Deerhound Club

The Deerhound Club

Championship Show – 6th April 2025 at Cheltenham.

I thank the committee for the invitation to judge on this wonderful weekend and the exhibitors for bringing some fabulous dogs for me to judge. As is the norm, temperament in both dogs and owners was exemplary and my decisions were accepted with good grace.

Puppy Dog (4,0)

1st Cumberland & Constantine – Kaleginy Shogun

A big boy and very raw. Could have a little more refinement to his head. Well laid front, good strong bone, pasterns have a slight slope with good feet, nice balance, strong broad thighs and well let down hocks. Movement a bit unsettled at this age.

2nd Rose – Hyndsight Better Believe It

Second a little less balanced than first and a little upright in front. Strong loin. Would like hocks closer to the ground. Another raw puppy with movement to settle.

3rd Merrick – Rophine Lomond

Junior Dog (3,0)

1st Peach – Kilbourne Jagger – RCC

Super strong masculine boy. Well balanced, neat ears, strong neck running into good front assembly. Correct topline with good fallaway, low hocks, good feet. Easily out moved the others in the class.

2nd Moffit – Kaleginy Caledonian

Nice type, just not as together a first. Lacking return of upper arm. Chest still to drop which will come with maturity. Good topline. Low hocks. Neat feet. Very much a baby.

3rd Beasley – Flaxside Druid

Yearling Dog (2,0)

1st Greenhalgh – Kilbourne Ablaize at Leksmoor

Nice size with masculine head, dark eyes and neatly held ears. Good coat. Topline ok with good fallaway to croup, strong loin. Movement quite erratic and doesn’t help his handler.

2nd Germain – Aghnadarragh Nolan

Harsh coated and masculine. Enough bone. Slope to pastern. Topline could have more shape. His ring tail spoiled the outline and very sadly he was quite lame in this class.

Graduate Dog (2,0)

1st Helps – Beardswood Xcalibur

Masculine and well put together with balanced angulation fore and aft. Strong loin. Good width to thigh. Good shape with correct topline and tuck up. Well muscled. The better mover of the two.

2nd Taylor – Stableview Willow

Smaller type and could be a bit more masculine. Neat ears and dark eyes. A little unbalanced fore to aft. Sitting into hocks so sloping in topline. Movement not so positive.

Limit Dog (7,2)

1st Finnett & Heathcote – Hyndsight Steppenwolf – CC & BIS

Well balanced masculine hound. Good topline showing a compact strong loin and lovely fallaway. Good depth to chest and broad second thigh. Well knuckled feet. Bladed bone. Deep ribbing carried well back. Moved well in profile showing lovely long easy strides but tended to throw his front a bit as he kept looking up at his handler. Beautiful head and expression.

2nd Wragg – Neroche Kielder

Another strong male. A little shorter in forearm just slightly putting his balance out. Well ribbed with split carried well back. Strong deep loin. Well let down hocks. Topline could be a little curvier.

3rd Owen & Brodie – Fritzens Zareef At Wolfcastle (imp. DEU)

Open Dog (7,4)

1st Finnett & Heathecote – Ch. Hyndsight Talk On The Street

Best for outline and balance in this class. Quality, masculine head with neat ears. Would like a slightly darker eye. Powerful rear with low hocks showing parallel drive. Good fallaway. Could have better tuck up and pasterns a tad upright.

2nd Anderson – Ir.Ch. Humbiehounds Velvet Tattie

Young male and still more to come, so forgave him his exuberance. Balanced angulation fore and aft. Good feet and pasterns. Nice depth to chest, ears could be neater. Moved well enough as he was a bit naughty with his handler. In good coat and condition.

3rd Taylor – Ch. Ormanstar Ezra

Loved his front and fill. Good head with dark eye giving a kind expression. Rear assembly not quite as good as his front and croup could be better. Correct coat and well turned out. Was dropping his topline a little today.

Veteran Dog (3,2)

1st Faircloth & Helps – Ch. Beardswood Uther

Quality male who I awarded a RCC to when he was a puppy. Lovely to see a veteran so very sound. Balanced angulation. Classic head. Just not holding his topline well today but by this time it was starting to get a little hot.

Puppy Bitch (5,0)

1st Bailey – Greyflax Miss Grace – BPIS

What a lovely promising puppy. So well put together with a lovely outline. Good bone, super topline and croup. Good depth and correct tuck up. To be picky, she could stand over a tad more ground, but I would have happily taken her home.

2nd Owen & Brodie – Fritzens Gunhild at Wolfcastle (ImpDEU)

Different type to one and a little less balanced at this stage. Quality feminine head, good bone with good feet and pasterns and hocks well let down. Would like her a little more curvy.

3rd Wilce-Quinton – Kirjojax Trilling Thistle

Junior Bitch (3,1)

1st Barter – Kilbourne Justine

Feminine and well grown, good front assembly, harsh coat. Good feet with enough slope to pasterns. Hocks could be lower and top and underlines could show a little more of a curvy shape. Moved well.

2nd Wyatt – Finch Hill Alastriona An Baskevyns

A pretty bitch with nice curves. Movement hard to assess as being naughty for handler. Well arched feet and well presented.

Yearling Bitch (4,3)

1st Stuart & Holt – Ollandsheart Matilda

Stood alone but deserved her win. Feminine with pleasing outline with feminine head and dark eyes. Well presented in coat and condition. Moved ok but the heat was making her a little lethargic.

Post Graduate Bitch (14,4)

Some nice bitches in this class with varying faults and virtues.

1st Edwards – Kilbourne Devon

A smaller framed bitch but very neat. Balanced outline and held her topline on the move. Front assembly good with good fill and layback. Sloping croup. Well knuckled feet. Very well presented.

2nd Merrick – Greyhawks Romano Lani

Nice and shapely with good topline held on the move. Balanced fore and aft with good width all through. Strong bone but still feminine. One of the better movers.

3rd Finnett & Heathcote – Antonius Vertragus The-Mara-River With Hyndsight

Limit Bitch (10,5)

1st Lewis – Luckhurst Whitefeatherfal

Feminine bitch who was the most balanced in the class and held her topline the best. Good front assembly with good fill, great depth, moved well with decent width coming and going. Good coat.

2nd Lucas & Dargonne – Packway Ecotrailer

Another pleasing bitch. Angulation could be better both front and rear but balanced with each other. Feminine with nice head and neat ears. A little long at hock. Moved well in profile but a little narrow coming and going.

3rd Wilce-Quinton – Kirjojax Pancho

Open Bitch (12,2)

Super class of mixed styles but all of great breed type.

1st Bailey – Ch. Greyflax Tallulah Lilac – CC & RBIS

Lovely feminine bitch with beautiful head. Moved very well from all directions. Very shapely but perhaps could lose a pound or two. Beautiful rear with strong croup and width to second thigh. Great depth and spring of rib. Very well presented.

2nd Finnett & Heathcote – Ch. Hyndsight All I Have To Do Is – RCC

Another super bitch with beautiful head and expression. Great bladed bone with slope to pasterns and good feet. Super top and underlines. Length of neck just throws her a tad out of balance.

3rd Peach – Kilbourne Opal’s Fire to Abayomi

Shapely bitch with balanced angulation, good front assembly. Good depth and spring of rib. Just dropped her topline a little on the move.

Veteran Bitch (5,1)

1st Helps – Ch. Beardswood Ulyssa – BVIS

Feminine with lovely head. Very well put together. Good topline held well on the move. In very good order and well presented. To be picky, a little uptight in pasterns.

2nd Paisey – Hyndsight Fields Of Gold

Beautiful classic head and so feminine. Good flat bone. Could have a little more fill of brisket. Moved well enough, but just dropping her topline a little. Well handled.

3rd Wilce-Quinton – Kilbourne Louisa Chick to Kirjojax

Coursing/Lure Chasing (6,0)

1st Lucas & Dargonne – Packway The Enigma

2nd Lucan & Dargonne – Packway Smackfarthing

Two very typey bitches. Lovely breed type, look as if they could do the job. Both moving well considering the heat of the day. Just preferred the topline on 1st.

3rd Taylor – Stableview Willow

Brace (8,0)

1st Stuart & Holt

2nd Taylor

3rd Germain

Team (4,0)

1st Stuart & Holt

2nd Lucas & Dargonna

3rd Wilce-Quinton & Quinton

Alison Morton (Judge)