Eastern Saint Bernard Club

EASTERN ST BERNARD CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP SHOW

20.9.25

Thanks to the Club for their kind hospitality and to the sporting exhibitors who brought their dogs to me clean and well presented. A few of the youngsters need ringcraft to improve their confidence as a Saint needs to stand confidently for the hands-on. I found a few bites to be less than perfect and there were some loose eyes but they were in the minority.

It was pleasing to discover that my CC winners were littermates and that they had also won the tickets under Liz Dunhill at the United show in the morning (which was over before I arrived!). It was encouraging to see such promising puppies, so much so that both Reserve CCs went to the Best Puppy winners.

MINOR PUPPY DOG (2) 1. Lazarides’ ALCHAZANDIS JOLLY JENGA, 7 months, strongly boned with good substance all through but needs to fill out in front and come up on leg a little. Reasonable head type and the eyes are tight enough. Moderate angulation front and back, just needs a little more practice to coordinate on the move but the basics are there. 2. Iveson’s OURFAIRVIEW ATLANTA, 7 months Smooth and needing a lot of practice to gain confidence. Well balanced head with strong muzzle but eyes could be slightly tighter. Generally well boned but needs to fill out in forechest. Good length of leg and overall proportions, well ribbed with excellent coat texture. Movement is a little narrow coming and going, but this should improve with maturity as he bodies up.

PUPPY DOG (3,1 abs) 1. MacDonald’s CHEDHAM HAVE A NICE DAY AT CHEDHAM, handsome, upstanding and at 9 months in beautiful condition and so well presented. Well-proportioned head, free of exaggeration, with good square muzzle. His high white collar can make his excellent neck look shorter than the reality and it flows into a firm level topline which never falters. Strong bone, optimum length of leg, ideal balance of outline with optimum angulation front and back and he is well ribbed back. Just needs to fill out in front with maturity. Really impressed on the move, going around freely covering the ground and carrying himself so well for a youngster with no apparent effort. Shows enormous promise and should end up with his title. Today he won the Reserve CC comfortably.2. A. Jolly Jenga.

JUNIOR DOG (2) 1. Venables-Smith’s SVANASJONS XTRA SPECIAL (IMP SWE), 16 months and very moderate in so many ways. Well balanced head with excellent bite, just needs to come up on leg to balance out but has excellent bone, good spring of rib and correct angulation front and back. Topline is still a little soft but should firm up with maturity. Moves quite adequately. 2. Everton’s COLDLEA MIDNIGHT SAPPHIRE, at first glance I felt he was the obvious winner of the class because his outline is quite spectacular and he is very well proportioned with perfect balance, excellent topline and optimum angulation. The head is essentially typical but the bite could be more perfect and his constant rasping worried me a little. Still he moved with enthusiasm and freedom, holding himself well.

POSTGRADUATE DOG (4,3) 1. Salter’s CHANDLIMORE STORMIN NORMAN AT OLAFSAINTS a junior of good basic type with lots of substance and very well bodied but needs to fill out in forechest and his feet could be a little tighter. Well-proportioned head profile with enough neck, firm back line, correct angles front and back and a sensible mover.

LIMIT DOG (1) 1. Mokryk’s STREILLYS HUGO THE BOSS, striking well marked 2-year-old with excellent head profile and pleasing expression. Beautifully presented and makes a very attractive overall picture. Well boned, correctly angulated and when he wasn’t distracted with bait moved with great style and carriage. The bite could be a little more perfect, topline is a little tense and he could carry a little more body weight to advantage.

OPEN DOG (1) 1. K Forster & C Spencer-Gray - IR CH CHANDLIMORE FAR OUT IR CH, JCW 25, CW25, just out of Junior but top class in every respect. Well-proportioned head with noticeable stop, good bite, full muzzle and classic profile. Strong, nobly arched neck, firm back line, well ribbed with optimum body weight and perfect angulation front and back, strong bone and well filled front. Moved steadily in the challenge and has a natural presence. Won the CC comfortably to add to the first one he had won earlier in the day I discovered afterwards. Should become an easy UK Champion.

VETERAN BITCH (2,1) 1. Mokryk’s CHEDHAM DORA THE EXPLORER, 8 year-old in great bloom. Excellent basic head type of good proportions with clear eyes. Ample bone and substance, tight feet and well filled front. Well sprung ribs; firm topline and ideal angulation of fore and hindquarters. Sound and steady mover in excellent condition for her age.

MINOR PUPPY BITCH (3,1) 1. Harlow’s OURFAIRVIEW AMSTERDAM, 7 months, feminine but still has sufficient substance. Head is raw but of good basic proportions, the bite is OK and the eyes are clear. Needs to fill out in front which should come with age. Strong bone, correct length of neck, well laid shoulder, promising ribs, good rear angulation and whilst she moves steadily she needs to be stronger behind. 2. Dowden’s SVANASJOHNS YARROW FIELD BLOSSOM AT LUNORVI (RAF), 6 months Smooth with not much colour but her make and shape and overall proportions are excellent. Promising heed with clear eyes, good bite but she needs more training to get used to being handled. Movement is quite good for her age.

PUPPY BITCH (3) A very strong class with three lovely bitches. 1. Clarke’s PARLESHAN EBONY ROSE (IKC), 10 months and the most exciting prospect! Beautifully balanced head with tight clear eyes, well defined stop, excellent bite and well-finished muzzle. Already good width in front and well filled forechest with ample bone and tight feet. Optimum length of neck, well-laid shoulder, remarkably firm topline for her age, well sprung ribs, correct angulation front and back and her outstanding conformation was reflected in her movement which is particularly impressive coming on whilst the profile is free and easy with no effort whatsoever. Made a huge impression on me and sailed through to win the Reserve CC, Best Puppy in Show and Reserve Best in Show. I am sure she will have a very “rosy” future! 2. MacDonald’s KENBLOOM TIP TOP AT CHEDHAM, 9 months full of quality and excellent overall type throughout, well-proportioned head if her eyes are not quite as tight as the winner’s. Already good width in front, strong bone of quality, good length of neck, well sprung ribs, moderate angulation and when she settled, she moved quite steadily. 3. Deuchar-Fawcett’s SARANBECK SHOWTIME.

JUNIOR BITCH (4) 1. Thorpe & Meyrick’s COLDLEA MIDNIGHT EXPRESS, 16 months not the most flashily marked but she has outstanding overall proportions, perfect balance and excellent conformation with optimum angles front and back. Would like more strength of skull and her colouring doesn’t help. Initially was pacing on the move but that was soon rectified to show totally satisfactory gating up, down and around. Set up, the outline is most impressive. 2. Robertson’s NEPHTHYS OF THER NILE, 12 months and a bitch of this quality needs some serious training to achieve her full potential. Beautifully balanced head and most appealing expression when she wasn’t being force fed! Excellent neck, firm topline, strong bone, well sprung ribs and optimum angulation. On the move she goes freely and with energy. 3. Booth’s Ch CHANDLIMORE REACH OUT BEAUSAINTS.

POSTGRADUATE BITCH (1) 1. Deuchar-Fawcett’s SARANBECK DARE TO DREAM, yearling bitch of excellent overall type with well-proportioned and unexaggerated head with tight eyes which could be a tad darker. Enough neck, excellent spring of rib, strong bone if feet could be a little tighter. Moderate angles front and back, moves with enthusiasm but could be a little tighter in front.

LIMIT BITCH (3,1) 1. Milburn’s DAWNSTENBEARS OUT IN STYLE, high quality all through and brim-full of breed type with a beautifully proportioned head if the eye could be a tad tighter. Correct length of neck, excellent angulation front and back with wonderful finish of bone and good width in front but can still fill out a little in body yet has a firm topline, the whole outline flows and her attractive markings are a bonus. 2. Millward & Beck’s SAINTDIAMOND U AND ME IN PARADSE AT MILVOSI (IMP HUN), good basic type if a little plain in heed, just enough bone, good overall proportions but could be a little better let down behind with a little more angulation front and back but makes the best of herself on the move.

OPEN BITCH (2) 1. Booth’s Ch CHANDLIMORE STAR STRUCK WITH BEAUSAINTS, excellent overall stamp combining great substance with a look of quality. Beautiful head and expression with excellent eye, could maybe have a little more neck but has strong bone, is well ribbed with correct angulation and moved steadily. 2. Holloway & Milburn’s DAWNSTENBEARS RULE THE WORLD, excellent overall type with a basically good head but not as tight in eye as the winner. Well bodied and boned with well sprung rubs but could be much stronger in hock.

SPECIAL OPEN SMOOTH BITCH (1) 1. S. SHOWTIME, third in that super Puppy class and has so much potential. Beautifully balanced head free of exaggeration with defined stop, full square muzzle and clear eyes. Excellent length of leg, well ribbed back with moderate angulation of front and rear. Firm topline, quality coat and she moves steadily.

CHAMPION BITCH (3,2) 1. Deegan & Grainger’s Ch CHANDLIMORE MINERVA, intense quality from nose to tail and her construction is a joy to go over. Beautiful head and expression with plenty of work but free from extremes with full square muzzle, dark expressive eyes and a good mouth. Strong, gently crested neck, wonderfully finished bone, great spring of rib, firm topline and her angulation – particularly behind – is outstanding with great development of second thigh. She may not be the tallest but she is well within the Standard and has ample leg length for her depth of body. Her movement is sound with perfect footfall though she gives her handler a hard time! Needless to say, her presentation and conditioning were impeccable. Point for point I found her to have so much that the breed needs which is why she won the CC and then beat her litter brother (who suddenly faltered a little in front) for Best in Show.

ANDREW H. BRACE