Basset Hound Club Of Scotland

Basset Hound Club of Scotland

Open Show

Sunday 7th April 2024

What a fabulously friendly show this was to judge. Sandra Johnston’s small committee had clearly worked indefatigably to stage a show for the exhibitor. The venue was perfect (within close reach of the motorway), set in idyllic surroundings with plenty of space to exercise the hounds and the facilities inside the hall were perfect. What a special touch and attention to detail to have the mats set out in such a way as to portray the Saltire, the national flag of Scotland! The lunch was of the highest order (a veritable feast!) What a treat and full marks to the ladies in the kitchen.

My thanks to the exhibitors and their hounds too for the pleasure of going over your lovely dogs, shown in excellent condition, with super temperaments. It was a delight to judge the two baby puppy classes where all the entrants thoroughly enjoyed their day. The array of special prizes was quite something too.

Baby Puppy Dog (2):

1. Cudlip’s Harvidene Festive Cheer, red and white of nearly 5 months, shows promise with good bone, feet, excellent hindquarters, moved freely and happily;

2. Bowers’ Sasilasy Edge of Chaos at Lyonglen, tricolour who is less forward, has less bone and substance at this stage, a little close behind, really enjoyed his outing!

Puppy Dog (1):

1. Coultas’ X Factor-Fonz (Imp Nld), tricolour of just over 6 months, has a very outgoing temperament, pleasing lozenge shaped eye, carries himself well in profile where he keeps his static outline, very good mover behind, excellent stern and shown in super condition;

Yearling Dog (1):

1. Green and Smits’ Wildebeest Will V Grunsven, red and white of 14 months, shown in fit and well-muscled condition, masculine overall outlook, good hindquarters with good bend of stifle which showed on the move;

Post Graduate Dog (3):

1. Woodworth’s Armardio Against The Wind, very nice young red and white, not long out of junior, has a look of quality about him and is not exaggerated in any way, pleasing head with good eye shape and well set ears, pleasing neck, well ribbed, well angulated, muscled hindquarters, carries himself well on the move in profile and drives from behind, he pressed hard in the dog challenge and I think that maturity will be to his advantage, will follow his progress;

2. Hampton’s Big Long Blues Prometheus, 15 months and shown in very good condition, well muscled and fit and this showed on the move;

3. Strudwick’s Armardio Ride Like The Wind Among Kumamatata

Limit Dog (2):

1. Cudlip’s Wolferlow Eclipse at Harvidene, this dog has many virtues, pleasing head shape with pleasing eye, well set ears of correct length and texture, well made in front, good bone, pleasing topline kept on the move, very good hindquarters and set on of stern, shown in very good condition, he is fit and sound, going with a very good stride in profile where he keeps his outline, another very nice dog, RBD and RBIS;

2. Johnston’s Burnvale Zephyr, tricolour also shown in good musculature, well boned legs, well ribbed, very good hindquarters and showed drive behind;

Open Dog (3):

1. Woodworth’s Ch Armardio Firestarter, this dog really appealed for overall outline, balance and freedom from any exaggeration, masculine without a hint of coarseness, well-shaped head with good eyes, well set ears of correct texture, well made through the front, good topline, excellent ribs and couplings, well angulated powerful hindquarters with well let down hock, moved soundly fore and aft and with a good stride in profile, maintaining his static outline on the move, shown and presented in excellent condition and musculature, a pleasure to judge, felt he stood out here for BD and BIS;

2. Cudlip’s Harvidene Doppleganger, tricolour, masculine, strong, handsome hound shown in mint condition, gleaming with condition and in excellent musculature, pleasing head and eye, low set ears of correct texture, pleasing front and hindquarters, well ribbed, super hindquarters with well let down hock, moved soundly in all directions with good reach and drive, RBD and RBIS;

3. Williams’ Longmynd Cedric Smartson By Bromp

Baby Puppy Bitch (2):

1. Cudlip’s Harvidene Queen of Diamonds, delightful r/w baby who I thought showed lots of promise, great personality, feminine head, pleasing front and hindquarters, moved very soundly in all directions, good luck for the future;

2. Cudlip’s Harvidene La Bambola, litter sister to 1and it showed, also r/w, good overall outline, really enjoyed her day out, just needs time;

Puppy Bitch (1):

1. Woodworth’s Woodrich Summer Breeze, 9 months feminine tri, same sire as the baby puppies in previous class and granddaughter of BIS, liked her size, overall type, head shape, good legs and feet, pleasing rib, sound true mover who carries her outline well on the move, thought she was a worthy recipient of BPIS;

Yearling Bitch (1):

1. Pearson’s Armardio Candle In The Wind, feminine red and white, has a look of quality and is built on clean lines but without losing anything in type, liked her head shape, eyes and overall outlook, well made in front and rear, well ribbed back with good topline held on the move, well set and carried stern and excellent hindquarters with good bend of stifle, shown in excellent condition and muscle tone, when it came to the challenge, the overall picture that she portrayed appealed to me the most, she matched the BD very well which was unsurprising as they are uncle and niece, BB;

Post Graduate Bitch (5):

2. Pearson’s Armardio Wind of Change, litter sister of winner of previous class, another r/w, lovely type and substance without being exaggerated, pleasing head shape, well constructed front and rear, in excellent condition and well muscled, sound mover but with less enthusiasm than her sister above, liked her and can see her having better days;

3. Cruickshank’s Burnvale Dazzling Diamond at Culsalmond, r/w with pleasing type and overall stamp, pleasing head, well ribbed, excellent hindquarters, moved on a pleasing stride;

4. Johnston’s Burnvale Queen of Diamonds

Limit Bitch (2):

1. Johnston’s Burnvale Black Diamond, two and a half years old tri, very pleasing type and overall picture, pleasing head shape and eye, well made front and rear, good skin, well muscled and a true mover, very nice bitch, would just prefer a little less furnishing;

2. Cudlip’s Whinneybrow Her Majesty at Harvidene, r/w with a super outgoing temperament, really free mover in profile, in super muscled condition and well made overall, not quite as positive behind as 1;

Open Bitch (5):

1. Coultas’ Ch Perfect Peach V Grunsven (Imp Nld), just over 3 years of age, this r/w is full of type and has a look of quality, liked her head shape, good bone, well ribbed, really excels in hindquarters which is shown on the move where she drives really well, carries herself well in profile, slightly lost her topline in profile;

2. Cudlip’s Harvidene Moonstone, tricolour of pleasing overall type, free mover, shown in excellent condition, just preferred the ground clearance and overall balance of 1;

Veteran Bitch (1):

1. Pearson’s Ch Roamanbay Russia With Love To Armardio, this red and white bitch really impressed me for type, overall construction and conformation and the fact that she was so sound, very pleasing head, correct forechest and front construction, really good bone without being overdone, correct angulation fore and aft, so sound on the move, approaching 10 years of age but the overall picture of type and soundness that she portrayed kept taking my attention, so it was a pleasure to award her RBB and to hear afterwards that she was the dam of BD and BIS and the grandmother of the BB, a special girl;

David R Craig (Judge)