Three Counties Agricultural Society

Three Counties, 11 June 2023

Bracco Italiano

I was delighted to be invited to judge this super entry with no CCs. I have been interested in the breed since the mid-1990s, having worked on an import feature for the canine press where I fell in love with one of the dogs featured from the Sentling kennel. From there I became an early member of the breed society & have taken a great interest in the breed’s history & function.

Thank you for supporting me with a great entry; it was a very hot day and thankfully the weather had cooled off a little by the afternoon so we stayed outside.

PD (2): Here stood two quality litter brothers of 11 months, both presenting a powerful, balanced appearance - just one slightly more together at this stage: 1 BPD Beecham’s Gunsyn Hotrod at Rydonmist, w/orange, good strength of bone in correlation to overall size & looks good in outline – being almost square. His handler does a grand job of presenting him to his best. Sculpted head, good depth of flew with wide open nostrils & good length of ear. Strong through the neck, elbows close to the chest wall with deep chest, powerful mover driving from the rear. He has better feet with more arch to his toes than 2 Jackson’s Gunsyn Hottoddy, white/orange, very similar in appearance to 1 with commendable attributes. Good proportions between the top skull & muzzle, I preferred his eye shape over Hotrod. Well off for bone, correct over the topline, muscular over the croup & strong through the rear pasterns. Needs to drop through the front & fill out – he just needs time.

JD (3,1a): 1 G Hotrod at R; 2 Beecham’s Titano Della Casa Di Lombardo at Rydonmist (Imp FRA), orange & white roan of 15 months, appeals in outline with correct proportions, appealing head with good balance between the top skull & muzzle with divergent planes, wide open nostrils, good depth of flew, strong through the neck into well laid shoulders. He was a little erratic going away; I think with more schooling & muscle conditioning this could be improved.

PGD (2): 1 BD Sladden’s Valcor The Confessor at Canemamans JW, an eye catching quality orange roan dog of great strength, balance & nobility. Strong through the forearms with correct oval bone, handsome head with good chiselling under the eyes, correct toplines to the skull & muzzle with divergent planes, muzzle slightly arched, wide open nostrils, elbows close to the chest wall, strong through the neck. He was absolutely fit as a fiddle with good width & strength over the croup. I liked watching him drive away – such well-defined muscle through the thighs which helped him power & drive around the ring; 2 Beecham’s Keks Canero Bass (Imp), white & chestnut dog of 5 years, presented ably by his super young handler & his cheerleading mum. Nice size, he has good body proportions being almost square in appearance, correct lay of shoulder, good depth of chest, spring of rib & good bend of stifle. Once his handler got going, he went well.

OD (6, 2a): RBD 1 Beecham’s Grafskoe Gnezdo Arlo (Imp), powerful white & orange dog presented to advantage, good strength of bone through the forearms, brisket down to elbow, good ribbing, correct turn of stifle, strong rear pasterns, in good muscle condition, he moved out well; 2 Hartley’s Jakobstown Wray Of Joy, orange & white of nearly 4 years, more refined in appearance than 1 but still has good bone & is masculine with it. At times he leant a little too forward in his stack giving a completely sloping topline but when he was relaxed you would see the correct slope from withers to T11 & then the slight rise to the croup. Good head in profile, with correct proportions between skull & muzzle, good depth of flew & pronounced occipital protuberance. Excellent return of upperarm, brisket down to elbow, correct angulation. Not the power of 1 on the move; 3 Sladden’s Ebano Dell’Oltresavio at Canemamans (Imp ITA) ShCEx.

VD (1): 1 Fisher’s Mantello Di Montericco (Imp ITA), chestnut roan of 8 years suffering with the heat a little & who can blame him. Good depth of flew, pronounced occiput, strong neck into well laid shoulders, good ribbing, correct bend of stifle, vertical hocks to the ground.

PB (5): Promising class full of lovely quality girls. 1 BP, BB, BOB & PG1 Atherton’s Braccorion’s You Win Again at Brevathos, what a little super star. I clocked this white/orange when she came into the ring, I thought her lovely & then when I got my hands on her, I just found her so very anatomically sound & full of quality. She has correct body proportions being almost square & presents a lovely outline with a slope from the withers to T11 & then the slight rise to croup. Pretty head, with good depth of flew, length of ear and spongy nose with wide open nostrils. Good strength of oval bone through the forearms, with good size & substance. Lovely ribbing. Nothing about her is skew – all her feet face forward & she had the best of tight oval feet which I thought remarkable given she is a baby of 8 months. After her assessment, I crossed my fingers for good movement - & off she went with a scopey reach & drive. On top of all of her attributes – she has attitude too which makes her stand out even more. Delighted to see she won the Puppy Group! What a trooper after such a long day. Well done!; 2 Webber & Sladden’s Valcor Killer Queen, chestnut roan raw baby of 10 months, has the structure but just needs to drop into herself & fill out. Pretty head in profile with correct balance of proportions between top skull & muzzle with pronounced occiput, good ribbing, correct rear angulation. Moved co-ordinately; 3 Titchmarsh’s Valcor Don’t Stop Me Now.

JB (4, 1a): 1 Williamson’s Withamfriary Fairy Floss, white & chestnut of 17 months, much more mature than her classmates. Appealing head in profile, narrow on inspection with good chiselling under the eyes. Correct length of body being almost square in outline, scores in depth of brisket, shoulders could be angled with a little more layback. Good rear angulation & corresponding pasterns. Moved co-ordinately; 2 V Killer Queen; 3 Thomas & Taylor’s Gunsyn Hotpants.

PGB (3, 2a): 1 Hartley’s Elfrindrew Justice For All NAF TAF, good bone for size, correct body proportions, although tends to stack a little overstretched so loses her topline but doesn’t stand this way naturally with the correct slope from withers to T11 to slight rise to the croup. Correct ribbing, good rear angulation. Would prefer better strength through the rear pasterns.

OB (8, 6a): Such a shame there was so many absentees in this class. RBB Cawley’s Bushwacker Allegra at Marlablue, chestnut roan of 4 years, appeals in outline with correct body proportions, good bone for size, gives the impression of great strength. Head proportions & divergent planes, good depth of flew with slightly ached muzzle, good depth through the front with correct rear angles. She looked a little thick around the waist – perhaps a phantom. Moved the better of the two; 2 Kelsey’s Elfrindew Kinky Reggae, orange roan of 3 years, wide open nostrils, pronounced occipital protuberance, strength through the neck, good ribbing, tough but elastic skin. Could be a little tighter in the elbow.

VB (2,1a): 1 BV Powell’s Madreliath Omaggio, this orange & white put in a great performance at 9 years. Appeals standing with good outline & correct length of body, narrow head with chiselling, wide open nostrils, sound through the front & corresponding rear, correct ribbing, moved well.

DANIELA PINTO TRANQUADA (Judge)