Driffield Championship Dog Show

Driffield Championship Show 29/08/2022 - Basenji

Thank you to Driffield committee for giving me the opportunity to judge my breed.

I was very pleased with the entry and appreciate exhibitors bringing their dogs. Quality was very mixed but all temperaments were sound.

Veteran Dog (1 entry)

1st Jardines Woodella Hot Rod. Almost 8 years old, in excellent condition and very well muscled. Very good head with correct muzzle/ head proportions. Correct small slightly hooded ears well set.he presents a good outline, compact short back, high tailset, good leg length, and balanced moderate angulation both ends. Moved out soundly, just a bit too big and strongly built for me, but very good breed type.

Puppy Dog (1 Entry, 1 absent)

Junior Dog (no entries)

Special Beginners Dog (1 entry, 1 absent)

Post Graduate Dog (2 entries)

1st. Grayson & Cullens Bushwacker American Hustle at Embeau. 18 month old masculine boy in superb condition, very good short fine coat and pliable skin. He had a good head of correct proportions, small well set hooded ears, and good wrinkle. 

Short back and enough leg length to give that correct elegant outline, good high tailset and enough shelf. Very well angulated, very good mover in outline, just needs to settle a wee bit in front movement. Res Best Dog.

2nd. Gaskell Memetuka Mad About The Boy. Almost 4 year old red/ white boy. A beautiful head on this boy, correct muzzle to head ratio, terrific wrinkle, small well shaped eyes and small hooded well set ears. He is a bit light in condition and looking narrow all through at present. Short back and good leg length but could have more level topline. Moved well but not as smoothly as 1st in profile. 

Open Dog (6 entries, 3 absent) a good class.

1st. Leg gets Ch Swanwite Take A Chance On Me. 3 year old red/ white masculine boy in superb condition. He had a good head, well shaped eyes and hooded ears helping to give correct expression. Short back and good leg length giving that breed typical outline. Very good front, correct moderate angulation, high tailset and good curl. Very accurate mover coming and going, good profile movement. Best Dog. Just couldn’t match the best bitch today who was on top form and performed better in the challenge. 

2nd. Knowles Ch. Tokaji Klassic Trickster at Sarawana. 5 year old tall tricolour boy. Nice head proportions but not the expression of the winner. Excellent short back, strong topline and a good leggy appearance. Moving well today, he was pushed hard for this placing by 3rd.

3rd. Hardy & Hallams Ch. Tokaji Walking In Memphis.

Veteran Bitch (4 entries, 1 withdrawn). A great class, one lovely girl was withdrawn as not too happy on the day.

1st. Gaskells Ch. Hi-Lite Bulldobas Wild Child of Memetuka (imp Fin). Almost ten years old, a beautiful typical basenji girl in lovely condition. Excellent head proportions, correct eye shape, small hooded ears and great wrinkle giving a lovely expression. Well angulated both ends, retains a good topline and moved very well with accurate footfall. Just a touch long in back but a very worthy champion. 

2nd. Graysons Ch. Kisangani Shining Star at Embeau. 9 year old tricolour bitch looking very well for her age. Excellent condition. Nice head but not quite the classic proportions and expression of the winner. Short back, lovely compact outline and good leg length, would just prefer tail placement over to side more. Correct angulation both ends, moved well.

3rd Leggets Ch. Swanwite Katrionah.

Puppy bitch (2 entries)

A good class with two lovely pups.

1st. Gaskells Memetuka Calamity Jane. 8 months old small very elegant girl, real gazelle-like grace. A beautiful head, correct head proportions, small hooded ears, good eye size and shape, and plenty wrinkle. Neck well set into shoulders, good angulation both ends, she moved very well today. A touch bum high at present and I would prefer her tail carriage to be flatter to side. Pushed hard by 2nd.

2nd Casentieris Alchez Koko Kola. 8 month old black/ white. Very feminine girl in lovely condition, very striking. Good head with nice proportions, eye shape. Sound front, well angulated both ends, she moved very well but not quite settled in topline at moment. 

JB. (1 entry)

1st. Zvezdny Alliance Genie In A Bottle (imp Ukr). 14 month old brindle girl with real gazelle like elegance. Super condition. Well shaped eye, ears could be smaller and higher set to be ideal. Sound front, very good leg length. Strong level topline which she kept on move. I felt she was a bit overangulated in rear for my ideal, but she moves out very soundly with accurate footfall, and I’m sure will have many admirers. 

Special Beginners B (1 entry).

1st. Lovely 20 month old elegant gazelle like girl with a short back giving that typical basenji outline. In excellent condition. I liked her head very feminine, with correct eye shape and small hooded ears giving that typical expression. She is still a bit narrow all through and could have a better tailset. Moved well once settled.

Postgraduate B (3 entries, 1 absent).

1st Casentieri’s Zvezdny Alliance Genie In A Bottle (imp Ukr) winner of Junior.

2nd. Gaskell’s Memetuka Secret Smile. 3yr old red/ white out of a smaller, finer mould.

Again from this exhibitor a girl with a lovely typical head, well angulated girl, but not as good in topline as winner, difficult to assess movement and giving her handler a hard time both stacking and on the move.  

Open B (6 entries, 2 absent). A very good class with some difficult decisions.

1st. Dunstons Ch. Mawali Four Get Me Not. Not yet 2, a beautiful elegant typical basenji. Elegant, short backed, long legged appearance. Very good head, correct eye and typical expression. Sound front, strong hard topline which she kept on the move. Very good tailset and curl, plenty shelf. Well angulated, and moved very soundly both coming and going, and excellent profile movement. Best of Breed.

2nd. Knowles Bushwacker Dragon Tattoo at Sarawana. My most difficult decision of the day, if there had been a prize for “dog the judge wanted to take home” she would have won it. Superb head, created by her correct muzzle/head proportions, small hooded well set ears, fabulous wrinkle, and lovely well shaped eye and well cushioned muzzle. I liked her compact shape, elegant girl with a strong short back. Moderate angulation both ends and high set tail with good curl. Not always showing herself to best advantage and couldn’t match the accuracy of 1st on move.

3rd. Jardines Tadrose North Star.

Judge: Scott Wright.