London & Home Counties Boxer Club

LONDON & HOME COUNTIES BOXER CLUB 60th Anniversary Championship Show 23.10.21

Having judged Dogs for the Club several years ago I was honoured to be invited to judge Bitches at this very special show and looked forward to the appointment enormously, not having been in the centre of the Boxer ring for quite some time.

It was good to see Secretary/Patron Sheila Cartwright in such fine form … what an amazing lady she is and she obviously has a loyal team of workers around her. My stewards kept the ring running efficiently, a ring that was plenty big enough to see the dogs move to advantage.

The overall quality was high and looking at this entry I think the breed in the UK seems to be in a very healthy state. Temperaments were excellent and, as expected, exhibitors were sporting.

Problems that were noticeable were, I felt, restricted to very small teeth in a lot of bitches and there were several where a short upper arm was such that back and front angulation didn’t really match. I also found a number of bitches that lacked depth through the loin and generally needed “middle piece”, having a rather extreme underline, giving the appearance of being rather cut-up so the overall picture lacks “togetherness”.

I was pleased to see a number or Brindles where the striping was clearly defined against the background colour as for years some of the Brindles were very solid.

Heads overall were pleasing though still a few could have benefited from less wrinkle on the forehead.

Movement in general was good, though the bitches who really went away using parallel hocks were in the minority.

MINOR PUPPY BITCH (10) 1. Winter’s Arkeney Bourbon at Jayal, 8 months red, wayward and exuberant but so essentially Boxer. Very pleasing unexaggerated head with gorgeous eyes, strong chin and good mouth. Square and moderate everywhere with good angles and when she settled she had a free open profile on the move. Shown in lovely bloom, she shows promise. 2. Pynegar’s Berwynfa Cha Cha Cha, very well marked brindle, 6 months on the day but already very poised and slickly handled to show off a striking outline. Excellent head type with well-padded muzzle, very well boned and bodied with impressive topline and tailset. Moved with style but slightly short in upper arm. 3. Griffiths’ Manic Bad Romance at Lanfrese, 6 months dark brindle of excellent overall type but a little lower on leg at the moment than 1 and 2, yet she still has knuckle so may well balance out as she matures. Beautiful head and expression, strong bone, well ribbed back with optimum angulation front and back.

PUPPY BITCH (7) 1. Keenan & Griffin’s Duxsara Double Diamond, this 10 months well marked brindle totally captivated me from the start of this hotly contested class. Beautiful head with such expressive eyes, excellent proportions, plenty of strength of underjaw and good mouth. Structurally very impressive with excellent angulation at both ends, well ribbed back with ample bone and already well bodied. Clean, elegant neck, firm topline and her movement was free and roomy when she got over the habit of pacing at the start. She can strengthen in pastern but the overall picture was most appealing and I was happy to make her Best Puppy Bitch and in the last five for the CC. 2. Payne’s Willow Sparks Will Fly, 9 months darker brindle of top quality who throws out a spectacular outline, being ultra-smart and so well balanced. Excellent head profile, though she wasn’t as well filled under the eyes as 1, with good rise of skull and well-padded muzzle, beautifully crested neck, firm topline, correctly angulated throughout and already very much “all of a piece”. Moves with great scope and style. These two I am sure will change places many times and, as I see they both travelled over from Ireland, I daresay they will have plenty of opportunity! 3. Mitchell’s Diceulon Midnight Clear, another dark brindle of quality, 9 months old and of excellent basic type. Feminine head with lots of appeal, not quite as well developed in forechest as the two above or as well let down behind but still makes a very pleasing overall picture and moved steadily.

JUNIOR BITCH (6) 1. Hawkins’ Mellhawk Madame Mim, 17 months red with very typical headpiece though the forehead could be a little drier. Really solid body with moderate angulation and really well covered, fit and hard with moderate angulation. Sound and steady mover. 2. Brown & Hutchings’ Love To Investigate at Winuwuk, 17 months dark brindle, beautifully detailed head with very appealing expression, well boned with good feet and the angulation is impressive throughout. So classy and feminine and more necky than the winner but she just needs to fill out in middle piece and tighten in front though the profile is scopy and stylish. 3. McCarthy & Gething’s Jeddhi Firefly, 17 months brindle with an outstanding head and expression, solid well-coupled body that was in the most impressive muscular condition, just not quite as upstanding as 2 but she gave a good account of herself on the move.

YEARLING (3) 1. Griffiths’ Sunhawk Norwatch Lets Dance at Lanfrese, 21 months dark brindle who combines substance with quality and excellent overall type. Really beautiful head and expression and her character shines through as she has a lot of attitude. Well put together and beautifully conditioned she can strengthen in pastern but has the look of a Champion and was in the final five for the CC. 2. Loasby’s Sashbob Sexy And I Know It, 12 months well-marked brindle who makes an impressive overall picture, having a nicely crested neck, firm topline and good wither height. Moderately angulated throughout and well bodied up. A little more wrinkled than 1 and not quite her open side gait but a very good bitch overall. 3. Watson & Crooks’ Roylark Honeybee, 18 months red of excellent overall type, a little stronger in head than those above but very much a Boxer. Solid body, well muscled up with smooth strong bone and excellent development of forechest. Steady mover.

DEBUTANT BITCH (8) 1. Pearn’s Bonmac Little Bo Peep, 12 months brindle of great quality with a clean, well-proportioned head and dark expressive eye, dry crested neck, good bone and the neatest of feet with well-balanced angulation. Just needs to deepen through the loin as she matures, she moved sound and true. 2. Pynegar’s Cutting Edge at Berwynfa, at just 10 months this classy brindle was giving away a lot in age but already has the most striking outline with great wither height and plenty of angulation. Basically good head type and pleasing expression but not as well ribbed back as 1 and she can tighten up in front on the move. 3. Payne’s Birleyvale Bellisario, not as dry in skull as those above but this dark brindle is essentially well-balanced with a lot of breed type and shape about her. Well boned and bodied but can strengthen in pastern, sound and steady mover.

GRADUATE BITCH (7) 1. Brown & Hutchings’ Winuwuk Aphrodite, 15 months clearly defined brindle and what an exciting prospect. Such a clean, well-proportioned head with wonderful expression and good depth of muzzle. Clean, elegantly crested neck, ample bone, tight feet, hard gently sloping topline and excellent angulation of front and rear. Fit and dry, her outline was clean and sharp but it was on the move where she really came into her own, having such an impressively open side gait and being so true out and back, especially behind where she drives away with parallel hocks. Obviously didn’t have the maturity or finish of the CC winner but on the day I felt she richly deserved the Reserve CC and will watch her progress with great interest. 2. Huggins’ Manic Picture This For Daervlish, another quality brindle of excellent overall type but not quite as dry in skull and she needs to develop in second thigh but she has a clean, well-balanced outline, was in hard condition and has a really impressive open side gait. 3. Humphries’ Lanfrese Coachella for Chribanna, brindle again with a very impressive head and expression, clean well-balanced outline, excellent bone and feet but could have a little more length of upper arm. Carrying the right amount of weight she moved freely.

POST GRADUATE BITCH (3) 1. Beardsell & Van Beck’s Newlaithe Pureoco, substantial brindle yet still essentially feminine. Good overall balance, well-proportioned head with nicely padded muzzle though she could have a little less wrinkle on the forehead. In really fit hard condition this showed up in her movement which was scopy and powerful. 2. Sherry & Marsden’s Finity Time To Shine With Sherbin, eye-catching brindle who has a clean, smart outline with elegant neck and optimum angulation at both ends but just needs to mature and deepen through the loin. Basically well balanced head but I preferred the eye of 1 and she also had a little more forehand extension though the stacked outline will always impress. 3. Kelly’s Casemates Cruz, substantial red, so very Boxery but could be a little drier in skull. Well balanced and moderate throughout, front movement is a little blousy but has so much type about her.

LIMIT BITCH (8) Without a doubt the class of the day. 1. Carter’s Susancar Sheila Spire, as soon as this eye-catching red strode into the ring she caught my eye with her free, open, powerful movement and stylish carriage and nothing disappointed on close inspection. Her head is clean, perfectly balanced and totally free of exaggeration, with good rise of skull, depth of muzzle with strong underjaw, good mouth with evenly placed teeth and her expression is so very pleasing. She has a beautifully crested dry neck of good length, well filled forechest, strong quality bone, tight feet, excellent top and underlines and the angulation of front and rear are spot on and entirely complementary. Furthermore her conditioning was quite superb – fit, hard, beautifully muscled and with no loose skin anywhere. Whenever I glanced at her she looked “right” and didn’t need screwing into position to create an outline; she just has it naturally. On the move she powered around with reach and drive and for me on the day she was the standout winner of the CC. I was delighted when my co-judge Stuart Lockdown-Brown admired her equally and agreed to her winning Best In Show over his very handsome winning male. I absolutely loved her. 2. Pearce & Francis’ Longsdale Follow That Dream, classy brindle who was up on her toes and has a natural presence. Pleased in eye and expression, well angulated throughout but not quite the depth of loin of 1. Very smart mover in profile and a very pleasing overall package. 3. McCarthy, Gething & Banks’ Sunhawk Norwatch Lovelace at Jeddhi, another quality brindle who pushed hard but didn’t have the depth or strength of underjaw of the two above and could have a little longer upper arm. Substantial yet feminine with good overall balance and she is a very stylish mover.

OPEN BITCH (5) 1. Drinkwater’s Ch Maranseen Seduction at Sulez, handsome brindle who combines substance with quality beautifully. Well-proportioned head with appealing expression, though I would like bigger lower incisors, correct length of neck and the outline is very well balanced with good height at the withers. Excellent bone and feet, shown in optimum body condition and she is a steady mover. In the final five for the CC. 2. Brown & Hutchings’ Ch Winuwuk Looking For Love, stylish and beautifully balanced brindle who scores so heavily with her free open side gait and noble carriage. Quality head with the most appealing eye but not as strong in chin as 1 and I felt she could carry a little more body condition. 3. Carter’s Ch Susancar Celia Deal, smart dark brindle who is another that impressed on the move having so much scope and style. Not quite the head balance of those above and a little longer and lighter in loin but I can quite understand why she carries her title.

VETERAN BITCH (5) 1. Lott’s Britespark Luna Moonbug, 7½ years red who won the class well having kept her excellent shape and outline. Quality head, clean and dry with dark expressive eyes, excellent bone and feet and a real powerhouse of a mover. 2. Jinks’ Talow Country Comfort at Stangard, 8 years handsome brindle of excellent overall type, well balanced head, good bone and substance and still a steady mover but not quite as defined in underline as the winner. 3. Betts’ Trumist Viva La Ziva, 8 years brindle, shapely and feminine with a very pleasing outline. Good basic head type but not the finish of mouth of those above and not quite as steady on the move.

ANDREW H. BRACE