Richmond Dog Show Society

Richmond General Championship Show – Friday 8th September

Bracco Italiano

I would first like to thank the Richmond Committee, officers and stewards for an absolutely lovely day of judging at my first General Championship show. I thoroughly enjoyed my appointment, this show has always been one of my favourites, so an appointment to judge here was a privilege. The weather was very humid and warm, which had an impact on exhibitors and dogs alike! I think we all wanted to flop in the shade with a long cool drink.

I would especially like to thank all exhibitors who entered under me. Showing in the beating sun and humidity was quite the challenge, I had the pleasure of going over some cracking examples of the breed.

Veteran Dog or Bitch, 2 (2 Abs)

Puppy Dog, 0

Junior Dog, 2

1st Beecham’s Titano Della Casa Di Lombardo At Rydonmist (Imp Fra), 17 months dog. Standing almost square in outline, I really loved this boy’s head. Such a kind eye with equal length between occiput and stop, stop to nose. Deep muzzle, lean cheeks without exaggeration, well set ears. Moderate strong neck without excessive dewlap. Good fore chest to strong fore legs of oval bone. Chest set deep to elbows. Ribs well sprung, moderate loin and slight rise to croup. Strong hindquarters with good width across second thigh, strong short hock to tidy feet. Expertly piloted around the ring, displaying typical Bracco movement. RBD

2nd Beecham’s Gunsyn Hotrod At Rydonmist, O/W 13 months dog. Standing slightly longer than 1, this youngster certainly gave 1 a run for his money on the day. Head of correct planes and proportions, with nice deep muzzle, slight chiselling under eye and well-set ears. Strong moderate neck with slightly heavier dewlap, to fore chest and well boned forelegs. Deep chest, well ribbed arching over moderate loin to croup and well-set tail. Powerful hindquarters with good bend of stifle on the move. Slightly proud of his tail today, but one to watch in the future.

Post Graduate Dog, 3 (1 Abs)

1st Sladden’s Bushwacker Dangerous Dave At Canemamans Jw, 2 yr old dog. Standing almost square in outline, this boy has a noble expression with head of correct planes and proportions. Nose to stop and stop to occiput of equal length, with median to mid skull. Deep muzzle with chiselling and correctly set ears. Well-muscled neck to broad fore chest with oval boned strong forelegs. Well sprung ribs to strong short loin. Strong hind quarters to tight well arched feet.

2nd Beecham’s Gunsyn Hotrod At Rydonmist, Repeat from JD

Limit Dog, 4 (1 Abs)

1st Sladden’s Valcor The Confessor At Canemamans Jw, 2yr old dog. Standing slightly longer than square, this boy has lots of typical BI breed type. Head with correct planes and proportions, slightly roman nose, deep muzzle, gentle expression with median to mid skull. Under eye chiselling and correctly set ears. Strong moderate neck with dewlap, good length of upper arm providing well angled broad fore chest. Oval boned strong fore legs with deep chest to elbows. Well sprung ribs to strong short loin. Well-muscled hind quarters with good sweep of stifle to short hocks over tight well arched feet. Moved straight and true around the ring.

2nd Forbes Canemamans Primo Al Fine Jw, 23 months orange roan dog. A deep muzzled masculine head, with correct planes and chiselling, kind eye and a large spongy nose. Muscular neck, upper arm slightly shorter than 1 with deep chest to elbow. Standing on tight feet with short slightly sloping pasterns and straight oval boned forelegs. Well sprung ribs with short muscular loin giving an overall square appearance. Well balanced hind quarters with nice short pasterns. Slightly proud of tail on the move today.

Open Dog, 2 (1 Abs)

1st Sladden’s Ebano Dell ‘oltresavio At Canemamans (Imp Ita) Shcex, 4yr old chestnut dog. This boy’s almost square outline screams Bracco Italiano, with masculine head, so typical of the breed. Lean cheeks, chiselling under his kind eye with a big spongey nose giving a typical noble expression. Strong muscular neck, unexaggerated dewlap and broad deep chest. Good length of upper arm, forelegs of oval bone with tight elbows to well sprung rib. Short well-muscled loin to broad croup sloping to tail. Balanced hind quarters with good length of thigh and strong short hocks. He powered around the ring driving from his hind quarters, completely unfazed by the weather. BD, BOB.

Puppy Bitch, 2 (1 Abs)

1st Coghlan’s Braccorion’s Zero She Flies, 6 months bitch. A very happy, eye-catching youngster, feminine head of correct proportions and planes. A kind soft eye, median line to mid skull and correctly set ears. She’s moderate throughout with well-muscled neck and good lay back of shoulder. Deep chest to elbow, forelegs of strong oval bone with short pasterns. Well ribbed back, short loin to well set tail. Hind quarters well-muscled with good width across second thigh over arched tight feet. This girl demonstrated bend and drive as she powered around the ring, one to watch in the future! BP

Junior Bitch, 2 (1 Abs)

1st Thomas & Taylor’s Gunsyn Hotpants, 14 months bitch. This poor girl had been stung by a bee just before entering the ring resulting in quite the bump on her head! Head of correct proportions, with equal length nose to stop and stop to occiput. Nose protruding slightly over deep muzzle with kind eye and correct ear set. Unexaggerated dewlap, strong neck deep chest and nice tight elbows. Ribbed well back, moderate loin and well-set tail, standing on tight neat feet. Moved well on the day.

Post Graduate Bitch, 1 (1 Abs)

Limit Bitch, 3 (2 Abs)

1st Coghlan’s Braccorion’s Va Va Voom Jw, 2 yr old bitch. I admired this girl as a puppy, and she didn’t disappoint today. She’s a feminine bitch with an outline that screams Bracco. Her head is of correct proportions and planes with the kindest of eyes and slightly roman nose. Deep muzzle, well set ears and unexaggerated dewlap. Strong neck with plenty of fore chest, nice tight elbows to deep chest with plenty of heart room. Strong oval boned forelegs over tight feet. Short coupled, rising slightly from loin to croup, with a well-set tail. Muscular hind quarters with rear edge almost straight. A top-drawer bitch, who moved with drive in her class and the bitch challenge BB only losing out to the dog in the final challenge as the hot weather zapped some of her drive.

Open Bitch, 2

1st Critchley’s Sh Ch Braccorion’s Never Say Never Jw, 5 yr. old bitch. Moderate throughout this girl is another very typey example of the breed. Her head has the correct divergent planes and proportions, with median to mid skull, a big spongey nose, deep muzzle, lean cheeks with that melting noble gaze. Short strong neck with plenty of fore chest, tight elbows to well sprung deep chest. Short coupled with strong hind quarters, good on the move, shown in the best of condition, RBB.

2nd Cawley’s Bushwacker Allegra at Marlablue, 4 yr old bitch. Moderate throughout, this girl is slightly longer than 1. She has correct divergent planes and proportions to her head, spongey nose and correct scissor bite. Short muscular neck good fore chest, deep chest with tight elbows, well sprung ribs and correct top line. Good width across second thigh over strong short hocks and tidy feet. Not quite as strong on the move as 1, likely due to the oppressive heat on the day.

Special Beginners Dog or Bitch, 0