Thame & Oxfordshire County Canine Society

THAME & OXFORDSHIRE COUNTY CANINE SOCIETY PREMIER OPEN SHOW 17.07.24

Many thanks to the Committee for giving me the opportunity to judge at their very well run premier show. Good venue, excellent hospitality and a friendly atmosphere. A special thank you to my steward, Hilary Male who was super-efficient and kept me and the exhibitors organised and on time. Last, but certainly not least, thank you to all the exhibitors for such a super quantity and quality of entries. It was a pleasure to go over your lovely dogs.

CHIHUAHUA (LC) P (5) 1. Mélanie Bégin’s Dynasty For You Xanadu. Attractive puppy, just one day away from her first birthday. Presented and handled very well. Good head with correctly flared ears and typical saucy expression. Breed typical outline. Good front assembly into straight front legs. Moved well with a good footfall and with reach and drive. A promising puppy. 2. Cater’s Lykath’s Light of Earendil in Pixels. Another eleven month old puppy, a few weeks younger than the winner. She too had a typical outline. Good ear and ear placement. Correct furry tail which she carried well. Moved well with reach and drive. Slightly lost her topline on the move but I’m sure this will tighten up as she matures. 3. Barker’s Baralicia Jenny Wren. SY (5) 1 and RBOB and BP. Holmes’ Baralicia Huntsman at Teclo. This dog is only six months old but a worthy winner up against the older ones in this class. He had plenty of character and was on his toes from the moment he entered the ring. Good head and typical saucy expression. Correctly set ears and round eye. Brisk, active movement with good foot fall. Carried his tail well and kept his topline on the move. 2. Cater’s Lykath’s Light of Earendil in Pixels. See previous class. 3. Cater’s Lykath’s Laura Thyme in Pixels. L (6,2) 1 and BOB. Barker’s Mocha Vanilla Baralicia. At just twelve months old this little man more than held his own against the older dogs. He won on his movement and character. He has a correct, compact outline. Correctly rounded skull without exaggeration. Large, round eyes and correctly set ears. Good front and assembly into straight front legs. Correct rear angulation with enough width behind. Moved with reach and drive, giving that typical brisk, forceful action. Correctly set tail which he carried correctly. Retained his topline on the move. Very pleased to see him shortlisted in a strong toy group. 2. Vaitekunaite’s Nolin Lee Gold Kopf. Almost sixteen months old. Built on a heavier frame than the winner but still balanced and in proportion. I would like her to be carrying a little less weight. Like me, she obviously likes her food! Balanced, compact outline. Good head and round eye. Correctly flared ears. Balanced front and rear angulation. Straight front legs. Correct topline which she held on the move. Moved straight and true. 3. Cater’s Lykath’s Laura Thyme in Pixels. O (3) 1. Holmes’ Baralicia Elsa at Teclo. This two year old girl is slightly longer cast than I would prefer but still balanced. Good front assembly into straight front legs. Nicely rounded skull with correct ear set. Dark, round eye with typical expression. She won this class on her movement which was straight and true. 2. Cater’s Pixels Moonlit Sea JW. Three year old girl. I judged her about a year ago and awarded her BOB but she was up against some tougher competition today. Very happy and eager to please her handler at all times. Showed herself well. Well presented and handled. Typical saucy expression. Good round eye and correct ear placement. Moved well with correct footfall. 3. Dee’s Lowenchi Molly Mae.

CHIHUAHUA (SC). P (4,2) 1 and BP. Moggridge & Senior’s Jahneemahs Hitman. This eleven month old dog had plenty of attitude which I liked. Presented a balanced outline. Nicely rounded skull with correctly flared ears and large, round eyes giving that typical expression. Balanced angulation. Good front assembly into straight front legs. Moved with purpose and drive and with correct footfall. Very pleased to see him shortlisted in a strong puppy group. 2. Vaitekunaite’s Dinarth Raven. Eight month old girl built on finer lines than the winner. A little unsure of herself today in the noisy, busy arena. When settled she presented a balanced overall outline. Rear movement needs to strengthen but this could come with age. She moved OK but needs to build her confidence in the ring. SY (3,1) 1 and RBOB. Barker’s Lowenchi Miss Vanjie Baralicia. Fourteen month old girl who seemed to be enjoying her day out. Very happy and eager to please her handler. She presented a balanced outline with good front and rear angulation. Typical head and expression with large, round eyes and correctly flared ears. Moved well with straight front legs and good footfall. 2. Dee’s Lowenchi Ella Vaday. I understand that today was this fourteen month old’s first show so, understandably she was a little overawed by the whole occasion. She spooked on the table and didn’t really settle. Such a shame as she’s quite promising. When she showed her ears she had a typical head and expression with correctly rounded skull, round eyes and correctly flared ears. She didn’t move as well as I’m certain she could, but she did just enough for me to be able to assess her movement which was straight and true. She just needs time and more experience to build her confidence. L (1,1). O (4,3) 1 and BOB. Smith’s Moltobello Miss Myrtle of Hulawawas. I judged this three year old girl earlier this year and many of the same comments apply. At this show she also won on her overall balance and movement. I’d like a little less of her but she is balanced and in proportion. Good apple dome head with correct eye shape and correctly flared ears. She presented a balanced outline with good front and rear angulation. Straight front and rear action with correct footfall. Level topline which she held on the move. Won BOB today due to her ‘look at me’ attitude and ring presence.

ENGLISH TOY TERRIER (BLACK & TAN). A special thank you to the ETT exhibitors for the quantity and quality of the entries today. I had some tough decisions, especially in the challenge for Best of Breed. P (2) 1 and BP. Forsythe & Pevy & Leonard’s Witchstone Won’t Be Silent by Richpin. Celebrating his first birthday today. Presented a balanced outline with good front and rear angulation. Going through that slightly leggy junior stage and looking a little gangly with pin bones a little more prominent than I would like. However, this can be forgiven as I’m sure it will improve as he matures. Presents an elegant outline with good, balanced front and rear angulation. Good colour with clearly defined rich tan markings. Excellent head and expression with well placed candle flame ears. Correctly shaped, dark eyes giving that typical alert expression. Flat skull and good length to his muzzle giving the correct wedge shaped head. Straight front legs with visible thumbprints. Slightly curved topline into correctly set tail which he carried well on the move. Moved well with extension and drive. 2. Crowley’s Adargwn Geneva. Attractive, nine month old girl. Presented an elegant, balanced outline. A little unsettled today in the busy and noisy arena and needs to improve her confidence on the table. She was slightly better on the floor, enough for me to assess her. Typical head and expression with good flat skull and wedge shaped head. Well placed ears which she used well. Good front angulation into straight front legs. Moved OK but needs to tighten in her rear movement which was a little erratic today. SY (4) 1 and BOB. Forsythe & Pevy’s Kikuchi Hollywood avec Richpin JW. Sixteen month old handsome male. He’s up to height but perfectly balanced and in proportion. Elegant, sleek outline. Presented in good condition with good muscle tone. Good colour with clearly defined, rich tan markings. Typical head and expression with correct ear placement and almond shaped eyes. Flat skull with good length to his muzzle, giving him a correct wedge shaped head. Obviously, he is still a youngster and not yet fully ‘finished’ but I’m sure his head will be even better when he matures. Balanced front and rear angulation. Straight front legs with visible thumbprints. Moved very well with good front extension and drive from the rear. A proper little showman. Very pleased to see him winning second in the Toy group. 2. Keylock & Collins’ Lasagesse Paint It Black. Only just out of puppy at twelve months of age. This handsome dog was up against some strong competition today and lost out to the more mature dogs. He is slightly longer cast than the winner but still has a balanced outline. Good head and expression with correctly set ears and almond shape eyes. Good front assembly into straight front legs with faint, but visible thumbprints. Balanced rear angulation with good bend of stifle. Moved well with extension and drive. 3. Peters’ Ettology Cherry Bakewell at Troysel. L (1,1). O (2) 1 and RBOB. Forsythe’s Ch Witchstone Raindance avec Richpin JW. Mature six year old dog who is very much a showman. Solidly built, but without any coarseness. Presented a balanced outline with good angulation front and rear. Good head and expression with correct ear shape and placement. Strong jaws which look like they could easily dispatch a rat. Dark, almond shaped eyes. Good front angulation into straight front legs with visible thumbprints. Moved with extension and drive. Tough decision in the challenge for Best of Breed and I was splitting hairs to make my decision. In the end he lost out to his kennel mate who I felt was more elegant and sleek. 2. Ch Nasabe Play The Game JW. This twenty-two month old has lots to like and I can see why she has her titles. Presents a very feminine, elegant outline. Slightly longer cast than the winner but still in proportion. Lovely head and expression with small, dark almond shaped eyes and correct ear shape and placement. Wedge shaped head with a strong enough jaw. Good front assembly into straight front legs. Good coat with rich tans and visible thumbprints. Presented and handled very well. Moved with enough extension but today she was lacking a little drive from her rear quarters.

AV Harvest Brace Stakes. (42,9). Wow, what a lovely class to judge! So many well matched braces. Some need a little more practice gaiting two dogs together but most moved really well and were a credit to their handlers. Any of my final five could easily swap places on another day. My first two places were the little and large of the sight hounds. 1. Hunter’s brace of Italian Greyhounds. These two were like peas in a pod. Full of breed type and moved perfectly in sync. 2. Lucas & Dargonne’s brace of Deerhounds. Another very well matched pair. Also full of breed type. They moved in sync with a typical easy, floating gait. Thank you for giving me my Deerhound ‘fix’ today. 3. Nash’s brace of Rhodesian Ridgebacks. 4. Forsythe & Pevy’s brace of English Toy Terriers. 5. Hayes & Hook’s brace of Basset Fauve de Bretagne.

Judge: Dee Blatchford