National Australian Shepherd Association

National Australian Shepherd Association 4th May 2019

Critique

I want to thank the committee for inviting me to judge their open show, a huge honour and I was overwhelmed by the size of the entry. Taking place as part of the Association’s activity weekend also meant that I got the opportunity to go over dogs of quality that don’t often show but work at a variety of other disciplines. Due to the uncertainties of the weather as the day wore on, we came inside for the bitch judging and this may have worked in favour of the bitches as the boys had to contend with wind and many outside distractions during the morning! My stewards were terrific and kept everything moving for me. The exhibitors and the dogs were absolutely lovely. My main winners were of super quality and my line ups pleased me greatly. There is so much to be pleased about in the breed. Obviously, there are the same issues as in many breeds, for example, straight upper arms etc, and going through my notes afterwards I realise I mentioned round eyes and feet rather more than I would have liked. However, as I had to nit-pick a lot in making my placings I can truthfully say that this appointment was one of the highlights of my judging year.

Puppy Dog (5) A lovely class of puppies.

1. Cowley’s Sparkaway Talk Of The Devil. Well made youngster, handsome in head, with flat skull and nice eye shape. Sufficient neck and correct front and rear angulation. Good body proportions and nice firm topline, which he kept on the move. Well off for bone. Coat of good quality and well presented. Moved soundly. BPD/BOSPIS

2. Raymond’s Stone Pine Secret Agent For Dialynne (imp USA). Black tri with lovely copper trim. Really liked the head on this boy and he presents a great balanced picture standing. Nice for bone and good feet. Currently a little narrow in body. Moved ok, but not as freely as 1.

3. Spenceley’s Quilters Kingfisher

Junior Dog (2)

1. McKinnon’s Dialynne Enzo Ferrari. Good size boy with lovely red colouring. Handsome in head, eye could be a little more almond. Loved his overall proportions, good leg length. He was a little restless, but settled to move well; straight coming and going.

2. Clarke’s Trijem Return Of The Slayer. Nice male with good proportions but lacking undercoat which made him appear rangier than 1. Loved his head with correct eye shape; good bone and feet. Needs to tighten in front which affected his movement on the day.

Novice Dog (5)

1. Spenceley’s Quilters Kingfisher. Was third in the quality puppy class and won this on his overall soundness of movement. Going through growth stage and is a little bum-high. Attractive head, which still needs to broaden slightly, nice skull to muzzle balance. Good front angulation and moderate bone and good feet.

2. McKinnon’s Dialynne Enzo Ferrari. (notes as before)

3. Rohland’s Soullaria Elton John FS N Ex

Post Graduate Dog (4,3 – one transfer 2abs)

1. Cowley’s Sparkaway Supernatural. Super head with lovely skull, good eye shape and nicely set ears, used well. Liked his overall length of leg to body length. Good topline. Rather steep in upper arm, placing his front too far forward. Shown in good coat condition, well presented. Moved ok but lacked reach.

Limit Dog (0)

Open Dog (2 – incl 1 transfer)

1. Milligan & Marley’s Jotars Lies And Deceit With Alfsden. A quality male. Strong head which was slightly overworked, but good skull to muzzle; good neck and strong in body. Would have liked a little more return of upper arm, but good for bone and strong in rear. Sound on the move. BD.

2. Challenger & Hooker’s Lyveden Pacon Paladin. Really liked this dog, a moderate and balanced male of super type with lovely proportions. However, he was determined not to work with his handler today and played around on the move which made it hard to assess.

Veteran Dog (4)

1. Swallow’s Lyveden Castill Chaska. Lovely boy with super outline, balanced proportions. Shown in good coat, presented well and moved out soundly. BOSVIS.

2. Alder’s Jacanshe Harvest Time With Aussiame ShCM. Well coated and presented red merle. A little shorter in leg, so not displaying quite the balance of one but a nice male. Presented well. Lovely in head, good neck, good topline which he maintained on the move. Very sound.

3. Knott’s Lyveden Rairrock Regel JW

Special Open Red Merle Dog (1)

1. Challenger & Hooker’s Lyveden Pacon Paladin. (2nd in Open, notes above)

Special Open Blue Merle Dog (5) A hard decision between 1 and 2, but the lovely puppy had to give way to the more mature male.

1. Knott’s Lyveden Texas Ranger. 4 yo male, handsome and correct in head, good for overall balance, correct for bone and with super feet. Soundly moving boy.

2. Cowley’s Sparkaway Talk Of The Devil. (as above, Puppy Dog)

3. Capp’s Silvercea Galdalf The Grey

Special Open Black Dog (5,3)

1. Rohland’s Soullaria Elton John FS N Ex. Strong head, handsome but a little short in muzzle, good skull; nice arch to good neck and lovely front assembly. Correct for overall proportions, good topline, moderate bone and nice feet. Moved out well.

2. Fuller’s Trijem Single Digit. Taller boy and still maturing, needing to settle into himself. At the moment looking a little less balanced in appearance. Liked his correct head and lovely expression. Another sound mover.

Special Open Red Dog (2)

1. McKinnon’s Dialynne Enzo Ferrari (notes above, Junior Dog)

2. Fuller’s Trijem Urban Daredevil For Inoby. A super ‘senior’, this 11yo boy is not showing his age and presents a lovely and breed-typical picture. Really sound on the move, retaining his topline and showing drive.

Special Open Working Dog (3,1) Two more great veterans.

1. Fuller’s Trijem Apple Danish At Inoby. 10 yo red with super head and expression; lovely strong neck and strong in body. Topline starting to soften slightly, but in fine hard condition with good bone and strong pasterns. Moved out really well.

2. Knott’s Lyveden Rairock Rebel JW. 3rd in strong Veteran class and at 8 yo, still a comparative youngster. Sweet in head, with good skull to muzzle proportions; Presented a well-balanced outline. Moved well, retaining his topline.

Best Dog: Jotars Lies And Deceit With Alfsden

Reserve Best Dog: Lyveden Texas Ranger

Best Puppy Dog: Sparkaway Talk Of The Devil

Best Veteran Dog: Lyveden Castill Chaska

Puppy Bitch (5,2) Lovely class of very nice puppies.

1. Raymond’s Stone Pine Written In The Stars for Dialynne (imp USA). Was wowed be this very pretty and feminine 10 mo Tri puppy. Attractive in head, good neck and lovely topline; good in body and bone and nice depth and width of chest. Showed herself off to advantage and moved out soundly. BPB/BPIS

2. Davis’ Thornshan Maid Of Blue For Rosschell (imp Pol). Very attractive head and nice overall proportions. Not yet as together as 1, but showing promise with correct angulation and overall make and shape. Steady on the move with good foot placement.

3. Milligan’s Allmark Sapphire With Alfsden

Junior Bitch (2,1)

1. Bassett’s Trijem Star Of The Snow. Very pretty Tri just on a year old. Very pretty head, good neck and topline; nice in body shape and bone. In super coat and well presented. Would like a little more front angulation and this just hampers her extension on the move.

Novice Bitch (6,2)

1. Gillingham’s Silverdreams Aussies Your Destiny At Parkgrove. Nicely balanced blue merle with good leg to body proportions. Very pretty in head, good neck and correct angulation front and rear. Needs to tighten in front pasterns, however she moved out well.

2. Milligan’s Allmark Sapphire With Alfsden. Third in strong Puppy class, a very pretty bitch with the most super clear copper trim on her well-presented merle coat. Lovely picture standing, showing nice balanced proportions. Would like slightly more oval foot. Moved ok.

3. Chorley’s Trijem Return Of The Slayer

Post Graduate Bitch (3)

1. Fuller & Halligan’s Silvarcea The Perfect Storm. Lovely blue merle with rich copper tri; pretty feminine head with good ear placement, good neck. Correct front and rear angulation and overall balanced proportions. Sound on the move, straight coming and going and good foot placement.

2. Wiley’s Moonstyle Mystic Frost. Another pretty bitch of good type; ears a little wayward today. Slightly longer cast than 1 but strong loin and sound on the move.

3. Brown’s Triforce Morning Mist Over Shepwood

Limit Bitch (3,2)

1. Flaherty’s Lyveden Pacon Pandora. Pretty blue merle bitch with nice head nicely placed ears, good neck. Taller bitch, lovely front angulation, a little long in back but with lovely bone and feet. Moved soundly.

Open Bitch (1)

1. Challenger’s Ch Lyveden Texas Rose JW. Loved her! Beautiful 4 yo red merle who just looks ‘right’ in all respects. So balanced – from her pretty, feminine head, good neck, correct angulation, lovely body shape and bone. Shown in tip top condition and a complete picture. Moved out so soundly, was a real joy to watch. BB/BIS

Veteran Bitch (4,1)

1. Challenger’s Lyveden Rairock Rhythm. Following on from Open came a super class of veterans headed by a stunning 8 yo with super head and expression, lovely proportions, correct balanced angulation. Standing she was a joy and on the move she was great, sound and easy of stride. In the challenge it was a really tight decision between her and the Open bitch for top honours. RBIS/BVIS.

2. Cowley’s Lamintone What About Me. Another lovely veteran, shown in good hard condition. Pretty in head, lovely in construction, and moved out soundly.

3. Fuller’s Triforce Last Of The Wilds

Special Open Red Merle Bitch (1)

1. Hellingsworth’s Trijem Coogee Beach Babe At Carabaz. Quality girl who was 4th in nice Novice class. Good for size and shows a lovely outline. Super front and steady on the move.

Special Open Blue Merle Bitch (8,3)

1. Cowley’s Lamintone What About Me. (see notes above, Veteran)

2. Morley’s Trijem Return Of The Magic. Very pretty bitch, well-constructed and has super front. Good for bone. Moved out well displaying lovely topline and parallel coming and going.

3. Gillingham’s Silverdreams Aussies Your Destiny At Parkgrove

Special Open Black Bitch (2)

1. Ch Trijem Think Outside The Box. Really liked this lovely girl, so well put together and made a lovely picture. Well-constructed, super proportions giving great balance, lovely bone and as sound as the day is long. Another that vied for top spots.

2. Summerley’s Scullymadra Greenhill. Pretty bitch with sweet expression. A little longer cast than one and would prefer just a little more leg for balance. However, well-constructed with good angulation and very fit and sound on the move.

Special Open Red Bitch (1,1)

Special Open Working Bitch (2)

1. Ch Trijem Think Outside The Box. (notes as above, Special Open Black Bitch)

2. Wiley’s Moonstyle Mystic Frost. (notes as above, Post Graduate Bitch)

Best Bitch: Ch Lyveden Texas Rose JW

Reserve Best Bitch: Lyveden Rairock Rythmn

Best Puppy Bitch: Stone Pine Written In The Stars For Dialynne (imp USA)

Best Veteran Bitch: Lyveden Rairock Rythmn

BIS: Ch Lyveden Texas Rose JW

RBIS: Lyveden Rairock Rythmn

BPIS: Stone Pine Written In The Stars For Dialynne (imp USA)

BOSP: Sparkaway Talk Of The Devil

BVIS: Lyveden Rairock Rhythm

BOSVIS: Lyveden Castill Chaska

Judge: Penny Roberts (Archaeus)