Driffield Championship Dog Show

Despite the changeable weather, I had a great day judging Gordons at Wetherby Racecourse. Thank you to everyone who brought their dogs, I was fortunate to be afforded an entry which boasted a good depth of quality across both sexes and there were some difficult decisions to make. Handling needs to improve; so many gave a lot away by being out of control and erratic on the move – please work on this as a lot of good dogs just weren’t able to be assessed fully, owing to them being poorly trained and handled. Temperaments were excellent, not a cross word between any of them, and the sporting atmosphere around the ring was evident.

VD/B (1 Entries) Abs: 0

1 BEESE Lainnireach Liberty Bell at Ashheys. Just into veteran, this lady has a pretty head but needs to lose quite a bit of weight to improve her outline and wasn’t moving at her best.

JD (2 Entries) Abs: 0

1 DONALD Clos Erasmus Black Business (Imp Rus). Head not to my liking, however he does have nice dark eyes. Quite well balanced for his age and well grown on with good bone. He makes good use of himself on the move and drives off soundly on his hocks going away. Presented in first rate order.

2 FUDGE Kattandale Black Crusader At Rufusmoor AI. Certainly more the head type I prefer, however this young lad needs to settle as he tended to drop his croup and fall away behind when stacked, and also on the move.

SYD (1 Entries) Abs: 0

1 PHILLIPS, WATKINS, & MILES Glenmaurangi Mandalorian. I love the temperament of this young male, so outgoing and full of verve and charisma which his handler does a wonderful job of using to her advantage. Decent head with good eye and earset, he is well angled at both ends and sufficiently developed in his ribbing for his age. Plenty of him, wouldn’t want any more. Comes alive on the move and really eats up the ground, his happy disposition adds to the impulsion as he goes. Pulled in for consideration for top honours today but his age was evident against elder competition.

PGD (8 Entries) Abs: 0

1 BAIN Palangor Moonlight Echo At Pangarak. What a lovely correct type; sound, honest and moderate with lots of appeal. Lovely head and kindly eye. Balanced fore and aft with nothing in extreme and presented in correct moderate coat. Extremely hard condition, clearly afforded plenty of exercise and this showed in his strong driving action from his low hocks. He has a cheeky disposition and makes his handler work very hard – I’m sure with a little extra homework he will get his head around the job all the better.

2 DANKS, Mrs M Colquhally Major Tom. Super type of dog, another of medium size without exaggeration in any way, however another who has a cheeky disposition and made his handler work hard! Nice head with depth, and a dark eye and kind expression. Well constructed at both ends, with long deep ribs and strength in top line. Another presented in correct hard condition, with his coat in immaculate order. Very close call between these two dogs, however this dog tended to pull forward into the lead on the go around which spoiled his outline.

3 MILLAR, Miss L & MILLAR, Mrs M & MILLAR, Mr N & SC Yennadon Calvay JW

LD (8 Entries)

What a great class, so many dogs who possessed many typical breed attributes. A nice challenge to sort out!

1 HARKER, Mr & Mrs A Hernwood Achilles at Ettrick JW. A superb dog from any angle, he epitomises a weight carrying hunter. Has rugged appeal, size, substance, balance, and with a little added style, panache and a super temperament. Beautiful head of balance, with excellent dark eyes and low set ears. Superb length of neck and shoulder. Excellent depth and length in rib, he is rock hard in his topline and has a well set on tail. Balanced behind, his is in solid condition. Comes alive on the move, he is a lesson in correct side gait as his length of stride is so correct with balance of reach in front and drive behind. Presented perfectly, not excessively coated and in immaculate body condition. He has a touch of endearing arrogance in his attitude which just takes him a level above everything else. Suffice to say there was nothing to beat him today! DCC & BoB, and his owner should be pleased that I heard many plaudits of his performance in the group, too.

2 HALL Melview Moving Time J.W. This is another top quality d with rugged appeal. Super for type throughout, he was very close up to the winner and so many comments apply. Beautifully headed male, with balance and moderation throughout. Presented in correct moderate coat and nothing is exaggerated here. Very sound and honest on the move, he holds his outline and covers the ground so well. Pulled in for the RCC and very close up.

3 GRIFFITHS & COLE Birchgarth Both Barrels over Balcroft. I have to mention this d in this super class, as he was another with a typical outline, rugged and unexaggerated, and with good size substance and depth.

OD (3 Entries) Abs: 1

1 SANDIFORD & SANDIFORD & LEWIS Sh Ch Hernwood Neptune Sea. Top quality male and a very deserving title holder. Beautiful head of balance, with dark clean eyes. Super front angulation, strong level topline and well set on tail. Deep in rib, and well ribbed back. Balanced and unexaggerated behind, he uses every inch of his construction on the move to produce a correct economic side gait. Presented in glorious coat and solid condition. Has a wonderfully confident happy temperament which is evident every minute he’s in the ring, quite a showman. RCC.

2 WITHHELD

GCD (2 Entries) Abs: 0

1 MILLAR & MILLAR & MILLAR Yennadon Calvay JW. Lovely type of d, medium sized, unexaggerated in construction and coat. Well shaped head, and overall his outline has lots of appeal. He needs to mature on a bit more to come to his best but everything is in the right place. He is presented in immaculate coat, fit condition, and handled very well.

2 Withdrawn.

PB (1 Entries) Abs: 0

1 RAND Kintalis Winter Jasmine. What a lovely young baby, quite the character and of super type with many positive attributes already. Good head, shoulders, topline and well angled behind. She has an endearing personality and despite being startled by some bad behaviour ringside, she recovered so quickly and she was enjoying her time in the ring again. Stands on super feet and moved out very soundly.

JB (3 Entries) Abs: 1

1 WRIGLEY & WRIGLEY Kattandale Blac Highlander [AI]. Tidy b in a larger frame and with plenty body on her! Head needs to develop and finish. Scores in shoulder placement and depth of brisket. Strong topline and well set on tail. She uses herself quite well on the move for one so young, just needs time to come together and finish off and I’m sure she will end up a quality b.

2 DONALD Clos Erasmus Arabian Night (Imp Rus). Not good in head and a bit loose in eye. Clearly very well looked after at home – could do with shedding a bit of lockdown weight! Moved around the ring with confidence when she settled into the job, and going away she moves with strength and soundness in hock.

SYB (3 Entries) Abs: 1

1 WRIGLEY & WRIGLEY Kattandale Blac Highlander [AI].

2 HOPE & KANE Want to Want Me Black Lofty for Jenesta (imp pol). Honest sort of b of reasonable type. Decent head and good eyes, well balanced all through and nothing to excess. Shade long in loin and needs to settle on the move as she tended to lift a bit in front going around.

PGB (2 Entries) Abs: 0

1 HALL Melview Phoenix. Sound, honest, balanced. This is a very typy b all through with nothing exaggerated and everything in proportion. Grand head, super eyes and ears, and balance of skull and muzzle. She has a well laid shoulder which gives her length of neck. Deep in rib, and well ribbed back, she has a firm topline and good tailset. Wide in the second thigh with well let down hocks, she is balanced behind and stands well over her ground. Presents a neat picture on the move with strength, balance, soundness of footfall and economy. She is rugged yet feminine, and has weight carrying hunter appeal. Very close up indeed, but had to be content with the RCC today in excellent company.

2 MCNEIL Woodland Hoppers Evening Star Over Barrabrae (Imp). Very different to the winner in style and outline. Moves out with a good length of stride but is quite mischevious and made her handler really work for it! She has clean dark eyes and stands on good feet.

LB (6 Entries) Abs: 1

This class equalled limit dog for depth of quality. So many good sorts with much to offer the breed however too many were not handled to advantage and threw it away! You only have a short time in the ring, make it count!

1 SANDIFORD & SANDIFORD Hernwood Aphrodite JW. My surprise of the day, what a find! Feminine headed tidily made bitch who is so sound, balanced and correct throughout. Excellent length of neck owing to her correct shoulder placement and length, with balance of upper arm length and angle. Deep in her chest her ribs lead back to a short loin. Has strength of topline and correctly set on tail which she never stopped using. Possesses strength and width in hindquarters, well let down hocks, and stands on neat feet. On the move she is another who easily eats up the ground going around with her long easy stride. Has the bone and substance you’d want in a bitch to create the feminine yet rugged weight carrying hunter outline. Surprised to find out her name after awarding her the CC, and to discover she is litter sister to the DCC & RDCC.

2 HARRISON Paradise Final Fling. I really loved this bitches outline stood up. She flows beautifully through her long neck correct shoulders, strong topline right to her well set on tail. Has good width throughout and depth and spring of rib. Stands on strong neat feet and presented in firm condition. I thought she would have clinched the class here, however didn’t move out with the confidence I expected which showed in her topline going around. Called in for the RCC however still hadn’t decided she was in the mood for it today. She will be a close contender for top honours when she gets her head around enjoying it all.

3 ROBERTS & ROBERTS Birchgarth Be Bop for Mirkwood. In this class I have to also commend the virtues of this b; beautifully headed and balanced fore and aft she is a really lovely sort without exaggeration. Carrying a bit too much weight today and despite a couple of chances she didn’t really get it together on the move away and back – handler needs to improve to get the best from her.

OB (3 Entries) Abs: 0

1 RAND Hernwood Summer Eclipse at Kintalis. Feminine and neatly made, I liked this bitch’s outline and general balance. Lovely head shape, she is well angled fore and after and correctly ribbed in between. Standing up she presented a classic outline, and her coat presentation and body condition were spot on. Going around the ring with such a positive attitude and good carriage, was also considered for top honours as she was yet another in this quality entry who could move around on a long and economic stride.

2 WHD WITHHELD

David R. Alcorn (Judge).