Essex & Eastern Counties Boxer Club

A huge thank you again to the Officers & Committee of Essex & Eastern Counties Boxer Club for inviting me to judge bitches for them at their 2023 Ch Show. The story and journey of me getting to judge - thanks to repeated C-19 intervention(!) – you will know blighted me previously, however it was worth the wait and what a smashing day I had today. I thank you all for the really lovely entry. Mouths – they do still really concern me still and we must address this in our breeding programmes. Presentation and handling was generally excellent and I stood back looking at my winning line-up in the challenge with real pride.

VB (3:1)

1 Kay's Miofrey Morning Glory. Dark brindle and white, almost 9 years, such a beautifully balanced bitch with a gorgeous eye and flowing neck, everything fitting together and flowing. Her head is super-clean with a lean skull, clean cheeks, good mouth and dark eye. She is lovely over the shoulder, leading to a good middle piece and backend. On the move, she goes out well with a good springy gait moving with drive from behind and a good reach in front. Really lovely bitch looking so well for her 9 years.

2 Lott's Britespark Pretty Mona Mai. Golden brindle and white, almost 10 years, in great condition for her age, spritely and fit, with a clean skull, decent mouth and lovely dark eye. She has a good shoulder and level topline, which she held on the move. She was an enthusiastic as they come, both set up and moving, with a good stride and drive from behind. Both ladies an absolute credit to their owners.

MPB (11)

1 Drinkwater's Sulez Teaser. Just 7 months, dark brindle and white, so beautifully put together from tip of nose to tail. Her head is just lovely with an expressive eye, good rise of skull and gorgeous long neck - crested and strong. She is clean over the shoulder, and she was just right in body - still raw, as she should be, but balanced and so much scope and potential in her. She is quality through and through. She made her handler work on the move but once she settled in her pace, went well with a good stride and push from behind. She really filled the eye with her presence and type, was beautifully presented and in spotless coat and condition. Must have a very bright future ahead of her.

2 Murray's Willow Reach for the Moon with Limubox. Close up to 1, again really nicely put together with a very clean head, decent mouth, good eye and overall expression. Neck is clean and rounded, and she is good over the shoulder, as she is well coupled with just the right amount of conditioning and muscle tone for age. Moved at just the right pace for her too, and again put down in beautiful order. A quietly confident puppy and another to watch for the future. A really smashing young lady to judge. I have to say this was a great class of babies who will no doubt shift and change their placings as they compete through the Minor Puppy and Puppy classes.

3 Humphries' Chribanna Good Timin'.

PB (8:1)

1 Brown & Hutchings' Winuwuk Silent Witness. At just 10 months she is picture-perfect and I'd change nothing on her. A puppy with true breed type, oozing class, balance and style with everything fitting neatly together where she flows from nose to tip of her tail. Loved her head and expression, which is of excellent proportion, with a clean skull, flat cheek and an eye that just melts you. She has a lovely shoulder assembly, best of feet and a strong round neck flowing beautifully through to the middle piece with a hammy backend and bang on tailset. She captivated me with her eye and expression, and on the move went with excellent reach and drive, covering the ground with a steady flowing gait. Drops herself back into position set up with minimal adjustment. Shown and presented in beautiful order, and put in a collected performance for her age. She really pushed hard for top honours today. A pleasure to judge and to award her the RCC, BPB & BPIS in full agreement with my co-Judge. Thought she complemented my BCC winner perfectly.

2 Mair's Glenauld Ovanta. Brindle and white. Slightly more cobby in set than 1, she has lovely head type, typical of her kennel, beautiful bone, feet and pasterns, crested neck and a good set of shoulders. Has lovely type and

style, and held her topline on the move. Handled to get the very best out of her and put down in beautiful order. Another lovely set of bitches in this Puppy Class.

3 Jones' Charlons Viva La Diva

JB (7)

1 Spencer's Ashronsa Love to Dream. 16 months golden brindle. Very nicely put together, short and compact. Head is very typical with a good eye and expression. She is good over the shoulder and fits neatly through to her middle piece and back end. Kept fighting against her ultra-tight lead which really spoiled her on the move but, once she went again loose and more relaxed, she moved with a good stride and drive from behind. A really neat and tidy "typey" young bitch who was lovely to judge and has good breed type but she must be moved with much less restriction which nearly cost her the class.

2 Van-Beck's Newlaithe CID. 13 months, darker brindle and white, another lovely bitch to go over with everything flowing and fitting well together. She is typical in head with a good expression, good neck, and decent shoulder. Fits nicely together through the middle leading to a strong backend and bang on tailset. Moved out with good reach and drive, knew her job and was handled to get the very best out of her.

3 Jones' Charlons Nostalgic.

YB (3:1)

1 McDonald's Yeteb Little Miss Sunshine. Almost 2, dark brindle and white, really lovely head on this bitch with a beautiful eye and very typical expression. She is clean shouldered, has a strong neck, best of feet and bone and flows through to a beautifully conditioned backend. Moved out at just the right pace for her and sets back up in profile with little adjustment. Very typical of the breed and is so lovely to get your hands on and judge. Moved out smartly once settled. Thoroughly deserved her shortlist to the last few for the CC.

2 Kay's Miofrey Shooting Star. 21 months, dark brindle and white so well put together and lovely quality but just threw it away on the move. She has a very clean head, strong round neck and lovely shoulder and backend. Very much on her toes, could do with better control when baiting as she's a little OTT which spoils an otherwise super bitch. She really is of a lovely type, just a shame she was not cooperating with her handler today and not being moved with a loose lead, which would be just the ticket to show her off to advantage where she can better stride out and as I know she is capable of.

NB 4:2)

1 Wilson's Thorpaige What a Kerfuffle. 9 months dark brindle and white, nicely put together, beautifully clean over the skull, good eye and neat neck fitting into clean shoulders. She holds her topline on the move and has a decent backend with balanced angulation. Tail set spot on and mouth okay. Raw and rangy as she should be for age. Very well handled to get the best from her. In perfect condition and fettle.

2 Taylor & Lay's Wivendene Summer Tyme with Swiftwood. Solid red bitch, strong all through and muscular, decent shoulder, hammy backend and good tailset. Head a typical and she has a strong round neck. Handled well. A very well built bitch all through, moving positively with good stride and drive.

DB (3:2)

1 Kelly's Casemates Mystique. Golden brindle and white, most beautiful eye and expression, strong, lean neck leading into a clean shoulder, nicely coupled and good tailset. Hammy backend. Moved a little erratic on the off but once settled went well with a good stride and ground cover.

GB (5:1)

1 Lott's Britesparke Eliza Mai. 22 months golden brindle and white, so neatly put together with flowing angles both ends, clean over the skull and head with ample neck and cracking bone and feet. Loved her super expression and good eye. Mouth is good, neck is rounded and she has a neat underline. Tailset is spot on and a hammy backend finishes the picture. Moved with drive around the ring with lovely gait and stride. Handler moved her at perfect speed. She is square and so very well balanced from any angle and a really lovely bitch to judge and get your hands on. Drops back into positon with ease on set-up when stood. Thoroughly deserved her shortlist for the CC.

2 McDonald's Little Miss Nonsense. Almost 2 years, darker brindle and white, with a very typical head and expression from darkest eyes. Her neck is rounded, leading to a clean shoulder and lovely topline which she held on the move. Well put together, lovely to judge and moves out with decent stride and drive. Sets up well with little adjustment. Beautifully handled and in finest fettle and condition.

PG (3)

1 Wheeler's Olibetay Bella Rose at Hipkins. 2 year old dark brindle and white so compact and together. Very typical head and expression of good proportion, with darkest eye, and clean cheeks. She has best of bone and feet, a great backend - so hammy and strong – a good topline held on the move. On the move she goes with great stride covering the ground well and just at the right pace. Really good bitch to judge and get your hands on. Sets up well with little adjustment. Very nice indeed and in perfect condition and muscletone.

2 Swansborough's Boxatiel Raven Black. Lighter brindle and white, neatly put together with a decent neck, clean shoulders and hammy backend setting up nicely when stacked. Head is very typical, she has a dark eye, and good mouth. A bit untidy on the move today and I’d like her shorter, but nicely shown and handled.

3 Spencer's Uftonponds Maid by the Loch at Ashronsa.

LB (9:2)

1 Brown & Hutchings' Love to Investigate at Winuwuk 21⁄2 yrs dark brindle bitch, so well put together and moves so well. Sets up beautifully from all angles and flows from the head to tail with no exaggeration. Loved her eye and expression, neck is clean and rounded leading to a good set of shoulders and best of feet and bone. She has a good mouth and is so clean over the skull. Moved at perfect pace with a lovely gait and style and drops back into position to set up with little adjustment. She really is very sound and honest and I loved her type and style. Dam of my BPB/RCC winner and in my last few for the CC. Headed a really great class of bitches.

2 Van-Beck's Nashville at Newlaithe Another lovely brindle and white, slightly lighter in frame and stature, but excellent throughout and similar in type to 1, with a good front, excellent coupling and bang on tailset, Lovely feet and bone, smart and smooth underline. Moves with drive and purpose. Very well handled and on the day just preferred the finish on head of the winner. Another really good bitch to judge and get your hands on.

3 Seeney's Maranseen Bespoke.

OB (6:1)

1 Payne's Ir Ch Willow Sparks Will Fly (IKC). Darkest brindle and white, 2 years old, so beautifully put together. Flows whichever way you look at her. A truly lovely head which handles beautifully with excellent proportions, darkest eye and melting overall expression. Looked straight at me and almost through me with an air of nochalance and class. Excellent neck and shoulders, neat underline, very well coupled and a bang on tailset. A hammy backend and best of feet and bone finish the picture. Drops herself into position with hardly any adjustment - she's just "there". She was on great form today, and really did move out, with such a positive and reachy stride - no real effort needs putting in, she just goes. She has this certain regal aura about her and I just loved getting my hands on her to admire her very many virtues. She has such true breed type, is an excellent boxer, and thoroughly deserved her CC today. She was also BIS with full agreement of my co-Judge.

2 Mair's Ch Vandenrob Vanessa at Glenauld. 4yrs old dark brindle and white, she has an excellent head and eye, best of feet and bone and, as always, was handled to perfection to get the most of out her. She is clean over the shoulder, has a level topline and bang on tailset. Moves well covering the ground with a reachy stride and push from behind. Put down in sparkling order and in great fettle today.

3 Carter's Ch Susancar Sheila Spire.

Judge – Debbi Huggins