Southern Counties Beagle Club

Southern Counties Beagle Club – 1st championship show

Saturday 13th January 2024

I would like to thank the officers & committee for the honour of judging at their inaugural show. Having started off showing in the counties of the South of England, this appointment was very close to my heart.

Observations – I still stand with what I mentioned after my judging at Crufts in 2022, movement! Flashy profile movement may look great, but a working hound needs more than just flash & dash. They need effortless profile movement with good foot timing & they need to be sound out and back. A lot of dogs extolled for their profile action moved either close behind or with wide or flicking fronts. All temperaments on the hounds were impeccable!

Special Beginners Dog (4,0)

1ST Harrison’s – Rundle Raspberry Roulade. Pleasing headed tri boy with a kind eye & expression. He has a great neck & shoulder, level topline, good depth of chest & ribbing. His quarters are well made & he had a super outline both stacked & on the move where he moved out well. A little bit of a pickle for his young handler but she coped well & got the best out of him.

2ND Noye’s – Rowsprings Sabre. A beautiful headed tri boy with a dark eye & kind expression, he has a good forehand, excellent topline & quarters. He moved out well in all directions & was shown in good condition.

3RD Bell-Thomas’ – Amorpapaver Hercules.

Minor Puppy Dog (5,1)

A super class of baby puppies.

1ST Evans’ Bellvalley Epsom Gold. T/W baby of just 6 months, he has a head & expression to die for. Crested neck into good shoulder, straight well boned front & neat feet. Good depth for age, he is well ribbed back, has a level topline & super quarters. He has a lovely outline both stacked & on the move, he moved out well & has a super footfall. Just needs to tighten up all through, at present he is a rather promising young man.

2ND Sutton’s – Rossut Banter. Kind head with dark eye on this almost 9 mo tri boy, ok neck & shoulder, straight front & good feet. Level topline & good hindquarters which were well muscled, he moved well in profile but needs to tighten up out & back.

3RD Philpott’s – Charterwood Herald.

Puppy Dog (6,0)

Another super class of pups.

1ST Jones & Jepson’s – Eardley Ready for Anything. Ultra smart tri boy of almost 12 months, he has a beautiful head & eye with a mischievous expression. He has a good forehand with lovely bone, straight front & tight feet. Super topline & underline, short coupled with a good loin. Correct set on of stern & good quarters with required width, he moved well out & back & with a good footfall in profile, smart as paint & with a lot of quality. BPD.

2ND Lewis’ – Fallowfield Romeo. Beautiful head, with dark eye & melting expression. He has an excellent forehand, quality round bone, good depth of chest, level topline & super quarters. He was shown in excellent jacket & at a good weight. He excels in profile movement with reach, drive & a perfect footfall, at just 9 months he needs to tighten all through but what a prospect when he does!

3RD Wenman’s – Wenennou Vader.

Junior Dog (1,0)

1ST Dalgarno’s – Vencharno Top Gun Maverick. Brightly marked 16 mo tri boy, he has a pleasing head & expression with a kind eye. Good neck, topline, depth of chest & ribbing. I would prefer more layback in shoulder, but he has a good front, bone & feet. His quarters are well made & very well-muscled. He is very good out & back & moves with a good stride.

Novice Dog (5,0)

1ST Lewis’ – Fallowfield Fellman. A stunning 13 mo tri boy of the type associated with his clever breeder. He has a head & expression to die for, lovely low set leathers & a dark, kind eye. He has an excellent neck into clean well laid shoulder, straight well boned front with a good cat foot. Level topline, good depth of chest, spring of rib & strong loin. Well set on stern and super quarters with a good turn of stifle & well let down hocks. So sound & true out & back with reach & drive in profile & an excellent footfall. Shown in gleaming coat & conditioning & with that air of joie de vivre, I just loved him. With a couple more months of maturity he will trouble the best. RDCC.

2ND Banks’ – Forgebanks Santiano. A super T/W boy of just 9 mo who was very unlucky in his previous class. He has such a kind head with a lovely expression from his dark correctly shaped eye. Super neck, shoulder, front & feet, level topline, good depth of chest & spring of rib. Well ribbed back, he has very well-made quarters which he used to advantage on the move. Another one to watch!

3RD Findlay’s – Rhiconich Code.

Post Graduate Dog(4,0)

1ST Jayes’ – Rossut Zavier at Sandylands. This young boy has come on in leaps & bounds over the last couple of months. He is a very smart lad with a good head, super eye & expression. Excellent neck & shoulder, straight well boned front, super topline & underline with good ribbing & depth. His well-made quarters are very well muscled & he was shown in excellent fettle. When he settled, he moved out soundly with good reach, considered in the final 4

2ND Phillips’ – Lanesend Redcap Bushranger. Pleasing head & eye, excellent neck & shoulder, good front but I would prefer neater feet. Super topline, depth of chest & well ribbed, good stern set & quarters. He moved out well enough, but I would like to see him with a little more condition.

3RD Rundle Raspberry Roulade

Limit Dog (10,1)

1ST Findlay’s – Rhiconich Obconica. Lovely typey boy with a masculine head, dark eye & kind expression. Excellent neck into clean shoulder, super front, bone & feet. Level topline, good depth of chest, he is well ribbed back to short strong loin. Super quarters with a good turn of stifle & low set hocks. He moved out freely in all directions & was sound & true, shown in excellent muscletone & conditioning he pushed very hard for top honours.

2ND Goldberg’s – Rossut Villein at Molesend. Smart tri boy with a pleasing head & eye. Excellent neck & shoulder, good front & feet. Super body & conditioning, level topline & good stern. On the move he is sound, but I would prefer him to put a bit more effort in.

3RD Philpott’s – Charterwood Chancellor.

Open Dog (2,0)

1ST Craig’s - Ch Davricard Gaultier. Beautifully headed T/W boy who oozes quality. Only 14 months old but he has it all there, kind dark eye, low set leathers & that hint of mischievous. Super forehand with quality round bone down to neat feet. Level topline, good depth of chest & spring of rib, short strong loin, well set on stern & well-made quarters. As expected from his clever breeder/handler this hound was conditioned well & shown to full advantage, sound out & back with good reach & drive in profile & a little bit of style. I loved him CC & BIS.

2ND Taylor’s – Deaconfield Kingcraft. Kind head & eye on this well-made lad, he has a super neck, shoulder, front & feet. Excellent topline, good underline, ribbing & quality quarters. He too moved soundly with drive & style, I just preferred the overall outline on my winner.

Veteran Dog (4,1)

1ST Hunt & Norris’ – Ch. Shercroft Apollo. Masculine head with a kind dark eye. Very good forehand, straight front & good bone & feet. Excellent topline for his 9 years, good through the body & he has quality quarters. Shown in gleaming coat & conditioning he moved so soundly with excellent footfall.

2ND Wright & Mitchell’s – Huntshill Tornado. Handsome boy with a kind expression, very good forehand, excellent topline, good depth & spring of rib. Good quarters which were well muscled, he moved out soundly but didn’t quite have the reach of the winner.

3RD Murphy’s – Black Royal at Rhosyndu.

Special Vintage Dog (2,0)

1ST Dawson & Goodall’s - Ch Janfrey Randal Upon Rundle JW ShCM. I have loved this boy on a previous occasion & almost 2 years down the line I have not changed my opinion, now 10.5 yo, he can still show the youngsters a thing or two. He throws a beautiful outline both stacked & in motion & has a super expression from dark eyes. Lovely neck, straight front, super topline, good depth of chest, spring of rib & strong loin. His quarters are well made & very well-muscled, free & easy mover & true out & back. Like a fine wine he has matured well & well deserved his BVD & BVIS.

2ND Phillips & Keyte’s - Lanesend Segenhoe. Another who I’ve had the pleasure of judging before, 10.5 yo & as fit as a flea. Kind head & eye, pleasing forehand, super topline, very good through the body, good quarters. He too moved out well (with a lot of enthusiasm!) but wasn’t quite so positive as the winner.

Special Beginners Bitch (3,0)

1ST Millar’s – Alkira Rooibos Valentine. Pretty tri girl with kind head & eye, pleasing forehand, good topline, underline, depth of chest & well-made hindquarters. She moved out well & was shown in super condition.

2ND Evans’ – Jalhar Be Glorious. Pleasing head & expression, good forehand with straight front, good topline, underline & quarters. She was good through the body, she moved out happily but was a little close behind.

3RD Smith’s – Jalhar Key To My Heart.

Minor Puppy Bitch (4,2)

1ST Philpott’s – Charterwood Hostess. Beautiful 7mo tri girl, she has a gorgeous expression, super neck & shoulder, straight well boned front & tight cat feet. Good topline & depth of chest, she needs to develop her quarters & she is understandably still a little uncoordinated, but she moved very well in profile when she settled.

2ND Coates’ – Gladstyle Luck of the Draw. Pleasing head with dark, kind eye, good neck & shoulder but I would prefer more return of upper arm. Level topline & good quarters, she moved out well in profile but needs to tighten fore & aft.

Puppy Bitch (8,2)

This really was a super class of puppies, the cliché I needed more 1st prizes would be quite correct.

1ST Lewis’ – Fallowfield Raya. T/W beauty of just 9 months, she has a head & expression to die for! Reachy neck, into correct shoulder, good return of upper arm, straight well boned front & super feet. Super topline & tailset, excellent depth of chest, spring of rib & strong loin. Lovely quarters which allowed her free & easy movement, sound out & back & excellent footfall. Shown in gleaming coat & conditioning, she has a look of her predecessor Darlene whom I loved. She captivated me & I was delighted to award her BPB & BPIS.

2ND Jones & Jepson’s – Eardley Smartypants. Ultra smart tri girl of almost 12 months, litter sister to my BPD & very similar in type. She has a pretty head with mischievous dark eye, good neck & shoulder, straight front, super topline, well ribbed back, good body & quarters. She moves out well fore & aft & has a good stride.

3RD Findlay’s – Rhiconich Miss Mischief. Another quality pup.

Junior Bitch (9,0)

1ST Tanner’s – Felinoak Ffansi Nansi. A stunning girl with a beautiful melting expression, she knows she is special. Superb forehand, straight front with quality bone & cat feet. Super topline, lovely depth of chest with well sprung ribs which reach well back. Excellent tailset, well let down hocks & good width of thigh. She throws the most beautiful outline & was conditioned to perfection. Having given both her parents top honours at Crufts a couple of years back it should have come as no surprise that I loved her. She was sound & true & covered the ground with reach & drive, was delighted to award her the RCC in excellent company.

2ND Havard’s – Dufosee Julianna Avec Annavah. Pretty T/W girl with dark expressive eye, super forehand, good depth of chest, level topline, well-muscled quarters. Super outline, she moved out well in all directions.

3RD Lennard’s – Butterow Unity.

Novice Bitch (7,0)

1ST Lewis’ – Fallowfield Flaxen. Lovely shaped T/W girl just out of puppy. Sweet head & expression, arched neck into good shoulder, excellent topline, underline & quarters. Good depth of chest & ribbing, quarters well made & muscled. She excelled in profile movement, just needs to tighten up to complete the picture.

2ND Banks’ – Forgebanks Shantung. This pretty tri girl has a super neck & shoulder, excellent topline & underline & shapely quarters. She moved out well with a good stride, I just felt she needed to lose a little weight.

3RD Dawson & Goodall’s – Rundle Lovelace.

Post Graduate Bitch (12,2)

1ST Davies’ – Annavah Nocturne at Barvale. Pretty tri girl with a lovely shaped head & kind, dark eye. Excellent forehand, crested neck into clean shoulder, good depth & body shape, level topline & super quarters. Shown in excellent condition, she moved out soundly with style.

2ND Butterow Unity. A good honest girl with a pretty head framed by low set leathers. Super neck & shoulder, good depth of chest with well sprung ribs which extend well back. Good topline, tailset & quarters, she moved soundly with a good stride.

3RD Baker’s – Koorbrats Meadow.

Limit Bitch (13,1)

1ST Craig’s – Annavah Belinda of Davricard. Pretty girl with a good shaped head & kind expression, super neck, shoulder, front & feet. Excellent topline, ribbing & strong loin, good tailset & well muscled quarters. Moved out well to win a good class.

2ND Findlay’s – Rhiconich Bombshell. Sweet head with kind eye, excellent neck & shoulder, straight well boned front & neat feet. Lovely body properties, super topline, short coupled, strong loin & lovely quarters with a good turn of stifle. She moved out well with a good footfall, she had a distinct look of old Norcis & was very close up to the winner.

3RD Tanner’s – Felinoak El Koko Loko.

Open Bitch (8,3)

1ST Goldberg’s – Molesend Dormouse. This T/W girl has a lovely shaped head, kind eye with a mischievous glint! She has a super neck into correct layback of shoulder, good return of upper arm, straight well boned front with super feet. Excellent depth of chest with firm elbows, well sprung ribs with good fill-in in front, well ribbed back to strong loin. Super topline, excellent tailset & quarters with firm hocks & good turn of stifle. She moved true out & back with very good foot timing in profile, she decided to give her handler a few grey hairs with her antics at times, but pulled herself together to win a super class of quality girls & ultimately the CC. This win gave her, her well deserved crown, many congratulations.

2ND Havard’s – Ch. Annavah Princess Tiana. Well known girl who was my BP last time I judged. She has a lovely shaped head, super forehand, level topline, good depth & spring of rib, strong loin & well made & muscled quarters. Sound out & back with a good stride & shown in excellent condition.

3RD Beard’s – Kelticreed’s Back Chat.

Veteran Bitch (13,4)

1ST Dalgarno’s – Eardley Shirley Knot Avec Vencharno. Pretty tri girl of 7.5 yo with a lovely dark eye & good head shape. She has a crested neck into good shoulder, super front, level topline, good tailset & well made quarters. She is a little frilly underneath but the rest of her conditioning was 1st class. She moved soundly with reach, drive & style to win the class, BVB & RBVIS.

2ND Miller’s - Arpege Alkira. 2 years ago this pretty T/W girl was my BVB, now 9.5 years old & she still has a super outline. Super forehand, excellent body, topline & quarters, great coat & conditioning. She still moves out very well in profile & I thought she may be my winner, but she was moving rather close behind on the day & had to pay the price.

3RD Arden’s - Madika Spot On JW ShCM Aw(g).

Special Vintage Bitch (5,2)

1ST Mcbain & Stevens’ - Redcap Bella Sorella JW ShCM VW. Pretty head & expression on this 11 yo tri girl, she has an excellent forehand, topline & quarters. Shown in super condition, she moved out well with enthusiasm & really enjoyed her day out.

2ND Precey’s – Stormpasture Trump Card over Detrick. 11 yo, pretty head with dark eye, excellent forehand, super through the body, level topline & great quarters. When she settled, she moved very well in profile but was moving close behind today.

3RD Ambridge’s – Tiger Lilly Blossom.

SERENA PARKER (Judge)