Richmond Dog Show Society

My CC winners were a sight to behold in the challenge for BOB, making a beautifully matched pair as they flowed together around the ring with the same easy, effortless movement. Surely it is a memory to treasure for the rest of my life.

VD (1, 0)  1. Maun’s Multi Ch Bowerhinton Bear Necessity. A lovely way to start the day. Masculine head with an expression conveying the nobility of the breed, dark eyes. Good bone right down to his well-shaped feet. Good shoulders, well ribbed back, would prefer a slightly shorter loin. Beautiful, clear coat contrasting with dark ears and mask. Tail well-curled, but just beginning to drop a little at times. In quite remarkable condition for 12 years, he won the RCC by virtue of his lovely movement, which remains unaltered by time.

PD (2, 1)  1. Middleton’s Graythor Rocky Mountain. 10 months, often a difficult developmental stage for a male. Promising, but just looked a little raw all through on the day. Good proportions and bone, ribs yet to spring. A little light on coat, clear undercoat, dark ears and mask.  Masculine head, well-curled and carried tail. Moved with a ground covering, springy action.

PGD (2, 1)  1. Mortimer’s Laakso Canute. The most exceptional young male that I have seen in some time. Beautiful, wedge-shaped head with a kind expression, the darkest of eyes and ears. In glorious coat, harness mark well-defined, glossy black tips to the guard hairs and a clear undercoat as called for in the standard. Excellent proportions, good length of leg which will accommodate further development of the ribs and chest as he matures, strong bone, level topline and a tail carried high and tightly curled. Totally sound, his balanced angulation was reflected in his effortless, single-tracking gait. Proud to give him his first CC & BOB.

OD (2, 1)  1. Crossley’s Crossridge Came Alone. True to type, a compact dog of correct size and proportions. Well-shaped head with dark eyes and small ears. Short loin, balanced angulation, level topline, a tightly curled and well-carried tail. Tending to drop his head to the ground as he went around the ring, I saw just enough to know that he moves with an easy, unexaggerated stride. Coat not quite in optimum condition, which was a deciding factor in the challenge.

SBB (1, 0)  1. Threadgold’s Norvin Joyeux Noel. 8 months and very promising. Beautiful, clear coat. Pretty feminine head with twinkling dark eyes and neat ears, dark mask. Pleasing length of neck, well-laid shoulders, good bone, and a well-developed, compact body. Nicely angulated at the rear, she moved well for one so young.  BP, BSB. Delighted to hear that she won the Group later in the day.

PB (3,0)  A trio of quality puppy bitches.  1. Threadgold’s Norvin Joyeux Noel. 2. Middleton’s Graythor Gates Of The Artic. 10 months. Not quite as compact as 1, but smart and upstanding when she pulled herself together. Clear coat, dark eyes and mask, tight tail. Topline a little soft as is normal at this stage of growth. Good head carried high on a powerful neck, well-laid shoulders and a sound rear, a little uncooperative on the move but went well enough. 3. Saint’s Barbelka Call Me Cryptic. Pretty baby who at 6 months looked immature against the others in the class. Nicely proportioned, square outline with a well-curled tail, good bone, not quite the eye-catching colour of 1. Feminine wedge-shaped head with a sweet expression, neat ears, a little uncollected on the move. Persevere with the ring-training, she’s worth it.

JB (1,0)  1. McMahon’s Seasara Fire Cracker. 15 months. Compact outline, level topline, short loin, well-curled and carried tail. Dark eyes, ears a little pale. Close-fitting, clear jacket. A little light in substance all through and would prefer a little more return of upper arm. Pleasing rear angulation with good width across the second thigh. A little more drive in the rear than reach in the forehand on the move.

PGB (2,0)  1. Brown’s Laakso Cara.  Lovely youngster of excellent type, so well put together and sound. From her beautiful, feminine head with its dark eyes and ears, to her compact body and her perfectly curled and carried tail, her outline is the epitome of the elkhound bitch. Lovely angulation and an easy, flowing gait, which I’m sure would serve her well in the forest.  A little out of coat on the day and still with some maturing to do, she pressed the older bitches hard in the challenge. Another year, and she should be hard to beat. 2. Crossley’s Rothenborg Pasha at Crossridge. Another very feminine bitch of excellent type. A little lighter in bone than 1, but square in outline and I particularly liked her length of leg. Attractive head with dark ears and a kind eye. Correct close-fitting coat, which was a beautiful colour. Well-laid shoulders and correct hind angulation enabled her good movement, but she tended to drop her tail at times. I liked her very much.

OB (4,2)  1. Middleton’s Ch Graythor Norwegian Lights ShCM. Such a privilege to go over this beautiful bitch. She combines an impression of strength with femininity. Her bone is solid without coarseness, her body powerful without heaviness, and she is light and agile on the move. She stands foursquare with a proud and upright stance, her tail tightly curled. Her lovely head is exquisitely moulded and she has a meltingly soft, kind eye.  I particularly admired her forehand construction and her short loin. She is surely one of the classic elkhound bitches of modern times. CC.  2. Clark’s Ch Florence Florentina Rollssupreme. Neat bitch, very cobby in outline and short-coupled. Really good depth of chest, well-laid shoulders, tail set high and tightly curled. Super bone and an attractive wedge-shaped head with an open, friendly expression. Lovely, clear coat, which was just beginning to fall. Moved well, especially in the forehand, but not quite the drive of 1 when viewed in profile.  Presented in hard condition and deserving of her title, she showed her socks off to win the RCC.