Welsh Kennel Club

WELSH KENNEL CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP SHOW 2022

EUKANUBA CHAMPION STAKES

To be invited to judge the EUKANUBA Champion Stakes at the Welsh Kennel Club was a real honour and it was my first such appointment.

To say that I enjoyed this judging experience is a total understatement. I absolutely loved every moment of the four days. I feel that I learnt so much from being afforded this opportunity to judge so many top quality dogs over all seven of the Groups with a particularly superb class on the Working & Pastoral Day.

A huge thank you to not only the Officers and Committee of the W.K.C. but also to the EUKANUBA management and show team (ably headed by Phil Davies and his colleagues) for their generosity in sponsoring these hugely important classes which make for not only such hotly contested and keen, top class, competition but that add that oh so vital ‘extra sparkle’ to our hobby.

DAY 1 GUNDOGS

1. Am Grand Ch VERY VIGIE NOBODY IS PERFECT (Imp). An American Coker that I have never judged before, and being my own breed, I was particularly keen to get my hands on him. This dog’s head is perhaps one of the best examples of a male American Cocker head that I have ever had the privilege to judge. His ratio of plush foreface to refined back-skull is exemplary. With excellent chiselling and his dark, intelligent and expressive eye, he truly is a sight to behold. A picture of balance, he is compactly made, with a lovely reach of arched neck and smooth correctly-laid shoulders. Well-ribbed with a firm back and excellent angles fore and aft and in hard well-muscled condition, he is most definitely a sporting spaniel who could do a day of work in the field. On the move he was precise and very stylish and he held an excellent outline in profile. He pulled out all the stops today to beat a favourite of mine in the runner up position. In the final day competition for the overall winning position he just wasn’t quite as fluid and enthusiastic as he was here on Day1.

2. Sh Ch Coedcernyw Calendar Girl JW. Full of breed type, this enchanting and feminine Cocker pushed the winner all the way. I felt that when I awarded her the Gundog Group at Manchester in January she was just a little more on tip-top form but her quality and overall presence could not be denied in this hotly contested and quality class.

3. Sh Ch Fecimus Chase The Dream To Ewtor JW. A Field Spaniel, full of type and quality, this male completed a trio of excellent dogs.

DAY 2 WORKING & PASTORAL

1. Ch Juffther Happy Bunny JW Sh.CM. An outstanding Rottweiler, at 7 years old, she was showing like a youngster. I absolutely loved her femininity and her total balance. She is not overdone in any department and she has the most outstandingly beautiful head and a quite superb outline. She really does ooze personality plus and she is totally at one with her handler. Her correct level top-line was held perfectly at all times and her hard, well-muscled condition made her movement a total joy in every direction. She simply never put a foot wrong and could not be denied the top spot in perhaps the finest class of Champions here at the show. When she returned on the final day for the overall competition, she never let up and I was delighted to send her through to represent not only the Welsh kennel Club but also her breed at the Grand finale of the Eukanuba Champion Stakes to be held in the New Year. Congratulations!

2. Ch Domburg Made by Hawksflight. Here was another outstanding representative of her breed, a B.S.D. Tervueren. She is the personification of elegance and femininity, and she is most definitely a perfect picture of total balance, quality and style. She did everything that was asked of her and pushed hard for the top spot, but I just felt that the winner’s extra personality just stole the ultimate prize today.

3. Ch Selmalda Jealous Guy(AI). A Great Dane of real substance and presence. This dog was my biggest surprise in this hotly contested and truly excellent class, I absolutely loved him. He completed another outstanding trio of top dogs.

Day 3 TOY & UTILITY

1. Ch Khinjan Valentino with Orcavoe. This Lhasa Apso male has a beautiful head with a lovely expression. He is totally balanced and very sturdy with an outstanding top-line and he was presented absolutely to the minute in superb coat and well-muscled condition. He moved with real jaunty animation and accuracy to take the top spot in this hotly contested class.

2. Ch Ellemstra Against All Odds J.W. The marathon runner of the Group, this Dalmatian was so fit and full of distinction that he just demanded attention. He holds such a firm top-line, has a lovely dark colour and is so well-balanced in both head and body. He is powerful yet has true elegance and real refinement and holds his outline to perfection at all times. Ultra-true in all directions, it was a joy to watch him eating up the ground with such style and such ease.

3. Ch Xingbao Summer Inspiration At Chifido. I thought that this Chow Chow put on a wonderful performance, moving with typical style and precision. His pigment is excellent and he presents an outline of great balance. Once again he completed an excellent trio of dogs.

Day 4 HOUND & TERRIER

1. Ch Serenaker Armani. A Beagle of distinction, he’s a beautifully balanced, sturdily built and compactly made male with a cracking head and a really intelligent eye. He holds an excellent top-line and has lovely tight feet. On the move he just did not put a foot wrong and he thoroughly deserved to take this excellent quality class and was my runner-up choice for the overall Eukanuba Champion Stakes competition here at The W.K.C.

2. Ch Ina's Fashion Dedicated to Boughton (Imp) Deu. He is a very stylish Greyhound and was handled to absolute perfection to fully maximise his many qualities. In excellent, hard and well-muscled condition, he presents a wonderful outline of grace coupled with power and style. He was another excellent mover and he pushed the winner hard. I really liked him.

3. Ch Heythrop Task Master for Alncroft. What a fabulous Parson Jack Russell, so full of quality and breed type. I was delighted that he completed my final three in a really wonderful class of Champions.

Jonathan B Daltrey (Judge)