Southern Counties Canine Association

Southern Counties Canine Association 5 June 2022

German Shepherd Dogs

My thanks to the committee for inviting me to judge at this lovely show. The weather improved as judging got underway, so we were able to make full use of the ring. Thank you to my very able stewards Norma and Steve.

Thank you to all of the exhibitors for your entry and to those who accepted my placings and otherwise with good grace. I was very sad and disappointed to have to withhold a number of places for want of sufficient merit. I would not want to do this, but found various issues amongst some of those present which caused me sufficient concern; rises in backline and steeply falling croups creating a roach back, untypical heads, with too much stop giving the impression of a dished head. I found a snipey muzzle, I found an overshot jaw, flat feet, weak quarters/cow hocks and several exhibits whose movement was difficult/impossible to assess. At least one exhibit had it’s offside leg held in place by its handler’s foot and several could not stand square to exhibit parallel hocks. Some temperaments were suspect and although one or two were relatively young, I would expect to be able to check teeth and go over them.

Having said all of that, I also had some lovely dogs to go over who are good examples of the breed and of whom their owners should be very proud.

Minor Puppy Dog – No Entries

Puppy Dog – No Entries

Junior Dog – (1 Entry)

1. Withheld

Post Graduate Dog (3 entries 0 absent)

1. Witomska’s Talizman Artrox (Imp Pol). Reasonable type of dog. Heavy coat. Not entirely straight in topline, but not showing steep rise in spine or excessive fall away of croup. Good shoulder, but steep in upper arm. Lacking in angulation behind and not able to stand four square showing parallel hocks. Did not move particularly well but was sound enough.

2. Withheld

3. Withheld

Limit Dog (5 entries 1 absent)

1. Vorrias’ Windgunn’s Matheos. 3 year old mid sized black and gold. Good wedge shaped head, correct stop. Good dark eye, correct bite. Good ear set. Good reach of neck blending into a well laid shoulder. Reasonable upper arm angle. Good depth of forechest. Good spring of ribs, with correct flat rib allowing elbows to sit close to the body. Correct oval bone, good straight front legs, good pastern angle and good feet. Firm, straight topline, retained on the move blending into a slightly sloping croup. Good turn of stifle, strong and well muscled. Short, straight hock and able to stand 4 square without support. Coat in good consdition, clean and well presented. Well handled. RCC.

2. Prydderch’s Droyale Shere Khan. Another nice black and gold dog. Not quite as balanced as the winner, being a little longer in loin and croup, but still very nice. Good head, eye and bite. Kind expression. Good reach of neck, nice front assembly, good bone and feet. Good spring of rib with correct flat rib to allow elbows to sit close to the body. Good topline, retained on the move. Good quarter and short, straight hock. Again, able to stand 4 square without support.

3. Jones’ Dakamar Amazing Journey (Imp USA)

Open Dog (4 entries 0 absent)

1. Jones’ Suzdans Ollivanders. 4yrs gold sable. Nice big dog. Soft expression and he clearly adores his mum! Good head, eye, bite, earset. Good reach of neck blending into a reasonably well laid shoulder. Good upperarm. Strong, straight bone, good feet. Good topline and although I was worried about tailset, it was good when I got my hands on him – coat just giving the appearance of a high set on, but it was fine. Good turn of stifle and good hock. Able to stand square without support. Sound mover

2. Shaw’s Astradine Kornishmean. 6 years black ond gold. Correct head, eye, bite. Lacking angulation front and rear, but firm straight topline and sound in movement.

3. Withheld

Special Beginners – No Entries

Vereran D/B (4 entries 1 absent)

1. Nolcini’s Ch Broadmaynes Eclipse to Nolmacdon JW ShCM ShCEx VW. 8½ years rich sable. Very nice to go over this dog. Good head with a lovely dark, almond shaped eye. Good stop, good bite. Good ear set. Good reach of neck blending into a well laid shoulder. Good upper arm, forechest and front legs. Lovely oval bone. Good pastern angle and feet . Good spring of rib and correct flat rib enabling the elbows to sit in close to the body. Good length of ribbing and short loin. Good firm topline, retained on the move and lovely blended croup with good tailset. Good turn of stifle, but not too much as to make it weak. Good short straight hock. Able to stand free without support. Sound coming and going. Ground covering gait from the side. CC and BOS.

2. Strange’s Ch Strco Back to the Future. 7½ years sable. Another very nice dog, but not quite enough to beat the winner on this occasion . Good head, eye, bite, earset. Good reach of neck and front assembly. Good top croup and tailset. Good bone and feet. Good short, straight hock. Able to stand square without support. Sound mover.

3. Jones’ Kintaro Hot off the Press ShCM

GCDS (2 Entries)

1. Nolcini’s Ch Broadmaynes Eclipse to Nolmacdon JW ShCM ShCEx VW

2. Shaw’s Astradine Knight Prince. 6 year old back and gold. Lacking angulation front and rear, but level topline, and sound.

Special Beginner Bitch (2 entries)

1. Withheld

2. Withheld

Minor Puppy Bitch (2 Entries 1 absent)

1. Waite’s Dragonburg Andromeda. 6½ moths black and gold. Very much a rangy baby who was out of coat today. Good head and dark eye. Correct bite. Reasonable front assembly, straight topline and reasonable angulation behind. Sound for her age and well handled

Puppy Bitch (2 Entries 0 Absent)

1. Vallance’s Wolficia Acadia. 10 months rich black and gold. Quite a plain bitch but balanced and sound. Good bone, feet, topline. Good head and dark, almond eye. Good bite. Good croup and tailset. In very good condition and well handled.

2. Withheld

Junior Bitch (3 entries)

1. Withheld

2. Withheld

3 Withheld

Post Graduate Bitch (2 Entries 0 Absent)

1. Power’s Droyale Sunflower Girl. 2 years black and gold. Good head with lovely dark almond eye. Good stop. Correct bite. Good reach of neck, blending into a well laid shoulder and firm, straight topline. Good spring of rib with correct flat rib allowing elbows to sit in close to the body. Correct oval bone. Good pastern angle and lovely feet. Slight tuck up and firm loin. Lovely croup and tail set. Well muscled hindquarters – good turn of stifle and short, straight hock. Able to stand square without support. Sound coming and going and demonstrating a long stride at the front and powerful drive from her hindquarters in profile. A very fit, sound bitch. Well handled by her young co-owner. RCC

2. Withheld

Limit Bitch (3 Entries 2 absent)

1. Prydderch’s Droyale Flower Power. I believe this is litter sister to the previous class winner. Similar type of bitch although this one is slightly longer in loin and croup. Many of the same comments apply as you would expect – Good head, eye, bite. Good reach of neck, front and topline. Good bone and feet. In excellent condition, fit and sound.

Open Bitch (5 entries 1 absent)

1. Stephens Ch Brightmeadow Kiss and Tell. 5 years black and gold. What a lovely bitch. Good head and lovely dark, almond eye. Correct slightly domed skull, good stop and length of muzzle. Correct bite. Lovely reach of neck blending into a well laid shoulder and firm, straight topline which she retained on the move. Upper arm meets the shoulder at 90 degrees. Good oval bone and good feet. Well sprung rib, with correct flat rib allowing the elbow to sit close to the body. Nice length of loin and a moulded croup with imperceptible tailset. Tail of correct length. Lovely balance in hindquarter to her front – good turn of stifle and short, straight hock. Stood square and showed powerful muscle tone. A very sound, fit bitch. On the move this bitch was superb – excellent reach in front as you would expect from construction like this with powerful drive from her rear. I could have watched her all day. Delighted to award her the CC and BOB.

2. Milham’s Shadowshacks My Girl. 5years black and gold. Another very nice bitch, maybe carrying a bit too much weight today and I understand not with her usual handler. Nevertheless, a good example of the breed. Good head, eye and bite. Good reach of neck and well laid shoulder. Not quite the upper arm of the winner. Good bone and feet. Good spring of rib, firm topline and strong, shapely quarter. Stood square without support. Not the extension of the winner from the side, but sound coming and going.

3. Shaw’s Astradine Keepsake JW