Thame & Oxfordshire County Canine Society

Thank you so much to the officers and committee for their kind invitation to judge at their show and for their hospitality on the day, and to the exhibitors for their support. I had some lovely dogs to choose from. 

Leonberger

SY: (3,0) 1st Presswell’s Expressive Giorgia Grande Leonis at Aslanbek, 18-month-old red bitch, who appealed for overall proportions and balance throughout. Strong head with a skull of good shape, strong muzzle of equal length, nice eye and well-set ears. Good neck flowing into a lovely outline, with the good front with good bone, deep chest and a well sprung rib. A little stubborn on the move today but once going, she was sound and balanced with a good length of stride. Best of Breed and shortlisted in the Group. 

2nd Glover’s Debbollinby Craftsman, 13-month-old red dog, younger than the winner and still maturing. Nice head with skull of good width and good eye giving a good expression. Strong neck of good length flowing into good length of back with chest developing nicely. Not quite the length of stride or return of upper arm of the winner, and he was a bit loose going away.

3rd Glover & Dowthwaite’s Debbollinby Comedy Queen 

L: (1) Presswell’s Cleon Sweetkins Dogenius at Aslanbek, 4-year-old red bitch. Strong head, with skull of good shape and width and good width of muzzle. Lovely eye and expression. Good neck and a nice front although I would prefer a touch more length of leg and she was a bit high in the rear. Well angulated rear and balanced on the move. Reserve Best of Breed

Belgian Shepherd Dog (Groenendael) 

P: (1) 1st Bowe’s Xanova Kalevi among Ekusen, promising 6-month-old black dog with a lovely square outline. Promising wedge head, although the skull needs time to flatten, with an eye of good shape and well-set ears. Good neck and lovely return of upper arm, good topline and back with good depth of chest and a well angulated rear. Good length of stride, but I’d like to see him move out more freely. Pleased to award him Best Puppy and Reserve Best of Breed.

O: (1) 1st Fowler’s Toptune Angeleyes, 5-year-old black bitch with lots to like. Nice wedge head, clean and well chiselled under the eye, with a lovely eye and well-set ears. Medium length of neck with well laid shoulder and good return of upper arm, level back and good depth of chest giving a square outline. Long tail and well-balanced hindquarters, with good bone and feet. Once she got into her stride she was balanced and moved briskly, just a touch close behind going away. Pleased to award her Best of Breed.

Belgian Shepherd Dog (Tervueren)

SY: (1,1)

O: (1) 1st Elliott & Brown’s Sezanne Afire Love, 4-year-old red dog with a square outline. Clean head, although I’d prefer a cleaner stop. Nice eye and high set ears giving a very alert expression. A touch shorter in neck. Well laid shoulder and moderate return of upper arm, good topline and depth of chest with well angulated rear with short rear pasterns. Moved well with a brisk stride. Best of Breed

Old English Sheepdog 

P: (2,1) 1st Palmer’s Hazyland Girl of Ice and Fire, 11-month-old blue, grey & white bitch. Square skull with good stop and a strong muzzle, good bite and good pigmentation. Enough neck, level back, good width of rib and depth of chest. Well laid shoulder and good return of upper arm, just a touch short. Well angulated rear and well-set tail. Balanced on the move, just a touch close behind going away. In good coat of correct texture, which was well presented. Best Puppy, and I was pleased to watch her placed 4th in the Puppy Group later.

SY: (2,1) 1st Wilkinson’s Kalaju King of Dreams, 15-month-old blue, grey & white dog. Good head proportions with a strong muzzle and good bite, nice eye and well-set ears. Good width and depth of chest with plenty of substance. A touch shorter in neck and I would prefer a touch more length of upper arm. Well angulated behind and plenty of drive on the move, but I’d prefer more length of stride.

L: (1,1)

O: (4,1) 1st Naismith’s Shaggybo Mineral Mist JW, 2-year-old blue, grey & white dog, an impressive male of good size. Super head, square with a strong muzzle and good stop, and eyes of good size and colour. Good, square outline with a good neck, lovely front and rear angulation, slight rise over the loin and a super chest. He really strode out with reach and drive. In full coat which was beautifully presented. Pleased to award him Best of Breed.

2nd Castle’s Molyneux Just You Wait, 2-year-old blue, grey & white bitch, a lovely feminine girl. Good head proportions, good bite and eye. Good front and rear angulation. Just a touch longer in back than the winner. Moved with reach and drive. Reserve Best of Breed.

3rd Adams’ Makaylen Majestic Lady

Samoyed

P: (1,1)

SY: (2,1) 1st King & Jennings’ Original Beauty Lady Orleansnow JW (Imp Cze), 21-month-old white bitch, a very pretty girl with lots to like. Lovely wedge head with broad skull and muzzle of good length. Lovely almond eye set correctly and wide ser ears giving an alert expression. Moderate angulation front and rear with well bent stifle. Good depth of chest and spring of rib, with level topline and high set tail although I would prefer a touch more length of leg. Moved and showed well. Best of Breed and pleased to watch her placed Group 3 later

O: (2,2)

Swedish Vallhund

P: (1) 1st Ring’s Danga's Tindra Gimlidotter at Forvana, 8-month-old grey bitch, a promising pup who is nicely proportioned. Wedge head of good size and shape with super eye and well-set ears of good size. Good, level topline and good depth of chest. Well angulated front and rear although I’d prefer a touch more bone and she is a bit wide in front. Balanced on the move. Best Puppy.

L: (1) 1st Day & Lampen & Wilson’s Vallhollow Born in The Usa St for Rosco (Imp Usa), 2-year-old grey sable dog, very masculine and well built. Strong wedge head, quite broad in skull, but in balance with a square muzzle and well-defined stop. Lovely eye and keen expression, although I’d prefer the ears a touch bigger. Good length of neck with well laid shoulder and good upper arm, with good bone and feet. Moved with purpose. Reserve Best of Breed.

O: (2) 1st Jones’ Ch Tanellis Bloomin William, 8-year-old grey dog in super condition. Wedge head of good shape with near flat skull, muzzle of good length and width. Lovely dark eye and well-set ears giving a good expression. Lovely outline and well balanced throughout. Super front and rear, with legs wrapping round the chest as expected. Good rib and chest with a firm topline. Tail carried high. Moved very well with purpose. Pleased to award him Best of Breed and see him placed 4th in the Group.

2nd Barnes & King’s Ch Starvon Fame Awaits for Izlou JW. , 4-year-old grey sable bitch with lots to like. Lovely, feminine head of good shape and proportions and super eye. Good neck and outline and a well angulated rear, but finer than the winner and I preferred his front angulation.

A.V.N.S.C. Working 

O: (1) 1st Burgoine & Burgoine & Nicholas’ Ch Hallberd Finbar, 4-year-old brindle dog with an impressive outline. Strong head of good size and width of skull, not too much wrinkle and nothing exaggerated. Medium eye set well apart and with close fitting rims. Strong neck and well angulated front with good forechest. Strong pasterns and tight feet. Level topline and deep chest with well sprung rib. I’d have preferred more rear angulation to balance the front. Whilst standing alone, pleased to award Best of Breed.

A.V. Working

P: (12,6) 1st Harrison’s Zefather's Pretty Woman to Jasnettdanes, Great Dane, 11-month-old fawn bitch who is full of balance. Lovely head with good overall length and balance with a super eye and well-set ears of good size. So nicely built, with a super neck and topline, good depth of chest and well angulated front and rear which allows her to move effortlessly, covering the ground with ease

2nd Webb’s Shalissa's Chanel, Dobermann, ten-month-old black & tan bitch. Clean head with parallel planes with a lovely, well set almond eye and high set ears of good size. Lovely front and forechest, good slightly sloping topline and depth of chest and a well angulated rear. Lovely on the move. 

3rd Dumbarton’s Howlvalleys Cute Cookie, Siberian Husky

SY: (9,4) 1st Smith’s Oldeely Swiss Etziken Rubin Jew ’26 Jlw ’26, Portuguese Water Dog, 15-month-old black dog who was really impressive on the move. Flat skull and muzzle of almost equal length, with a super underjaw. Dark, round eye with an alert expression. Lovely outline with a good length of neck and almost square outline. Well angulated front and rear with a good chest and back.

2nd Sharp & Sharp & Goodall & Goodall’s Mianna Full Circle with Martifers, Dobermann, 14-month-old black & tan bitch. Feminine head with a lovely eye and expression and well filled foreface although I would prefer slightly less stop. Good topline, with a very a very gentle slope, and chest developing nicely. Moderate in angulation front and rear and balanced on the move.

3rd Daly’s Deltarott Lightnin Mcqueen, 

L: (2,1) 1st Billington’s Shalissa's Louis Vuitton avec Aquepins, Dobermann, 16-month-old black & tan dog. Masculine head and expression with flat skull and super eye. Super bone and body with a good length of neck and depth of chest. Well arched toes and moderate angulation front and rear. A bit of a handful today on the move, but he showed me enough to see balance.

V: (5,5)

A.V. Special Beginners Working 

SP: (4,2) 1st Daly’s Deltarott Lightnin Mcqueen, Rottweiller, 13-month-old black & tan dog of good size. Strong head with a broad skull showing moderate arch of forehead and muzzle of good length and depth. Good outline with chest developing nicely, strong, straight legs with good bone and feet. Well angulated hindquarters and well laid-back shoulder but I would prefer more return of upper arm. A bit of a handful today on the move, but when settled, moved with ease.

2nd Purdy & Simpson’s Waldershelf Drama Queen, Bernese Mountain Dog, 11-month-old black, white & tan bitch. Lovely head with a well-shaped skull of good width and strong muzzle and well-defined stop. Lovely eye of almond shape and tight-fitting eye rims. A little shorter in leg than I’d prefer and, like the winner, I would prefer more return of upper arm. Well angulated rear and well-set tail. Moved ok. Puppy Group 4

Working Group

This was my first time judging a Working Group and I had some lovely dogs for me to assess. In addition to the 4 placed, I shortlisted the Greenland Dog and the Leonberger. 

1st Partridge-Bebb’s Kaskae Show Me The Monet avec Keighanya ShCEx, Alaskan Malamute, 2-year-old grey & white dog. This boy caught my eye initially, he’s very balanced throughout with a lovely wedge head of good proportions and almond eye set correctly and well-set ears. I loved his overall outline with a good depth of chest whilst showing good length of leg, super angulation front and rear and a super, level topline which he held on the move. He moved effortlessly, whilst showing power from behind and it was this that won him top spot. Well done.

2nd Fogarty & Paisey & Ingram & Ingram & Lack’s Jojavik Shake to Fame, Dobermann, 20-month-old brown & tan dog. Pushing hard, this young boy who, standing presents a great picture. Wedge head of good length with a flat skull, clean slight stop and muzzle of equal length. Almond eye of good set and colour and neat ears set high gave him an alert and masculine expression. Super outline with neck of good length, well laid-back shoulder and super return of upper arm. Good depth of chest and prominent fore chest A gentle, straight slope to a high set tail and well angulated rear. Also impressed on the move, pleased to award Group 2

3rd Moore & James’s Starnewf Mr Dark Sky JW, Newfoundland, 2-year-old black dog. One I judged just over 12 months ago. Loved him then and still do. He is really maturing nicely with a super head of good size and shape. Beautifully built with a strong, level back and depth of chest. Well angulated front and rear, he is just effortless on the move. In great coat and condition. A worthy Group 3. 

4th Mardle & Barton’s Auldhelm Charmed One, Portuguese Water Dog, 4-year-old brown dog. Lovely head with a skull of good length and strong muzzle with super underjaw. Great outline, almost square with good length of neck and level back. Well angulated front and rear with good depth of chest and spring of rib. Coat of good texture and moved with ease to take Group 4.

Working Puppy Group

A smaller group of puppies, but full of quality. Best of luck with all of them in the future.

1st Webb’s Shalissa’s Vera Wang, Dobermann, 10-month-old black & tan bitch, there’s so much to like about this young girl. Feminine head of good size and proportions with flat skull and level muzzle, lovely eye set correctly and neat ears. Her outline is super, from the moderately arched neck of good length and slightly sloping back with great fore chest giving a square overall outline. Her angulation is super with well laid-back shoulder and super return of upper arm, her hind is in balance, and this shows when she moves as she covers the ground effortlessly with reach and drive. Delighted to award her Puppy Group 1

2nd Mcgill’s Casa Do Ricidio Jamie via Winterkloud (Imp Prt), Portuguese Water Dog, 6-month-old black & white dog. At only 6 months, what a super baby, showing bags of promise. Lovely balanced head with super eye, well defined stop, prominent occiput, gradually tapering muzzle and underjaw. Lovely outline with a level back and short loin, good depth of chest and well angulated front and rear. So sound and balanced on the move and showed beautifully. Pleased to award Puppy Group 2

3rd Wells’ Arcticskies Tia Maria, Siberian Husky, 6-month-old grey & white bitch. Another baby with lots to like. Lovely wedge head with a slightly rounded skull of good width tapering to a muzzle of good size. Clearly defined stop between almond eyes of good size, set obliquely. Lovely outline with a well arched neck and well angulated front and rear. Effortless on the move with good reach and drive whilst holding her topline well. Pleased to award Puppy Group 3. 

4th Purdy & Simpson’s Waldershelf Drama Queen, Bernese Mountain Dog, as above and a worthy Puppy Group 4.

Judge Sophie Wray-Ramsden (Takhisis)