SHOW REPORT
Championship Show - Sunday 4th February 2007
Bitches - Sheila Gay
Border Collies do seem to attract the nicest people – thank you to all the exhibitors who without exception accepted my decisions so sportingly. As always from this club, hospitality was excellent and the atmosphere friendly. My ring stewards kept the big classes flowing smoothly, which made my job so much easier.
Thankfully mouths are generally much better than when I last judged, only a couple being level instead of the correct scissor bite. I still found too many short tails (a bugbear of mine) and a few bitches were too heavily built and lacking the gracefulness the breed should have. On the plus side the majority here today had the correct gentle slope over the croup that’s been sadly lacking in recent years. Presentation was, by and large, excellent throughout – my hands were still clean at the end of the day. In several classes I really was spoilt for choice and from a superb entry overall I was extremely pleased with my final line-up.
Minor Puppy Bitch (10, 1a)
1. Stacey's Madeleys Sugar N Spice. Petite, feminine, happy black/white baby with irresistible charm. Excellent construction throughout, dark correctly shaped eye, lovely head, good bone and neat feet. A star in the making. ResBPB.
2. Bridgeman's Tarrynden Gabrielle. Narrowly pipped by 1, this black/white is another top quality pup, good shoulders, excellent rear, sound movement.
3. Gillespie's Detania Blonde Bombshelle
Puppy Bitch (20, 1a)
1. Tunnicliff's Littlethorn Jazz. This black/white girl lacks a glamorous white collar but frankly she doesn’t need one to draw the eye. She has the most beautiful feminine head with a dark, correctly shaped eye and lovely ear set. Excellent angulation front and rear, lovely neck, good bone and neat feet. A joy to watch on the move. BPB & well deserved BPIS.
2. Wilkinson's Altricia Blue Whisper. Top quality blue/white with lovely front construction, excellent rear angulation, good bone and feet. Very pretty girl, just pipped on the move by the winner. On another day could easily have taken the class.
3. Hargreaves' Harbecca New Beginnings
Junior Bitch (20, 6a)
1. Jefferson & Hornsby's Bekkis Mississippi Mud Pie. Mottled black/white girl – not glamorous but still very feminine. A good honest bitch with a beautiful balanced shape. Lovely shoulders and rear angles, good bone, kind eye. Won a good class with her easy movement.
2. Hartfield's Moshanta Movin On Up. Neat classically marked bitch with a super head. Lovely angles fore and aft. Today not as positive coming as 1, but in very close contention.
3. Venn & Fox's Miranwiz Bossy Boots
Yearling Bitch (21, 4a)
1. Jones' Sianworth Mystic Dream JW. Pretty prick eared tri with much to commend her. Feminine but wouldn’t want her any stronger built. Superb rear, good shoulders, won an excellent class on her powerful driving action.
2. Liebscher's Troumerle Rainbow. Out of coat black/white with nothing to hide. Most feminine head and expression, good ears, beautiful angles, especially at rear. Good bone and feet. Moved well. I’d like to see her again in full bloom.
3. Tunnicliff's Littlethorn Finesse
Novice Bitch (16)
1. Hargreaves' Harbecca New Beginnings. Very pretty tri bitch placed 3rd in Puppy. Nicely balanced all round. Good front, excellent rear, very promising.
2. Dutch's Kinaway Duchess In Love. Prick eared black/white, taller and slightly finer than 1. Lovely overall shape, well balanced and a good easy mover.
3. Cuthew's Tamarsh Nicole Farhi at Wethuc
Graduate Bitch (11, 2a)
1. Hales' Laceway Bee-Witching. Blue merle with a gorgeous head and pretty ears. Stands foursquare on neat feet, showing a balanced outline. Good bone, lovely shape. Excellent on the move.
2. Hanlon's Bekwey Breeze. Black/white, very feminine, sweet expression. Nice shoulders, excellent rear with a lovely croup. Just pipped on movement today.
3. Kinton's Kinaway Blessing N Disguise
Post Graduate Bitch (19, 2a)
1. Hagan's Tribboch She’s The One. Freckled black/white that I really liked. Sweetest of heads, lovely eye, good ears. Superb shoulders, neat feet, excellent rear – strong but graceful. Lovely to watch on the move and considered her for the RCC. Feel she just needs more time to come into her own.
2. Stacey's Madeleys Posh Spice. Tri bitch, smaller and slightly heavier set than 1. Rich dark eye colour. Pricked ears, good bone, moved powerfully.
3. Vincent's Detania Merrydown At Bluesplace
Limit Bitch (25, 7a)
1. Lucas' Aculsia Continental Diva. Loved this black/white girl from the first time I saw her as a pup and not disappointed on going over her. Most feminine head and expression, lovely neck and good shoulders. Bone just right, neat feet. Superb shape overall, with grace and balance. Her strong, well-angulated rear powers her round the ring. I was delighted to learn afterwards that today’s CC is her crowning one, subject to KC confirmation. BCC & on the Referee’s decision, BIS. Congratulations!
2. Ratcliffe's Tonkory Destined For Grandver. One I’ve done well for as a puppy and she’s matured into a beautiful adult. Prick eared tri of lovely make and shape. Super angles fore and aft, good neck, gorgeous head and expression. Occasionally a little unsettled on the slippery floor, but otherwise excellent on the move.
3. Bridgeman's Tarrynden Genevieve
Open Bitch (19, 4a)
1. Angier's Arnpriors Silver Lady For Bilyara. Lovely blue/white girl, very elegant and moving more steadily than I usually see her! Super head and expression, correct eye shape. Excellent front construction, good strong rear driving her round the ring. Pulled out all the stops to win a very strong class. Pushed hard in the challenge but her exuberance just got the better of her.
2. Gowing's Wizaland Stage Whisper With Pikara. Another I’ve done well for in the past and she almost took this class today. Super mover, lovely head, correct eye, pretty ears. Very feminine. Just preferred length to height ratio of 1.
3. Harvey's Sh Ch Sheltysham Sampane Soda
Veteran Bitch (11, 6a)
1. Rettie's Sh Ch Glenfound Simply Stop N Look. My notes say ‘star of the class’. Still looking in her prime although carrying an extra bit of weight. Super head and expression, good bone, lovely rear, moving out well. ResBVB
2. Fisher's Arniston Glamour Puss. Black/white, finer than 1 and not as positive on the move. However, she has a lovely overall shape and is very feminine.
3. Good & Lewis' Shemella Silver Lining
Vintage Veteran Bitch (8, 4a)
1. Ratcliffe's Sh Ch Grandver Cast A Spell. One of my all time favourites and watching her on the move it was very difficult to believe her age. Prick eared black/white feminine lady with a lovely head, superb angles front and rear, good bone and standing foursquare on neat feet. Still able to move with the best of them and thoroughly deserved her awards today – thank you for bringing her. RBCC, BVB & BVIS.
2. Rettie's Glenfound Countess. Black/white bitch, very full of herself and so rather unsettled on the move. Sweet head and expression, excellent angles front and rear, good bone and feet. Very happy and obviously enjoying her day out.
3. Beaumont's Sheltysham Special Choice At Borderbeau
Special Open Working Bitch (8)
1. Tiller's Foxbarton That’s Jazz CDex UDex. Prick eared tri with a sweet head and dark eye. Nicely shaped rear, a good steady mover, which gave her the class.
2. Curtis' Beltane Chasing Dreams At Moonspinner. Blue/white, very pretty and feminine. Well balanced with good hind angles. Just not as settled on the move as 1 but I liked her a lot.
3. Amos' Tamarsh Plum Perfection
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