German Shepherd Dog Club Of Essex

German Shepherd Dog Club of Essex

Breed Championship Show

Saturday 7th December 2024

Beechwood Equestrian Centre, CM3 8DY

Thank you to the GSD Club of Essex for inviting me to judge males and awarding CCs for the first time at a very well-run show. I would like to say a big thank you to those who travelled through a terrible storm to attend the show. The exhibitors and handlers were all very sportsmanlike, accepting my placings with good grace. Temperaments were all excellent and all exhibits were shown in excellent condition. I was very pleased with my final line up and those who took the top honours.

Veteran Dog

1st Smith’s ShCh PORNELL ELRICK ZU SAROCAL – 9-year-old sable male with a lovely head and expression. Good proportions, normal wither with a firm topline into a slightly short croup. Steep upper arm, nice underline with excellent hind angulation. Sound away and back with a good side gait.

Minor Puppy Dog

1st Etches ETCHICA REX – 6 mths, black and gold male. Medium size and strength, very good overall proportions, nice head and expression. High wither into a firm back, slightly short but well moulded croup. Stands straight in the front, good over and underline. Excellent hind angulation, sound both ways. On the move he was very excitable, showing moments of an excellent far-reaching powerful gait, requires more training to reach his full potential.

Puppy Dog

1st Hill’s OBI AV ROSTADGARDEN – 11 ½ mths, black and gold. Medium sized masculine male, with an excellent head and expression and nice dark eye. Excellent proportions, high wither, good firm top line into a well moulded croup. Stands straight in front, with a slightly steep upper arm of good length. Excellent hind angulation, firm rear pasterns but stands a little closely behind. OK away and back, excellent far reaching side gait. BEST PUPPY DOG.

2nd Sharp’s SHARPHOUSES NIGEL – 10 mths, black and gold male. Good head and expression, normal wither with a good top line into a short croup. Steep upper arm, good underline, sufficient hind angulation. Sound away and back, lacks drive on the gait but moved steadily.

Special Beginners Dog

1st Romilly’s YAKASIMBA ARAGOG – 2 ½ year old black and gold long coat. Medium sized strong male with an excellent head, dark mask and lovely expression. High wither, firm back into a well moulded croup. Stands straight in front with a slightly steep upper arm of good length, good underline, excellent hind angulation. Firm rear pasterns but stands a little close behind. Ok away and back, strong side gait, tends to carry the tail high on the fast pace which distracts.

Junior Dog

1st Keen’s CLOKELLYS DUCATI – 17 mths black and gold male. On the limit of size, strong with a good head and expression. High wither into a firm back with a nicely moulded croup. Stands straight at the front with a slightly steep upper arm, good underline, excellent hind angulation, firm rear pasterns but stands a little close. Ok away and back, excellent, powerful far-reaching gait.

2nd Sykes EVAWELL ELLIS – 15 mths black and gold male. Medium size, medium strength, nice head and expression. High wither, with a firm back and good croup. Stands straight and well angled in front and rear. Sound away and back, very good far-reaching gait, slight curl to the tail which distracts from the overall picture of a very nice young dog.

Yearling Dog

1st Turner’s RAFAYE RIKKOR AT TASELLA – 20 mths, well pigmented black and gold. Medium size masculine male. Excellent head and expression, eyes could be a touch darker. High wither, firm back into a well moulded croup. Stands straight and well angled at the front and rear. Rear pasterns could be a little firmer away but sound coming. Excellent powerful far reaching side gait.

2nd Fletcher-Mills DANISOF QUARTZ AT ZARIVENA – 19 mths, black and gold male. Medium sized medium strength. Well-proportioned with a good head and expression, normal wither, firm back into a slightly short croup. Well angulated at the front and rear, ok away slightly wide coming. Displays a far-reaching gait which flattens slightly at the wither.

Post Graduate Dog

1st Sykes ZANDAMOR GUSTOVO – 2-year-old black and gold male. Top size, strong male with an excellent masculine head, lovely expression with well set ears. Excellent proportions, high wither with a firm back into a slightly short croup. Excellent angulation front and rear, sound away and back. Displayed a powerful far-reaching gait.

2nd Denwood’s JAX DI CUERL – 2 ½ year old well pigmented black and gold male. Medium size, medium strength. Very good head and expression, high wither, nice firm back into a short croup. Stands straight in front, steep upper arm, very good hind angulation with firm rear pasterns. Sound away and back, very good side gait.

3rd Diplock’s LAGO VOM HUHNEGRAB – 3-year-old black and gold male. Medium size, medium strength with good head and expression. Normal wither, good top line into a short croup. Stands straight in the front, well angulated at the front and rear. Slightly close away with firm rear pasterns, ok coming. Moved well displaying a good side gait with nice forward reach.

4th King & Bragg’s WOLFSHARN VACE – 3-year-old sable long coat male. Medium size, medium strength with good bone and a nice head and expression. Normal wither, firm back with a short croup. Well angulated at the front and rear. Ok away, slightly close coming but firm, moved well throughout the class.

5th McCarthy’s ASHPRINGTON’S ZELLO – 3-year-old black and gold long coat male. Medium size, medium strength, nice head and expression. Normal wither, good topline into a well angled croup of good length. Stands straight at the front, slightly steep upper arm of good length. Sufficient angulation front and rear. Slightly close going away with firm rear pasterns and sound coming. Lacked drive on the fast pace but moved steadily.

Limit Dog

1st Hill’s SONARLY DERRICK – 4 ½ year old black and gold male. Large, medium strength with a nice head and expression. High wither, firm back into a slightly short croup. Very well angulated at the front and rear. Stands straight in front, slightly close behind. Sound and firm both ways. Excellent movement with a far-reaching gait.

2nd Hughes’s BARWOODS IAGO – 2 ½ year old black and gold male. Medium size, medium strength, good head with a nice dark mask. Normal wither, very good firm back into a slightly short croup. Well angled at the front and rear, sound away and back. Moved well with a far-reaching gait, on the fast pace he tended to fly his tail with a curl which distracts from the overall lines of the dog.

Special Long Coat Open Dog

1st Britnell’s BLAVEN VOM WANAKON – Nearly 3-year-old sable long coat who caught my eye before he even came into the ring. Correct size and masculine male with a beautiful head and expression. Excellent proportions, high wither, firm back with well-muscled loin into a finely moulded croup of correct length, giving a very clean and correct overline. Well balanced with a perfectly angulated upper arm giving tremendous forward reach. Lovely underline, well-muscled and very firm hind quarters, displaying soundness away and back. During the challenge he displayed effortless movement, a ground covering gait maintaining his beautiful outline throughout. I was honoured to award this stunning male what I believe to be his first CC and I’m sure more will be on the way very soon. BEST DOG.

2nd Romilly’s YAKASIMBA ARAGOG

3rd King & Bragg’s WOLFSHARN VACE

4th McCarthy’s ASHPRINGTON’S ZELLO

Open Dog

1st Davies CH. RENO DE LA PETITE LAETICIA – 4-year-old black and gold. Medium size masculine male with a lovely head and expression. Very well proportioned, normal wither, firm well-muscled back into a slightly short croup. Stands straight in front and behind with firm strong rear pasters. Excellent angulation front and rear giving a pleasantly balanced dog overall. Absolutely sound away and back, displayed a far-reaching gait throughout. I was very pleased to award this lovely male the RCC. RESERVE BEST DOG.

2nd Lakin’s CH. BLERIO BEZIQUE AT MASCANI – 3 ½ year old well pigmentated black and gold male. Medium size, medium strong with a good head and lovely expression. High wither, strong firm well-muscled back into a well moulded croup of correct length. Stands straight in front, slightly steep upper arm with good shoulder placement. Good underline, excellent hind angulation with nice strong rear pasterns. Sound away and back, very good side gait keeping a super topline on the move.

Paul Cassidy.