Crufts

My thanks to the Crufts committee for the huge honour of judging in this 150th anniversary year of The Kennel Club. It is a culmination of 37 years in the breed and I have been fortunate to have judged all over the world. This appointment made a dream come true and puts me in the unique position of having judged the ‘big 3’ in the breed, the Polish Club Championship Show, the American National Specialty and Crufts. I thank all of the exhibitors from the bottom of my heart, especially those who travelled from overseas to make this a very international entry and one which was challenging to judge. I have always tried to stay true to type in everything I do and judging is no exception. The PON is a moderate, unexaggerated dog, slightly rectangular, compact, broad and strong. A typical PON has the desired head and expression in proportion to its body, a very harmonious outline, easy free striding movement and a weatherproof coat. I don’t understand the need for handlers to sprint around the ring, it does not enhance a sound moving dog, quite the opposite, and it does not enhance those which do not have a free stride, it just makes them take more and more quick, short steps. My BOB and DCC complimented each other for type and, for me, epitomised the breed standard.

Junior Dog

Entries: 1 Absentees: 0

1. Burdett-Coutts Leon Astarte Gold Ama Me at Chrevle (Imp Pol)

Most impressive young dog, has complete breed type, medium size, masculine and proportionate head with lovely broad muzzle, strong medium neck into distinct and correctly set withers, well laid back muscular shoulders, good bone, good depth of chest for age, body firm with moderate spring of rib, back broad and firm, loin wide and firm, slightly rectangular with correct leg to body ratios, broad thighs, hocks well let down and correctly angled, carrying an excellent profuse and well textured coat for age, moves smoothly, totally sound with excellent forward reach and driving parallel rear movement, one I would love to own and with a bright future. DCC

 Post Graduate Dog

Entries: 1 Absentees: 0

1. Harries Ponadto Magic Black (Imp POL)

A larger size dog but within standard height and it does not detract in any way from breed type as he is neither coarse nor leggy but totally in proportion, sound and workmanlike. I really appreciated the total harmony of this dog, everything in balance with totally correct shape and very sound and smooth movement. Masculine and well-built he needs a little more time to come into his own and mature, the bigger dogs do take time, proportionate head with a good skull and muzzle, really strong to go over, with correct neck, bone and an excellent front, good body and brisket with a level topline, excellent shaggy coat, compact with a super rear end, stands himself naturally as he’s correctly made, moved with an effortless stride, smooth and sound in all directions RCC

Limit Dog

Entries: 3 Absentees: 0

1. Harries Ponadto Magic Black (Imp POL)

2. Naylor’s Skaijak's Great N' Gallant

Masculine and sound moving dog with an excellent harsh coat. Medium size, well boned with a strong skull and muzzle giving a totally typical expression for a male, firm, medium neck, well boned with good chest and rib and excellent front assembly, level back with a firm and broad loin, well angulated wide thighs, moved freely with sound rear parallel movement, not the balance of proportions of 1 and this was a deciding factor.

3. Hillier’s Mybeards Zip (ai)

Young dog of good breed type, liked his head and expression, with head in proportion to his body, good chest, solid neck, strong back and compact in the loin, soundly built, his movement was a little erratic and he could lose weight to advantage, profuse coat, rather soft, but he’s young and blacks can be a little softer in top coat, it does rather obscure his shape somewhat but hands on he’s a solid 9:10 and broad all through, not the strength of rear of 2.

Open Dog

Entries: 3 Absentees: 1

1. Freitag’s Vito Corleone Pon von Der Bismarckwarte

Young dog, only just over a year, standing at the lower end of the size range but a good head giving breed typical expression, well balanced skull to muzzle, good neck of medium length with good front assembly, bone appropriate to size, chest still to develop somewhat, withers correct with a level topline, correct croup and strong rear, he could be more balanced in leg: body ratio, coat changing, moved freely with a good side gait and firm rear.

2 Crossier’s Skaijaks Bright N Bubbley

Mature male with a super coat, similar in size to 1 but a little less masculine in outlook, well boned and strong for his size, head is balanced to his body, strong correct neck, very nice to go over with good forehand and muscular shoulders, firm in body and loin, good solid rear with strong hocks, moves well, nice and smooth with parallel rear movement, he also could be more balanced in terms of height to length.

Veteran Bitch

Entries: 3 Absentees: 0

Super class of 3 quality champions

1. Bowskill’s Ch Lynmar Little Lady

One you have to get your hands on to appreciate, very compact and solid female for her overall size, looks rather plain on first sight but is very nice to go over with a moderately broad head and strong muzzle, correct in neck and front, deep cobby body, firm topline with nice broad rear and strong thighs, moves very efficiently at a slower speed holding her shape well, not one that needs to be rushed around the ring as her angulation is sufficient and balanced for a nice free gait. Excellent harsh shaggy coat BV.

2 Smith’s Ch Derochas Milosc

I have always admired this b for her lovely balance and free flowing smooth movement and she holds herself very well, it really was a tough decision, she’s just a little than 1 but is very feminine, has a balanced head which matches her size with a defined stop , correct angulation, medium neck and well-marked wither, with a firm body, correct croup and muscular rear. She was in super coat and condition, a real credit to her owner and still total quality at 11 years of age.

3 Naylor’s Ch Skaijak's Yours Truely

One I have given a RCC to in the past and she is a very worthy champion but she just wasn’t having any of it today.

1392. Polish Lowland Sheepdog - Junior Bitch

Entries: 4 Absentees: 0

4 very nice females, all slightly different for type, all at different stages of development for their age.

1 Freitag’s - Dione Z Hordy Gabriela

Very mature b who would not look out of place in limit. Nice overall type very much, good for size with a strong but feminine head, good for bone and proportions, she held a firm topline, was compact with good angulation and a sound rear end, shown in excellent harsh coat, moved soundly, in the challenge I felt she could have had more drive and propulsion.

2 Cole’s Acaviste Pon Cenna

Not long out of puppy and at that in between stage, really well-balanced b with the breed type I very much appreciate, very nice in proportions with a good head, love her expression, so typically PON, correct neck and front, solid in body with a moderate spring of rib, compact and very sound in rear, nice easy mover who covers the ground well, just needs time to get her coat back to complete the picture and should make up.

  3 Heaven’s Rozmaryna Pastereczki

Another one just out of puppy, lighter build than those above her but a lovely shape overall, skull a little narrow at present but balanced to muzzle with well-marked stop, has so much to like about her and very showy with such personality, has all the essentials to finish well, firm level topline, with slightly sloping croup, well muscled rear with strong neat hocks.

1393. Polish Lowland Sheepdog - Post Graduate Bitch

Entries: 3 Absentees: 2

1 Carr’s Lubomira Astarte Gold Ama Me at Dubsbay NAF

Placed 4th in JB as she didn’t want to co-operate with her handler today, too busy enjoying herself, I was not going to deny her a place here as she deserved it on her overall excellent breed type, another who is quite mature for her age and is really good to go over, she had one of the best coats of the day and is a strong b with very nice conformation, please persevere with her as she is lovely and did not do herself justice today.

 1394. Polish Lowland Sheepdog - Limit Bitch

Entries: 1 Absentees: 0

1 Cole’s Acaviste Pon Cenna

1395. Polish Lowland Sheepdog - Open Bitch

Entries: 5 Absentees: 1

1 Maciagiewicz Am Gch Ch/swi Ch Viva Polonia Szyszka

Completely owned the ring, I judged her in the USA last September and thought highly of her then, she has matured since and I still think she’s super. Well-built and unexaggerated, not flashy, so sound and typey. Lovely medium size with substance but retaining femininity, lovely expressive and well-balanced head, medium strong neck set correctly onto well marked withers flowing seamlessly to a firm back, compact broad loin, correct in proportions, shoulders well laid, good chest and bone with brisket to elbow and well sprung ribs, excellent rear, in good harsh coat, handled to advantage and moved at the correct speed to show her easy driving movement, gave a super performance in the group ring BCC & BOB

 2 Naylor’s- Skaijaks Ickle N'ilustrius (L A & S C Naylor)

Young b who gained her crown early so is still lacking a little in maturity. She is very showy and has good bone, substance and width, liked her skull and muzzle, balanced to her size, strong neck and well-set withers giving a correct outline, shoulders quite broad and well laid, good rear angulation, correct chest, in good shaggy coat, moved soundly with good rear parallel movement and held her topline on the move, RCC.

3 Hajzler-Goldberg ‘s Ch Ona De Kaillhanes

Very much the type of b I admire and so typically Polish in outlook and in fabulous coat. More mature than 2 but not quite the neck and topline when it came to ‘splitting hairs‘ but such a lovely easy and smooth moving functional, fit b, handled so well to get the most out of her. Lovely for size, strength, balance and proportions, so well made, super head and expression, good width all through and so well-muscled, I really liked her.

Good Citizen Dog Scheme Bitch

Entries: 2 Absentees: 1

1 Smith’s Ch Derochas Milosc