Crufts

Crufts 2023 Japanese Akita Inu.

Many thanks to the Crufts Committee for inviting me to judge this lovely breed. I was delighted with a lovely entry of quality dogs, excellent temperaments and super presentation by the most sporting exhibitors who took my decisions in a very sporting manner. It was particularly pleasing to see the BOB winner go on to be such a good ambassador for the breed and to place in the Group Final, hopefully another step forward to the breed getting CC recognition.

Veteran Dog (2)

1. Horrobin’s, Kenichi No Mitsuru Go Charadon, a very well presented 9 years old in super condition for his age and enjoying his day out. Masculine head, lovely eye and expression. Ears are well placed and used to advantage. Good neck, topline is a shade soft, excellent set on of tail with good carriage. Good coming and going, could have been a little more fluid in side gait. Best Veteran Male.

2. Rio’s, Shiroshi Ash No Sora, 8 years old and another boy in excellent condition. He has a balanced head, eye and expression could be a touch better, excellent ears well carried. I felt he was a little bit fine through and lacked forechest. Topline was ok, tailset and carriage was excellent. He had a lovely balanced side gait.

Puppy Dog (2)

1. Borecka & Rossa’s, Hasaki Team Birin Kagatomisou, a very striking brindle of 8 months old, he has super attitude, wonderful type and lots of star quality. Nicely balanced head with a lovely eye and expression. Ears are good size, well placed and used to full advantage. He has a nice reach of neck, good topline and excellent tailset. Excellent bone and feet and he was very good on the move. I think this youngster is going to have a very bright future. Best Puppy Dog.

2. Thanki’s, Chillipaws Mr Honeythunder, 9 months old, this boy was a little overawed by surroundings today, so we did not push him too much. He has a nicely balanced head, eye is ok, good ears well placed, topline is a little soft at this time, balanced angulations, tailset was ok. He moved well coming and going considering he was unsettled.

Junior Dog (2)

1. Duffield’s, Meiho Haruko Go Aiwa, a very nice brindle of 12 months, he has a very pleasing head with a lovely eye and expression. His ears are good size, well set and well carried, nice reach of neck, topline is just a shade soft at this time. Excellent tailset and carriage, balanced angulation front and rear, good bone and nice tight feet. Would prefer him a shade more positive in the rear moving away, he has a pleasing side gait and was beautifully presented and handled.

2. Grundy’s, Hitorikko Go Hajimari Under Kyuuten, 14 months old red brindle, very well put together youngster, with a pleasing head of good strength, nice eye and good ears. He had a good reach of neck, excellent topline and tailset was ok. He has good bone and feet, I would just have preferred him more positive coming and going on the move.

Post Graduate Dog (5)

1. Horrobin’s, Hasaki Team Daimaru Chardon, 19 months old, very pleasing type with a nicely balanced head of good strength, nice eye, lovely ear size, placement and carriage. He has a lovely reach of neck and an excellent topline. He has good bone and feet, perhaps could have a little more slope to the pastern. On the move he was very nice in profile and excellent moving away and very nicely handled and presented.

2. Bennett & Thompson’s, Seijitsu Amafumi Go Tsoyu, this is a really nice male of 2 & ½ years, he has a nicely balanced head, lovely eye and excellent ears. He has a lovely reach of neck, excellent topline and tailset. He has balanced angulation, he could stand a little better in front at times, was very good coming and going and once again the handling and presentation was top class.

3. Page’s, Aka Kenzou Kashikoi of Mogeki, almost 4 years old, a pleasing type with a nice head. Eyes were ok, and ears were good size and well placed, just a little throaty. He has good bone and feet, tends to stand a little crooked in front. Angulations are balanced front and rear and while his side gait was good, I would have preferred him a little better coming and going.

Open Dog (10, 2)

1. Exposito’s, Sh Ch Dai Kichi Go Shun’you Kensha, 3 years old and he really stood out in a quality class. He is of excellent size and shape, super type. Pleasing head of good proportions, beautiful eye shape and expression. Hooded ears of good size, well set and carried. Excellent reach of neck, super topline and tailset. Excellent angulation front and rear, good bone and feet and his movement was so true coming and going with a beautifully balanced side gait. Presentation and handling was top class and to top it all off, the dog has a super temperament. Pleased to award him Best Dog & BOB and delighted to see him do so well later in the Group.

2. Duffield’s, Hasaki Team Nobu Meiho, an impressive male of 5 years, very pleasing type, lovely size and shape. He has a balanced head with a beautiful eye and expression. Good reach of neck, excellent topline and tailset. Angulations are good front and rear, he has good bone and nice tight feet. He is very nicely balanced in his side gait, perhaps could be a shade better coming towards. Beautifully presented and handled. Reserve Best Dog.

3. Sanzin’s, Multi Ch Shiratoriseiza No Hyoga, 5 years old brindle male, medium size, beautiful type with a lovely head and the most beautiful of eyes. Excellent ears size and carriage, good neck, topline could have been a shade better. Nicely angulated front and rear, good bone and nice tight feet. He moved really well and was beautifully presented and handled and completed a beautiful top three in the class.

Good Citizen Dog (3)

1. Johnson & Borisov’s, Taiho Go Tamashi Kenn, 4 years old, of good size, a little fine through the body and I felt his topline could flow a little better. Balanced head with a nice eye and good ear shape and placement. Had enough bone and good feet and moved freely.

2. Bolton’s, Hatchi Boy, 5 years old with a wonderful temperament. He is a little bit on the small side for a male but still has a lot of good qualities. Balanced head with a medium dark eye, good neck and topline. Good bone and feet, a little weak in the pastern. He has a lovely side gait, very free moving.

3. Buckley & Chapman’s, Matsukita Takehiko-Go, 6 years old brindle, a little too strong overall for me. Masculine head with a very nice eye and good ears. Good topline and tailset, strong bone and good feet. A little full and deep in chest which spoiled the body proportions and his movement could have been better, but a very nice happy boy.

Veteran Bitch (6,1)

1. Pike & Carter’s, Breezelyn Mori Nomusme, 8 years old, in super condition for her age. Pleasing feminine head with a lovely eye and expression. Ears are of good size, well placed. Good topline and tailset, excellent bone and feet and good angulation front and rear and excelled in side gait. Best Veteran in Breed.

2. Aluzas’, Int Ch G’Satoe Go Sveika, 8 years old, well presented and handled in lovely condition. Very pleasing type, feminine head, eyes ok, ears are a shade tall, lovely neck and topline, excellent tailset, good bone and feet, moved well in side gait, a little close behind moving away.

3. Fowkes’, Bel Ch Tsoyu Gin-Raikou Kyoshi, 9 years old, very pleasing type, with a lovely eye, ears of good size well carried, good neck, topline could have been a little better. Excellent bone and feet, super temperament and she moved well. In excellent condition for her age.

Puppy Bitch (6)

1. Buckley & Chapman’s, Matsukita Kitiara Go, almost 8 months old, a beautiful puppy with bags of attitude taking everything in her stride today. She is lovely size and shape for her age, attractive feminine head with a beautiful eye shape and expression. Good reach of neck, flowing into a nice topline and tailset. She is balanced in her angulations, good bone and feet and she moved soundly coming and going with a pleasing side gait. I hope she fulfils all this promise, pleased to award her Best Bitch and Best Puppy in Breed.

2. Rossa’s, Kagatomisou Nanase Go, 10 months old, lovely head with a nice eye and expression. Good bone, just needs to fill in forechest. Good topline and tailset, good bone and feet, moved well in side gait, could be a shad better coming towards. Well presented and handled.

3. Bolton’s, Tsoyu Uramiyakihime Go, 11 months old, a very nice female with an attractive feminine head. Lovely eye and good ears, well carried. Topline and tailset are good, appears a little steep in angulations at this time, moved freely.

Junior Bitch (7)

1. Thompson & Chapman’s, Tsoyu Urakohime Go, 11 months old Brindle, lovely feminine head, excellent eye and expression, excellent ear carriage, good neck, good body proportions, not in full bloom today but still lovely type. Angulations are good front and rear, excellent movement in profile and when moving away and she has a lovely temperament.

2. Duffield’s, Meiho Kawai Hana Go, 12 months old and very nice type and once again presentation and handling was top class. She has an excellent temperament, pleasing feminine head, eye is ok, just needs to fill in the chest. This girl is excellent on the move, well angulated front and rear.

3. Johnson & Borisov’s, Eiko Go Daruma Kensha, 15 months old, very nice type with a pleasing head, lovely eye, ears are good size and well carried, topline was a little soft today. Good bone and feet and she just needs to improve a little on the move.

Post Graduate Bitch (7,2)

1. Grundy’s, Kyuuten Shine Like A Diamond, 3 years old brindle of very pleasing type. Excellent head, good reach of neck, topline ok, good tailset. Excellent bone and feet, good angulations front and rear with a well developed chest. Moved well all ways and very well handled.

2. Thompson & Chapman’s, Tsoyu Tamashino Go, 2 years old Dark Brindle of excellent type, attractive feminine head, good reach of neck, topline a shade soft. She has wonderful attitude, super temperament and is very striking. Good bone and feet, would prefer her a little better coming and going on the move.

3. Heyes’, Ryuukita No Otome Go at Chillipaws, 3 years old of pleasing type. Nicely balanced head with a nice eye and good ears well carried, would prefer slightly better teeth. Topline is a little soft, good bone and feet and she moved well in side gait.

Open Bitch (5)

1. Bennett &Thompson’s, Int Ch & Bel Ch Tsoyu Murasaki Go Seijitsu, a nice class headed by this very typy 6 year old, presented in tip top condition and beautifully handled. She is of good size, correct angulation front and rear, lovely headpiece, with an excellent expression. Good reach of neck, excellent topline and tailset. Good bone and feet and moved well in all directions, pleased to award her Reserve Best Bitch.

2. Bastianello’s, It Ch Hasaki Team Amaya, 4 years old white of superb type. Very pleasing head, beautiful eye and expression, excellent ear size and carriage. Good reach of neck, excellent topline, tailset is good, though she tended to drop her tail quite often. Excellent bone and feet, could be a shade better moving away, once again top class handling and presentation.

3. Pike, Carter & Chapman’s, Tsoyu Otsukohime Go at Breezelyn, very pleasing type with a lovely feminine head. Good neck, topline could be a little firmer and she was a shade weak in the pastern. Good bone and feet and she moved freely, another with lovely temperament.

Good Citizen Bitch (3)

1. Buckley & Chapman’s, Tsoyu P’Chinko Go Matsukita, 3 years old, a lovely female with a beautiful eye and expression. Pleasing outline and good body proportions, good bone and feet. She has a super temperament, excellent side gait but I would prefer her better coming towards.

2. Bolton’s, Tsoyu Uramiyakihime Go (repeat from Puppy Class).

3. Davis’, Ryuukita Danu, white bitch of 17 months with a balanced head, ears are a shade tall and could sit a little better. Nice reach of neck, topline is a shade soft, good tailset, excellent bone and feet, she just needs to settle on the move, but both her and the handler improved in each class.

Judge; Paul Lawless