caleykiz Passion for Power - 3yr althetic bitch in appearance and stature who just couldn’t wait to get going. Best muscle of the day without doubt. Sleek in head – still with balance and relevant proportions. Knowing eye that just wanted to get on with the job in hand. Strong neck, balanced in her angulation, firm topline, her hander sets her going and she simply drops he head and goes into measured overdrive. Decent forward reach, evident musclepower from the rear and with minimum lift of feet. Very well named. 

2nd Borderbrook Winter Sunset JW ShCEX OSW - 5yr old big sister to my PG winner and with many similar attributes including her headpiece which needed hands on to fully appreciate. Balanced in her angulation I would prefer a touch more in her rear and return of upper arm, but she retained the much needed balance this breed calls for. Easy mover. 

3rd Kirkwind Tri Trinity

Veteran Bitch (4,0)

1st Caleykiz Hey There Delilah - 7yr feminine athletic bitch in super condition. Mother to winner of OB and it was evident. Standing on wonderful neat oval feet with a jet black head with subtle marking, she is starting to gain a milk mouth which added to her visual appeal. Correct head for her build, expressive eye and ear. She excelled on the move, dropped her head and showed her correct angulation to full advantage. Minimum lift of feet. Astonishing to think a veteran. BVIS. 

2nd Tambuzi True Colours to Amkamel - Another 7 yr bitch. My notes say ‘mother to BD with his head but in bitch form! She is substantial in comparison to the athleticism to 1st but is all in proportion and not overdone. Angulations are a shade slighter than 1st and all in balance. Level topline and she was gentle and steady on the move. 

3rd Harbecca Noahs Gift

Brace (5,1)

1st Buckley. Mother and Son (my BD) duo. Very much the same type as my individual critiques have suggested. Matched each other stride for stride and complemented each other well.

2nd Garside and Davies. A duo of sisters who again, complimented each other for type and did move together, but not quite the harmony of 1st. 

3rd Kempton

Louise Bermingham