Ashford Faversham & District Canine Society

ASHFORD AND FAVERSHAM, Sept 30, 2018

An enjoyable day at this well run event which continues the long tradition of Kentish open shows organised by the Boggia family.

SHETLAND SHEEPDOGS – J (6, 1absent) Super class. 1 French’s Lindfern Light Sabre, how lucky was I that the first dog I went over today proved to be just what I was hoping to find, beautiful 10 months sable boy with such a super well moulded, refined head, excellent eye shape and colour, well carried ears, scored above all on his super neck, well laid shoulders and matching upper arm, true front, correct feet, excellent overall balance, ideal topline with good sweep over the loin and well carried tail, coat well presented and fits him nicely, smart mover covering the ground freely, attentive showman with eyecatching presence, sensible size – in other words what’s not to like at this stage? Best of luck for the future. BP, BOB, group and puppy group, delighted to watch Darren Clarke give him RBIS and BPIS; 2 Straw’s Dukeson Golden Fleece, charming 6 months sable baby boy, by the same sire as 1 and with the same delightful expression, clean skull merging into correct muzzle, good ears and eyes, correct bone and feet, enough bend of stifle, good topline. Perhaps not quite the neck of 1 but very promising; 3 Stockden’s Willowgarth Pure Gold. PG (4, 1) 1 Straw’s Dukeson Sweeter Than Wine, sable litter sister to Golden Fleece and very much the baby of this class but I liked her a lot, again a super head and expression, very feminine, stands four square, true front, neat hindquarters, sufficient angulation, already an accomplished showgirl; 2 Whittington’s Esterbon Three Kisses for Tighness, pretty elegant tri bitch, balanced outline, OK expression with correct eye shape, enough bone, strong shapely hindquarters, a shade upright in shoulder, moved smartly though front action could be truer; 3 Peters’ Myter Pennies From Heaven at Shelworth. O (7, 2) 1 RBOB, Whittington’s Tighness Tip The Wink, lovely quality sable bitch, scored on her beautiful feminine head and expression, well balanced clean outline with good sweep over the croup, good legs and feet, her super coat complements her shape, marginally preferred shoulders of the puppy. I don’t normally ask the ages in the adult classes and it was only when she turned up in the veteran class that I found she was 9 years old, my compliments to her owner for keeping her in such super form; 2 Straw’s Dukeson Keltic Dancer, pretty, feminine sable, super type and balance, true front, shapely body, OK head but just preferred expression of 1, moved OK but without a great deal of enthusiasm; 3 Peters’ Tighness Takes Two To Tango at Shelworth.

PASTORAL NSC - J (3, 2) 1 BP, Wilton’s Meddobe Anna Travis, feminine 6 months Vallhund baby, lovely head type with typical ears, good length to height balance, true behind, well bodied, just needs time to settle in topline. PG (3, 1) 1 RBNSC, Angier & Stacey’s Ewbell True Blue avec Bilyara, quality feminine b/m Aus Shepherd, excellent neck and shoulder, smooth outline with firm topline, OK forechest, plenty of bone, good feet, moved smartly if a shade narrow coming and going; 2 Taylor’s Auziway Abracadbra, black tri Aus Shepherd of a different type and balance, not quite so feminine in head, excellent bone and substance, powerful hindquarters, moved soundly, preferred neck and shoulder of 1. O (5, 3) 1 BNSC, Wilton’s Meddobe Spice’s Endeavour, good solid four square Vallhund, elder brother to the pup, masculine well proportioned head, good eyes and ears, well boned, could have a shade more layback of shoulder but good upper arm, well balanced body, super topline, moved smartly going round, steady showboy; 2 Taylor’s Fraytal Sirius Wins via Auziway, quality b/m Aus Shepherd, elegant outline, masculine head, correct muzzle, OK neck, strong bone, super reach in front, could be a shade firmer behind.

PASTORAL – V (8, 1) 1 Gray’s Bonvivant Ave A Go at Okami, super 8 years Laekenois in tremendous form, typical head, smart outline, super bone, correct coat, sound as a bell and still moves all of a piece, rewarded him more than once as a youngster and he continues to be a great ambassador for his variety with his outgoing show temperament; 2 T Tip The Wink; 3 T Takes Two To Tango at S.

IMPORTED REGISTER (1) 1 Dennis’ Bailey of Sereno Spirit, most attractive White Swiss Shepherd, all male head, clean neck and shoulder, super bone, good feet, firm back, sufficient but unexaggerated angulation, rhythmic side gait retaining his shape.

PASTORAL GROUP - G1 Sheltie; 2 Angier and Stacey’s Tullacrest Signd Syld Deliverd to Bilyara, excellent b/w Border Collie, handsome chap with a typical head, super topline and body shape, plenty of drive from the rear; 3 Murray and Bellamy’s Beloreen Starman, quality upstanding b/m Rough Collie male, good head and eyes, excellent topline, free active mover, well angulated hindquarters; 4 White Swiss Shepherd. PG1 Sheltie; 2 Arrowsmith’s Saganan Dancing In The Dark, liked this tri Rough Collie bitch a lot, very good head and eye, sound front with decent shoulders, well balanced overall, looked super standing, just needs to settle on the move; 3 Vallhund; 4 Stewart’s Mojuca King Of Hearts, choc/w Border Collie, promising type and balance, well boned and bodied, a real baby on the move as yet.

AFGHANS – Small but quality entry. J (2) 1 Boydell’s Nightwind You Can’t Stop The Beat, most promising 17 months black dog, super type and outline, excellent eye and expression, nice to see his front legs well under him thanks to correct shoulder and upper arm, good topline, fallaway and well carried ring tail, moved with great style with matching reach and drive; 2 Turner. Hutton and Boydell’s Nightwind You’re My Kind Of Crazy, b/t litter sister to 1 and very much the feminine equivalent, quality refined head, good eye shape, super bone, correct feet, excellent topline standing super sweep to her hindquarters, not quite front angles of reach of her brother. PG (2) 1 N You Can’t Stop The Beat; 2 Earnshaw’s Khamis Snow Leopard with Moonshadow, very elegant white boy, houndy head if not quite the strength of muzzle as 1, reachy neck, well balanced overall, correctly angulated hindquarters, enough bone, steady mover, could have a shade more forechest and angle of upper arm but a quality dog who makes an attractive overall picture. O (1) 1 Boydell and Fairburn’s Nightwind The Beat Goes On at Warrenoak, masked gold of a quality type, super feminine far seeing expression, OK shoulders, mature body, excellent hind angles, ring tail, not quite neck or topline of the youngsters.

GEORGE SMITH OPEN CHARITY STAKES (47, 29) Fun class to go over, so pleased that Ann Smith was able to present the awards in memory of her husband who was so well liked at the Maidstone shows. 1 Clark’s Ch Aftonlee Ayrlie Winds, top class Elkhound bitch with such a clean outline, super head and outlook, sensible angles all through, well bodied and in excellent coat, real showgirl who made a most attractive workmanlike overall picture; 2 Welch and Hazeltine’s Pytchley Chasing The Dream for Hookwood, most promising young Pointer male, masculine head, flowing outline combined with plenty of bone and substance, impressive mover, just not quite yet as immaculate in front action but has plenty of time; 3 Howlett’s Greyhound Skyswift Moonlite Serenade.

SIMON PARSONS