Midlands Border Collie Club

Midlands Border Collie Club Open Show held 6/10/2024 – Special Awards

Klara Zolakova (Hysteps)

I would like to thank Midlands Border Collie Club for inviting me to judge their show’s Special Award classes, and to all exhibitors for entering under me. A great club with a well-run show, credit to you all on committee and to ladies in kitchen for the superb lunch. Thank you too for my lovely gifts, I felt totally spoiled.

I was pleased to see a new young handler in the ring. All dogs had great temperament and coped remarkably well with the obedience ring doing retrieves next to us.

I was looking for dog that moved well with head down, tail down, daisy cutting movement and holding the topline at all times. I was spoiled for choice among my entry.

Special award Junior dog or bitch (2/0)

1st Sashdan Pure Imagination With Simmovon (imp Aus) (Mr P & Mrs Y Simmons, Mrs D Inverno) Eye catching 14 months old dog of smaller frame, groomed, presented and handled to perfection. Well sprung ribs, short loin, back angles matching with his front ones. Good croup. Nice male head, good neck leading into his virtue - well laid back shoulders and long upper arm which he shows off on side gait, which was lovely when he kept head down. Sadly, in the challenge, he kept carrying his head a little too high for me.

2nd Simmovon Reason Too Dream (Ms Y Welch) Very nice 15 months old feminine bitch who had a hard time with change of handler. Later on, I saw her in different class, and she went foot perfect. She is a little longer cast that 1, her head is very nice with well used ears, lovely oval shaped dark eyes, good neck leading to nicely set shoulders. A little longer in loin, nice croup with good tailset, good back angles.

Special award Postgraduate dog or bitch (7/0)

1st Arrodare Never Say Never (Mr N Smith) This 2,5year old feminine girl who has been well presented and at one with her handler scored on her movement in this class. Lovely head with well used, semierect ears; dark eyes with keen expression but slightly round. Lovely arch of neck leading to great parallel front with well laid back shoulders. Good croup under bit too much hair today. Good tailset with long tail. She held her own in the challenge, where sadly her topline wasn’t holding all the time, but she powered around the ring so effortlessly that it was joy to watch.

2nd Wenmap Topkapi Gem (Miss W E Allison) This 19 months old cheeky girl was unlucky to meet the winner of this class. I really like her movement, but preferred the finishing touches and maturity of the winner. She is a good solid mover who knows how to use her angles to her advantage. Feminine head with lovely, well-shaped eye, ears sometimes a little heavier, but nicely mobile. Nice long arched neck leading into great laid back shoulders, well-muscled topline which was held well all times. Chest is still developing, nice croup, good feet. She was a little out of coat, but it didn’t distract from her good proportions.

3rd Bordabears Strikin Liaison (Mrs K Mitchell)

Special award Open dog or bitch (10/2)

1st Kinaway A Million Dreams (AI) (Miss W E Allison) Again this 4,5 year old bitch won on movement. Not the most feminine girl, but she had such a workman like movement, a proper border collie.  She kept her handler on her toes all the time. She has a very keen expression, well-shaped dark brown eyes, semierect ears. She has parallel front feet when viewed from the front, great lay back of shoulder. Her neck looks a little bit stuffy, but when you put your hands on, it’s only coat. In the same way, she has a lovely croup and good tailset, just little bit too much furnishing spoiling her outline on the stand. But as i said, she won her class on movement. She looked like she could go all day with the daisy cutting effortless movement I was looking for. Best Special Award.

2nd Littlethorn Ioniq (Mr R & Mrs A Tunnicliff) Very nice 19 month old male, who is masculine without being overdone. He was a little unsettled in this class to start with, but more he moved, the better he got. Nice masculine head, great attentive ears, nice spring of ribs, great topline which sadly got spoiled on move with too much bouncing hair on his loin. However, when you put your hands on him, he has a nice strong topline leading into a great croup with good set on tail. Back angles matching his front, letting him to use himself well.

3rd Calareto All My Loving JW ( Miss S Lea)