North Of Scotland Sheepdog Club

Thank you to the society for this invitation to judge Rough collies and the exhibitors for your entry and for accepting my placings. Unfortunately presentation was an issue through most of the entry. This breed requires regular grooming and coat care. There is no excuse for matted and dirty coats (including actual chunks of mud) long nails and dead hair in the coat. There were some lovely dogs entered which were let down by presentation - or lack there of. I did have to judge despite presentation which was not pleasing. Take pride in your dogs. 

MP - absent

P - 1st Barr’s Roughrigg Ragnfrid. 10.5 month of sable and white bitch. Well presented!! Pretty head with dark eye. Well laid back shoulder and decent bend of stifle. She wasn’t confident moving on the floor in the class, crabbing a bit but settled a little in the bitch challenge. 

2nd - Haslam-Craib’s Roughrigg Ragga. Litter sister to 1st. Quite different. Shorter in skull than the winner with a deeper stop and wider back skull, which meant her ears were a little wide. Really unhappy on the floor so impossible to assess movement.

SY- 1st Shorten’s Thistlewings Andromeda at Bracoisla. 20 month old sable and white male. Masculine dog of decent type. Dark eye, skull could be a touch longer and stop a bit cleaner. Standing he was a little cow hocked and this weakness was evident on the move. 

N - same as 2nd in Puppy.

GD 1st Swinton Raven’s Corydon Ice Imperial. 2.5yr old blue merle male. Well presented. Liked this boy for type, Beautiful flat headpeace with well filled muzzle, lovely eye shape and placement, using ears to advantage. Admired his good feet. His shoulder is a little steep, this may improve with age but it affected his reach on the move. Would prefer a stronger rear. BD

2nd Taylor’s Thistlewing Fire Dancer at Bryany. 2yr old Sable and White dog. I preferred the front assembly of this boy to the winner but he refused to move properly. His head is not as attractive as the winner, its slightly weaker all over with more pronounced stop. Would also prefer better feet. 

LD same as 2nd in GD

OD 1st. Brodie’s Shanaburn Country Road. 2yr old Sable and White Male. Thought a lot of himself, which I liked. On the verge of a big coat blow out. Head was pleasing but could have had a better backskull. Front and rear ok. Another who’s movement was difficult to assess. Considered for BD but preferred the overall picture of the GD winner.

GB Difficult class. 

1st Brodie’s Starlenga All For It at Shanaburn. 15 month old tricolour bitch. A little unsettled. Good muzzle, a little deep in stop. Ears used well. Like many exhibits didn’t like the floor much but moved well enough to win the class. 

2nd Taylor’s Elshajo As If By Magic of Bryany. Nearly 3yrs old. I quite liked this bitch, lovely headpiece and nice shape but sadly not happy at all to be there. 

LB 1st - Same as 2nd in Open

OB 1st Yule’s Ingledene Night N’gale. 5yr old tricolour bitch. Beautiful type, nice head, good neck in to well placed shoulders. Good ribbing, length of back and strong rear. It’s no wonder that rear is strong as she spent a lot of the time bouncing on it! This bitch, although absolutely my kind of collie, is exceptionally naughty and made the job of judging her quite an exhausting one. I will admit that she made me laugh and I do like a dog with character but the time and place for barking and bouncing is not here! Despite this she was Best Bitch and Best of Breed. 

2nd Brodie’s Enigma Blue Della Buca Della Date Via Shanaburn. 7yr old Blue bitch who was also enjoying her day (though in a more dignified manner than the winner) Good length of body. Ok front and rear. Very pretty girl but I preferred the head and general make and shape of the first. 

V Yule’s Ingledene Gold Lace 9yr old Sable and White bitch. Stronger in head than I would prefer to see on a bitch but still pleasing. Flat skull of good length. Eye is dark and well placed giving a lovely expression. She has a good front with excellent ribbing and good rear. Coat not in good condition however. I felt she needed to lose this one and start again. BV