Welsh Kennel Club

Welsh Kennel Club 16th August 2019       Borzoi judge: Mrs Elizabeth I. Dawson (Stubbylee)

My sincere thanks to the Committee and Secretaries of the Welsh Kennel Club for the invitation to award CC’s for the first time after thirty six years plus of owning Borzois. I was delighted with my entry and thank my lovely stewards, Gordon Drummond and Don Jackson. Overall the quality of exhibits were good, although toplines which should have a graceful curve are a concern as is the true, light, straight extension and float on the move which is the stamp of our elegant breed. Type is variable which I think is due to a lack of knowledge of pedigrees / breed heritage. Temperaments, apart from one dog, were good. Teeth do need attention as some were filthy; this is a major health concern and needs to be addressed.

Veteran Dog

1st White’s Mischran Diamond Geeza. 10 yrs self black with tan points, correctly proportioned elegant head with dark, kind eyes and dark pigmentation, small neat ears set well back, slightly arched neck set on to nicely sloping shoulders, perhaps a little more return would be ideal. He has good amount of bone and decent feet, depth of chest was fine. His length of loin could be a touch longer for my taste, not a bad topline for an older gentleman, correct width at the rear and tail well set and carried. Still moves with positive reach and drive.

Minor Puppy Dog

1st Baker’s Mischran Spirito. 6mths. Pristine white and red. Beautiful head of correct construction and already showing lovely veining, teeth are correct scissor bite, for his overall colour he has dark eye and pigmentation, neat ears, lightly arched neck and set on to gently sloping shoulders with a good return of upper arm.  A good breastbone and width at the front without being too much. He carries plenty of bone and chunky knees to give more growing yet. Very good correctly shaped tight feet front and rear. Adequate chest depth for his age, he has a decent length of body and lovely topline which is retained on the move. The rear has width, is well muscled and decent bend of stifle to provide plenty of drive to move true and straight. Tail is well set and a little happy on the move, but he’s a puppy.

2nd Baker’s Mischran Melchior. 8 mths striking self red with a dark mask. Similar overall construction to 1 but slightly taller than long at the moment, so doesn’t quite have the softer curves to give the easy movement required in profile.  Saying that, he moves straight, away and back and should be lovely once he drops.  Very cheerful on the move around the ring. In really good condition and very well presented, certainly one to watch in the future.

Puppy Dog

1st Birmingham’s  Russkiy Azart Master Ballantine Eletto (Imp It). 11mths. White and sable, a very eye catching young man of excellent size and substance.  A well proportioned head, beautifully veined already, correct dentition, dark pigmentation, neat ears folded and set back. A strong neck  flows on to excellent shoulder construction.  Good depth of chest and  length to body and  has a flowing topline which is held on the move.  His fallaway is smooth and he has a well set tail, he has plenty of width on his well muscled hindquarters which are used well.  Feet are good and well padded.  He moves lightly around the ring showing reach and extension, a joy to watch with his immaculate silky coat finishing the picture. Delighted to award him BP and later watch him shortlist in the Puppy Group.

Junior Dog

1st Raczka’s Jamarqui Alchemy Argent . White, fawn, another decent sized masculine youngster. Head is of correct proportions, lovely pigmentation and veining. Correct dentition.  A good strong neck, excellent shoulder placement giving reach, plenty of bone and good feet. The depth of chest is fine for his age and he has good spring of rib. Another with a topline visible on the move, I would perhaps like a touch more length of loin. He has powerful rear quarters used well on the move and shows very well for his handler. The coat is silky and he is produced in excellent condition. Another with a good future ahead of him.

2nd White’s Mischran Luther. Black/white presented in immaculate condition. He has a beautiful head and expression, veining visible, good scissor bite, neat ears, a powerful neck. I would have preferred a little more return on his upper arm and more sweep of stifle to give length on the move. His depth of chest is fine as are his feet. The topline is good and he has muscular hindquarters and he is straight moving away and back.

3rd Lyden Donskoi  Tschaikovsky

Post Graduate Dog

1st Harvey’s Lynx Shades of Autumn at Albaneiler (Imp SWE.) White/red masculine but elegant. Initially a little apprehensive to be gone over due to a previous bad experience with a judge.  His head is of correct proportions with beautiful veining, dark eyes and excellent pigmentation. Ears neatly folded back, he has a gently arched neck set on sloping shoulders which have a good return of upper arm. Decent amount of bone. Correct tight feet both front and rear. A good depth of chest and a gentle rise of topline and length to loin. Well constructed hindquarters with adequate angulations, good tailset carried low on the move. I would prefer him an inch taller and a touch longer for my taste but I have to say that he has excellent muscle tone throughout and immaculate presentation.

2nd Chalk & Vorrias’s Chalksville Eagle Lord. White/ sable impressive, well boned dog in good condition. He has a lovely veined head and good length of neck. I would prefer a slightly more laid back shoulder together with return to give him more scope in front movement.  A pleasing depth to his chest with good spring although a touch more length to loin would be nice. He has a good rear assembly and does move well, he would benefit for moving a little more slowly to allow him time to extend. He just needs a little more time to mature and drop into himself.

Limit Dog

!st  Graham’s Dashava Calgary. Rich self red of excellent quality throughout, a beautiful dark eyed head with super veining, dentition fine, neat little ears and a slightly arched neck. He has good shoulders and return, a decent breastbone and adequate bone throughout, his feet are well shaped and tight. He has depth to his chest and plenty of heartroom. His topline is correct and flows nicely through to a gentle fallaway. His tailset is good and carried low on the move. A well muscled rear with gently curving stifle and low hocks gave plenty of power and drive. His movement is straight and economical and gives the impression of a hound which could fulfil the task he was bred for. He is in excellent hard condition and silky coat was beautifully presented. To be picky, I would like him just a tiny bit bigger but delighted to award him the RCC.

2nd Moran & Kelsey’s Ricanova Mack and Mable. A handsome dark mahogany/white male of good size, such a shame that he was not happy to be gone over. He has a nice masculine head of good proportions, dark eye and pigmentation, reasonable depth. He could have a little more shape on his topline and just standing a little tense and upright today fore and aft. He has decent width at the rear and he has a nice silky coat. On the move, he needs to be encouraged to stride out and show himself more.

Open Dog

Honoured to judge this lovely class of quality hounds, some not quite moving as well today as I have seen them do.

1st Pinkerton & Cattoni-Sarman’s  Ch Ujay Kalinow at Menigma(Imp Ger) JW ShCM.  A striking sable male of excellent size and substance in good muscular condition. A beautiful head and expression, correct dentition, veining,  strong underjaw and neat ears. A good length of neck leads to decent shoulder placement and good return of upper arm, he carries plenty of bone and has excellent depth and heartroom. Feet are good and in good tight condition. His topline has a gentle slope and is maintained on the move, the fallaway is just nicely sloped and not severe, tail is well set on and carried long and low. His coat is fantastic and beautifully presented, his handler does get the best out of him on the move although I would just like a little more extension and float for perfection. A well deserved DCC and BOB.

2nd Pinkerton & Cattoni-Sarman’s Ch Korsakov Radost Power of Love Menigma (Imp) White/gold in super condition and presentation. His head is correctly proportioned and has dark eyes and pigmentation, his veining is good and he has an elegant neck and decent shoulder assembly, ample bone, excellent depth and spring of rib. It is a shame that his topline lacks shape which prevents him from extending on the move with the corresponding float. His quarters are well muscled, his tail set just nicely and he has low hocks which provide plenty of drive. Sadly his front movement lets him down and cost him the RCC.

3rd Smith’s Ryazan Joshua at Julam

Veteran Bitch

1st Ryazan Perdita of Hillohawks ShCM. rich self red/white presented in immaculate condition, she has a lovely feminine head with prominent veining and lovely dark pigmentation, dainty ears, a good length of neck and excellent shoulders. Bone is adequate but I would like her feet a touch tighter to give a bit of spring on the move. The depth of chest is good, she has plenty of body length and a good topline maintained when moving.  The fallaway is not too steep and she has a well muscled rear and lovely sweep of stifle giving scope for plenty of drive. She is a little lazy and needs to be moved on more and then her full potential could be realised.  BV.

2nd Allen’s Araura’s Tigers Eye. Dark brindle of good size and substance, her head is lovely and of good proportions, the veining is good and you need to really look through the colour to see the quality, really nice pigmentation, she has good depth and plenty of heartroom, her feet could be tighter, she is reasonably well angulated front and rear, her topline could be better but she needs a little weight off and it would come back up. She has a powerful rear giving plenty of drive and carries her tail correctly, working well with her owner though.

Minor Puppy Bitch

1st Fricker’s Mischran Carmenta. 6mths white/red. Very feminine little girl sporting lovely veining already, pigment is good, neat ears and correct bite. Still needing depth at this age, she is well off for bone and has lovely low knees and hocks, topline is fine and she has length to loin and decent width at the rear. Feet are nice and neat, she has plenty of drive and moves very happily around the ring showing everyone how proud she is of her tail.

Puppy Bitch

1st  Marchant’s Ash Wednesday Scarlet at Starborough (Imp It). 10mths Very striking white/red, lovely feminine head and the darkest of pigment,  her shoulders are well laid back and she has excellent return giving a good reach on the move, bone is good and another with low knees/hocks, she was in her underwear today but that was fine, it showed off her lovely, rangy body, good topline and length of loin. Her tail is correct and carried low, her hindquarters are strong giving lots of drive and her feet are well shaped. She covers the ground very easily with plenty of spring in her step. Beautifully presented.

Junior Bitch

1st Giblett’s Mischran Prime Suspect. Self black, eye catching youngster, such a well defined feminine head and tiny ears, very dark eyes with a keen expression, her neck is a good length and set on to super front assembly providing extension on the move, she needs to drop her chest yet but not bad for her age, she has adequate bone and good feet. Her topline is very good and retained when moving and fallaway not too steep, her tail is carried low, she is in good hard condition and her broad quarters give plenty of power around the ring. She could be moved just a touch slower to give her time to really stretch out, she has the capability.

2nd Webb & Bates’ Mischran Hinterland. Lovely self red, litter sister to 1 and exactly the same comments on construction apply to her as well. Beautiful presentation.  They are two beautiful girls who may change places a few times over the years and I loved the light elegance of them on the move, they looked so effortless and as if they could hunt all day. Just preferred the lightness of movement over 3rd

3rd Parson’s Jamarqui Alchemy Annie

Post Graduate Bitch

1st Page’s Lynx Autumn Mist (Imp). Elegant, feminine brindle, tall but not a heavy girl but adequate amount of bone. Long lean, classical head with just a nice amount of veining, dark pigmentation, dark eyes with a keen expression, tiny ears folded well back, I liked her front construction, she has plenty of depth and a lovely, rangy body, excellent topline and well angulated and muscled hindquarters. Her feet are of a good shape and well padded. She is not exaggerated in any department and floats around the ring in a very light fashion and I enjoyed watching her effortless profile movement. A well deserved RCC.

2nd Parsons’ Jamarqui Alchemy Annie. White/red with fawn shaded head of good proportions, eye and pigment nice and dark, good dentition, elegant neck and decent layback of shoulder but I would prefer more return on upper arm.  She is at that ‘teenager’ stage and needs to drop her frame but she just needs time and patience, her front feet could be slightly tighter for my preference and therefore straighter on her up and down. Her topline is good and held whilst moving. Hindquarters are nicely muscled and she uses them well although she doesn’t quite have the stretch of 1 but just out moved 3rd placed. Her coat is silky and, although coming back from a moult, was presented in good, clean condition. I look forwards to watching her progress.  

3rd Yardley’s Thrillseeker Lastochka

Limit Bitch

1st Page’s Lynx Christmas Belle (Imp).  White/cream of good size and substance from the same kennel as the PG winner and of similar construction. The head is refined and carrying excellent pigmentation and veining, tidy ears folded well back, a nice length of neck, shoulder construction is good and together with powerful hindquarters propel her in a light and easy manner. She has good, well padded feet and decent bone throughout, her depth and topline are good and she looks as if she could do the job she was intended for. Her coat, condition and presentation are first class.

2nd Barrett-Williams’ Tyysgol Guinevere. White/apricot, another decent sized girl, head is of good proportions but just lacking prominent veining for me, neat ears, beautiful dark eyes, neck is elegant and she has good shoulders and return, bone is fine, I would prefer slightly tighter feet. Depth of chest is very good as is her topline but she lacks a little length in loin and her fallaway is a touch too steep for my preference. Because of this she can overreach on the move. She has lovely low pasterns and hocks and is in excellent condition. Her coat is correct, soft and silky and immaculately presented. I did prefer her overall size and substance to 3.

3rd Donnelly & Devereux’ Serenefol Alicja

Open Bitch

1st Harvey & Jonsson’s Lynx Princess Winter (Imp) CJW17.  White/silver girl who just flows from head to toe in a series of curves. She is not as tall as some but I have no doubt that she could work the field. Lovely head with a sweet expression, neat ears, veining obvious, a nice strong neck flows onto laid back shoulders which have a really decent return giving plenty of reach in profile, she has good bone and very good tight feet. I found her to have ample depth of chest and a nice strong body. Her topline is decent and fallaway not too steep, tail is correct and not carried high. She has low knees and hocks and super bend of stifle. She has a lovely working pace and gives the impression that she would enjoy going hunting and returning with her spoils! Her coat is beautiful and immaculately presented. She was a worthy BCC and with another year of maturing would have taken the BoB.

2nd Kanoo’s Nibrass Eleanore Reginae.  Black/white immaculately presented. An uncomplicated girl to go over. Lovely head and expression with dark eye and excellent pigmentation. Chest depth is fine and she has adequate bone, I would prefer more slope of pastern and slightly better shaped feet. She has gently flowing topline and a well muscled rear assembly,  a touch more bend of stifle would be preferable, she is very steady on the move and straight coming towards and going away.

3rd Datta’s Nibrass Hail Aurora JW