West Pennine Pug Dog Club

West Pennine Pug Dog Club – 11 May 2024

Such an honour to be invited to judge at the Breed Club Champions Show, my thanks to the committee and for the exhibitors for a very good entry. I enjoyed the appointment, I always have fun judging pugs and I found the exhibits here to be full of character, charm and plenty of mischief, just how I like them. Overall, I found heads to be good, balanced and in correct proportion to bodies. Quite a few with over-developed wrinkles which is quite off-putting. Size was good, which pleased me as I don’t think pugs should be too big, although I’d say, many were too long in body or rising over the loin which causes them to lose the required outline and compactness.

I was judging the bitches, so needed to agree the overall winners with my co-judge, Dale Hick. For BIS, we both agreed that it should go to the male Dawson-Payne and Mousley’s Ch Judamie Eltons Sun. He is terrifically typical of the breed, balanced, square, compact, cobby and of correct size. His head is round, good pigment and has sufficient wrinkle with dark and round expressive eyes. On the move he has a typical roll to his hindquarters, and in profile he covers the ground, using his stifles to drive him forward. Ideal topline, strong and level which he sustains on the move.

We also agreed on RBIS being awarded to Farnworth’s Ropanelie Texas Blue Star. A delightful bitch, full of character and an excellent rapport with her handler. I loved her head, round with short and square muzzle, good wrinkle and pigment, large, dark and round eyes with good ears. Strong neck leading to well laid shoulders and an excellent strong and tidy front, one of the best on the day. Moved with style.

MPB 1 Cannon & Burroughs’ Flashnik Fenella Fellorick. Square and compact, good head with short and square muzzle. Dark and lustrous eyes. Her pigment needs to darken. Moved well, with typical roll. Good topline with high set and tightly curled tail. 2 Swinge & Saffer’s Myter Crème Caramel at Balthazar. Liked her round and correctly proportioned head, good pigment and wrinkle. Good strong front and hindquartes. Tailset could be higher.

PB 1 Saffer & Swinge’s Bubbapug Summer Sundae. Square and balanced bitch. Round and proportionate head. Dark and lustrous eyes and thin velvety ears. She moves with great style, with typical roll to hindquarters. Good topline and high set tail. Well defined markings. BPIS. 2 Morley & Hitchcock’s Afterglow I Dream of Jeannie at Lizlanmor. Excellent head and markings with well defined wrinkles. Moved well, coming and going. Preferred the topline of 1. 3 Rutherford’s Afterglow Dreamsicle with Potbelli.

SPB (Black) 1 Coulter’s Bacobby Lady Macbeth. Nice head, with short and square muzzle. Strong and slightly arched neck, good shoulders and front. Moved well.

SPB (Fawn) 1 Saffer & Swinge’s Bubbapug Summer Sundae. 2 Ellenor & Cogan’s Afterglow Dream Topping at Roesclan. Appealing bitch, correct size, square and cobby throughout. Well defined and unexaggerated wrinkles on her round head. Well defined markings. 3 Rutherford’s Afterglow Dreamsicle with Potbelli.

JB 1 Dawson-Payne & Mousley’s Judamie Thelma Jean. Correct well proportioned head, short and square muzzle with dark pigment and markings, large, round and dark eyes. Nicely arched and strong neck leading to well laid shoulders and strong and level topline. Straight forequarters. Free and unexaggerated movement. 2 Kelsall’s Kelbrend Dreamy Duchess. A close decision, I thought she was correct for size, cobby and square, strong fore and hindquarters. She moved well, and carried her level topline. Overall, I preferred the head of the winner. 3 Hoare & Phelps’ Bilokha Kittiwake into Aquitaine.

YB 1 Bilohka Dawn Patrol with Potbelli. Liked her very much and she was a contender for top awards. Cobby and sound, head in the right proportion to body. Short and square muzzle with dark pigment and correct markings. Dark and large eyes. Broad chest with well sprung ribs and strong, level topline. She moved well, with good reach and typical roll of hindquarters. 2 Cowie’s Afterglow Esther La Vista Megipugi JW. Another appealing bitched, square and cobby with strong bone. Round skull with square muzzle. Nicely arched neck, and good straight and strong front. High set and tightly cureled tail. Moved well. I preferred the eye and expression of 1. 3 Cannon & Burroughs’ Pugiste Queen Bee at Flashnik.

NB 1 Ellenor & Cogan’s Afterglow Dream Topping at Roesclan. 2 Mitchell’s Cedilla Flowering Cherry. Good pigment and markings. Compact overall with good, strong bone and muscle tone. She moved well, placing her feet weal and a typical roll. Loved her expression, from dark and large eyes. 3 Cannon & Burroughs’ Flashnik Fenella Fellorick.

PGB 1 Palmer’s Bilohka Howdah at Combleywood. The most balanced overall in a difficult class to decide. She is compact and cobby with broad chest and well sprung ribs. She moved with style with typical roll and reaching forward in front. 2 John’s Bilokha Benelli Fommesbeck. Head correctly large in proportion to body with nicely defined wrinkle. Cobby body with broad chest and well sprung rib. 3 Makepeace’s Cedilla Cherry Jubilee at Sandigara.

LB 1 Crump & Mitchell’s Cedilla Maskerade Pigalle. Won out on her overall balance and shape. Her head is large in proportion to body, round and with a short and square muzzle. Strong and nicely arched neck, strong bone, straight front and a good turn of stifle. Level topline and high set tail. 2 Storey’s Rhodenash Kaper Kandoo. Cobby and compact with broad chest and well sprung rib. Well set, tightly curled tail. Strong bone, with good turn of stile. 3 Lee’s Pulchra Mary Poppins.

OB Eddery’s Ch Surprise Gift Ragemma ShCEx. Terrific outline, fits the standard well being square, cobby and compact. Large head in proportion to body, round skull, lovely dark and expressive eyes. Her pigment and markings are good, but her wrinkle is a little exaggerated. Nicely arched and strong neck leading to well laid shoulder and strong, level topline. Her movement is ideal, moving out well in front, using her well turned stifle and presenting a typical roll behind. 2 Storey’s Ch Rhodenash Kotten Kopy JW. Another correctly proportioned girl, cobby throughout with broad chest and well sprung ribs. Good level topline that she maintained on the move. Well set and tightly curled tail. 3 Attwood’s Taftazini Helix JW.

SOB (Black) 1 Hindle’s Readstone Pandemic. Correct outline, compact and cobby. Large head with short and square muzzle, dark and expressive eyes. Moved very well in profile. Broad chest and well sprung ribs with very good topline and high set tail. Hindquarters could be stronger. 2 Cowie’s Megipugi’s Day or Knight JW. Appealing head with short muzzle and delightfully expressive and dark eyes. Nicely arched neck and well laid shoulders, strong bone, broad chest, moved well. 3 Gledhill’s Kids of Candy Jasmine.

SOB (Fawn) 1 Farnworth’s Ropanelie Taxas Blue Star. 2 Nixon’s Afterglow Little Miss Piggy. Square and cobby. Correct marking and pigmentation, lovely expressive and lustrous dark eyes. Good strong neck, carrying her head proudly, well sprung ribs and broad chest. Moved well with typical roll to her hindquarters. Thought 1 had a better topline. 3 Mitchel’s Rosewich Actually I’m It.

VB 1 Storey’s Ch Rhodenash Gloria. A very classy and appealing bitch, oozes breed type. She is square, cobby and strong boned. Level topline, that she maintained on the move, high set and tightly curled tail. Perhaps not as energetic on the move as her competitors in other classes, but steady and sound nonetheless with typical roll. I thought her head excellent, with well defined wrinkle, darlk and expressive eyes. Was in serious contention for the CC, but was pipped by a younger bitch who I though was better in front, but was happy to award her the RCC and, in agreement with Dale, BVIS. 2 Bailey’s Ch Hatella Tulip at Lampugs JW. Square and cobby, nicely sprung ribs, strong and level topline. Strong front and hindquarters good bone and good turn of stifle. Moved well. 3 Attwood’s Ch Rhodenash Dream Chaser of Taftazini JW.

Derfel Owen