German Wirehaired Pointer Club

My thanks for the GWPC for the invitation to judge these Special Awards Classes, thank you to the exhibitors for your entry, some lovely dogs to go over, all of super temperament and every one of them in good harsh jackets, some lacking a little undercoat but to be expected at this time of the year so couldn’t be penalised for this, I was certainly spoilt for quality, particularly in the Open class where I had 4 Show Champions in my final line-up.

Alex Galbraith Memorial Special Post-Graduate Award D/B (4,1abs): 1. Turnbull & Keene’s Glenquin The Colonel at Elagram upstanding D of almost 14 months, good head with correct furnishings, excels in forechest with good depth and spring of rib, strong neck into well-laid shoulders and a strong topline to correct tailset, nicely angulated fore & aft and well-muscled, wouldn’t want any more of him but he’s balanced and has a sound, ground covering movement, promising youngster. 2. Geary’s Germanus Hotwyr Minjarra JW 2Y B who is as feminine as 1 is masculine, pretty head with soft expression, good length of neck into correct shoulder & front assembly, would have like just a little more infill in front, strong topline & correct tailset, nicely angulated to provide a balanced picture standing, moved soundly once settled 3. Germanus Wesley Vom Alte Wald at Germanus (Imp Hun)

Maura Gettings Memorial Special Open Award D/B (9,3): What a super entry in this class, when I looked at my catalogue after judging I was delighted to see of the 9 entered, 6 were champions, 4 of which were amongst the 6 dogs present, making for a super quality class and some difficult decisions. 1. O’Brien’s Sh Ch Caldewriver Storm N’Teacup for Katillien JW 22M L/W B, caught my eye on first look around the class, she’s a lovely size and so balanced, super head with good furnishings, I would have liked a slightly darker eye but the colour is perfectly acceptable, correctly constructed all through, good depth, elbows tight, well boned legs and good feet, her movement was lively & positive covering her ground with efficiency 2. McCullough’s Sh Ch Kimmax Koz I Kan it was a difficult decision between 1&2 and many similar comments apply, this is a 7Y B who doesn’t look her age at all, similar in size to 1, she has a lovely head and soft expression from a darker eye framed by correct bushy eyebrows, strong neck & topline, well sprung ribs of good depth, not quite the bone of 1 but certainly not lacking, well angulated fore & aft and well-muscled which helped propel her soundly round the ring, 1 & 2 could easily have changed places, I just preferred the forechest of 1. 3. Donnelly’s Sh Ch/Ir Sh Ch Beechillawn Oooh Betty