• Show Date: 27/10/2016
  • Show Type: Championship Show
  • Judged by: Helen Cousins Contact Judge
  • Published Date: 27/07/2023

Midland Counties Canine Society

Breed: Old English Sheepdog

Midland counties - Old English Sheepdogs - 30/10/2016 My thanks to the officers and committee for the kind invitation to judge the breed I have been bought up with. Many thanks to my 2 stewards who did such a sterling job, many thanks ladies. Thank you to the exhibitors for a lovely entry and the sporting way my decisions were taken. A much larger entry of bitches than dogs and in the latter bitch classes I was spoilt for choice. Mouths need to watched as I found ground down teeth some all over the place and a few incorrect jaws. I was dismayed at the number of upright shoulders I found which was quite a worry. I was also surprised to see a couple of high tail sets with the tails carried very high almost straight up that then curled over almost into a loop, very disconcerting to look at and not typical. Coats were good and I was pleased to find some with the typical cobby shape I so like, movement was pleasing as well. I have no objections with heavy head coats being clipped back particularly to move them but I was surprised to find some with small clips between the eyes which I had to ask to be removed as I could not feel the stop. Some had the hair at the stop tied up with a small band which looked quite ridiculous and detracts from the bobtail expression, I hope this is not a fad coming it as it is unnecessary and spoils the look as the coat does not fall right, it is the 1st time I have encountered this and hopefully the last. My BCC & DCC made a lovely pair and for me epitomised the breed standard. So pleased with the BP & the PD such quality bodes well for the breed. I was happy with all my winners, thank you

MPD – 2 (0 abs) 1 – Rathband & Fealy’s Keynell Midnight Moon Attractive 8mth old boy who is so well put together. Excels in head, good stop, loved his square muzzle and has a good width of underjaw. Good length of neck nicely arched leading to well laid back shoulders of correct angulation, nice straight front, well boned and a deep chest for his age. His short compact well sprung body gave him that typical cobby shape, so well balanced throughout. Well angulated quarters with a good turn of stifle, low set hocks and when he settled moved with drive. Expertly handled and presented, this boy is destined for a bright future.

2 – Jones Youandi Fairplay at Wenalt (imp ndl) Masculine dog with a lot to like, large capricious skull, well defined stop, strong muzzle & foreface. Good front, plenty of substance. Would prefer a tad more shoulder angulation. Done his growing quickly and once he deepens will look more balanced and together. Nicely muscled quarters and good width over his loin. Moved a little close, needs to tighten up but that will come with age. Coat changing nicely, well presented and handled

PD – 1 (0 abs) 1 - Ferguson’s Mellowdee Moriarty With Lexalby Upstanding 10mth old, stood alone but well deserved his place. He has a good head and foreface with dark expressive eyes. Plenty of substance and well balanced throughout. Good reach of neck, well angulated shoulders fore & aft, lovely bend of stifle. Stands four square, cobby and has a gentle rise over his broad line. Neat low set hocks which he used well, moved freely around the ring. I see he is out of my dog CC winner. Pleased to award him BPD.

JD – 2 (1abs) 1 – Burn’s Melleonar’s Crackerjack At Bovaron (imp deu) Masculine dog that stands foursquare and fills the eye with his true bobtail shape. This lad has the best of heads with a strong foreface & muzzle, well defined stop. Good length of neck, straight front, correct angulation fore & aft. Plenty of bone on this boy, short bodied and a good spring of rib. Good depth of brisket, well balanced throughout. Strong well-muscled quarters, good breadth of loin. Quality harsh jacket completed the picture. Moved with drive around the ring. Shown & presented to perfection, pushed hard for the RDCC but gave way to maturity.

  PGD – 2 (0 abs) 1 – Tomes & Winson’s Brinkley The Hulk 18 mth old masculine dog maturing nicely, loved his head markings. Good head and foreface, lovely straight front and a good depth of chest, well laid back angulated shoulders. Compact dog with plenty of substance. Nicely sprung ribs, deep brisket, broad in the loin. Well angulated quarters with well let down hocks. Lacking in coat length but this doesn’t detract from this lovely boy, what coat he has is a clear good coat. Moved freely around the ring.

2 – Adcock’s Wilbamil World Adventurer At Amblehart Good head & foreface on this boy with a square muzzle and good width on his underjaw. Would prefer a darker eye. Enough neck, good front and plenty of bone. Nicely laid back angulated shoulders. Good brisket, would prefer a little less body length and a lower tail set. Well-muscled angulated quarters. Moved out well

LD - 2 (2abs)

OD – 8 (1 abs) 1 – Rutland & Porters’s Brwyn’s Howdy Doody Loves Hillilly At Mellowdee (imp ndl) Upstanding masculine dog who stands four square. He has the largest of heads with a well-defined stop and strong muzzle & foreface, loved his dark expressive eyes. Nicely arched neck of a good length, good withers, straight front and plenty of bone. Correctly angulated well laid back shoulders, deep brisket and good spring of ribs. This boy has a short compact body, and is well balanced throughout. Really well angulated muscular quarters with low set hocks which he used well. Covered the ring with ease with strong driving movement and he extended well in the front. Carrying a full quality jacket of a good clear grey. Beautiful presentation & expert handling. Was pleased to award him the CC his 2nd I was told, I’m sure his 3rd is not far away. Well done.

2 – Harris’s Ch Aryakas Sinonides At Beauvallon A worthy Ch and is a pleasure to go over, so well-proportioned and balanced. Strong head & foreface with a well-defined stop & a lovely square muzzle. Good reach of neck, deep chest, well angulated shoulders. Stands four square and has that lovely typical cobby bobtail shape. Nicely sprung ribcage and good deep brisket. Well-muscled quarters nicely angulated, neat low set hock. Quality blue grey coat just has a little coat that needs to finish changing. Moved well covering the ring with ease. Pleased to award him the RCC.

  3 – Bashford Monk & Reed Charmlea Cleansweep Lovely masculine dog with that cobby shape I so love. Well put together and so well balanced throughout. Excels in head, correct angulation fore & aft. In full bloom with a quality harsh coat. Well let down hocks which reflected in his strong driving movement. Presentation immaculate, his day will come.

4 – Bailey’s Ch Zottle’s Best Kept Secret 5 – Oldoak King’s Randsom At Darwillow

PB – 4 (0 abs) Good depth of quality with these 3 lovely puppies had to really split hairs 1 – Tome’s Brinklry Sheza Lady Feminine girl nearly11 mths old attractively marked who caught my eye as soon as she walked in the ring, she has everything in the right place and is an exciting prospect for the future. Good head with a well-defined stop, a lovely square muzzle dark eyes and she has a most delightful expression. Lovely length of neck gracefully arched, defined withers. She has the best of shoulders, well laid back with correct angulation. Short backed, cobby with a good topline, loved her beautiful shape. Plenty of substance, strong well muscled hind quarters. Neat low set hocks well let down. Plenty of coat changing nicely, well presented and handled to perfection. A joy to watch her moving so freely and effortlessly around the ring. Pleased to award her BPIB.

2 – Oakes Bovaron Charisma at Ambleoak A quality feminine puppy well advanced in coat and looks a picture stood. She has a lovely head and a sweet expression, good length of neck and a straight front. Good shoulder angulation well laid back, loved her shape she’s so cobby and quite deep in brisket for her age. Well muscled rear quarters, neat let down hocks. Carry a lovely grey jacket which was well presented. Moved out well around the ring not quite as freely as the 1st .

3 – Rutland & Porter’s Mellowdee Lady Mae Completing a trio of quality puppies and litter sister to the best puppy dog. Nicely put together with everything in the right place, Excellent head and front assembly, plenty of substance. Strong rear quarters, neat hocks moved well. Just preferred the shape of 2 and I’m sure these 3 will change places often

4 – Morris – Myhaverlands in Love again

JB – 2 (1abs) 1 – Gould’s Sutranzo Moments Of Magic Stood alone but well deserved her placing, such a pretty bitch and so feminine, loved her size and she is so well balanced throughout. Nicely shaped skull, good stop & square muzzle and the sweetest of expressions. Good length of neck & correct withers, nice straight front. Good shoulder angulation, short bodied and good spring of rib, nice topline Plenty of width over the loin. Good rear angulation and a nice turn of stifle. She has a lovely blue grey coat of a harsh texture. Covered the ground with ease with her lovely movement, good front extension. Lovely girl with a bright future ahead.

PGB – 8 (2abs) Hard decision between 1 & 2 both top quality ladies 1 – Lucas’s Dantrecar Sweet Kandi Kiss At Lusadon Loved this girl so sound and honest, my type of bitch caught my eye as soon as she walked into the ring. Loved her broad head and dark eyes, strong in foreface, yet still feminine. Good front & depth of chest, plenty of bone. Nice neck leading into good withers. Nice spring of rib, good depth to brisket, and has plenty of width over the loin. Looks delightful in profile with her super cobby shape topped off with a wonderful clear grey jacket of a harsh texture. Excels in rear quarters, well muscled with a great turn of stifle, well let down hocks which she used well. Covered the ring with ease with strong driving movement. Expertly handled and presented. Strongly considered her for the RCC she pushed hard just needs to finish maturing, destined for the top.

  2 – Sculthorpe’s Greyfell One Dance Another top quality bitch so feminine with the most attractive markings and stands four square with everything in the right place. Excellent head well shaped with a good stop & muzzle, so pretty with a delightful expression. Nicely arched neck, good withers, excel in front angulation. Good depth of brisket, short coupled and good width over loin. Well muscled quarters. Loved her cobby shape and crisp clear blue grey harsh coat which had a good break in it. Moved well but needed to move with a little more drive, she needed to move a little faster. Another one destined for the top.

3 – Fee’s Brinkley Princess Jasmine Of Nordicblue A good sized bitch with a lot to like, lovely head, good front and clean well angulated shoulders. Plenty of bone of this girl. Would have preferred her a little shorter in body length. Plenty of coat which is clearing nicely. Well angulated quarters, moved freely around the ring.

4 – Jones’s Oysterbarcen Saksfifthhave

5 – Richardson’s Storinblu Gleann Falach

LB – 7 (3abs) Close between these bitches had to split hairs 1 – Spurling’s Dantrecar Sweet Dream Super feminine, sound bitch nicely balanced throughout. Delightful head and expression and a good reach of neck nicely arched. Good front assembly and well angulated shoulders. Stands four square and had that lovely typical bobtail shape. Although very feminine there is plenty of substance on this girl. Loved her short back and is broad in the loin. Her hindquarters were well muscled with good angulation and a nice turn of stifle. In full coat of a good quality and colour. Moved well covered the ring well with strong driving movement. I see she is the litter sister to the PG winner, well done on 2 lovely bitches, a credit to you as breeder.

2 – Adcock & Reed’s Charmlea Delightful At Krisendaw Very little between this super bitch and the winner and they could easily change places on another day. Very feminine attractive bitch who stands four square. Super head and a delightful expression. Correct angulation fore & aft. Loved this girls typical compact bobtail shape, so cobby with plenty of breadth over the loin. Carrying a fabulous harsh coat which was a lovely clear grey and has such a good break in it and was beautifully presented. Sound throughout which reflected in her correct driving movement

3 – Wilkinson’s Kalaju Krystal Gaze This girl completed a trio of quality bitches with so little between them. Well put together and sound in all departments. Loved her shoulders, so well angulated and a well-muscled rear end to match. Feminine with a delightful cobby shape. Quality coat just needs a little more to complete the picture. Moved feely covering the ground with ease.

OB – 10 (1 abs) Best class of the day, some top quality bitches and hard decisions.

1 – Georgian’s Millwinkie Moment In Time Judged this one as a junior and what an outstanding bitch she has become, so my type of bitch, she had everything I was looking for and was a joy to go over. Very sound, honest, compact feminine bitch so well balanced & beautifully constructed throughout just loved her shape. Excellent head, strong foreface, good width of underjaw & expressive dark eyes. Lovely straight front, good bone. Excels in front angulation, so well laid back with correct angulation. Gracefully arched neck of a good length, good withers, lovely depth of chest, brisket and well sprung ribs. Short back, nice rise, plenty of width over the loin. Well muscled angulated quarters, good bend of stifle. In full bloom carrying a fabulous harsh coat with a good break in it. Immaculate presentation completes the picture. Her movement was a joy to watch so effortless covering the ground with strong driving movement, wonderful side profile movement with great front extension holding her topline well. Pleased to award her a well deserved CC. She never stopped showing in the challenge and was pleased to award her BOB. A credit to her owner

  2 – Mills Kerjalee Mistic Moments Another top quality bitch with so much to like. She has the most wonderful capricious head & foreface with 2 lovely dark eyes giving her that typical bobtail expression, good stop. Square muzzle and good width of underjaw. Good reach of neck, defined withers and correctly angulated laid back shoulders, lovely straight front, plenty of substance yet so feminine. Strong well angulated rear end with well let down hocks. Plenty of harsh dark grey coat with a good break. Moved so freely around the ring with her driving movement and was pleased to award her the RCC.

   3 – Reynold’s Cillastyle Ceecee Cookie Really liked this girl and she completed a trio of top quality bitches. Many of the qualities above, well put together and so nicely balanced. Good head, front and clean nicely angulated shoulders. Lovely cobby shape. In good coat of a clear grey with a good texture. Moved well.

4 – Winson’s Meison Roly Poly Angelique 5 – Duplock Crane’s Aryakas Ophelia At Mirene

Helen Cousins - Judge