Otterhound Club

The Otterhound Club

Open Show Sunday 7th April 2024

Special Award Stakes Classes

Judge:  Helen Mansfield (Shingwidsi)

Thank you to all the exhibitors who entered and braved the rain and mud to show in these later classes.  The atmosphere was lovely and it was a real pleasure and honour to have the opportunity to go over such gorgeous hounds.  My sincere thanks to the committee for inviting me to judge and for your welcoming hospitality.  Lastly, thank you to my efficient steward who kept everything running smoothly despite the weather.

Special Yearling Dog or Bitch (3, 1)

1st     Tangye’s Olpahe Faithful (AI)

This feminine 6mth old girl made me smile, she had such character.  Nicely proportioned head, nice depth to muzzle with wide nostrils.  Good expression with correct intelligent eye, well set ears of correct length with lovely inward folds.  Strong neck of good length leading to well laid shoulders.  Well boned, straight legs, with nice spring to pasterns.  Stood on well knuckled feet, used to advantage on the mud.  Nice depth to chest, well ribbed back and conveying strength through the loin, especially for age.  Good topline, leading to nice set of stern and carriage.  Nicely developing second thigh with moderate angulation, well let down hocks and standing true.  Demonstrated a loose easy walk, with a true long stride, showing good drive for her age.

2nd    Porter’s Ottaryx Wicket

Pretty 8mth old girl, who though a little unsettled showed some lovely attributes when she began to relax.  Strong head but still feminine, nicely proportioned with good eye set and ears of good length and set with gentle inward fold.  Strong neck leading to well laid shoulder.  Nicely boned with straight legs, leading  to well sprung pasterns and good feet. Nice depth to chest, well ribbed, with broad back.  Hocks well let down and nice width to second thigh.  Moved well, as she settled, maintaining her topline and changing gait smoothly showing a loose action.  

Post Graduate Dog or Bitch (2)

1st    Lewis’ Olphae Darby

Lovely bitch, rising three years old.  Full of character and type, which showed in her overall demeanour.   Presented in good jacket. Nice head with correct proportions and nice depth, bright alert eyes and well set ears with pleasing fold.  Overall a lovely shape coming from a a well laid shoulder, down to straight front, good depth to brisket and nice underline with excellent topline.  Super feet.  Nicely ribbed, with strong loin, coming nicely off the croup to good stern carriage.  Balanced rear angulation and well let down hocks.  All evident in her characteristic shambling movement; at the trot she was true away and back, with good footfall confirmed by her side gait.

2nd    Porter’s Ottaryx Vandal

Very much a teenage male at 13mths old and showing lots of promise.  In this class his enthusiasm got the better of him but by the next class he had settled into his stride and showed himself off to demonstrate a long fluid side gait, with precise footfall and a very typical shambling walk, while maintaining a strong topline.   Balanced masculine head with correct stop and well set eyes with intelligent and kind expression.  Well set, long ears with good fold.  Strong neck with good reach leading to nice front angulation.  Good forechest for age, with nice depth and width all through.  Good straight front, standing on correct feet.  Well ribbed back and strengthening through the body with short coupling.  Correct stern set and carriage.  Good moderate hind angulation without exaggeration, lovely width to second thigh and well let down hocks.

Open Dog or Bitch (8, 3)

There were some beautiful hounds in this class but I felt some, in true hound style, had had enough by this point in the day and were not giving their best.

1st    Lewis’ Olphae Orlaith (AI)

Very feminine but strong 3 year old, who caught my eye from the start.  Balanced all through, full of type and presented in excellent condition with correct coat.   Beautiful expression coming from balanced head of correct proportions and nicely domed, framed with long ears of good length and correct drape and fold. Dark eye of correct set.  She flowed beautifully with super reach of neck leading cleanly to lovely lay of shoulder and strong topline, broad over the loin and coming nicely off the croup to pleasing length of stern, which was carried correctly.  Strong straight front, good spring to pastern and well knuckled feet, used effectively on the mud.  Nice depth and width through the body, well ribbed back.  Balanced hind angulation, nicely developed second thigh with moderate turn of stifle, well let down hocks and standing four square.  Moved at the slower pace with a typical shambling gait.  Her construction was confirmed in her long effortless stride, true on the fore and aft with excellent foot fall and a beautiful balanced gait.

2nd    Porter’s Ottaryx Vandal

As previous class.