National Working & Pastoral Breeds Society

My grateful thanks to the committee of National Working and Pastoral Breeds for giving me this opportunity to judge my beloved breed the Hovawart. It has been five years since I last judged the breed and it was lovely to be back in the ring. My entry of 13 was reduced to 7 which I believe was due to unfortunate circumstances and I thank everyone for the entry. It was a very hot day and we managed to get in the ring before the intense heat. Temperaments were excellent and you all should be proud of your dogs.

PD/B 2(2)

JD/B 1(1)

OD/B 6(1): 1. Hemsworth’s Hightimbers Travel Tickets. 4 year old black bitch of finer but elegant type which is a lovely example of the breed, my notes say beautifully balanced girl with a lovely head piece with dark oval eye which gives that kind expression, correct neck which leads into good shoulders, forehand complements rear with a deep chest with pleasing spring of rib and put together with good muscle tone, straight legs and correctly tight feet. Movement was a joy to watch, keeping her topline level, it was a close decision for top spot but just preferred the substance of the BB. A well deserved RBB and certainly one from the top drawer. 2. Campbell’s Micona Juliet (IKC) 5 year old B&G bitch which has reached maturity, caught my eye when on the stack at the beginning of the class, beautiful outline, correct head, dark eye, beautiful correct markings which are most attractive, has well developed body with good angulations giving a well balanced picture, good depth of chest and has a level topline with lovely croup and lovely long tail, standing on straight legs with tight feet covered in a jacket of correct structure, on the move her topline rolled as currently a tad carrying too much weight which affected her placing today. I watched her get the RBB at Crufts in 2020 and one I admired from the ringside, another from the top drawer. 3. Woodger’s Hightimbers Ticket to Moon 2 year old B&G dog who was up against some more mature ladies which reflected in his place in the class but what a handsome boy he is, my notes state developing nicely, male head which is balanced, scissor bite, dark eye, compact in body when on the stack, has a well developed chest and pleasing spring of rib for one so young , angulations balanced and his frame is covered in a coat of good structure and markings on straight legs and tight feet with good bone, a picture of a powerful boy with a beautiful temperament, lovely to see him go round, will have a good future and one I will follow. Pleased to award BD. VD/B 4(2): 1. McCLure’s Kanukalos Burletta, 7 year old B&G bitch, the last time I judged this girl was when she was 7 months old and my critique then said exciting find and one will have a bright future and she certainly had! Attractive head with tight lips, scissor bite and a medium eye along with correct ratios and carrying her ear carriage correct gives that beautiful breed expression, kind but alert, sitting on a strong neck into a well placed forehand, deep chest and a good spring of rib with a level top line and on the stack gives a picture of substance and balance. Long tail reaching below hock however would prefer better tail set as for me a tad low. Lovely to watch on the move with good muscle tone which completed the picture and covered in a deep shiny coal black jacket with evenly coloured gold markings, couldn’t deny her top placing today, such a quality girl BB & BOB. 2. Hemsworth’s Driftingsky Tousle, 8 year old B&G bitch of elegant type which is most attractive , beautiful feminine head with medium eye, correct ears and gives that desired breed expression, sitting on a good neck with pleasing depth to chest and spring of rib, has a picture of balance with matching angulations which showed in her pleasing movement, correct croup and tail set and length of tail. Her jacket is of a correct texture with light gold markings correctly placed, lovely to see two quality veterans, just lost to 1 as preferred her overall substance.

Craig Hosie ( Hosarvar )