Hound Association Of Scotland

HOUND ASSOCIATION OF SCOTLAND

9TH APRIL 2022 – JUDGE: DIANE STEWART-RITCHIE (GWENDARIFF)

My thanks to the Hound Association of Scotland for their kind invitation to judge Rhodesian Ridgebacks at their Championship Show, which I have been greatly looking forward to for a couple of years now. Thank you to the exhibitors for their entry and for accepting my decisions in such a sporting manner. I thoroughly enjoyed my day and found some lovely hounds, many in the younger classes, which can only be encouraging for the breed. I was looking for a hound of substance, strength and good breed type, teamed with positive actions on the move, no exaggeration and with enough style to compliment the breed as well as be a show dog. Today’s ring size was adequate, of course I would have liked bigger. To be fair to all, I took the opportunity in many of the bigger classes to ensure I had a full picture so I moved each dog many times individually rather than as a group to give all dogs the opportunity to shine.

Class 290. Puppy Dog

Entries: 4 Absentees: 1

1st Place: Miss K L Taylor's RUBICON RED MARVELLOUS BLACK PANTHER AT KAMILI (Imp MNE) TAF.

I see from my catalogue that this boy is the litter brother to my puppy bitch winner who was ultimately best puppy in breed. Appealing head with pleasing eye and intelligent expression. Good bone and feet. Decent shoulder although would prefer more return of upper arm. Good ribbing and pleasing topline with correct ridge. Moved well at this early stage of development. 

2nd Place: Mr & Mrs S Muir’s JIMANNS ACE OF SPADES. Light wheaten who is fully grown, although still a little bit rangy. Has a good topline, decent angles fore and aft. Good neck into shoulder, long ribs, a shade wide in front. Moved okay.

3rd Place: Mrs G & Mr L G & Mrs J Black & Black & McKinlay's ASHARAA DARK SIDE OF THE MOON AT GILEEJA 

Class 291. Junior Dog

Entries: 3 Absentees: 1

1st Place: Mrs E Nelsons ZOUGANI ZANTE. Very appealing head, strong, reachy neck leading into good shoulder and enough upper arm. Straight and true in front, when viewed from the front. Tight arched toes, slight slope to pastern, good length to height ratios with good balance all through. Good topline with good ridge. Good length of croup and tail set. Strong in quarters. Typey, unexaggerated with good, accurate movement.

2nd Place Mrs L Reid’s IF I CAN DREAM ENERGY OF AFRICA FOR SAADANI (Imp CZE) Plenty to like constructionally, just not the head of my winner. Good in shoulder. Long ribs to short loin. Very nice quarters. Moved well.

Class 292. Yearling Dog

Entries: 3 Absentees: 0

1st Place: Miss H Parsons’ PRIORPARK PERFECT TIMING. Light wheaten dog who has a pleasing head, with good eye colour and shape. Clean in lip. Good strength in skull without excess and well placed ears. Oval bone with slight slope to pastern. Deep in chest and well ribbed back. Good quarters and nice over the first and second thighs with enough muscle. A bit roachy on the move but comes together on the stack. Pretty sound out and back.

2nd Place: Mrs N Jolly’s NIMEFURAHI HAVOC FOR CLANBRUACHAN. Nice overall make and shape. He has strength without excess. Long ribs, deep and with enough spring. Moderate, well defined, quarters. Good topline and underline. Moved with positivity out and back and complimentary on the around.

3rd Place: Ms M Smith’s LETEELA HAPPY AS LARRY.

Class 293. Novice Dog

Entries: 1 Absentees: 0

1st Place: Miss L C Forrester’s HESPA DOLCETTO. Still young but the basics are there. Good proportions and overall balance. Good eye shape and enough stop. Typically rather broad between the ears with correct ear set. Strong muzzle, good underjaw and clean in lip. Good angulation fore and aft and enough muscle for his age. Very nice mover on the around, a shade close going away and okay coming towards. 

Class 296. Limit Dog

Entries: 7 Absentees: 0

1st Place: Mrs P Nash’s MUTOKO'S NOBLE ONE. This boy put it all in on the move. He is sound and positive, out and back and with the very best of reach and drive on the around. He holds his topline well and has correct head carriage typifying his breed. He is put down in superb condition with dense coat and he is rock solid in muscle. Stands on excellent bone and good feet and is solid and strong in top line. Strong and muscular in neck, good front. Deep and strong in rib carried well back to arched loin. To be hypercritical, he has a shade more bend in stifle than I prefer but this did not detract on him in any way as he easily powered around the ring. Reserve CC.

2nd Place: Mr A & Mrs L Clark-Maclean’s CALLMN'S KING PIN. So much to commend in this stallion male. He is powerful with substance and strength in abundance without coarseness. Super front assembly with complimentary rear. The best of ribbing and loin connecting the two. Solid topline, correct ridge and good in underline. Good length of croup. Good bone and feet. Not as dry in head as I prefer. Strode out well on the around to pull him this strong placing.

3rd Place: P Mulholland’s WALAMDENGIE RED RED WINE.

Class 297. Open Dog

Entries: 4 Absentees: 1

Delighted to read from my catalogue, on writing my critique, that these two heading this class are full brothers from a repeat mating and similar remarks apply.

1st Place: Mrs C & Mr C Muir’s SAADANI SHOW OFF. Strong, muscular, well balanced and put down in the hardest of condition. This boy is all male and gives the total impression of strength, power and endurance. He has a lovely head with good width to his flat, rather broad, skull. Moderate stop and strong powerful muzzle. Well placed ears of medium size, correctly carried close to head. He is strong and muscular in neck leading into super angulation in front assembly. Straight in foreleg with plenty bone and tight, well arched toes with excellent padding. Solid topline with defined ridge, good in underline, deep and full in rib carried way back to strong, arched loin. He has defined hindquarters and is strong in pastern. Sound and positive on the around with enough reach for the ground in front. Please to award him Dog CC. I later learned his third. Congratulations!

2nd Place: Mrs L & Mr I & Mrs C Reid & Reid & Muir’s SAADANI EYE OF THE STORM. Pleasing shape with moderate angles, excellent muscle tone and great strength throughout. Construction mirrored, fore and aft. Plenty depth and good proportions all through. Moved well.

3rd Place: Miss A Buchanan’s NEHANDO'S EXCALIBUR SHCM 

Class 299. Special Beginners Dog

Hard class to assess as their strengths were the opposite in each dog.

Entries: 4 Absentees: 0

1st Place: Mrs S J Bowers’s CELTIC LORE'S GOLDEN ARCHER AT LYONGLEN (Imp USA). A balanced picture who moved really well on the around. Has complimentary angles front and rear and had enough muscle. Good colour and close dense coat. 

2nd Place: Mr L & Mrs C L Hall’s MATSUSHONA FIRE OPAL OF CYNAMI. Nice style with a lovely head, having all the essentials therein. Good ribs and moderate loin. Rather light in bone and untidy on the move.

3rd Place: Mrs N Jolly’s NIMEFURAHI HAVOC FOR CLANBRUACHAN 

Class 300. Puppy Bitch

Entries: 8 Absentees: 0

My notes say “two crackers!”. Two absolute quality puppy girls headed this class and both with so much to like. If they continue developing as their construction dictates teamed with good management from their owners they can go all the way. 

1st Place: Mrs K Morais’ RUBICON RED MARVELOUS PEPPER POTS (Imp MNE) NAF. Rich colour, so balanced and absolutely full of type. She stands on the best of bone and feet and over a decent amount of ground. Her proportions are excellent and she is already showing super footfalls on the move. She has great depth, spring and length of rib and is moderate in loin. I like her shoulder and upper arm and it’s complimentary rear quarters. Good in length and width of pelvis with good tail set. Such a beautiful head with the best of expression and strength in muzzle. So typey. I’m going to stick my neck out and say “One to watch”. Best Puppy In Breed.

2nd Place: Mrs G & Mr L G & Mrs J Black & Black & Mckinlay’s ASHARAA STARS IN YOUR EYES AT GILEEJA. Another quality baby, who was in the top two right from the start. Liked her overall make and shape. She has such potential also and is beautifully put together. Super construction all through and already uses herself well on the move. Her head is quite delightful, clean and dry. She has much appeal for me and I’m sure these two will tussle places many times. 

3rd Place: Miss A M & Mr C R Kehoe & Phillips’ REDCROWN HAWAIIAN FIRE.

Class 301. Junior Bitch

Entries: 4 Absentees: 2

1st Place: Mr R Humphrey’s PRIORPARK PEAKY BLINDER. A really promising prospect, with much to like. Cracking little mover, presented here today fit and with good muscle and condition throughout. Clean, shiny dense coat with solid topline and good croup and tail set. Appealing head, with good strength of back skull without excess. Good ear set and shape. Round eye of good colour and enough stop. Clean in lip and with strength throughout. Her length to height proportions are balanced, as is her depth to height. Super shoulder with great forehand, would like a shade more fill in front for sheer perfection, but she’s still young. Oval bone with good arched toes. Moved really well. Best Junior.

2nd Place: Mrs C & Mr R Staines’ SONSTRAAL BREAKING DAWN. 7 months, still needs a bit more practice in order to assist higher placings. Super bone and feet. Good length of neck into decent shoulder. Decent ribs moves okay.

Class 302. Yearling Bitch

Entries: 1 Absentees: 0

1st Place: Mrs H Pritchard Jones’ AFFRHODA ATHIYYAH. Another smart bitch who has balance and is of a nice type. Good head with all the essentials. She is rich in colour and has many constructional strengths – shoulder and upper arm, ribs and quarters. She is deep and has an excellent topline and underline. She has few failings and I was really taken with her. She has much to commend. Put down in excellent condition and muscle. Such a lovely open gait on the around.

Class 303. Novice Bitch

Entries: 3 Absentees: 0

1st Place: Mr K Alexander’s KANSENJI TOPAZ. This smartly put together bitch has many pleasing attributes both constructionally and in type. She has a super shoulder line and excellent upper arm, depth and spring of rib. Excellent quarters through first and second thighs and enough bend of stifle. Pleasing in head. Today her movement was just a little erratic.

2nd Place: Miss A M & Mr C R Kehoe & Phillips’ REDCROWN HAWAIIAN FIRE. Very nice type. Lovely bone and feet. Super front with good ribs and quarters. Moved okay when settled.

3rd Place: Miss S Rossiter’s GABISA BABY RUTH.

Class 304. Graduate Bitch

Entries: 2 Absentees: 0

1st Place: Mrs K Hodge’s COLKERIRIN THE SUN RUNHR. This girl has super attitude which is very attractive when teamed with her overall construction. She has excellence in all the major departments and I liked her balance. Excels in quarters and had a very pleasing head. So much to like. Moved well.

2nd Place: Mr K Alexander’s KANSENJI KHALIFA. This one was carrying far too much weight today. She has a very nice front and is pretty sound but needs a bit more “oomph”. I’m sure her lack of condition contributed to her lack of attitude today. 

Class 305. Post Graduate Bitch

Entries: 1 Absentees: 0

1st Place: Miss E Darling Steele’s SONSTRAAL WALKING SUNSHINE WITH SHARUFA. Light wheaten who I found to be rather light in bone and flat in foot. Pleasant head with nice expression and clean in lip. Good ribbing and decent quarters. Not so straight in front as I prefer. Really happy mover although a little untidy at times.

Class 306. Limit Bitch

Entries: 11 Absentees: 1. A very strong limit class with quality bitches therein. Lots to like about many and in a different environment they could change places of course. But judging on the day, on the performance and on the moment, I still went for the super yearling girl who had to impress me in order to win this senior class. She worked her way up the winning line as she powered around the ring, never letting up and continuing to impress on the move at all times. Fir for function for sure.

1st Place: Mrs H Pritchard Jones’ AFFRHODA ATHIYYAH. See Yearling report

2nd Place: Mrs G & Mr L G & Mrs J Black & Black & Mckinlay’s ROTTZRIDGE PERIHELION AT GILEEJA. I rather liked this bitch who presented here today in absolute superb condition. She has the very best of muscle throughout her strong powerful body. She has a lovely front and good behind. Just a shade short in foreface but lots to like throughout the rest of her body and she is a strong, efficient super mover.

3rd Place: Mrs E Taylor’s TOKWE TRULY A BLESSING.

Class 307. Open Bitch

Entries: 10 Absentees: 2

1st Place: Mrs K Hodge’s CH COLKERIRIN FACE TO THE SUN JW ShCM. Immediately appealed on the first look around the class. Liked her for size, shape and her overall balance. She is clean, unexaggerated and carries herself well on the move. She is upstanding and she easily gives the impression that she can do her job. Pleasing head with flat skull, enough width between the ears, free from wrinkle and with sufficient stop. Dark eye with good pigment, strong and deep in muzzle and clean in lip. Ears of good shape and well placed. Strong, muscular neck fitting smoothly into super shoulder line and plenty return of upper arm and good fill in chest. Her ribs are deep, long and full. Moderate loin and powerful in hindquarters without exaggeration. Good underline and excellent topline, correct ridge and well placed tail. She moves with a wonderful open side gait. Sound coming toward and just a tad close on the away. No dog is perfect – all her other attributes easily outweighed this slight imperfection. I was delighted to hear that this was CC number 6. Well done, she’s lovely! Delighted to award her the Bitch CC and ultimately Best of Breed.

2nd Place: Mrs L A Cox’s CH CARLINCOX PURE GOLD JW. Another from the top drawer, who was also one who stood out on initial look around. Excellent shape, size and balance. Devoid of exaggeration with good topline, underline and tail set. Moderate throughout and put down in the very best of order. Her coat was top drawer and with super musculature to compliment. She is powerful and strong with correct bone and good feet. Very positive mover. For absolute preference I would prefer a darker eye. Another minuscule imperfection on an otherwise top quality bitch. Delighted to award her in the top honours with the Reserve CC in quality company today. 

3rd Place: Mrs P Nash’s MUTOKO'S BLAZE OF GLORY. 

Class 308. Veteran Bitch

 Entries: 4 Absentees: 1

1st Place: Mr A & Miss G Green & Thomson’s FAAHAC ROYAAL FARIBAA ShCM. This fit 10 year old girl is in lovely condition and coat for her age. Stands on good bone and feet and over a good amount of ground. Her length to height proportions are good and she has a super front assembly. Deep in rib carried well back to moderate loin. Excellent topline with good ridge and super on the croup with correct tail set. She is slightly more angulated in the rear than I prefer but she has so many other attributes I couldn’t deny her this class win and ultimately Best Veteran In Breed.

2nd Place: Mr K Alexander’s KANSENJI NOOR. Nice type with lovely balance. She is so moderate throughout, which I particularly like. Unfortunately, today she lacked a bit in condition. She has a nice shoulder line but I would prefer a little more return of upper arm. Good in rib with nice quarters. Decent mover.

3rd Place: Mr L & Mrs C L Hall’s KENQUINCE PISONIA OF CYNAMI ShCM.b

Diane Stewart-Ritchie (Judge)