Thetford & District Canine Society

Congratulations to the Officers and Committee for such a well-run show. Weather conditions in the run-up did everything to make life difficult, but the day ran like clockwork, although the blustery winds unsettled some of the dogs. Thanks to my two excellent stewards, Tim and Susan, who ran the ring so efficiently, leaving me free to concentrate on judging a lovely entry of quality hounds. I was a little disappointed, however, on the muscle tone of too many exhibits, and several had teeth and nails which could have done with a little attention.

AVNSC Hound

Junior (7, 4abs)

1. Robb's River Song Gudvin (Basenji)

Still a puppy, shows such potential. Confident, stylish and full of presence, he has a beautiful, correctly proportioned head showing enough wrinkle. Well set small ears, lovely expression and good mouth. Nice crested neck into well laid shoulders gives him a proud head carriage, which he holds standing and on the move. Well-sprung ribs and short loin present a compact appearance, and his good muscle tone results in excellent movement, striding out in front and driving from strong hocks.

BP AVNSC, PG2

2. Cox's Carlincox Pure Gold (Rhodesian Ridgeback)

Quality all through, and strongly challenged for the top spot, but I felt the winner had a more precise front movement. Lovely head, angulation both front and hind correct, with well-defined muscles giving lovely movement in profile. To be hyper-critical, I feel the crowns on the ridge could be better defined.

3. Jones' Clanwillow Bright By Design (Basset Hound)

PostGrad (8,1)

1. Hills' Zoraden Your Precious Love at Shimmeree (Greyhound)

Shown in hard condition and beautiful fine coat. Well proportioned head with powerful muzzle, yet still feminine, Long neck into well laid shoulders with good flat muscle, great depth of chest and ribs carried well back. Good strength across back and powerful, well-muscled quarters resulted in her holding a perfect topline standing and on the move, and moving with a long, low stride, driving from her hocks and covering the ground effortlessly.

2. Jones' Clanwillow Centenary Hope (Basset Hound)

Beautiful, well balanced head with domed skull, and good skull to muzzle ratio, lovely eyes and calm expression, low set, long ears with good inwards curl and of excellent texture. Well-boned forelegs, fitting neatly into crook of chest, and well-knuckled feet. Moved with drive, true coming and going, and showing great power in profile.

3. Weston's Longmynd Zodiac (Basset Hound)

Open (7,3)

1. Cox's Ch Carlincox Pure Gold (Rhodesian Ridgeback)

Feminine but strong and muscular, she is beautifully constructed throughout, with strong neck into sloping shoulders, deep chest and strong, well-muscled loin. Well defined muscles in her quarters result in good drive and true movement behind. Well boned legs right down through her pasterns to her feet, which are well-knuckled and compact. Good ridge and crowns. Carries her tail well, completing the picture of a powerful, free moving hound. Best AVNSC, G1

2. Collett's Laavas Opportunity Network (Afghan Hound)

Elegant hound with well-proportioned head and correct expression, head carried high on long neck. Good depth to chest, ribs carried well back to short loin. Good front angulation and strong quarters of great length with well-bent stifles resulted in light, springy movement, very stylish, and holding a good topline. Fine, silky coat, with distinctive saddle completed the picture – unlucky to meet the winner today.

3. Clanwillow Bright by Design

Beagle

Junior (1,0)

1. Tofts' Jarrowley Larksrise

Just six months today, but showing like a veteran, and although standing alone, she could hold her own in any company. Feminine head with a soft but alert expression, well defined stop and good head proportions. She has well-set ears, long and rounded and a perfect mouth. Well boned forelegs, bone carried down through pasterns to well-knuckled feet. Deep chest, with ribs carried well back to strong loin and muscled quarters. She carries her high set stern well, both standing and on the move. BP, PG3

PostGrad (2,0)

1. Player's Lyndex Orchid

Well constructed and angulated fore and aft, deep, well-sprung ribs carried well back to good loin. Nice eye gives a soft expression, well placed ears and good muzzle completed a feminine, fine but powerful head. She won the class on her true movement, but perhaps ideally she could carry a little more bone.

2. Andrews' Lyndex Nemesis

Another well put together hound, masculine head, well bodied and good bone. Front movement not as precise as winner, particularly coming towards me.

Open (3,1)

1. Player's Lyndex Kieran

Unfortunately today, he was suffering from “beagle tail”, but his overall qualities more than compensated. He has a masculine head, powerful without coarseness, dark eye and well placed ears. Strong neck into well angulated forequarters, deep through the body with good spring of rib and ribs carried well back. Strong quarters with well bent stifles resulted in true, active movement when he settled to the job in hand, true coming and going and free striding in profile. Tailset is high, so I forgave the issues with tail carriage. BOB, but rather threw in the towel in the Group challenge

2. Winney's Jimjen Albert Victor

A lot to like here, from his lovely head, through good shoulders to deep chest. However, he doesn’t carry the depth of body far enough back for me, and appeared to cut up a little, although this may have been the way he held himself in the blustery conditions. Lost out to the winner on front movement,

Whippet

Junior (7,0)

1. Reece's Saleehah Serafina

This young lady, just 6 months, stole the show, and my heart, as soon as she came into the ring. Elegant and graceful, she is beautifully put together, from her feminine head with alert expression, long neck leading into sloping shoulders, good body proportions with a lovely topline, through to well angulated quarters. She stands over plenty of ground, and on the move, has reach in front, moving right through the shoulder, with a long, low stride, and driving from well let down hocks. She still needs to develop in brisket, but for one so young, presents a beautiful, typical outline. BP, PG1

2. Moore's Zoraden Secret Sins at Sunwalkers

Just the size I like, feminine but powerful, good angulation both ends, with deep chest, well sprung ribs and nice length of loin. Not quite the reach in front, but nevertheless moved true coming and going.

3. Allen's Zoraden Shades of Bracken

PostGrad (4,1)

 Movement generally in this class was not quite so good

1. Hills' Shimmeree Black Liberty

Lovely outline, both standing and on the move. Shown in first class condition, with lovely skin and coat, glossy and fine. Good angulation, and moved with reach in front – another who moved right through the shoulder, with good extension - but could have been stronger through the hocks.

2. Reece's Saleehah Suriah

Good muscular condition, but not quite the shoulder angulation of the winner, resulting in movement which lacked some reach.

3. Pye's Blusteren Midnight Ink at Perromono

Open (3,0)

1. Hills' Shimmeree Black Satin

Elegant, feminine yet powerful, presented a lovely outline, and shown in excellent body condition, well muscled with fine, glossy black jacket. Dark eye giving bright expression, fine small ears, lovely length of neck. She has a good depth of chest and well sprung ribs, with correct length of loin to present a balanced picture both standing and on the move, and moved well with long, low stride. BoB, G4

2. Reece's Danluke Disco Dancer at Gabledene

Looked good standing, but was a little too strong across the chest for me, with rather too pronounced forechest, which made him throw out his elbows a little coming towards me. A masculine dog, powerful, well constructed and shown in hard condition.

3. Lockyear and Price's Ronchanelli Welcome News

Portuguese Podengo

Junior (3.0)

1. Foscoe's Pastel de Bacalhau de Viamonte

The blustery conditions appeared to unsettle this youngster, causing him to over-arch his topline at times. Good head with lovely ears which he used to advantage. Well muscled sloping shoulders, correct length of body and strong quarters, moved lightly over the ground with good stride. BP

2. Wedge's Stormwitch Heart and Soul

Nice outline and good proportions, rough coat of correct texture. A little upright in shoulder resulting in less positive movement in front.

3. Segui's Stormwitch Heirs and Graces at Arranbourne

PostGrad (2,0)

1. Folds’ Arranbourne Galenia at Jaflings

Good shaped head, with short muzzle, correct stop and flat skull, bright eyes and well set ears, carried correctly, and mobile. Good length to height ratio, with correct topline, level back with a slight rise over the loin. Firm, low hocks gave rear drive, resulting in free, active movement. BoB

2. Foscoe's Plushcourt Gabble

Rather unsettled, and hunching in the blustery conditions, spoiling her topline. Good large, triangular ears, but I preferred the finer head and neater muzzle of the winner

Open (4,0)

1. Curtis' Ger/Bel/NL Ch Stormwich Carrousel Tulpe

Better movement won this girl the class, going true fore and aft, with light step. Well proportioned and constructed, with lovely head, strong neck and well muscled shoulders.

2. Segui's Arranbourne Faustino

Presented a lovely outline standing, but tended to toe-in on the move.

3. Wedge's Stormwitch Macadamia at Rioccajen

AV Hound

Junior (4,3)

1. Clanford's Canopus Fortuna (Saluki)

Much more settled and at ease in this class, moved better but still not putting all in

PostGrad (abs)

Open (2,1)

1. Norman's Silvae Trade Name (Dachshund W/H)

Beautifully constructed, long and low, with excellent muscle throughout. Long, strong head carried well on clean neck. Strong and prominent breastbone, with deep keel carried through to full ribcage, ribs carried well back. Lovely free movement, and holding a level topline at all times.

Hound Group

1. Ch Carlincox Pure Gold (Rhodesian Ridgeback)

2. Darcy Cerne Eso (B/T Coonhound)

3. Loggeta Boom and Bust (Dachshund Min S/H)

4. Shimmeree Black Satin (Whippet)

Hound Puppy Group

1. Saleehah Serafina (Whippet)

2. River Song Gudvin (Basenji)

3. Jarrowley Larksrise (Beagle)

4. Swala's Shawn at Ezhar (Azawakh)

Special Air Ambulance AV Open

1. Crowley's Nikitos Namethatdog (Chihuahua S/C)

Little cracker, showed his socks off all the time. True, active movement won him the class

2. Cooper's Vormund I'm Luella at Pervale (Japanese Shiba Inu)

First class movement and super condition belied her 10 years. Well constructed, and shown in lovely condition, can still give the young ‘uns a run for their money.

3. Pilkington Ellis' Molkara Crystal Knight at Brimbeck (Cocker Spaniel)

Viv Rainsbury (Judge)