Crufts

CRUFTS – 9TH MARCH 2024

BEARDED COLLIE (DOGS)

I sincerely wish to thank the exhibitors for giving me the privilege of judging many lovely Bearded Collies. My sincere thanks to Trisha Turton for keeping the paperwork up to date and in good order and Sue Nicholls-Ward for calling in the classes. Very much appreciated ladies, thank you. My critiques will almost certainly remark on the same points i.e. the heads, expression, forechests and therefore correct front assemblies, rib length, croups, balance and overall condition. There are some points which I feel require mention and awareness going into the future. Heads should be broad and flat with a good backskull. If the heads are narrow with overly long or short forefaces, we will lose the desired expression called for in our standard. A correctly constructed Beardie will give the appearance of “standing over itself”, whereas one who does not have this correct front assembly, more often than not looks stuffy in neck. With the forechest/correct front assembly it is simple, you cannot have one without the other. For the easy, effortless movement we all look for when judging, a good lay of shoulder and return of upper arm, both of which require good length of bone, is essential. Rear assembly is equally important. Short flat croups may appear to make the dog look longer, but to achieve a balanced action, the croup should also be of a good length and angled, not steeply, to allow the dog to bring the hind legs far enough underneath without hindering the front movement, which will give us the eye-catching and unmistakable balanced movement we all talk about. Short flat croups cause the dog to shuffle in the hind action. Balance is not just a matter of construction, but the equal distribution of energy required. Last, but by no means least, is the problem with the rib/loin ratio. We tend to talk about short ribs, but in truth we are talking about too long a loin. The problem seems to be as a result of the “need” for long dogs. Our standard is quite clear on this, “length of back comes from length of ribcage and not that of loin”. Having said all of that, I could not have been more pleased with my line-up for the dog challenge, thank you.

VD (16:3) 1. Baker & Van de Hoef’s Ch.Malandex Most Xciting JW. A well-balanced dog of rising 11 years. Balanced head giving the desired expression, dark eyes and pigment, good dentition. Correct arched neck into good lay of shoulder and return of upper arm. Ribs well back and well-shaped croup. Added to which he was in tip top condition, all enabling him to move with purpose around the big ring. A credit to his owners to keep this dog in such good condition. 2. Ponthus’ Int.Ch.Montes et Merveilles Des Emeraudes du Lac. Brown 7 y.o. with good head and excellent eye colour. Nice proportions of body to leg length and well ribbed. Nicely constructed front assembly. Could be a little longer in croup. Short pasterns and in good condition throughout. Easy movement around the ring. 3.Buswell’s Corimist Soul Legend of Scotesman. MPD (1) Salter’s Whole Lotta Love from Noonie Bears by Irisaddition (Imp Bel) At the top end of MP and well coated. Head, eye colour and pigment good, as is dentition. Can lose his topline on the stand, but I put that down to him being a little bum high at the moment. Nicely handled to get the best out of this boy. PD (7) 1. Axford’s Bramblemead Bollinger Boy. 12 months slate dog of overall correct proportions for his age. Nicely proportioned head with dark eyes giving the desired expression. Good forechest. Arched neck into well placed shoulder and upper arm. Correct depth of chest to leg length. Balanced angulation which allowed him to move with a steady effortless action. BPD & BPIB. 2. Busby’s Beardoni Dudley Do Right. This 9-month black young man was definitely giving his handler a hard time, but despite all that he showed himself off to be well balanced. Lovely dark eye and pigment and good dentition. Arched neck, correctly placed forechest and good front assembly. Good rib. Once settled into his stride showed an easy movement. 3. Brown’s Highglade Reason to Believe. JD (5:1) 1. Harcourt-Brown’s Orora’s Himself. A very eye catching, harshly coated, brown boy of nearly 13 months. Well-proportioned head, good eye colour and dentition. Arched neck into good length of shoulder and return of upper arm. Good rib and croup. Matching angles enables him to move with an effortless gait around the ring. 2. Glasspool’s Cool Heart’s Finest Selection for Gildenmede (Imp.Swe). Although only slightly smaller this boy’s proportions were correct and presented a picture of balance both on the stand and on the move. Lovely head and expression from his excellent eye colour and pigment. Good forechest, well placed front assembly, depth of chest and length of rib. An easy movement as a result. 3. Gibb & Dungavell’s Debbeacol Devil in Disguise. YD (11) 1. Peirson’s Ch.Farmarens Like a Circus for Kiltendale (Imp Swe) Conformation wise, very little separated these two young boys. Mature looking yearling dog with a correctly proportioned head giving typical expression, good forechest, arched neck into well placed front assembly with good length of bone. Nicely ribbed, strong loin and good length and angle of croup. Nice, balanced even stride around the ring. 2. Wilding’s Breaksea Time Lord at Bendale. A very typical brown who is now getting his darker coat coming through. Lovely gentle expression, dark eye and good pigment. Arched neck into well placed front assembly, good length of bone throughout. Correct shape of rib and short strong loin. Well-rounded croup and moved well as a result of his overall balance. 3. Bramley & Moore’s Coalacre Do The Hokey Cokey. GD (10) 1. Pickup’s Kiltondale Heat of The Night. A well-proportioned dog of 19 months, lovely expression, good eye and pigmentation. Correct forechest, front assembly, depth of chest and length of rib with short loin. Balanced throughout, shown in excellent condition and therefore able to move with an effortless gait. 2. Cox’s Braesnobel Salt N’pepper for Coirantee. Two and a half year old black boy with good head, lovely pigmentation and eye colour, toning with his coat. Arched neck into good length of shoulder and return of upper arm. Stands over himself well. Strong loin, in good condition and moved well. 3 Buckley’s Holtend Beyond the Blue. PGD (6:1) 1. Nolan’s Talraz Badge of Honour. This rising 3 year old black boy fulfils my requirements for a totally balanced Bearded Collie both standing and, where he comes into his own, in the effortless movement which he happily demonstrated in our big ring. Correctly proportioned head with beautiful eyes, giving that lovely expression we all love. A moderate, muscular neck, correct forechest and front assembly allowing him to stand over himself. Chest to elbow and well ribbed. Short, strong loin and a rounded croup. Good length of bone throughout. Nothing exaggerated with this boy at all and a joy to judge. Very happy to award him the DCC. 2. Ayrton’s Aoibh Drummer Boy. It was nice to have the opportunity to judge this 3 year old boy and see how well he is developing. He has a well-proportioned head, lovely expression and his eye colour tones with his coat. Well arched neck, good forechest, correct placement of his front assembly. Correct shape and depth of chest, good rib and strong loin. Correct croup and good length of bones throughout. A balanced Bearded Collie. 3. Beech’s Dychix Never Ending Story. MLD (6) 1. Skinner’s Tamjenta Bendelacreme. Another rising 3 year old who caught my eye when he first presented. Was not disappointed in the least when I got to put my hands on him. A strength, without coarseness throughout. A good head with appropriate eye colour and pigment for his colour. Muscular arched neck and the forechest and front assembly I look for. Chest to elbow and good rib, short loin and correct croup. In good condition, well-muscled and as a result of his balanced construction was able to move effortlessly around the ring. Very deserving of the RDCC. 2. Handley’s Bargemon Brigadoon at Barkenbear. A 3 year old black boy with a well-proportioned head, with good eye colour and pigment. Muscular neck and good forechest. Nicely balanced front and rear angles and good length of bone. Nice strength over the loin which coupled with his good condition, enabled him to move with purpose. 3. Walker’s Alachoy Dances with Wolves LD (9:1) 1. Brooks & Grundy’s Fraglestone Family Affair. Another dog that fitted into this amazing line-up with ease. This three year old boy although carrying a heavy coat, nothing detracts from his overall shape and balance. Correctly proportioned head with flat skull. Good eye colour, pigment and dentition. Muscular arched neck, good forechest and front assembly with nice length of bone throughout. Strong short loin and correct croup, moved with ease demonstrating his balance. 2. Savage & McLean’s Talraz Comic Relief at Canaich JW. Rising 7 year old black boy with lovely proportioned head and the darkest of eye, giving that melting expression when you look into his face. Arched neck, good length and lay of shoulder with nice return of upper arm. Good depth of chest and correct shaped rib. Strong over the loin and moved as you would expect with this balanced angulation. 3. Peart’s Kilfinan Mister Moonlight for Talluarchy. OD (21:4) 1. Jay’s Ch. Farmarans Drums of Spring at Talraz JW (Imp Swe). Completing this lovely line was this 5 year old boy and so many of my previous comments apply to him. Correct head, with good eye and pigment which all go to give the desired expression. Muscular arched neck leading into well placed forechest and front assembly with correct length of bone. Chest to elbow, well ribbed and good short loin. Correct croup. Well-muscled and in good condition which showed along with his balance in his easy movement. 2. Garrity & Tibb’s Potterdale Gorgeous George. This 4 year old black boy was sympathetically handled to get the best out of him. Good head, with muscular arched neck into a correct front. Good bone all through. Correct shaped rib and croup. Balanced dog and in excellent condition. Moved well with an easy stride. 3. Strzelczyk’s Ch. Corimist The Sun King. GCDSD (13:1) 1. Savage & McLean’s Talraz Comic Relief at Canaich JW. 2. Axford’s Bramblemead Bollinger Boy 3.Handley’s Invercoyle Caperdonich at Barkenbear. Judge: Lynn Dumbrell (Bethlyntee)