Windsor Dog Show Society

Windsor Dog Show Society

Friday 30th June 2023

Australian Shepherds

I would like to thank the officers and committee for this super invitation to what many around the UK call the ‘Summer Crufts’, though it had not been summer like leading up to the show which meant a ring change to that scheduled and I must apologise to the exhibitors present for the size of the ring on the day for our breed, this was beyond my control and nothing that could be done to change this. I also want to thank our two excellent ring stewards on the day Gavin Argyle and Paul Bishop who were super-efficient and kept the ring flowing and well organised.

Many thanks to the exhibitors who presented their dogs at todays show, I found several dogs today to be hash in coat texture, which could have been down to the recent weather conditions and blowing coats. I was highly delighted with my main winners in both males and females, it was a privilege to be able to judge these dogs today and thank you to the exhibitors in bringing them.

Special Beginners D/B (2 Entries) Abs:0

1st: WHITE Franmar Devil's Desire. 22-month-old, black tri. Moderate head, with a dark eye, good width of skull, well placed ears giving a lovely expression. Good front with depth of chest. Moderate bone and good feet. Strong topline and good body proportions with adequate spring of ribs. Well defined rear angulation, overall, in good coat and condition. Movement was very agile coming and going and profile showed free and easy which won him his classes today. Best Special Beginner in Breed and Group 3 in the Pastoral Special Beginners Group. Congratulations.

2nd: DART, Aussiame Flaming Slate. 7 months Blue Merle. Pleasing head proportions, with well-placed ears. Good, angulated forequarters with good bone and feet. Short loin with adequate tuck up and correct rear angles. Moved soundly though the tail carriage spoils his outline for me when on the move.

Veteran D/B (1 Entry) Abs: 0

1st: VIRGO, Aoiristar Supernova (IKC) Sh.CM. 7-year-old, black tri male with moderate head, almond shaped eye. Good front with depth of chest. Good for bone, pleasing neck length with level topline and good spring of ribs. Pleasing rear angulation which was used on move which was sound viewed in all directions. Best Veteran in Breed.

Puppy Dog (4 Entries) Abs: 1

1st: JARRAM, JARRAM, & WHITTINGHAM Chalksville Strike a Deal with Kashaella. 9-month-old, black tri. Well presented, with a masculine head, almond shaped eye and ears placed well and used correctly giving a wonderful expression. Sufficient neck length and correct shoulder placement giving a good front on well boned legs and feet. Good strong body for a youngster with sufficient spring of rib into moderate rear angulation, with well let down hocks. He was a sound and steady mover in all directions with his topline retained. Best Puppy in Breed and was pleased to see him shortlisted in a good Pastoral Puppy Group.

2nd: BURT, Aussiame Hot To Trot. 7-month black tri. Again, another youngster with a pleasing head, dark eye, and good expression. Front developing, sufficient depth of chest at this age, good for bone. Level topline with correct tail set and carried well. Movement was sound, though raised slightly in rear when moving which was my deciding factor today, but very promising.

3rd: DART, Aussiame Flaming Slate

Junior Dog (2 Entries) Abs: 1

1st: BURT, Aussiame Hot To Trot, See second in Puppy Dog.

Post Graduate Dog (2 Entries) Abs: 0

1st: WHITE, Franmar Devil's Desire, see winner of special beginners’ dog/bitch.

2nd: MYALL, Altussi Rhythm and Blues. 22-month-old, blue merle. Well developed head, good front with well-placed shoulders. Well of bone with good feet. Strong topline, with pleasing hindquarters, strong pasterns. Movement was good in all directions, what spoiled it for me was the tail carried high which detracted in profile.

Limit Dog (5 Entries) Abs: 1

1st: WRAY-RAMSDEN, Caronlea Celtic Fire Starter for Takhisis (AI) (IKC). 2-year-old, red tri. Never seen this dog previously but was pleasing to go over. Excellent masculine head with a good width and a wonderful expression. Superb front, good depth of chest, well laid shoulders. Excellent bone and good compact feet. Strong body, with adequate spring of ribs. His rear angulation like his front was excellent with stifle not overdone and strong in pastern. His movement was made to look so easy in going around the ring which displayed good reach and easy action. Well presented in good coat and condition. On his movement alone today, he could not be denied the RCC, and I understood later was the litter brother to my BCC winner.

2nd: HELLEWELL, Franmar The Thriller. 4-year-old, blue merle with a pleasing head and good expression. Length of neck with well-placed shoulders giving a pleasing front with deep chest, Another exhibit strong in body with a good topline, rear angulation was adequate with good length of hocks. Movement was sound.

3rd: JARRAM, JARRAM, & WHITTINGHAM Chalksville's Azrael at Kashaella

OPEN DOG (4 Entries) Abs: 1

1st: RAYMOND, SHAW, & KIRTLEY Ch Brighttouch Drift The Line Through Dialynne (Imp Rus). I do not normally start a critique this way, but he has got to be the best Australian Shepherd this country’s seen. He demands your attention. Approaching 3-year-old blue merle. This male just typifies everything Aussie. Super head and expression, carried on an excellent front with super forechest and depth of chest with good width. Well boned legs and superb compact feet. Strong muscular neck into a topline which never breaks. Well of rib and well-defined rear angulation with super muscular condition. Again, his movement just typifies the breed with a free and easy action and makes it look effortless, his movement in profile is just a joy to watch. He is presented in the best coat and condition that I have seen and handled to perfection. I had no hesitation to award him the Dog CC, Best of Breed and I was pleased to watch him take Group 1 in a strong Pastoral Group and later that weekend takes overall Best in Show. Many congratulations.

2nd: ZETTIN, Ch America's Blue Sweetheart of Moon and Stars, 2-year-old, blue merle, another upstanding male with a masculine head, sufficient muzzle, well place ears giving a wonderful expression. Good front, well boned legs which were straight and good feet. Strong neck, well placed shoulders and strong topline. Well defined rear angulation, well-conditioned and strong pasterns. On moving today, though it was seen to be sound, he just appeared lazy in profile which then let him down in the challenge for the RCC.

3rd: RYLANDER, Int Rus Int Ch Fraytal' ZZ Top (Imp Rus)

Good Citizen D/B (2 Entries) Abs: 0

1st: WHITE, Franmar Devil's Desire, see winner of special beginners’ dog/bitch.

2nd: BARR, Allmark Yogi Bear. 6-year-old, blue merle. Good head with sufficient stop, eye shape also good. Length of neck adequate, with sufficient front quarters, deep chest. Level topline, short loin and good hindquarters on good feet. Quite an easy moving action but again like some today movement in profile was spoiled by the tail carriage and coat was also harsh in texture today.

Puppy Bitch (2 Entries) Abs: 1

1st: BRIDGES, Liskarn's It's In The Bag, 7-month, red merle with a lovely feminine head, almond eye shape and extremely sweet expression with the well-placed ears. Pleasing body proportions, particularly good front though still developing at this early age. Good length of neck, good body length and hindquarters, her movement was good in all directions. Presented in good coat and condition and handled well. I just felt today that the maturity of the puppy dog took it for me, though she is a promising puppy with so much to like.

Junior Bitch (1 Entry) Abs: 0

1st: RAYMOND, Dialynne Heist Society (ai). 12-month, Black Tri. Feminine youngster with such a beautiful head, almond eye well placed, width between the ears which gave a super expression. Adequate forequarters with good shoulders and developing forechest, good bone and well-defined feet. Excellent neck length, good topline, moderate spring of ribs to pleasing rear angles, well let down hocks. Movement was lovely to watch with a good front reach and easy stride.

Post Graduate Bitch (2 Entries) Abs: 0

1st: BASSETT, Dialynne Leave Your Mark at Starlink. 2-year-old Red Tri. A lovely feminine bitch who today was lacking in coat, but overall qualities won her the class with a pleasing feminine head, ear placement giving a lovely expression. Good front angulation and forechest, adequate neck length and forechest. Level topline, sufficient body proportions and short loin. Adequate rear angulation with turn of stifle. Displayed soundness that was free and easy.

2nd: MYALL, Altussi Crazy Diamond. 2-year-old blue merle. Moderate head, sufficient width, with a good expression, strong neck into good shoulders. Well of bone, correct feet, level topline and ribs being well sprung, well angulated rear quarters, moved ok just today preferred the easier and more agile moving action of my winner.

Limit Bitch (3 Entries) Abs: 1

1st: CARTWRIGHT, GESAVISTAR ELARA. 3-year-old, red tri. Lovely bitch with a well-proportioned head, good eye placement and pleasing expression. Well-developed front on straight legs, good bone, and good feet. Strong neck well-muscled with level topline and strong in loin, well angulated rear and presented in good coat and condition. On the move to begin with she was slightly unsettled but given the chance to moved again she displayed sound movement, with a very free action and looked good in profile.

2nd: NEWELL, Altussi Rhapsody over Kristalriver. 2-year-old, blue merle. More substantial to my winner. Good head proportions, with a good eye shape and kind expression. Strong in neck length with a good lay of shoulder. Strong deep chest with well-defined bone. Strong in topline. Moderate rear angulation with good turn of stifle. Though movement was sound enough, today it was not as free and easy as my winner.

Open Bitch (7 Entries) Abs: 1

1st: MC DEVITT, Caronlea Tequila Sunrise ( AI) ( IKC). 2-year-old, red merle. This bitch appealed to me immediately, wonderful head proportions, sufficient width of skull giving a wonderful expression, well angulated front with super forechest, strong in bone yet still feminine, straight legs and compact feet. Well developed in body, strong topline with a muscular loin. Rear angulation was strong and well-muscled. For me she came into her own in movement and was a joy to watch in profile, she covered the ground with a wonderful stride pattern and sound in all directions with her topline remaining strong and level. Presented in wonderful coat and condition and handled very well. In the challenge I had no hesitation to award her the CC which I believe was also her 3rd, Many congratulations to the owners and well deserved.

2nd: GIBBONS, Wispafete Belongs To Music JW. 2-year-old blue-merle, who also appealed to me today. Truly feminine with a well-balanced head, dark eye, ears well placed which gave such a sweet expression. Sufficient neck length with sufficient shoulder placement and pleasing front angulation with depth of chest. Level top line, short loin. Well angulated rear in good, muscled condition. Presented well in super coat and handled well. Her movement was sound and very well balanced. For me I would prefer an extra inch in leg to complete the picture.

3rd: ZETTIN, Ch Awesome Honey Bunny of Moon and Stars

Judge – Paul McClure