Thame & Oxfordshire County Canine Society

Thame & Oxfordshire County Canine Society

Premier Open Show 19th July 2023

Border Collies - Judge Mrs Valerie Hawker (Taytinja)

Thank you to the committee for offering me the appointment to judge Border Collies at your premier show and for your excellent hospitality. I was honoured with the highest entry in the Pastoral Group and I was delighted with the quality of the dogs entered under me. My grateful thanks go to the Border Collie Club of Great Britain for supporting the entry and indeed, for supporting my judging education.

Puppy (4)

1st Lee & Green’s FAYKEN I AM SOUL 8m b/w dog with a dark face and matching dark pigmentation, of good size, ample bone but not overdone. Excellent ear set with sensitively used up-and-tipped ears, deep brown inquisitive eyes, tapered muzzle in correct proportion to scull with pleasing stop. Perfect scissor bite. Well laid back shoulders allowing good reach on the move. Well sprung ribs. In beautiful dense code with long tail sporting a white swirl at the end, carried low on the move. Parallel and straight hind action from the rear. He moved around the ring with good pace and with ease. BP I was pleased to see him awarded Puppy Group 4 from a quality lineup of 9 puppies.

2nd Hartfield’s CRANTZFOLD HERA AT MOSHANTA 6m b/w bitch, 2 months younger than the class winner but a very feminine girl with a soft expression. She has a smooth outline and although finer in bone than 1, she stands tall with shoulders well laid back, parallel front legs and good sloping pasterns. Her jacket at this tender age is less profuse than 1 but thickly double coated. Lovely long tail reaching well beyond hock, which she carried low while on the move. Good side gate, she fought hard for the win. I just preferred the overall picture of 1 today.

Special Yearling (4)

1st Lea’s CALARETO ALL MY LOVING 20m b/w bitch, ultra feminine with the sweetest of faces. Distinct stop, lovely tipped well set ears, dark oval eyes that watch her handler’s every move. Another with moderate bone but well muscled propelling her round the ring in effortless movement with minimum lift of feet, head lowered and tail carried low in movement typical of the breed. She pulled out all the stops in a close fought challenge for reserve best of breed to pip the opposition - keen, alert, responsive and very graceful RBOB

2nd Hartfield’s CRANTZFOLD HERA AT MOSHANTA (as above)

Limit (5)

1st Lee & Green’s ARRODARE NO WONDER another from the kennel of my puppy winner, a b/w bitch just over 2 years old. Feminine face, deep stop, well proportioned head with erect ears neatly set to give the best of expressions. Perfect scissor bite, eyes lovely oval shape, keen and very alert to her surroundings. Dark pigmentation in flews and nose, she offers a proud stance in freestand, showing well laid back shoulders onto perpendicular front legs, her height to body ratio is very pleasing complimented by strong hind angulation with well let down hocks. Her level topline ends in a sloping croup with low set and well furnished tail. Her movement was free flowing yet powerful. She stood in the best of company in the challenge, but the combination of her movement and an attractive all-border-collie attitude of intent alertness, eagerness to work and please, was exactly what I was looking for and won her BOB. Delighted to watch her, in a disappointedly small Pastoral Group ring, being awarded Pastoral Group 2 behind the Hungarian Puli.

2nd Walter’s GOYTRE RED ROSE 2 1/2yr very dark girl, in full jacket. Beautiful soft tipped ears well placed giving her a feminine face. Good dentition, oval dark eyes with good stop. A tad heavier than I prefer, but movement was sound although not quite the reach and drive of 1. Well furnished tail without the upward swirl to finish it off.  

Open (4, 2a)

1st Walter’s SH CH GOYTRE DADDY’S SAUCIE GIRL Mature bitch of 9 years. B/w, full coated, presenting a graceful, balanced shape when freestanding. Well set tipped ears creating a feminine face with tapered muzzle in correct proportion to her scull, perfect stop and dark eyes. Well laid back shoulders, good spring of ribs. Parallel front with sloping pasterns and neat tight feet. Graceful curve to set on of tail, which was carried low on the move. Sound going and coming, moved with ease.

2nd Dalby & Green’s FAYKEN RETURN OF THE KING 4 1/2yr dog, b/w good size, powerful dog distinctly masculine who, though slightly unsettled on the move, showed some excellent reach and drive at times in a ring that was probably too small for him. Teeth shown by the handler at her request. Ears up and tipped, well set. Good dark eyes, strong body well coated. Slightly over stretched on the stand which made his topline dip slightly. There was a lot to like but unlucky to stand against 1 today.