Crufts

Crufts 09/03/2019 Irish Wolfhounds

Judge Roger Tebbutt

What a memorable day! Thanks to the Crufts committee for the wonderful double ring, to my outstanding stewards, Messrs Taberer and Kazana, to the crowded and attentive ringside, and to all the sporting exhibitors who took my decisions with such good grace. I was able to relax and thoroughly enjoy a wonderful day judging some very fine hounds.

I was pleased that, in contrast to my experience across the Atlantic, I couldn’t find any faulty dentition. One general remark: there were too many hounds carrying their tails high, which so spoils their outline.

I surprised myself by awarding top honours to hounds from the yearling classes, each winning their first CC. They are both exceptionally promising young hounds, and I congratulate their owner/breeders for producing such fine stock.

Puppy Dog (3 present, 0 absentees)

1 Mullens’ Sceolan from Starstone

2 Milavec’s Raindogs Ikaros Lucifer Morningstar.

Two similar 11 months olds. They are well grown and of good proportions, with handsome heads proudly carried. They both a bit straight in front, but show nice moderate angulation in hindquarters. The winner had the edge in movement, because although the second strode out, he showed an inclination to crab.

3 Dawson’s Hydebeck Dream Tyme of Graefyn

Junior Dog (14, 2)

1 Amoos’ Sade Paris

13 month brindle of sound and balanced construction, with nicely proportioned head, well set and carried ears, strong neck, well angulated front with strong spring to pasterns, good flowing curves to top and underline, and strong, muscular and well angulated hindquarters. Movement was free and easy.

2 Dawson’s Austonley’s Falcon of Shalico

Sound wheaten in good condition. Good head with beautifully carried ears. This hound is very well put together, with good fit of neck into shoulder, nice topline, croup, and hindquarters. Just that bit plainer in front than the winner, and didn’t reach out so well on the move.

3 Pateman’s Gaeltarra Eireann Galen

Yearling (12,1)

1, DCC BOB & G3 Salamon’s Pendragon della Bassa Pavese

Stunning wolfhound with huge scope in his agile young frame. Great, imposing dark 18 month old with length of leg, beautifully proportioned head of gentle planes, soulful eyes and well carried rosed ears, all on a strong neck and shoulder assembly. Strong top and underline, good sweeping well angulated hindquarters and lovely low hocks, tight feet, and enough bend of pastern. Notwithstanding his youth, his easy and active movement was calm, composed and accurate throughout the day’s competition.

2. Finneys’ Gulliagh Vulcan

Handsome brindle with good head and strong, well placed neck, nice layback of upper arm, sweeping topline with an underline to match, nice strong correctly angulated hindquarters. Moved well with freedom. Just not the length of leg and therefore scope of the winner.

3. Monfort’s Nesquik du Grand Chien de Culann

Post Graduate Dog (11,1)

1 Dawson’s Falcon of Shalico

2 Kuhless’ Neuschwanstein IW&D’s Vernon

Plenty of length of leg giving balanced proportions to this light brindle. Not the strength across the yoke and not quite the smooth bone of the winner, and a little more upright in front. Lovely grey face with gentlest expression and well set and carried ears. I would like more beef in the second thighs, but he has nice low hocks and tight feet. Moved well when he wasn’t in such a rush.

3 Webb’s Goldswift Mission Impossible for Inkleyboys

Limit Dog (11,3)

1 T Sumner’s Dukesarum Giacomo

Winner and second are similar types, with good length of leg and overall proportions. Giacomo has the better neck set, proud head carriage, good well laid shoulders, tight feet, somewhat lacking in musculature and angulation in hindquarters, but balanced and free moving.

2 Ritchie’s Broughadowey Raiden at Torrfionn

Similar comments to winner, but shoulders not quite so well laid, and a bit more fallaway over croup. Lovely head and expression, and well placed ears rosed and carried high. Moved well with accuracy and freedom.

3 Surrell & Coleman’s Lonnkyle Pilgrim at Bokra.

Open Dog (12,3)

1 Belis’s Phoenix from Grahams Ark (Bel&LuxCh) RCC

Powerful, well made, if not the most eye catching hound, with no exaggeration. I found him a bit coarse at the shoulder, in that his vertebrae were more prominent than usual between the shoulder blades. Other than this, he has a nice flow to his top and underline, he is smooth over the croup, has strong hindquarters and low hocks, and strong well cushioned feet. He moved strongly and with purpose.

2 Salamon’s It Ch Olimpio Della Bassa Pavese

Strong, well made, and handsome hound who was not so precise in movement as the winner. He has beautiful, noble head carriage, well placed neck and shoulder at the yoke, smooth topline and length of leg to present a pleasing outline. Persisted in crabbing, which spoiled his otherwise good movement.

3 Pask’s Napoleone Della Bassa Pavese

Good Citizen Dog (1)

1 Das Purkayasthas’ Ravensbeech Romanus among Neckrebagh

Nicely made dark brindle whose extra weight detracts from his otherwise attractive outline. Good head proudly carried on strong, well placed neck, smooth at the shoulder, good topline and rear end. His feet could be tighter. Moved, shall I say, comfortably?

Veteran Bitch (4)

1 Pain’s Ch Ravensbeech Fidelia

      Beautiful seven and a half year old with flowing lines. She has that lovely expression of an older wolfhound, with greying whiskers, gentle eyes and lovely small well set ears. She carries her head proudly; she has a strong neck and well set shoulders, good top and underline, balanced angulations, low hocks, very well put together and moved soundly and with vigour. Just lost out to the RCC winner who had that bit more length of leg.

2 Crawford & Poole’s Tarlog Tiger Lily from Marlaw

This dark and stylish nine and a half year old has much to admire for a hound of her age. Although she is rangier, lighter in bone, more upright in upper arm, and finer than the winner, she has an attractive head and expression, lovely ears, a good neck, has nice balanced angulations, and moved well with enthusiasm.

3 Bridges’ Bribiba’s Lycoris Black over Barrassy

Puppy Bitch (3,1)

1 & Best Puppy: T. Sumner’s Dukesarum Meg

Composed, shapely puppy with good topline, nicely laid shoulders, balanced angulations. Nice head, but with ears on the larger side. She has a really nice balance of length to height, was alert and interested in attitude, and moved well, if a tad close behind. Needs to learn to keep her tail down!

2 Pinkney’s Hydebeck Dream of Dreams

Attractive wheaten with feminine head and well set ears. Balanced, moderate angulation, and with a good curvy topline, low hocks and neat feet. She was, however, very unsettled in the big ring, and threw her front around and crabbed on the move. Promising, but needs to calm down!

Junior Bitch (13,5)

1 Amoos’ Sade Rainbow

Dark, stylish and shapely 13m bitch, full of curves. Nice head and neck with lovely old fashioned planes to her skull. Alert expression with dark eyes. Smooth through the shoulders and along her gently curving topline, good front and rear angulations, and presented in super condition. Moved the best of a class that was otherwise somewhat mediocre in this regard.

2 Niklasson”s Manowar Ingenious Ingrid

   This wheaten bitch was a little shorter on the leg than the winner. She had an attractive head and expression, with dark eyes and good pigmentation and nicely carried ears. Well placed and strong neck and good top and underline and balanced angulations. A quality hound who moved steadily but was a bit close behind.

3 Bosman-Van Rooijen’s Ranomi v d Tortelduif

Yearling Bitch (16,5)

1 and BCC. J & P Sumner’s Ballyphelan Anna Lisa

Shapely well made strong hound with lovely hunter’s head and expression. Strong, well set neck, excellent angles in her front assembly from scapula to pastern, Good topline, well coupled at the loin and lovely over the rump, through to her shapely hindquarters. She moved well, with power and freedom.

2 Evans-Jones & Halsall’s Valheru Dream of Rhonabwy

This bitch can rather throw it away standing; I found her quality came through more on the move. She is a powerful, well-made and robust hound with good head, ears and expression, strong neck and pleasing top and underline. Nicely angulated hindquarters which she showed off really well when moving.

3 T Sumner’s Dukesarum Lilybet

Post Graduate Bitch (15,2)

1 Evans-Jones & Halsall’s Valheru Rayna

Another from this kennel who I have described in my notes as ‘robust’. She has an attractive head with good ears, nice planes to the muzzle, dark expressive eyes, nice neck into a good front assembly. Although a bit flat in topline, she has strong moderately angulated hindquarters, and when she chose to, moved with power and drive. A quality hound.

2 Kuhless’ Queen Mary Vom Alpetal

Tall good looking grey bitch with scope and frame, let down by narrow front with rather upright upper arms. Proper wolfhound head with well placed and rosed ears. Nice top and underline, good hind angulation. Moved with vigour; a tall and curvy hound.

3 Crosse’s Goldswift Sweet Discovery

Limit Bitch (16,6)

1 Grandis’ Raindogs Esmerelda

 Beautiful shapely brindle with good head and neck, nicely made front, balanced angulations, smooth top and underline. She moved well with easy vigour and presents a very attractive, curvy package.

2 Forret’s Morgana della Bassa Pavese at Culkvercroft

Strong, well made bitch with good head and neck, good front, balanced angulations, strong through hindquarters and moved with power and a bit of precision on occasions.

3 T Sumners Dukesarum Chiara

Open Bitch (12,4)

1 and RCC: T Sumner’s Ch Dukesarum Scout

Apart from her rather upright upper arms, this is a really lovely sound hound of excellent proportions. Her fine feminine head, with soulful eyes, long muzzle and well set ears sits on a strong neck and yoke. Smooth over the shoulders and down and over the croup, well put together and moved with style and power.

2 Salamon’s It Ch Miranda Della Bassa Pavese

A high class bitch, with shape and construction to match, close up to winner, but not quite on her game today. She has a proudly carried head with gentle expression, and a very nice smooth fit of neck and shoulder. However, she showed a bit of a dip in her topline, and was less sound in front than the winner on the move.

3 Maison & Freitas’ Lambada du Grand Chien de Culann

Good Citizen Bitch (3)

1 Bligh’s Bonaforte’s Enchanted at Ravencrag

Substantial wheaten with some shape, but somewhat cobby. Good head, ears and pigmentation, but I would prefer a better laid shoulder. Moved easily but without great drive.

2 Bruce’s Goldswift Leap of Faith

Leaner, and less well off for bone than the winner, and narrower in front. However, she has balanced angulations, low hocks, and presents quite a racy image on the move.

3 Bligh’s Ravencrag Helter Skelter