Crufts

CRUFTS 2023

GERMAN SHORTHAIRED POINTERS –

It was a great honour to be invited to judge at Crufts. I owned my first GSP over 40 years ago and they have been a huge part of my life and love over the years. I was really looking forward to standing on the green carpet and judging my favourite breed. Thank you to all for your entries and the great atmosphere around the ring making it a truly memorable day.

Veteran (2,1) - Mrs M & Misses L & J Burford Kavacanne Morgan You Know Stood alone in this class but a worthy winner. 8 years old and excellent muscle tone and moves soundly with style and power, Good size and has a good expression, clean neck into good shoulders. Smart dog. Well handled.

Puppy Dog (4,0) – 1st Mr F & Mrs J Mccafferty Thorscrag Hades Close decision between this boy and my 2nd place puppy. Just preferred the head of my winner. He has lovely clean lines, good bone, nice size and good depth. Excellent tight feet, good length and holds his topline well on the move. Good depth for his age and well muscled. Classy boy. I shall watch his progress in the show ring with interest. 2nd Mrs L & Miss H Russell Fraulynzway Lightning Bolt Another smart boy whom. Excellent depth, lovely alert expression, good bone and good angulation. Moves well with power and style. Quality boy. 3rd Mrs Schoneville Orchidstar Themisto by Balvenie a baby in this class, but sound as a pound. Excellent angulation, his head is developing well and moves well for his age.

Junior (4,1) - 1st Fraulynzway Lightning Bolt – from Puppy dog. 2nd Schoneville Orchidstar Themisto by Balvenie, from Puppy dog. 3rd Mrs D Howse Blueskies Ryder’s Rocks – This lad has done all his growing and is needing time to tighten up on his movement. Not too settled today in the class but did move soundly.

Post Graduate (5,0) – 1st Mrs D & Mr S Hill Ceilloch Russian - Smart dog, loved his head being typical of a GSP. Good depth and angulation and moved soundly. An honest type. 2nd Mrs A Scourfield Relstraum Tott Wolfsburg – I see sired by my winner of veteran dog. Similar type and size to my winner, good neck and clean shoulders, short back and angulation. Moves well. 3rd - Miss J & Mr R Cox & Carradus Cornibus Spruce – Only a youngster and needing time to drop into himself. Moves well and sound moving.

Limit (7,2) - Mrs S & Miss D Rose & Hunt Pingarypoint Top Secret at Kavacanne JW – This boy has always been a favourite of mine and he has matured into a lovely dog. His movement is a joy to watch as he has power and style but yet looks effortless. Excellent angulation, good topline and well muscled. Certainly built for a days work. I note his dam was my Best veteran and RCC Bitch winner. 2nd Miss C & Mr J Wetton & Morris Kavacanne Bolt from The Blue – Another smart boy with an excellent coat, good head and lovely angulation. Good depth and muscle, moves out well. Sired by my RCC dog winner. 3rd Shepherd’s Orchidstar Full Speed Ahead – Typy youngster, needing more time to mature on. Good clean front and masculine head, angulation OK.

Open (8,0) – A good quality class. 1st and DCC Mrs Z M Sielski Orchidstar Bolts of Speed – Absolutely delighted to award this cracking dog his crown and 3rd CC. Excellent size dog, nothing exaggerated about him. Good masculine head but not overdone, very good coat and angulation. Really well muscled and moves so soundly and effortlessly around the ring but with power and drive. Well handled and congratulations to his clever breeder. 2nd Mr R & Miss A Brown & Burns Sh Ch Magregor Pop The Dom over Pothouse – Another quality boy who is also a great sire. His sire I gave his 3rd ticket to, so obviously love this type. He cannot be overlooked, excellent depth, loved his head, good angulation and well muscled. Sound mover. 3rd Mrs M Kolodziejczyk Nestor Kajminia – A smart GSP who was well handled. Excellent topline and good depth of rib, well muscled and good coat. Very sound moving.

Field Trial – no entries, Working dog – no entries, Good Citizen – 1st Schoneville’s Orchidstar Themisto by Balvenie.

Veteran Bitch (7,3) – 1st Best Veteran and RCC Mrs M & Misses L & J Burford Pingarypoint Hot Topic – I judged this classy girl a few years ago and gave her Group 1, she still has everything I was looking for. At nearly 10 years of age she can certainly show the youngsters how to move, good head and expression, lovely clean front and good topline, great angulation. Delighted to award her RCC and Best Veteran. 2nd Mrs K Whitehouse Kazanpaul Creme De La Creme – Same sire as my winner and has many of the same qualities I was looking for today. You cannot deny her quality even although she is not the happiest in the ring. Lovely head and expression, good depth and angulation, moves true and sound, quality girl. 3rd Miss K Lindridge Amidala Fast and Furious JW – Another quality girl with a melting expression, very good angulation and moves with power and style.

Puppy Bitch (4,0) – A class of smart puppies. 1st Mrs R Barnett Magregor Howl to The Moon – Really liked this girl and I am sure she will have a bright future in the ring. Lovely clean lines, very good angulation, sound as a pound. Quality girl and moves well. 2nd Miss Tait Benboee Beeloved – Another quality girl, slightly longer cast than my winner but clean throughout, gorgeous head and lovely expression, moves well for one so young. 3rd Mrs J Court Magregor Seventh Moon over Ballyheige – Litter sister to my winner and same qualities. Today wasn’t settled but couldn’t deny her quality. Good coat and angulation and moves well. Interestingly all three pups were sired by my RCC Dog winner.

Junior (6,0) – 1st Miss Tait Benobee Beelieve and also delighted to award her BP. Litter sister to 2nd in Puppy. When she entered the ring she caught my eye, such clean lines and a true GSP head, very good coat, good depth and moves effortlessly around the ring with grace and power. Did consider her for RCC. 2nd Mrs Z M Sielski Orchidstar Missing Link – A quality girl who I am sure will have a great career in the show ring. A very good coat, good head and expression, excellent depth and well put together, good angulation and moves soundly and with drive. 3rd Mr L and Mrs C Fry Waldburg Seren – This young girl has the most gorgeous head and soft expresson, good depth and angulation. Moves well and a good honest type and could not over look her in this class.

Post Graduate (15,2) – A great variation of types in this class. 1st Mrs l Thomas Brainescroft Pinkster – Smart girl with the best movement, moves with power and drive. Good depth and angulation, good topline and head. 2nd Ms P A E Brudenell-Pryke Puddledub Pilis – Best of heads in this class, good size and clean lines. Sound honest type of girl and a good mover, well muscled. 3rd Miss L Davies Faircastle Electra – This girl was having problems with the carpet and slipping which unsettled her, however on the move she went well. Good angulation and well muscled. Would like to see her in an outside ring.

Limit Bitch (11,3) - 1st BCC and BOB Mrs V, Mrs M & Mrs T Stewart, Currie & Boyles Magregor Amourette avec Levagrad – To me today the star of the day, she was what I was looking for in the breed. Best of heads, good neck into clean shoulders, good depth, lovely angulation fore and aft. Excellent coat really well muscled and when she moved it was lovely to see so effortless with power and drive, moves true. Delighted that she got to do a lap of honour in the Best in Show Ring, she looked lovely and a credit to her breeders and owners. Note that she is litter sister to my RCC winner. 2nd Mrs M Garvey Richtig Ragdoll JW – A quality youngster, I see sired by the same dog as my DCC winner. Her overall quality cannot be denied and she is a great size, lovely depth of rib and good coat. Good muscle and a good mover. 3rd Mrs M & Misses L & J Burford Pingarypoint Legolicious JW – Another quality girl from this kennel. Moves out with power and drive, good muscle and angulation, good breed type.

Open Bitch (7,4) – 1st Mrs Z M Sielski Orchidstar Jenga – Stood out in this class, another quality girl from this kennel. Very good depth and angulation, really well muscled, good topline and length, good expression and moves out well. 2nd (Mrs J Pomorska-Grochowska) Brown Sugar Erinwill – Smart girl good head and expression, would prefer a harsher coat. Good angulation and moves like a train, good size. 3rd Mrs A Blair Richtig Rihanna – Honest type of GSP, preferred heads of my winners. Well muscled, moves soundly.

Field Trial – no entries,

Special Working Gundog Bitch – 1st Mr Lukasz Szczesiak Hexa Kajminia Fci – Stood alone in this class, but she is a quality girl. Moves around the ring with power and drive, good muscle and feet, held her topline well. Certainly fit for a days work.

Good Citizen Dog Scheme Bitch - (4,1) – 1st Puddledub Pilis (Ms P A E Brudenell-Pryke) – repeat from Post Graduate, 2nd Ms L Walker Zarozinia Phoenix Rising over Jolicoem - Smart workmanlike girl, good coat and head, good coat and moves out well. 3rd Mrs V S A Prior Jolicoem Jevington of Whinchat – Veteran girl, such an honest type. Good depth and angulation moves well for her age.

DOREEN SMILLIE-GRAY

JUDGE