Pennine Great Dane Club

I was thrilled to be invited to judge this breed open show, held in partnership with Darlington Championship Show at the lovely venue of Ripon Racecourse. I was even more delighted with my entry and thank all the exhibitors for bringing your beautiful Danes for me to assess. Many thanks to Freda and her committee for making my day so enjoyable and special thanks to Sue and David for stewarding so efficiently for me, the sun came out and it turned into a really lovely day. I will treasure my gifts, not to be used, but to be admired in the safety of a display cabinet! Overall the quality was good but I am aware your breed is on breed watch for eye issues, unsound movement, weak hindquarters and nervous temperaments, I was pleased to see good temperaments but had a concern for eyes and rear movement in some of the exhibits today.

MPD 1(0)

1. Pendleton-Watkins/Pendleton’s Goldania’s King of Drago. Nicely angulated brindle, 7 month old, appealing in head, balanced skull, strong muzzle and dark eye, straight front with good bone and feet, good depth to chest, well ribbed back with short loin, moved out well in profile, little close in the rear but this should settle with maturity, presented in excellent coat and condition, BPD.

PD 1(0)

1. Bartley’s Nikami Papa Smurf Atelib. 11½ months old, brindle, masculine, strong head, found him a little narrow in chest and would have liked a straighter front, strong neck and shoulders, would prefer a little more angulation front and rear but he was well ribbed back and well muscled, he had nice proportions and moved out well in profile.

JD 1(0)

1. Donnelly/Toohey’s Primus Roll The Dice. Fawn male of 12 months, good bone and feet, classic head, strong and masculine, well set ears, neck of good length leading into a nice shoulder assembly, could have a little better return of upper arm but he had a straight front and good bone, sound in top-line, he moved well both in profile and on the out and back.

ND 1(0)

1. Whittaker’s Murrayvhayle My Zandor (TAF). Young brindle dog of 17 months, strong and masculine all through, balanced skull with good depth in muzzle, pleasing shoulder placement, good bone and depth to chest, sound top-line, well muscled throughout, presented in excellent condition, ring-craft lessons could really benefit both the dog and handler.

PGD 3(0)

1. Bailey’s Primus Party Like Gatsby. Upstanding fawn male of 20 months, lovely masculine head and expression, flat skull, dark eye, well set ears, straight front with correct feet and bone, sound in top-line and nicely angulated all through, well muscled, not entirely settled on the move but he is young and will only improve as he matures, RBD.

2. Donnelly/Toohey’s Primus Proper Job. Another nicely presented fawn dog who I now see is the litter brother to 1, classic head with balanced proportions, strong muzzle, dark eye, good length of neck into strong shoulders, sound top-line, well shaped rib of good length and short loin, well muscled, just lacked a little condition today.

3. Warrener’s Stormdance Lord Of The Rings (IKC).

LD 4(0)

1. Searle’s Murrayvhayle My Main Man. Fawn male of just 17 months, powerfully made all through, lovely classic head with dark eye, loved his alert expression and temperament, made his handler work hard today, when settled he gave a lovely outline both standing and moving, good length of neck which flowed into a pleasing front assembly, good length of rib, well shaped, he was fit and well muscled all through, just needs to drop into himself to complete the picture but he is still young, BD, BOS, RBIS.

2. Young’s Lomondane Dinnae Bother. Another nice fawn male, strong masculine head, flat skull, well set ears and strong muzzle, dark eye, good bone, straight front, liked his proportions, he was soundly made all through, not quite as firm in top-line as 1 but he was presented in lovely condition and was well muscled.

3. Smith’s Chanoz Tailor Made for Lambrini.

OD 1(0)

1. Martin’s Keishant Zeus. Fawn male of nearly 4 years, lovely shape and balance to his head with good planes, dark eye, good feet and bone, good length of neck, strong shoulders, he was nicely angulated front and rear and had good depth to his chest, he was well ribbed back, beautiful movement in profile, just felt he was a little wide moving away, presented in well muscled and fit condition.

PB 1(0)

1. Lawson’s Droolakiss Thalia. 11 months old, blue bitch of lovely quality, very feminine and balanced in head, loved her expression, she had a straight front with good bone and feet, a beautiful outline standing and moving, very well schooled she had a sound, firm top-line and was well muscled all through, she moved out so well in all directions for a youngster and I’m sure has a promising future ahead of her, BPB and BPIS.

JB 6(0)

1. Dyson’s Primus Bond Girl with Samdice. Beautifully presented brindle of 12 months, lovely expressive head with good strength yet not overdone, strong neck of good length, lovely shoulder placement, straight front with correct bone, liked her angulation front and rear, well ribbed back with short loin, she was presented in beautiful condition.

2. Donnelly/Toohey’s Primus Turns Back Time. Another lovely brindle bitch of 12 months, who I now see was litter sister to 1, feminine head and expression, good eye, well set ears and strong muzzle, a little anxious to start but she soon settled and moved out well in all directions, presented in beautiful, well muscled condition.

3. Lawson’s Murrayvhayle Missbehave at Droolakiss.

NB 4(1)

1. Dyson’s Primus Diamonds Are Forever Samdice. 12 months, brindle, lovely head, eye and expression, ears set a little low but she had a clean straight front with good bone and feet, good shoulder placement and good depth of chest, well ribbed, sound in top-line, nicely angulated front and rear, moved out well.

2. Evans’ Belarosedane Beany Babybel. VHC in previous JB class, black, ok in head but feminine expression, better ear set than 1, liked her body proportions, nicely angulated front and rear, good top-line, not quite as clean in movement as 1 but presented in lovely condition and was well muscled.

3. Hugill’s Damarkann Jewel of Shalrace.

PGB 7(1)

1. McLellan’s Kinnegans Daydream Believer at Anadain (AI)(IKC). Fawn bitch of just 18 months with still much maturing to do, very feminine head and expression, lovely eye, broad chest, straight front, good bone and feet, soundly angulated all through with good length of rib and short loin, would like a slightly better lay of shoulder but another who needs to mature and drop into herself to complete an otherwise lovely picture, RBB.

2. Morgan’s Rimor Boadixiya. 20 months old, brindle, feminine head and expression, clean, straight front, good bone and feet, not as broad in chest as 1, good shoulder placement, firm top-line and good croup, could be a little cleaner on the move, presented in good coat and condition.

3. Smith’s Lambrini Diamonds N’Rust.

LB 4(1)

1. Bourton-Thorne’s Verano Vivacious. 2½ years old, fawn, lovely feminine head and expression, well set ears, flat skull, lovely length of neck into a pleasing shoulder assembly, good depth of chest, well ribbed back, strong muscular loin, moved out well in all directions, in lovely coat and condition.

2. Harrison’s Rioco My One and Only to Jasnettdanes. 21 months, fawn, another who had a lovely feminine head and expression, would have liked her to be more balanced on her feet, good length of neck, she was nicely angulated all through with firm top-line, well muscled rear with good croup, she moved out well in all directions.

3. Martin’s Keishant Athena.

OB 5(1)

1. Martin’s Keishant Venus. Really liked this fawn bitch of nearly 4 years, lovely feminine and expressive head, dark eye, well set ears and flat skull, gave a lovely shape standing and moving, liked her proportions, she had a good depth to her chest, straight front and good bone, well ribbed back with short loin, she moved out well with a typical gait, beautifully presented in first class condition, BB & BIS.

2. Morgan’s Ch. Rimor Athena’s Kyss. Beautiful brindle bitch presented in lovely condition, feminine expressive head, well set ears, correct head planes although preferred the overall balance of head on 1st, pleasing to see slight ridge on bridge of nose, liked her proportions, she was sound in top-line and well muscled all through, just felt she lacked a little animation on the move today.

3. Young’s Roucandane Summer Breeze.

SpVB 2(0)

A lovely duo of veterans.

1. Tempest’s Ch. Adoreadane Just The Ticket JW. What a beautiful harlequin bitch of 7½ years, nobody told her she was this age clearly, lovely feminine head and expression, straight front with correct bone and feet, lovely proportions all through, she was beautifully angulated and very sound, moved out well in all directions and in excellent well muscled condition for her age, BVIS.

2. Bourton-Thorne’s Ch. Zefather Crazy Diamond for Verano JW. Another bitch of 7½ years, lovely feminine head and expression, well set ears, flat skull and good depth in skull, good length of neck, pleasing shoulder placement and nicely angulated front and rear, she moved out well but lacked the animation of 1st.

SpO Brindle D/B 2(0)

1. Searle’s Murrayvhayle Mystical. Balanced male of 3 years, loved his head and expression, strong and masculine, good depth to chest and a strong shoulder placement, well ribbed with short loin, good body proportions, good rear angulation and croup, moved out well both in profile and on the out and back.

2. Whittaker’s Murrayvhayle My Zandor (TAF). 1st ND.

SpO Black D/B 2(0)

1. Mackenzie’s Carsan Luciana. Feminine head and expression although would prefer a darker eye, good length of neck, well let down chest, straight front with good bone and feet, sound body proportions, firm top-line, moved out ok.

2. Evans’ Belarosedane Beany Babybel. 2nd NB.

SpO Blue D/B 1(0)

1. Mackenzie’s Carsan Vincent. Not the biggest of males but soundly made boy of 5 years, lovely masculine head and expression, clean straight front with good feet and bone, excellent depth of brisket, lovely body proportions, sound in top-line and lovely angulation front and rear, moved out well in all directions, presented in excellent well muscled condition.

SpO Harlequin D/B 1(0)

1. Evans’ Belarosedane Lady Bayleigh. 15 months, feminine head and expression with a tight eye, she had nice body proportions although I would have liked a straighter front and better feet. She was well ribbed with a good depth of chest, moved out ok.

SpO Mantle D/B 2(0)

1. Smith’s Chanoz Tailor Made for Lambrini. Upstanding male of 3 years, powerfully made all through, masculine head and expression, good depth and shape of rib, good body proportions, sound in top-line and good angulation front and rear, very unsettled on the move but felt he was more balanced overall than 2nd.

2. Smith’s Lambrini Diamonds N’Rust. A pleasing bitch of 2½ years who was more settled on the move than 1st, feminine head and expression, good length of neck leading into a pleasing shoulder assembly, liked her body proportions, she was patiently handled and showed some good movement in all directions.

CATH MOFFAT