Horley & District Show Society

Horley & District Show Society Shetland Sheepdog: First of all, I would like to thank the show committee for giving me the opportunity to judge my first show since I have received my judging licence. It was a great honour to be invited to judge ‘my breed’ in its country of origin. The show was very well run, we were lucky with the weather and thanks to my excellent stewards everything went smoothly. Second, I would like to thank all exhibitors who entered under me and gave me the highest breed entry of the day. It means a lot that so many people valued my opinion and it made my judging debut in the UK memorable. The atmosphere and sportsmanship in and outside the ring were admirable and it contributed to an enjoyable day. I think the overall quality of dogs was good and I was very pleased with my main winners as I think they have the sweetness we like to see in our breed, combined with a correct construction so they are able to do a day's work. The temperament of all dogs was good and there were no nervous ones. However, I do think that some of the dogs could be in a better muscle condition as this would benefit their movement. Also, the dental condition in some dogs needed the attention of the owner. As always, front construction needs attention. I wished that I could write critiques for all dogs to explain my opinion and placings as we do in Europe. In my critiques I try to give an honest and complete picture of the whole dog and not only list their virtues. Puppy Dog (5,0abs) 1st Rutterford’s Myter Black Tarquin at Stormhead Very promising tri puppy of excellent type, shape and proportions. Well shaped head with correct length. I prefer the foreface a touch more filled in, but he still has time to develop. He has a very sweet expression due to his rich tan markings and almond shaped eyes, that could be slightly more obliquely set. Well set and tipped ears. Excellent angulations in front and back. Nice length of neck. Correct substance in body for the age and good bone. In movement he still is a bit puppyish in front, but he shows excellent reach and drive. Well presented black coat of correct texture. BEST PUPPY. 2nd Rossiter’s Cocaro The Highlander Very mature puppy of 6 months old who is very stylish, but for me he should not strengthen and grow a lot more in size and substance. Beautiful wedge-shaped head with correct stop, well set tipping ears and dark almond shaped eyes. Very nicely rounded muzzle for his age. Sweet and already a masculine expression. Shapely neck. Strong bone and substance in body. Well angulated in front and back. Moves well for his age and is stable enough in front. Excellent puppy coat that is very well presented. Overall, he shows a lot of promise and I do hope he will not continue to grow much more. 3rd Rennison’s Sandwick Heart Of Glass with Zania 4th Straw’s Dukeson The Cruzader 5th Clough-Diprose’s Auberswell Star Trooper Puppy Bitch (3,1abs) 1st Rennison’s Sandwick Iridescent to Zaniah Pretty blue merle bitch with a beautiful colour and lots of charisma. She has a very nice elegant outline, but still needs time to mature. Feminine head and expression. I prefer a touch more length in head and a more rounded muzzle. Almond shaped eyes, that could be set more oblique. Well set and carried ears. Enough bone for size and correct substance in body. She is stronger angulated behind than in front. On the move she is still a bit youthful and needs to settle in front, but she is going correct behind. She has a smashing clear silvery blue colour that is well broken. Excellent presentation of the coat and the dog. 2nd Stock’s Shemist Cornflower 6 months old puppy bitch that could be more in everything. Overall, she has an OK shape. Finer head type and I prefer a more filled foreface and more filling under the eyes. Reasonable bone for size. She is well angulated in front and back, but still needs to develop in body. At the moment she is narrow in her front movement, but shows enough reach and drive. Another blue that has the correct clear silvery blue colour that is well broken. Not in full coat today, but what she has was well presented and of the correct texture. Junior (2,1abs) 1st Straw’s Dukeson The Cruzader Rather big male with a stylish shape and nice proportions who is unfortunately too much for me. At the moment, he has a long head with a slightly forward placed stop. Almond shaped eyes and correct ears. Masculine expression, but too strong. Nicely angulated in front and back. Long arched neck. OK bone for the age. On the move I prefer more stability in front. Correct coat for the age that shows a slight wave. Yearling (5,3abs) 1st Tunnicliffe’s Dippersmoor In Dreams Feminine tri bitch with a nice shape and proportions. Shorter head that could be a bit more refined for me. Maximum amount of stop. Well set, but slightly heavy ears. I prefer a slightly sweeter expression. Excellent bone. Enough angulated in front and OK in the back. On the move she has enough reach and drive, but still untidy in front and a bit narrow behind. The coat could be more intense black, however, it has the right texture. Well presented. 2nd Fagg’s Valdosta Lionking at Lynscott Male of excellent type and a lot of Sheltie charm. Very sweet and masculine expression due to dark almond shaped eyes, well set ears and round muzzle. Head is a little more triangle shaped instead of a long wedge. He could be more angulated in front and back, but he is balanced. At the moment he lacks depth of chest. OK bone for size. He moves balanced from the side, although I prefer more reach and drive. Still a bit narrow in front movement. Correct coat for the age, but it hides his shape a little. Well handled. Post Graduate (6,1abs) 1st Stock’s Shemist Summer Romance Pretty bitch with an elegant shape that could have a little more leg length. Correct length in head with a flat skull, however, a bit deep in back skull. Her stop breaks a little low and she is a bit wide between her eyes. The almond shape of the eye is enough. Well set and tipped ears. Lovely arched neck giving her an elegant outline. Excellent bone. Excellent front angulation and fore chest. Tends to stand a little wide in front sometimes. I prefer her ribs to be more oval shaped. Quite a long second thigh. Excellent movement from all sides. In her summer coat today, but enough to accentuate her lovely silhouette. Well handled. 2nd Riding’s Achor’s Surprise Orisa for Torinska Very pretty bitch with a nice shape and proportions. Feminine head and expression due to her almond shaped eyes, though they could be darker, and correct set and tipped ears. She has good bone for her size. I prefer more front angulation and depth of chest. Well shaped ribcage. Enough angulated in the back. On the move I prefer more reach and stability in front. Excellent coat and presentation. 3rd Sendall’s Sendora To Be Special 4th Matthews’ Esterbon Time Will Tell 5th Taylor’s Torinska Ribbon In The Blue Limit (3,1abs) 1st Whittington’s Esterbon Three Kisses for Tighness JW 7 ½ years old pretty tri bitch who is spot on for size. Lovely shape and very elegant all over. Long wedge-shaped head, but I prefer more roundness in muzzle. Little light and straight set eyes. Correct stop and flat skull. Feminine expression. Correct length of neck. Excellent bone. She is stronger angulated in the back than in front. I prefer more depth of chest. On the move she is a bit loose and narrow in front, correct behind. She could have more reach. Well presented coat and well handled. 2nd Barnett’s Dippersmoor Daquiri at Sonspirit Stronger male of excellent type who has a good shape and correct proportions. Beautiful head and sweet masculine expression. Beautiful dark almond shaped eyes. Well rounded muzzle and clean cheeks. Correct stop. Ears are a bit wide set, but correctly tipped. Should not be broader in back skull. Enough neck. Quite straight in front and back angulations. Prefer more depth of chest. Excellent bone. Short and narrow in his movement. Excellent presentation of the coat. Well handled. Open Dog (6,1abs) 1st Hull’s Mohnesee Dream Date of Lizmark Beautiful golden sable male of excellent breed type, spot on for size and correct proportions. Sweet, yet masculine expression due to his dark almond shaped oblique set eyes and correctly tipping ears. Well rounded muzzle and clean cheeks. His expression screams breed type! Arched neck of correct length that creates an elegant outline. Enough angulated in front and back. Excellent bone and correct substance in body. A bit steep in croup and could have a longer tail. Balanced in movement with enough reach and drive. Excellent coat and condition. Very well presented. Pleased to award him a well deserved RESERVE BOB 2nd Mitchell’s Valdosta Gracelands JW Excellent up to size young male with a stylish shape. Excellent proportions. Masculine head with sweet expression. Almond shaped eyes and well set tipped ears. Still needs to mature a little in foreface and stop. Maximum broadness in skull. Excellent front and back angulations. Excellent bone and substance in body. For his age he has nice movement and lots of reach and drive. He still needs to drop a little in body and be more stable when he moves, but that will come with time. One to watch for the future. 3rd Clough’s Evad Little Breeze 4th Cheal’s Carolelen Composer at Faemadra 5th Sangster & Rennison’s Zaniah Mono Tone of Drumcauchile Open Bitch (11,3abs) 1st Mitchell’s Valdosta Goddess JW Bitch who stood out for her overall balance and elegance. There is nothing out of place on her. Excellent type. Pretty and well shaped clean head with almond shaped eyes, that could be a touch darker. Correct set and tipped ears. Nice bone for her size. Very nicely angulated in front and back. Excellent fore chest. Nice sweep over the loins. Very sound and effortless on the move with correct reach and drive. Excellent low set tail that is well carried. Excellent presentation of the coat that enhances her beautiful shape. Very well presented. Pleased to award her BEST OF BREED. 2nd Whittington’s Tighness The Tide Is High VW 10 years old veteran bitch with a beautiful silhouette and excellent type. Beautiful long wedge-shaped head with the right proportions that is not seen often these days. The muzzle is rounded well enough. Her dark almond shaped eyes, combined with her correct ears, flat skull and a slight, but definite well placed stop give her the ideal expression. Beautiful arched neck giving her an elegant outline. Moderately angulated in front. Correct bone. Well angulated behind. She starts to show her age a bit in her front movement. I prefer more stability and reach in front, but she has the correct drive from behind. Excellent coat that is very well presented and enhances her shape. 3rd Cheal’s Carolelen Call My Bluff at Faemadra 4th Rennison’s Esterbon Bi Storm to Zaniah 5th Dendall’s Sendora Songbird Xander van Ulsen