Leeds City & District Canine Association

Leeds ch show JHA

Generally very good overall. Aspects to pay attention to are where the judge is standing when you first enter the ring, using the corners of the ring on a triangle rather than cutting your lines short (especially when your breed has a long stride), and remembering to keep your dog lined up with the first dog in the line rather than the dog in front of you. 

Working/Pastoral/Terrier JHA (6-11 years)(6,2a)

1st Myla Mae Hanes handling Bedlington Terrier. At 7yrs the youngest in this class. Impressive observation and application of the Golden Rule. She has a clear rapport with her dog. Quietly confident and unobtrusive. Courteous to the judge, stewards and other handlers. 

2nd Daphne Bryson handling Scottish Terrier. Very good patterns and for the most part her observation skills are excellent. She lost out on higher placing as she just failed to notice when I wanted to observe the other side of her dog and she did not move around it to give me an unobstructed view. Overall an excellent performance. 

3rd Vratislav Teslar handling PWD. Moved his dog at the correct pace for the breed. Just needs to concentrate on where the judge stands and a little more attention to moving his dog in clearly defined straight lines for the triangle. 

Reserve Ruby Ross handling Bedlington Terrier- I just wanted to mention that her fingernails matched the black and red of her outfit which was an extra special touch. She just needs to listen clearly to the judge’s instructions and apply the requested patterns with a little more precision and she will become a very good handler. 

JHA (12-16 years)(7,2a)

1st Kendra Wilson handling Australian Shepherd. Scored highly on entering the ring by observing where I was stood so that the had her dog on her right side for my unobstructed view and first impressions. Excellent attention to the Golden Rule. Showed me all three sides of the dog’s bite. Used the full ring on pattern work and noticed when I moved position. Never took her eye off the ball and managed to notice whenever her dog moved a leg and corrected it instantly. 

2nd Ilysia Burrow handling Briard. So close up to 1st and the same comments apply. Another with great attention to detail both regarding the judge’s location and her dogs’s correct stance for the breed. Noticed on the initial lap that her dog was catching up with the one in front and she correctly held back to allow more room between them and to give her dog maximum room to lengthen its stride. 

3rd Francesca Wilson handling Australian Shepherd. Excellent sympathetic handling bearing in mind the welfare of her dog at all times. Overall excellent observation but didn't automatically show me all three sides of the dogs bite and would benefit from improving on precision of patterns. 

Utility/Toy

JHA (6-11 years)(6,4a)

1st Mia Rogerson handling German Spitz (Mittel). Super handler watching where I stood or moved to at all times and adjusting her position accordingly. Showed me all three sides of the dog’s bite. Performed neat and most precise patterns, observing where my feet pointed and setting off taking this into account. Used the full ring to advantage and in straight lines to all corners. Faultless application of the Golden Rule. 

2nd Victoria Plaude Vitolina handling Yorkshire Terrier. Smartly presented handler who is clearly learning well. She only showed me the front bite of the dog so practice showing the sides also. Observe when the judge changes position in case you need to change your dog lead into your other hand to ensure that the dog is always between you and the judge. Look straight ahead at the corner you are aiming for when performing a triangle so that you move the dog in a straight line rather than by a curve. Only a matter of concentration and you will be moving up the placings. 

JHA (12-16 years)(8,5a)

1st Lena Tate handling Poodle (Miniature). Entered the ring with dog lead correctly in her right hand due to where I was positioned. She observed where my feet were pointed and set off on her patterns accordingly. Gave me maximum view if the dogs bite from all angles. Most courteous at all times with her manners and sportsmanship. Faultless observation of both me and her dog. Yes, she could have gone very slightly further into the corners but it was not absolutely necessary, given that she had a smaller breed with shorter ground coverage stride. 

2nd Isabelle Collier handling Dalmatian. Noticed where I stood as she entered the ring. Showed me an excellent view of front bite and both sides of mouth. She made an excellent job of moving around her dog whenever I moved position - not easy to do with a larger breed do I was most impressed with this ability. With a carriage dog breed I felt she could give her dog a better chance with its ground coving ability by maximising her use of the size of the ring rather than cutting short the corners and nit using the full ring capacity when asked to circle onto the end of the line. 

3rd Megan Slack handling Poodle (Miniature). On her individual assessment she performed a very precise pattern of triangle and across and back, moving her lead to her other hand when appropriate. Watched me constantly whilst still maintaining an eye on how her dog was moving and standing. Moved around her dog most professionally to provide me with an unobstructed view. A pity that she missed where I stood at the side of the ring when she first entered. 

Gundog/Hound JHA (6-11 years) (9,3a)

1st Lacey Stevenson handling Min Smooth Dachshund. What an absolutely super handler this young lady is! A clear rapport with her dog, quiet and unobtrusive in her handling. Smartly attired. From the moment she entered the ring, spotting where I was stood to one side, she was constantly attentive to my ever move, changing her lead hand as necessary. Her dog was always perfectly stacked. She showed me the front and both sides of her dog’s mouth/teeth. Congratulations on a faultless performance and making it look so easy!

2nd Alexis Kirkwood-Emery

handling Irish Setter. Her dog was only six months old and she made an excellent job of what was not an easy task. Her observations and positioning were impressive especially considering that the dog looked to her for reassurance of what was expected from it. So, in addition to paying attention to me she had to work extra hard to control her large breed puppy that is still in training. Made sensible use of her voice to reassure her puppy. 

3rd Eliza Darwesh handling Labrador. Just lost out on a higher place due to placing herself between me and the dog on entering the ring and by not performing the pattern that I requested - of moving to the corner and back after the triangle - instead she moved directly across the ring. Otherwise completed a splendid task of showing me the bite, watching my whereabouts and applying the Golden Rule. 

(12-16 years) (11, 4a)

1st Olivia Coogan handling GSP. Faultless handling, so refined. From entering the ring to leaving. Courteous and polite to the stewards and myself, including whilst explaining the omission from the catalogue and providing Secretary confirmation of the omission. Her actions were all carefully thought out and applied. I observed that, in addition to checking the direction in which my feet were pointing in order to perform her moving pattern, she ensured that her dog was exactly lined up in front of my feet in correct direction before setting off. This gave me the best possible view of her dog. Congratulations, it was an absolute pleasure to have you in the ring. 

2nd Ashley Sutton handling IWH. Not the easiest breed to handle but this young man has the advantage of being tall with ling legs so he is well suited to a tall breed and having excellent length of stride to complement his dog’s reach. Showed me the right side, front and left side of the teeth. Most adept at placing his dog’s feet to maintain correct breed stance, whilst staying calm with the dog. 

3rd Ellie Darling-Steele handling Ridgeback. Another top quality handler making light work of her handling. A most accomplished handler who knows and understands everything expected of her and why, and she applies it with sympathetic concern for her dog whilst still being firmly in charge of it. 

Reserve and VHC in this class also displayed excellent handling skills and were so unlucky to be in the ring with my eventual first 3 places. I would be more than happy to award them a first place on another day. 

Jane Paradise (Judge)