Ladies Kennel Association

Thank you to the LKA committee for giving me the wonderful opportunity to judge at their show. My sincere thanks to my two stewards for managing the ring so efficiently.

I was incredibly fortunate to have a large entry of quality hounds and as such some exhibits that I liked went unplaced. I was delighted with all my winners and thank you to all for taking my decisions with such sportsmanship.

I have not commented individually on ridges as I found all acceptable. Generally mouths were good and temperaments were excellent. I did feel some hounds could benefit from their toenails being cut. Several areas gave me a great deal of concern and influenced my decisions greatly. The ring surface highlighted the problem of weak pasterns and poor feet. I was surprised to find so many were cow hocked and showing weakness through the hocks when moved away. In my opinion these are serious faults in a hound that should be capable of great endurance. I also felt that we need to have far greater regard to heads, while there is often talk that Rhodesian Ridgebacks are not a ‘head breed’ if we are not careful we will lose the broad flat skull, moderate stop, depth of muzzle and harmonising round eye so many of us value.

Minor Puppy Dog (9, 3a)

1. Anthony’s Rottzridge I Am Wrath.  Lovely confident puppy at 7mths . Clean lines and very balanced. Good head, correct ear and eye set and nice flat skull. Super arch to neck leading to good front and angulation. Good pasterns. Enough bone, depth and width for age, growing evenly. Nice body shape with good underline and topline, which was maintained. Enough arch to loin and coming off the croup nicely, good tailset. Good rear angulation, developing strength and well let down hocks. Positive easy movement for one so young, showing a nice stride. Very promising and pleased to award him BPD

2. Bull’s Sadani Stormy Image.   Looked a little hunched until he relaxed but lots to like about this 7mth old wheaten. Nice correct head. Strong neck leading to good infill and balanced front angulation. Correct bone and nice depth of chest, correct pasterns and feet. Good topline and suggestion of strength through the loin. Balanced rear, developing well and nicely let down. Lovely true movement, when he cooperated, and I’m sure with continued kind handling he will soon settle in the ring. 

3. Gilpin’s Hunterpride Flaming Glory.

Puppy Dog (7, 2a)

1. Ashman’s Patemeliann Red Tarka at Kitaarka.  Very neat, shapely 9mth old. Good balanced head. Good neck with nice arch leading to good fore chest. Shoulder placement good but rather bum high at the moment that was throwing everything forward. Excellent feet set on correct pasterns. Nice depth of body to elbow leading to good underline complemented with good topline, nice over croup and tail set. Rear angulation sufficient but needs to drop as he matures. Moved out well, showing easy action. 

2. Gilpin’s Hunterpride Flaming Glory.   There was a lot to like about this 7mth old and being more relaxed in this class his sympathetic handler got a lot more from him. Correct clean head with nice breadth. Strong neck of good length, nice balanced front. Good bone, correct pasterns and feet. Self stacked correctly but was often overstretched when placed. Lovely topline and underline, body beginning to convey strength. Comes nicely off the croup with good tailset. Adequate rear angulation giving balance. Moved out nicely. 

3. Jeffery’s Mirengo’s Machinga at Rexgrove.

Junior Dog (5, 1a)

1. Mills’ Priorpark Jabari for Nzuri.   Lovely type of correct proportions. Masculine head conveying good expression but a little heavy for my taste. Good strong neck leading to well laid shoulders, good fore chest. Good bone and feet with correct pasterns. Balanced all through, nice length with good ribbing and loin. Correct rear angulation with developing second thigh, well let down hocks. Good movement showing drive and true down and back.

2. Mulligan’s Ozubi’s Pilgrim at Kondwani.   Giving a lot away in age at just 12mths but showing lots of potential. Smaller stamp with super head; kind eyes of correct set and good ear placement. Nice strength to neck, good lay of shoulder and front. Correct bone for age and frame, set on good pasterns and excellent feet. Good depth, width and length with nice rise over the loin. A little high in rear but nice rear angulation. Moved true but lacking the drive of first place at this stage. 

3. Salmon & House’s Diamondridge Legend at Lobengula.

Yearling Dog (5, 0a)

1. Davies’ Gunthwaite Papa Don’t Preach.   Conveys a picture of breed type; strength with no exaggeration. A lovely head of correct proportions and planes, good depth to muzzle, correct eye and just beginning to develop the characteristic chiselling. Clean neck with enough length and strength. Good breadth and depth, nice fore chest and infill, correctly positioned front assembly allowing close elbows and reach on the move. Super bone, pasterns and feet. Good ribbing with lovely underline and nice coupling. Well maintained topline, and enough angulation of croup to give good tail set and carriage. Well developed rear with correct turn of stifle leading to well let down hocks. All confirmed on the movement; powerful, effortless action and very true when moving away and back. He gives the impression he could go all day. Delighted to award him the RDCC.

2. Gray’s Kijivu’s Kardano.    A true hound, one I really liked. Bigger stamp and was carrying a bit too much condition so appeared a little loaded on the shoulder. Super head of good proportions and beautiful kind eye. Enough length of neck and correct lay of shoulder. Good bone, pasterns and feet. Excellent all through; good topline, ribbing and coupling, strong loin and nice off the croup. Correct rear angulation and nicely let down hocks. Balanced movement showing reach and drive.

3. Mitchelson’s Diamondridge Dream Chaser at Voortrekker.

Post Graduate Dog (5, 1a)

1. Raymond’s Elangeni Place Me At Jervisbay at Sofala (AI) (Imp).   Masculine head with correct proportions and lovely planes, good eye and ear set. Nice shape and length to neck. Strong fore chest and lovely lay of shoulder with tight elbows. Nicely boned, good pasterns. Nice depth of chest, good underline and top line, enough rise over loin and nicely off the croup. Balanced rear angulation with well let down hocks. Presented in hard condition and scored on lovely free movement showing drive and reach.

2. Barnard’s Carlincox First Encounter.  Upstanding male of taller stamp. Sufficient angulation front and back. Correct kind head with good eye and ear set. Lovely length of neck leading to nice topline. Nice width and length giving a good shape. Good bone, correct pasterns and excellent feet. Moved out freely and effortlessly, straight on the away and back.  

3. Collie & Collie’s Kitoko Uptown Funky Fizz.

Limit Dog (12, 2a)

1. Woodrow’s Mirengo’s Mangula.    Not a natural showman but full of breed type. Classic correct male head with lovely chiselling. Correct neck showing strength leading to excellent front with correct forechest, nice depth and width. Excellent lay to shoulder, close elbows, good bone, feet and pasterns. Lovely and strong through the body with no exaggeration or coarseness, correct rise to the loin and nicely off the croup giving good tail set and carriage. Correct rear angulation, good second thigh, excellent turn of stifle and well let down hocks. Very true coming and going and moved out with effortless reach and drive, covering ground with ease. 

2. Davis’ Hesslewell Heartthrob JW ShCM.    Another lovely example of the breed, with nothing exaggerated. Lovely kind head, nice proportions giving gentle expression. Good strong neck, forechest and excellent front of good angles and close elbows. Nicely boned, super pasterns on excellent feet. Good depth, well ribbed, nice topline, strong loin with good croup. Nice turn of stifle and well let down hocks. Very true on the move away and back and showed reach and drive with no wasted energy.

3. Walker’s Amahle Juma.

Open Dog (16, 3a)

A super class of quality hounds.

1. Radke’s Ndoki Highlander.   I have admired this clean, unexaggerated hound and he did not disappoint when I came to go over him. For me he has the wow factor while still being very correct to type. A lovely head just beginning to mature and develop chiselling. Good proportions, good eye and ear set giving kind expression. Strong neck with elegant arch but still showing strength. Excellent front assembly, correct forechest, tight elbows, good bone, super pasterns and excellent feet. Nicely ribbed, lovely depth and proportionately correct throughout. Good coupling, enough arch to loin from a strong topline, coming nicely off the croup. Good tail set. Correct rear angulation, developed first and second thigh, well let down hocks complete a balanced image all confirmed by his powerful movement showing effortless reach and drive and totally true. A pleasure to award him the DCC and BOB and delighted to see him make the cut in the Hound Group.

2. Craven & Mackfall’s CH Hespa Henry Higgins JW.   Handsome mature hound that catches the eye. Classic head of correct proportions. Super clean neck showing strength and arch. Excellent front with good fore chest and correct shoulder and elbows. Good bone, pasterns and feet. Body of good depth and width, top line and underline, well ribbed, gentle rise to the loin and nicely off the croup. Good tail set and carriage. Correctly muscled with good rear angulation. Moved with easy, free action, true coming and going. 

3. Farleigh’s Kinabula’s Taking Chances.

Veteran Dog (7, 2a)

1. Mulligan & Mulligan’s Zougani Zuri ShCM.   Handsome 9 yr old in super condition, a credit to his owners. One of the best heads of the day; very correct in every aspect. Good strong neck of nice length. Lovely shoulder angulation, nicely boned, good pasterns and excellent feet. Very balanced all through, good underline and strong topline which he maintained, nice off the croup. Correct tail carriage. Good rear angulation, lovely turn of stifle, nicely muscled and well let down hocks. Lovely easy low gait that covered the ground. True coming and going, showing natural convergence. BVIB

2. Mitchelson’s Diamondridge Damocles of Voortrekker.    Another 9 yr old who is a credit to his owners and has a good head. Just beginning to show some frosting to enhance his correct expression. Long clean neck leading to balanced front angulation and good forechest. Smaller stamp but nicely boned, good proportions all through, nicely ribbed and good topline. Good rear angulation with well let down hocks. Moved out well, good away and back.  

3. Hurn’s Rufus On The Lawn Of Matikiridge ShCM.

Good Citizen Dog (3, 0a)

1. Hurn’s Rufus On The Lawn Of Matikiridge ShCM.   Larger stamp, presented in hard condition and not giving anything away as a veteran. Moved out so well, showing power, reach and drive with a ground covering easy stride. Strong head with nice proportions and pleasant expression. Lovely long neck, good forechest and angulation. Nicely boned for size, good pasterns and super feet. Nice shape and well ribbed, good coupling. Good angulation with well let down hocks.

2. Barnard’s Carlincox First Encounter. (2nd PGD)

3. Collie & Collie’s Kitoko Uptown Funky Fizz.

Minor Puppy Bitch (11, 4a)

1. Parrish’s Rottzridge The Girl Is Mine.   Moved beautifully for 7mths old; very true. Promising head of good proportions. Super reach of neck and nice shoulder angulation. Close elbows, nicely boned for age, good pasterns and nice feet. Lovely depth and shape to her body with nice underline and topline, which she maintained. Nice rear angulation and well let down hocks. Really promising; would love to see her handler a bit more confident in the ring as she was doing a great job.  

2. Maidment’s Amahle You Had Me From Hello.   Larger stamp and very raw at just 7mths old but on the right lines. Nice head, kind eye and good ear set. Good reach of neck, good lay of shoulder, well boned, pasterns good and excellent feet. Strong through the body presenting a good shape and correct topline. Good rear angulation, well let down hocks. Moved well, showing reach and very true but a tendency to overreach when moved too fast.

3. Harvey & Harvey’s Mwanzo Silver Rainbow.

Puppy Bitch (7, 3a)

1. Hicks’ Nuthouse Queen Of Clubs.   Showing so much promise for 11mths old. Classical feminine head, super shape and length to neck and leading to good return of shoulder and correct sternum. Nicely boned, super pasterns and excellent feet. Lovely overall body shape, well ribbed, nice length to loin, good topline, nice off croup. Correct rear angulation giving balance and well let down hocks. Moved so well for her age, showing natural reach and drive. Will watch her with interest; pleased to award her BPB and BPIB.

2. Parker’s Kiromol As You Like It With Azuli.    Super 9mth old. Pretty head of correct proportions. Good neck, nice front angulation, good front, nicely boned, excellent pasterns and feet. Good depth for age and a pleasing shape through the body with nice topline. Nicely of the croup leading to good tallest and carriage. Lovely rear angulation and just beginning to develop muscle in the thighs, nicely let down. Handled beautifully on a nice loose lead which helped to show off her easy natural gait.

3. Raymond Nuthouse Gwladys Ap Sofala.

Junior Bitch (10, 2a)

1. Cunningham’s Walamadengie Coco Chanelle Jun.CH.  Beautiful bitch who fills the eye. Her expression is true Ridgeback coming from a pretty head of good proportions and correctly set eyes and ears. Lovely length of neck leading to one of the best fronts, especially given her age. Her body conveys balance and strength without coarseness from good proportions. Excellent rear angulation from the croup through to well let down hocks. Had a tendency to run when too exuberant but her build was confirmed with a correct effortless gait and correct away and back.

2. Parsons’ Priorpark Pipsqueak.   Taller stamp but full of breed type. Stronger head but still correct and well proportioned. Good length to neck and correct sternum and infill. Good angulation front and back. Good bone, correct pasterns and excellent feet. Nice depth, length and width to body, with good topline and nice rise over loin. Well let down hocks. Moved out covering the ground with ease but would like a bit more precision on the away and back.

3. Nash’s Mutoko’s Blaze of Glory.

Yearling Bitch (7, 1a)

1. Parson’s Priorpark Pipsicle.    Light wheaten of good colouring with lovely expression. Litter sister to second in Junior and much applies to both. Feminine head of nice proportions, eye and ear set. Lovely body shape from neck to tail with good depth, width and length, good topline. Good bone and pasterns, excellent feet. Balanced angulation with well let down hocks. Easy free movement showing drive and reach, true away and back.  

2. Scanlon’s Kinabula’s All About The Base.   A lovely moderate bitch with a nice body shape. Beautiful head with correct planes, eyes and ears. Good front angulation, nice depth to body and beginning to develop strength, nicely boned, good topline and ribbing. Nice rear angulation, good turn of stifle and well let down hocks. Nice balanced side gait, covered the ground but would like her to be smoother on the away and back.

3. Porczynska’s Diamondridge Destiny Child.

Post Graduate Bitch (15, 6a)

1. Seaman’s Sofala Smart Jazz At Sansilver.   Loved this unassuming girl; just coming into her own. Nicely made and though she can lose her topline a little on the move she had the movement I was looking for. Low, effortless ground covering movement which is as precise on the away and back as it is on the side gait; could watch her all day. Lovely correct head, nicely proportioned. Good long, strong neck, balanced lay of shoulder, good front, nicely boned, good pasterns and feet. Lovely length, depth and width to body, good underline, nice rise to loin and correctly off the croup. Balanced rear angulation, good second thigh and turn of stifle and well let down hocks.

2. Hicks’ Nuthouse Some Like It Hot.   Full of breed type with a slightly stronger head but still very correct, nice kind dark eye. Strong neck leading to good shoulder placement and front, good bone and pasterns with correct feet. Strength through her body of good proportions. Good topline with nice rise to loin and good underline. Lovely rear angulation and hocks well let down. Moved out well, covered the ground easily and true away and back.

3. Nash’s Tokwe Ginvincible With Mutoko.

Limit Bitch (16, 3a)

1. Bates’ Gunthwaite’s Tickled Pink JW.     Another beautiful correct bitch I really liked from the moment I saw her. Quality head of correct proportions and planes, correct eye of good shape and nicely set ears. Beautiful long neck with just enough arch to sweep to clean withers. Super front, good forechest, correct angulation, nice bone, correct pasterns and excellent feet. Nice shape and proportions to the body, good underline and nice length to coupling with good arch of loin. Correct tail set and carriage. Super rear angulation, nicely muscled, good turn of stifle and well let down hocks. Loved her easy long movement, very true on the away and back with perfect foot fall but on a occasion she had a tendency to lose some of her shape.

2. Nelson’s Gabisa Woo Woo At Zougani JW ShCM.   Lovely bitch full of type of longer cast. Nice head with correct dark eye and chiselling. Strong neck of good length. Lovely front and nice lay of shoulder, tight elbows. Good bone, correct pasterns and super feet. Nice depth and width with good ribbing and nice arch to loin. Correct rear angulation and nice width to thighs, leading to well let down hocks. Nice long, easy stride and true away and back.

3. Taylor’s Tokwe Truly Scrumptious.

Open Bitch (11, 2a)

1. Farleigh’s CH Kinabula Bin There Done That.    There isn’t a lot that hasn’t been said about this bitch and I can appreciate why. The eye flows over her and her overall image gives harmony. A classical feminine head with lovely planes, correct chiselling and kind dark eye. Long elegant neck leading to clean shoulders with good angulation, lovely forechest, correct brisket and nice tight elbows. Nicely boned and good pasterns. Nicely ribbed with good coupling and enough rise to loin. Excellent off the croup with correct tail set and carriage. Nice width to rear, excellent angulation leading to well let down hocks. She came into her own on the move, keeping a text book picture of a Ridgeback covering the ground with effortless reach and drive, correct on the away and back showing natural convergence. She stood away and I was delighted to award her the BCC.

2. Cox’s Carlincox First Class JW    Lovely bitch full of breed type without any coarseness or exaggeration. Just beginning to mature which shows in her beautiful head of lovely proportions, correct ears and dark round expressive eye. Strong neck with good arch, nice front assembly, correct forechest and good lay of shoulder. Tight elbows, lovely bone, correct pasterns and excellent feet. Nice depth, length and width to body, good shape throughout, strong topline. Nice length of coupling with good rise to loin. Excellent rear angulation showing strength, super width to thighs, well let down hocks. Balanced effortless movement, very true and showing reach and drive. She never stopped showing and throughly deserved the RBCC.

3. Cunningham’s Grand CH, MNE CH, Ir CH Walamadengie Milday Luck Ir JunCh.

Veteran Bitch (5, 0a)

1. Thompson & Taylor’s CH Kelshanti Jamila Urbi.    A bitch I have long admired; she didn’t disappoint and at 8.5yrs she is still a picture of strength. A credit to her owners as presented in hard condition enabling her to power round the ring with a long easy drive. Beautiful classical head, with gentle expression. Lovely shoulder angulation, nicely boned, super pasterns and feet. Lovely shape with depth through the body, still showing lovely underline and good topline. Nice width to second thigh, good turn of stifle and correctly let down hocks.  

2. Taylor’s Kitoko Truly Madly Deeply At Tokwe.   Similar stamp to first and at nearly 9yrs also a credit to her owner. Lovely correct head with typical expression. Good clean neck, balanced front, nicely boned, good pasterns and feet. Strong throughout with a nice shape, good length of rib, correct topline. Lovely rear muscle, balanced angulation, well let down hocks. Really enjoying her time in the ring which showed as she moved out with drive.  

3. Darling’s Sharufa Shadowing James.

Good Citizen Bitch (4, 0a)

1. Hurn’s Abayomi The Light Fantastic At Matikiridge.    Moderate bitch of nice size, full of breed type. Feminine head, correct dark eye and good ear set. Good strong neck into good lay of shoulder, good bone leading to correct pasterns and feet. Proportionate depth, length and width. Good top line, which she maintained, nice arch of loin and nicely coupled. Balanced rear angulation, nice width and well let down hocks. Moved round the ring with purpose showing drive and very true away and back.

2. Forrester’s Hespa Heart of Gold.   Another very feminine, moderate bitch. Correct head with correct set of eyes and ears. Nice length to neck. Good fore chest and infill with balanced front angulation. Nice body shape with good length, good coupling and nice rise to her loin. Nice bone and correct pasterns on good feet, well let down hocks. Moved nicely and very true away and back but felt a longer stride from her handler would help her to lengthen her stride. 

3. Alexander’s Kansenji Noor.

Helen Mansfield.