Southern Counties Australian Terrier Club

The Southern Counties Australian Terrier Club

Breed Open Show

29th June 2023.

I would like to thank the officers and committee of The Southern Counties Australian Terrier Club for the invitation to judge their open show. The club made everyone, including myself very welcome and there was such a lovely atmosphere around the ring. I would like to thank all the exhibitors for their entries, and I do appreciate that some of the dogs made a guest appearance on the day from their daily duties of keeping the couch warm or visiting a hospital in their role of a therapy dog. This breed is so endearing and versatile and yet very much a terrier, which is something I love.

Thank you to Jane Charleton for stewarding for me.

My overall impression of the entry is that the breed is very sound, and many dogs were of good breed type. I was looking for those dogs who delivered that strong terrier character and were on the tips of the toes in anticipation, alert and all set to go, with good reach and drive.

Veteran Dog or Bitch (1,0a)

1st Willmett’s Ch Wilfnbell Midnight Cowboy. 9-year-old. Masculine head of correct proportions, with keen expression and strong powerful muzzle. His outline is of the correct balance with a level topline and good tail set. Reasonable length of neck. Would like a little more angulation in front and more forechest. Body was strong in constitution, and he has a good spring of ribcage which was well ribbed back. He moved soundly but would have liked to have seen more reach and drive on the day. Well presented and handled. Reserve best dog and BVIS.

Puppy Dog No Entries

Junior Dog No Entries

Post Graduate Dog (3,0a)

1st Webb’s Silfnbell Nite Owl. 2-year-old male. Masculine head of correct proportions, strong muzzle. Would prefer a slightly smaller eye. He presented the correct outline, good length of next, with a body of a strong and muscular constitiution with well sprung rib cage and well ribbed back. Good angulation fore and aft, with good forechest, stood correctly fore and aft. Coat of correct texture. Moved soundly in all aspects. A little more ringcraft would be to both the handlers and dogs’ advantage. Shown in good condition.

2nd Puttick’s Summerlocks Blue Banjo. 2-year-old male. Well balanced head with correct bite and good eye. Lighter in constitution but well balanced in outline with a level topline. Angulations reasonable. Body coat a little softer than the ideal. Moved soundly but a little more reach in front action and drive behind on the day would be to his advantage. Shown in good condition.

3rd Mellor & Mellor-Gibson’s Amberush Bring me Sunshine. 2-and-a-half-year-old male. Stronger male, masculine head with head of good proportions. Rounder eye which took away from the keen expression I was looking for. Bite not to his advantage. Well balanced in outline, good spring of ribcage and well ribbed back. Level topline. Strong in constitution with good muscle. Could be more animated on the move. Shown in good condition.

Limit Dog (2,0a)

1st Dennis’s Cotarinn Diamond Dust over Yorchechi. Just over 18 months of age, head of good proportions, keen expression, with good balance. Ribcage well sprung and well ribbed back, level topline and good tail set. Angulations good fore and aft and moved well although tighter elbows would be to his advantage. Good coat texture. Handled and presented well.

2nd Mellor & Mellor-Gibson’s Amberush Bring me Sunshine

Open Dog (2,0a)

1st McCourt’s Ch Silhill Super Trouper (TAF). 3-year-old male. Masculine headed male with head of correct proportion and on the tips of his toes in expectation, with a keen expression and all set to go. Angulations good fore and aft with good forechest, standing with forelegs perfectly straight. Stood well behind. Good spring of rib and well ribbed back. Correct coat texture. Moved soundly in all aspects with good reach and drive. Handled and presented to the last. Had no hesitation in awarding him Best Male and BIS.

2nd Webb’s Silfnbell Nite Owl

Puppy Bitch (1,0a)

1st Cox’s Wyeafon Illusion in Ember at Petitpaws. 11-month-old female who I thought was very smart. A handful but she had a well-balanced head with lovely keen expression. Correct silhouette with long next slightly arched when she chose to stand. Angulations good fore and aft, with good forechest. Well ribbed back with level topline. When she settled for a few moments and gave me that window to assess her movement, she moved well. Worthy of her BPIS. Presented and handled well.

Junior Bitch No Entries

Post Graduate Bitch (3,1a)

1st Newbury’s Ruarokatiro Popcorn. 20 month old female who had a lot of quality breed attributes to admire. Head of correct proportions, good eye and correct bite. Correct balanced in outline with good angulations fore and aft with a forechest. She had a level topline, well sprung ribcage, well ribbed back. Moved soundly when she gave me that window. I can appreciate that the handler was not so experienced, but I believe a ringcraft class would be to the handlers and dogs advantage. Well presented.

2nd Tyrell’s Foskett & Freer’s Wilfnbell Witchblade. 2-year-old female with head of correct proportions and nice eye, good bite. Well balanced in outline, with good spring of ribcage and well ribbed back. Carrying a little too much condition on the day. Angulations good, level topline. Moved soundly. Well presented and handled.

Limit Bitch (2,0a)

1st Pinkerton’s Ruarokatiro Lollipop with Bareve. 20-month-old female. A smaller sized quality female who presented herself on the tip of toes of expectation. Feminine well-balanced head of correct proportions, good ears and eyes. Well balanced in outline with level topline and well sprung ribcage, well ribbed back. Angulations good fore and aft with good forechest. She stood well fore and aft with good length of neck and good tail set presenting the correct outline. Moved soundly in all aspects. Well presented and handled. BB and RBIS.

2nd Garon’s Belyndi I’ve Got Spirit. 5 and half year old. Stronger female. Head of good proportions, good bite. Well balanced in outline with great spring of ribcage and well ribbed back. Angulations good with good forechest. Moved soundly behind but tends to pin in on front action. A little more animation would be to her advantage. A shade too strong in constitution for a female but shown in excellent condition with a super temperament.

Open Bitch (2,0a)

1st Nottingham & McCourt’s Ch Ruarokatiro Top of the Pops 20-month-old female. Head of correct proportions with keen expression and another female showing on the tips of her toes in expectation. Well balanced in outline with long neck and level topline presenting the correct outline. Good angulations with good forechest, well sprung ribcage and well ribbed back. Stood correctly in front and behind. Moved soundly in all aspects and handled and presented to the last. I debated between this bitch and the limit bitch winner for BB but her litter sister pipped her to the post.

2nd Tyrell, Foskett & Freer’s Ruarokatiro Red Rosin for Wilfnbell. 3-year-old female. Well balanced head with a lovely keen expression. Angulations good but would prefer a little more forechest. Correctly balanced in outline. Carrying a little too much condition today. Moved soundly although would have preferred a little more animation. Well presented and handled.

Yvonne Cannon - Cloughlea