Herts & Essex Border Canine Society

A wonderful show with a super hardworking Committee. Many thanks to them for inviting me to officiate here. It’s a long time since I’ve judged in Norfolk. I really enjoyed my day and had some truly lovely dogs to go over. Thank you to everyone for their entries.

Best Veteran In Show.

I had some super veterans in front of me, so thank you to the respective group judges. 

BVIS: The clear winner for me was the super OES, Naismith’s Ch Zottels Honey Moon At Shaggybo ShCM. Super in outline. So typical and looking the class act here. Great head, reachy neck and super angulation. In magnificent coat and condition and powered around the ring in the typical fashion of the breed. Super girl.

RBVIS: Runner up was the German Spitz (Mittel) Saich’s Hocombewood Hot Toddy For Lindcoly. Personality plus and showing himself off so well. Typical in head with that typical ‘spitz’ expression. Super to go over with good bone and body. In great coat and condition and moved to perfection.

Best In Show.

Another super line up with some difficult decisions to make.

BIS: Wray-Ramsden’s Caronlea Celtic Fire Starter For Takhisis JW (AI) (IKC). Australian Shepherd. I judged this dog at Paignton last year, where I awarded him the RCC. I can honestly say he looked better here! In absolute top condition and gleaming all over. Masculine in head with good eyes and ears and correct head planes. Super neck. Well-laid shoulders and return of upper arm. Good width all through. Firm, muscular body and topline. Well-turned stifles and firm hocks. Good bone for size. He looked so good in body here, having really matured on. Outstanding on the move, reaching and driving with ease. Very well handled and just looked magnificent.

RBIS: Holman’s Ch Altina’s Henry Higgins. JW. Pomeranian. Absolutely loved him and wanted to take him home. So full of his own importance. Such a foxy head with a delightful expression. Great eyes which are slightly oval. Great in neck and body. Short back and compact in body. Small cat like feet. In full bloom and looking a picture. Lovely to go over and superb mover. Loved him. Pushed the Aussie all the way.

Best Puppy In Show

What promising babies these were. I felt all were of high quality.

BPIS: Wolf’s Csulli’s Dawn Breaker. Hungarian Pumi. A little smasher. Really showing herself off. Showing lots of breed type and very nice to go over. She has a lovely expression with dark eyes and high set ears. Medium length to neck and good angulation. Level topline. Typical in underline. Tail set high. Coat coming along nicely. Really didn’t put a foot wrong on the move.

RBPIS: Cross’ Breezelyn Long Way To Go To Loggeta. A very typey Long Haired Dachshund. Maturing nicely. Lovely head. Almond shaped eyes. Good length of neck leading to well laid shoulders. Well-proportioned body and good daylight underneath. Well ribbed. Firm topline. Well bent stifles and correct tailset and carriage. Moved with ease.

Afghan Hound

Limit (1,0)

1st: Mullen’s El Roalito Keep Smiling (Imp Deu). Typical expression. Punishing jaws. Dark, triangular eyes. Ears set low and well back. Reachy neck. Moderate angulation of shoulders and upper arm. Deep in chest. A little soft in topline. Reasonable sweep to stifles. Low set hocks. Tail set correctly with slight ring . Coat ok for texture. Typical saddle. Springy enough in action. Well-handled. BOB

Bearded Collies

Puppy (2,1)

1st: Dobrowolski’s Highglade Reason To Believe. Up to size. Very immature. Developing well in head. Neck of medium length. Moderate angles. Deep enough in chest. Firm in topline. Coat typical for texture at this age. Moved soundly. BP

Junior (1,0)

1st: Rudd’s Tresor Des Emeraudes Du Lac Avec Lubin (Imp Fra). A feminine young lady with an attractive head and expression. Eyes of correct shape and set and colour harmonising with coat colour. Would prefer more angulation at front. Rather soft in topline. Chest reaches to elbow. Moderate turn to stifle. Not much coat on the day, but the texture of what she did have was ok. Moves soundly in profile.

Limit (2,0)

1st: Lee- Finglas’ Braemoors Quite The Catch for Richeath (Imp NLD) NAF. Head is balanced in muzzle and skull. Skull is square enough. Quite standard fitting in shape and outline, but a tad soft in topline. Deep chest. Enough width. Tail set and carriage good. Moves soundly in profile but not covering much ground. Ok out and back. Coat good for texture.

2nd: Kay’s Matamata Homely House. Masculine dog who made life a little difficult for his handler. Quite pleasing in head. Typical expression. Not as well balanced in angulation as the winner. Tail rather high set and carried a little high on the move. Coat texture good.

Open (3,0)

1st: Salmon’s Potterdale Heritage. An easy winner here. Masculine and of the type, shape and construction I was looking for. Good strength to head without being overdone. Skull is broad and flat. Good strength to muzzle. Well-proportioned skull to muzzle. Eyes of ideal shape and set and he has a wonderful expression. Moderate length to neck leading to well laid shoulders. Good return to upper arm. Good length of ribcage. Deep chest reaching to elbows. Firm topline. Good bend to stifles. Low set hocks. Tail set good and carried perfectly on the move. Superb mover in profile and very sound out and back. Good coat texture. BOB

2nd: Bevis’ Beaubeardies Cinnamon Girl. An understated bitch who I liked when I went over her. Of a nice shape. Head is feminine and well proportioned. Her eyes are well set toning with coat colour. Moderate angulation fore and aft. Good length and strength to topline. Good coat texture and does not detract from her outline. Tail set and carriage ok. Moved better than the competition to take RBOB here.

3rd: Rudd’s Tolkien’s Dream Oin With Lubin (Imp Deu)

Norwegian Buhund.

Puppy (3,0)

A super promising class of puppies. All behaved so well and were a delight to judge and show great promise for their show careers.

1st: Corin & Camm’s Mazads Nom De Plume. A mature boy who was showing himself off very well. Medium in size. Good wedge-shaped head. Correct stop and tapering muzzle. Dark eyes. Ears ok for shape. Medium length to neck with moderate arch. Moderate angulation of shoulders and upper arm. Chest quite well developed for age. Good bone for size. Strong and short in body and firm level topline. Short coupled. Moderate turn of stifles. Oval shaped feet. High set tail with correct curl. Moves with nice stride in profile. Needs to settle out and back. BP

2nd: Platt’s Mazads Joie De Vivre. I really liked this puppy. Not showing herself off quite as well as her littermate in 1st. She has a nice wedge shaped, feminine head. Dark eyes. Lovely shape to ears which are sharply pointed and high set. Similar in body to 1st. Moves freely and soundly. Shows lots of potential.

3rd: Strong’s Draccus I Have a Dream.

Open (2)

Two very familiar dogs here, and again they swapped places – the 2nd literally being beaten by an ear!

1st: Strong’s Ch Legatts Dancing Queen At Draccus. This bitch looked bang on form from when I last judged her at Lichfield. She has such a feminine head and really conjures up in your mind the impression of hard- working farm dog, She is free from any exaggeration and lightly built without being weedy in bone. She has a wedge-shaped head and lovely pointed ears which are well set. Super neck and angulation and, for me, a lovey outline and strong level topline. Tail set and curl if super. Her movement was as fantastic as ever in profile. Looked great. BOB

2nd: Corin & Camm’s Kligenthal Almuric. A masculine boy who I have obviously liked a lot in the past. Here, one of his ears was bothering him and it rather put him of his stride. He a lovely, masculine wedge-shaped head, dark eyes, pointed ears. He is lightly built overall, but with good bone and substance. Clean cut in outline with medium angulation and short and square in body. Firmest of loins. Topline was sloping just a tad today. Super tail set. He moved with consummate ease and I’m sure will gain his crown. RBOB

Welsh Corgi (Cardigan)

Open (1,0)

1st: Ch Mistycor Apollo Back To Black for Kalwig (Imp Rus). I thought this was a very handsome Cardi. Very workmanlike and good daylight under him. Lovely eye and expression. Ears could just perhaps be a tad higher set, but they have lovely rounded tips. Super front with good bone and typical legs and feet. Strong firm topline with good ribbing. Well bent stifles. Super fox brush tail. In great condition and super mover, powering around the ring.

Dobermann

Puppy (3,1)

1st: White & Hunts’ Virsco Velocity. A quite pleasing puppy. Has a feminine head with enough length and nice expression. Neck could be longer with more arch. Forechest needs to develop. Moderate, balanced angles. Firm topline. In great condition. Moved soundly. BP. BOB

2nd: Bullen’s Aritaur Dreamer. Bit heavier all through than the winner and not as typical in expression. Neck of good length with a decent arch. Ok in body with moderate angulation. Did not move as steady as the winner.

Open (2,1)

1st: Hunt’s Jojavik Express Yourself At Virsco. A very tall and leggy bitch. Attractive head with typical eye and expression. Neck is rather short and she is upright in shoulder and upper arm. Needs more forechest. Topline is firm and slightly sloping. Moderate turn of stifle. Well-filled croup. Moved soundly. RBOB

Newfoundland

Puppy (2,0)

1st: Hosie’s Shadowrise Wild Fire. I thought this brown showed real promise. She is obviously very immature and has lots of development to do, but I really liked her outline overall. Head is developing well and will mature on. Great pigment and eye colour is more than ok for a brown. Lovely neck leading to well laid shoulders and good return of upper arm. Deep chest. Nice bone. A little ‘leggy’, but she is only 11 months. Firm in topline. Looking just a bit tucked up in underline, but, again, she’ll mature on. Lovely turn of stifles. Correct tail set and carriage. Lacking in coat on the day. Moves soundly and positively. Shall watch her progress with interest. BP & BOB

2nd Hosie’s King of Helluland Jungle Book At Shadowrise (Imp SVK). For me, rather too overdone in head and muzzle for age. Tad ‘blocky’ in head and loose in eye and lips for my preference. Ok in neck. Quite nicely built in terms of angulation. Substantial bone for age already. Deep chest. Level topline. Tail set and carriage are good. Sound on the move. In great coat. Well-presented.

Junior (2,1)

1st: Hosie’s King of Helluland Jungle Book At Shadowrise (Imp SVK).

AV Minor Puppy Dog (6,2)

1st: Stock’s Dalmark’s Jubilations at Nospar. Dalmation. Showing lots of promise. Well built, but not overdone. Nice typical head. Good length of neck. Well angulated. Firm topline. Deep chest. Moved very soundly in the typical fashion of the breed.

2nd: Adam-Slomkowski’s Frank Dreamed A Dream at Skylax NAF. Lhasa. A real baby. Very typical in outline and developing on good lines. Well-constructed and moved with purpose and drive.

3rd: Weston’s Crystaldrift Neo Lythix (Italian Greyhound)

AV Puppy Dog (10,5)

1st: Henshaw-Wood’s Magikus Sirius Black. Hungarian Puli. A really nice baby. Super to go over. Lovely small head in comparison to body. Slightly domed skull. Dark eyes of correct shape and set. Correct length of muzzle. Medium length of neck. Well laid shoulders. Withers slightly higher than level of back. Firm topline. Short rump. Well bent stifles. Well-muscled. Superb mover. Great prospect.

2nd: Middleton-Collins’ Berrymeade A Fool In Love of Jasperleigh. Attractive head with kind expression. Well-built forehand. Firm topline. Good bone for age. A little bum high at present. In lovely condition. Moved freely.

3rd: Lee-Morris Michandy It’s Showtime at Pupstar (Min. Poodle)

AV Minor Puppy Bitch (17,9) – A nice class.

1st: Leggett’s Mellowdee Sapphire Moon Avec Meldale. OES. One I last judged at Lichfield in the puppy group. She took my eye there, but she has matured on very nicely. Good breed type and construction. Lovely bone. On the move, she eats the ground up in profile. Coat is coming along. Well-set tail. Well-presented and handled. Shall watch her career with interest.

2nd: Robbins’ & Hensman’s Salvadorada Jalapeno Girl at Palouse. Dalmation. Really feminine bitch. Another that shows bags of potential. Typical head, eyes and well-set ears. Nice arch to neck. Well balanced angulation. Level topline. Goof tail set and carriage. Very free and easy mover.

3rd: Watkins’ Silmoralbion Kiowa (Keeshond)

AV Puppy Bitch (18, 14)

1st: Kotanen’s Yokotai Queen of Chaos. A very smart and merry Cocker. Really attractive head. Skull is well-developed. Well defined stop and correct length of muzzle. Gorgeous eyes. Low set ears of correct length. Reachy neck. Cobby body. Well-ribbed. Well angulated and balanced. Correct tailset. Really positive mover displaying good reach and drive.

2nd: Jelley’s Piechottka Dark Phoeniz. Dogue De Bordeaux. Obviously, lots of development to do, but has a nice breed type, size and construction. Very well handled and she moved around the ring very soundly. In lovely muscular condition.

3rd: Thomas’ Kelmorespitz’s Bad Habits (Tib. Terrier)