Windsor Dog Show Society

Windsor Championship Show -Lagotto Romagnolo 3/7/22

I would like to thank the committee for the invitation to judge on what was a perfect day for dog showing. My stewards did a fantastic job at keeping me & the exhibitors in order and made everything run very smoothly. Above all I would like to thank the exhibitors for such a big entry. There were some absentees, but I still had more than enough to get my teeth into.

I really love this breed, which was at first an ‘accidental’ passion but is certainly turning into an ‘enduring relationship’. I found this entry particularly interesting & challenging, as finding everything I was looking for on the same dog was not the easiest. Temperament was generally excellent& I did appreciate the number of kisses (from the dogs may I hasten to say!) and most were presented to advantage & mindful of the breeds required ‘rustic’ description. One personal niggle was the tendency by some to string the dogs up rather ‘terrier style’ & move faster around the ring than necessary. I like a dog to be shown in a more relaxed way letting the breeds natural character shine through, rather than turning it into the ubiquitous flashy show dog.

Two things I felt needed watching were eye shape and more, importantly, hindquarters. I was surprised at the number of dogs that either had definite cow hocks or pulled them in on the move. I don’t fault judge, but this is something I don’t like to see in dogs of this group & in a number of decisions it was the deciding factor.

VD/B (3 Entries) Abs: 1

What a lovely pair to start with – always so hard when you start the day with a mixed class who are both lovely examples of their sex.

1st: 6293 WILLIAM’S, & CARLESS, Fullforge Floral Dancer – 9 years feminine lady, well-shaped head with an intelligent expression, muscular neck of correct length, well laid shoulder with good upper arm, level topline, good narrow front with balanced angulation front & rear, well-muscled and moved accurately with drive. Showed herself to advantage. Nothing about her said veteran & she more than held her own in the challenge & I was delighted to give her Best Bitch. Pushed had for BOB but was just pipped on length of back.

2nd: LIGHTFOOT’S, GAESTEN JUST JAGO AT JOYDON – brown 12 yr old dog who oozes personality. I loved his masculine head with a lovely eye shape & well-set ears. Overall proportions are typical of the breed, good layback of shoulder and a correct front, sufficient hind angulation. Rather rushed into the ring and didn’t really have time to settle. He’s just beginning to show his age a little in top line which was a little soft on the move but otherwise moved out well for a lad of his mature age. Best Veteran Dog

PD (3 Entries) Abs: 1

1st: MANGHAM , YOUNG & DUIGENAN’S, Foogel Roberto at Onyxro (imp Fin)(AZ1) eye catching 10mth brown & white dog , really liked his overall type, excelled in his overall proportions with a lovely square outline and a level topline, masculine head with a really appealing expression, good length of neck to body ratio and ok angulation fore & aft. Tended to crab on the move but managed enough to see that he is certainly OK for age. Rather wide in front at the moment & elbows still need to tighten and has plenty of time to develop but it was the deciding factor for BP today. I’m sure he has a good future ahead.

2nd: FOSTER’S, Arcticbreeze Breakout – slightly bigger boy who is not quite as forward as 1 but as he is 3 months younger that’s no surprise Masculine head, good front, correct neck good level topline, well laid shoulders, slightly longer in back and was tending to over extend behind although he had good strong quarters, Handled to get the best out of him & his lovely temperament shone through

JD (1 Entries) Abs: 0

1st: TAYLOR’S Vasco - very workmanlike dog with good overall proportions. Good size with bone in proportion. Balanced head but would prefer a slightly rounder eye & less tear staining. Correctly angulated shoulders & quarters. Still needs to tighten in front. Moved out steadily with drive.

PGD (1 Entries) Abs: 0

1st: FERGUSON’S Truffalusa November Moon From Mizani – not long out of Junior he is a well-balanced lad who looks what he is – a yearling who still needs time to mature. Masculine, liked his eye shape & expression, well developed in muzzle. Well-proportioned in body with a good front & correct depth of chest. Well angulated quarters, excellent feet. Moved with drive, slightly close behind.

LD (1 Entries) Abs: 0

1st: WHITTICK, & WHITTICK’S, WHITTICK, Arcticbreeze Turbulence at Allsong- quality dog with a pleasing outline. Masculine head with a nicely shaped eye & good expression. Good front with good lay of shoulder, strong topline. Excellent feet & good bone. Well-muscled and moved with drive.

Class 2158 OD (4 Entries) Abs: 1

This class was interesting – 2 quality dogs that I like for different reasons, and I think it was clear that it was a real challenge making a decision.

1st: VAN GEMERT’S, Rozebottel's Captain Of My Soul- 3 yr Brown roan dog that excudes masculinity. Nicely balanced with a good length of leg. Well balanced head of correct proportions, with a strong muzzle & a with a very nice eye; good powerful neck flowed into strong level topline; good front construction with correct chest, good hind quarters. Well presented coat of good texture. Really good coming & going and excellent drive. One of the most accurate movers here today which gave him BD & BOB

2nd: WARD, FRY & SDUNIK SINKOVIC, Kan Trace Viking Invader (Imp)- so much to like about this mature 4 yr dog, I loved his type & overall balance . Lovely head with a good eye and lovely expression. Excellent forehand construction, good topline, correct length of body. Well bent stifle but I felt slightly long in second thigh. Well-presented coat of good texture. I loved the relaxed way he was handled- allowing him to fully demonstrate his lovely personality – this is the way I like to see dogs handled. Ironically though in this instance his exuberance meant he was tending to over-extend behind. Lovely front movement & good side gait he was just not as accurate behind as the winner which was the deciding factor today. Res Best Dog.

Class 2159 GCD/B (1 Entries) Abs: 0

1st: HARRISON’S, MAGPIEBLUE ANDROMEDA- 2 years this month, very happy nicely presented young lady. Feminine of nice size, a little short in neck & I would like more shoulder angulation, correct length of back, correct hindquarters, moved with drive.

Class 2160 PB (8 Entries) Abs: 3

A nice class of babies & I am sure they will swap their places as the grow & develop

1st: HARRISON’S, Articbreeze New Sensation – promising lady of 8mths, very much liked her overall proportions & had a workmanlike air, pleasing head & expression, good overall proportions with a correct length of neck. Good depth of chest & rib for age, correct length of back, Still needs to develop in quarters but good length of second thigh. Lovely firm topline. Moved with drive. BP

2nd: GILDER & BLUNDEN’S, Mikette Maledictus- just shy of a year and a lot to like about this young lady and she certainly didn’t give 1 an easy ride, pleasing proportions with a good forehand construction & good hind angulation. Good body. Moved with drive, just a little close behind. On the day just preferred 1’s head.

3rd: TAYLOR’S, Disi (imp itl)- 11 months, sweet young lady, feminine head which still needs to broaden, excellent shoulder & stifle, good body for age, moved with drive but still needs to settle in topline.

Class 2161 JB (4 Entries) Abs: 3

1st: HARRISON’S Articbreeze New Sensation

Class 2162 PGB (9 Entries) Abs: 3

1st: SLATER,S Regun Nara (Imp) It – a well-balanced bitch with no exaggerations. Nothing flashy about her but one that is very satisfying to handle, and I liked her overall proportions. Feminine balanced head, I felt her eye could be a fraction rounder. Nicely bodied with correct rib, good quarters. Moved well, accurately with drive.

2nd: WILLIAM’S, CARLESS, RUMOLBOYS CHANDRA RISING – Loved this girls head & expression, good overall proportions with a good topline & good quarter. Correct bone & excellent feet. Didn’t make the most of herself on the move as she was determined to do the bare minimum!

3rd: LILLICRAP’S, Mizani Sebio Iola – lovely temperament, very pleasing head & expression, generally good proportions , was over extending behind today which affected her overall balance

Class 2163 LB (7 Entries) Abs: 2

1st: WARD’S, Magpieblue Cassiopeia- orange & white yearling with a feminine head, good front, with correct rib, level topline which she held on the move, correct length of leg. good quarters, moved well

2nd: MCALLISTER’S, Rumolboys Cascade Of Fire, pleasing bitch with a balanced head & very pleasing expression, good angulation front & back with a good topline, just tending to pull in her hocks a little.

3rd: LIGHTFOOT’S, GAESTEN DANNYS DELIGHT AT JOYDON – completed a trio of nice bitches, of nice size with good balance, typical and sufficient angulation. Not moving as well as the 2 in front today.

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Class 2164 OB (4 Entries) Abs: 2

1st: BLUNDEN,S Mikette One in a Million – mature bitch of 4 years, presented in a way that certainly enhanced her attributes, pleasing head and expression, sufficient angulation, level topline , correct underline. Moved out well. In the challenge just preferred the length of neck of the veteran but pleased to award her RBB

2nd: HARRISON’S, MAGPIEBLUE ANDROMEDA

Helen Almey (Judge)