Judge's Critique - Dogs

Open Breed Show - 7th October 2007

My thanks to the committee for inviting me to judge dogs at this well run friendly show at an excellent indoor facility. Thanks also to my steward.

I was especially pleased to see the quality in the puppy classes which gives you a warm feeling about the future of the breed. I always enjoy judging the puppies and I am careful to handle them in a gentle manner. For my main awards I was looking for masculine, athletic dogs in hard condition, with excellent construction and movement. In particular they must have good reach and drive with minimum lift of feet reflected in a steady topline on the move. I am pleased to say I found several excellent examples of the breed.

Judge: Geoff Paton

Minor Puppy Dog (8, 1a)
1. Morley & Rogerson's Tonkory My Kinda Guy at Chikaramor
An 8 month old b/w boy of top quality. Masculine head and good ear carriage, well boned and constructed with substance. Confident youngster who moved with impressive drive for his age. Later learned he was litter brother to BIS at Belfast. Should have a good show career ahead of him. BPD and with my fellow judge's agreement BPIS.
2. Spencer's Littlethorn Colt at Tobermoray
7 months old b/w. Very similar in outline to 1 but movement not quite so fluent or powerful. Excellent head and conformation.
3. Gillespie's Detania Thursday’s Child

Puppy Dog (7, 1a)
1. Kinton & Large's Wizinby I Said I Am for Kinaway
A ten month old b/w boy. Another top quality puppy with a strong head and dark oval eye. Movement excellent, good temperament, balanced front and back angulation.
2. Young's Stillmoor Ice In The Sun at Collshep
An eleven month old tri merle. Masculine head and good eye colour. Stronger in the body than 1 but not quite as fluent a mover. Well built with a good deep chest.
3. Gillespie's Detania Thursday’s Child

Junior Dog (4, 2a)
1. Stacey's Madeleys Say The Word
A nicely balanced 14 months old b/w with super head and overall construction. Tail length marginal but set on well. Fluent movement evident once he settled down
2. Avory's Terrica Sensation
A 12 month old dog of a different type altogether with rangier look and longer legs. A good head and balanced construction but movement not as steady as 1.

Novice Dog (4, 1a)
1. Morley & Rogerson's Tonkory My Kinda Guy at Chikaramor
2. Young's Stillmoor Ice In The Sun at Collshep
3. Mercer's Starside Xander

Post Graduate Dog (8, 1a)
1. Wiltshire's Caleykiz Lets Twist Again
A very good class with some top quality dogs. To me the 2 year old winner has the ideal length to height ratio, is well constructed with a masculine head. Good reach of neck and angulation showed in his flowing steady movement. Continued to show well in the challenge which gained him RBD.
2. Lucas' Aculsia Galaxy Choc Box
A very similar quality dog to the first. Not quite the conformation but a strong head, excellent ear carriage and good movement.
3. Mann's Borderpride Classic Affair

Limit Dog (6)
1. Lucas' Tonkory Entente Cordial with Aculsia
A 3 year old with broad masculine head, good ears and dark eyes. Excellent reach of neck, good body length and athletic strong look. Won the class on steady powerful movement.
2. Beaumont & Gregory's Tonkory Illusion
A very handsome, well balanced 2 year old dog. Excellent body shape and conformation. Not quite the reach and drive of the winner. Will have a good future I’m sure as he matures.
3. Wiltshire & Carter's Caleykiz Mystical Dragon

Open Dog (7, 1a)
1. Venn's Miraje Soul Encounter
A four year old b/w dog with super outline and size. Lovely head and good ears when used. Strong boned but not heavy. Good sloping croup and tailset. Moved powerfully in the class but let himself down in the challenge.
2. Hales' Sh Ch Wizaland Cool Nifty Fifty
Very handsome dog with strong head and good ear carriage. Not quite as steady a mover in this class as 1 but a beautiful dog with lovely outline. Could easily have reversed positions on another day.
3. Beaumont's Locheil Travellin South to Borderbeau JW

Special Open Dog AOC (4)
1. Gillespie's Detania Hillbilly Bell
A 15 month old blue merle of good construction and substance. Better reach and drive than the second.
2. Randall's Magreena Reach For a Star
A very appealing red merle with pricked ears, good construction, topline and alert expression
3. Mercer's Starside Xander

Special Open Working Dog (2, 1a)
1. Howard’s Shepwood Evening Rain
A very lean agility dog with good head and prick ears. Alert eager expression but a little proud of his tail.

Veteran Dog (6)
1. Stacey's Sh Ch Madeleys Time Challenger
A very handsome ten year old b/w dog. Glorious head with perfect ear carriage, fluent steady mover with minimum lift of feet. Under the luxurious shiny coat a dog in excellent hard condition with balanced front and rear angulation. Lovely soft expression and temperament. A real showman who showed consistently all day. BD, BVD and RBIS.
2. Large, Harlow, Bayliss & Woods' Sh Ch/Am Ch Borderfame I Am I Said
Another beautiful veteran male. Very similar in many ways to the winner with a strong head and good movement but not quite as impressive on the move as the winner.
3. Collier's Clan-Abby NZ Dougs Storm at Borderbreeze

Vintage Veteran Dog (3, 1a)
1. Burdus' Ryan's Country Lad at Kaliden
A substantial tri colour of 13 years in good solid order. Moved well and had the markings of a youngster.
2. Morley & Rogerson's Beesting Love Potion
An 11 year old in excellent condition with a good turn of stifle. Both of these dogs are a credit to their owners.