Driffield Championship Dog Show

Weimaraners

I was truly delighted with my winners and thoroughly enjoyed my day.

I would just like to share a few observations. In some classes, it was a particular challenge to compare dogs that varied quite widely in type, yet were still pleasing and each met the breed standard in their own way. There continues to be noticeable variation in both size and bone across the entries.

One point that stood out was front construction. A few exhibits showed rather straight fronts, with a lack of return of upper arm and, in some cases, straight front pasterns - something I have not previously observed in our breed, as they have always shown good angulation at the pasterns. At the other end of the spectrum, some were rather heavy in front, with briskets carried below the elbows. These dogs tended to be so front-loaded that their centre of gravity was off; they bore too much weight on the forehand & showed excessive angulation at the rear. These dogs can hold really good hard stacks for longer stints & it can look flashy but it’s not right.

There were some otherwise lovely dogs but sadly they paced & paid the price.

SBD (2): 1 Whitwham’s Schonhund Show Pride, masculine boy of 11 months, well off for bone, good length of body with a strong topline, well-turned stifles, moved well with an easy stride when settled; 2 Jennings’ Wallaroo Romeo JW, mature dog of 3 years, clean & elegant in outline with level topline, good front assembly & length of body, tightly made in his skin. Preferred the movement & masculinity of 1.

VD (3): 1 McMahon’s Ir Sh Ch Silverkelvin Jupiter over Magdala VW CW22, enthusiastic masculine male - stood & moved well. Nice to go over, good ribbing, correct turn of stifle, hocks vertical to the ground with muscled quarters. Does a handsome free stack, holding a good posture with correct height to length body proportions. Sire of my BSB; 2 MacLaine & Dickson’s Greyspirit Rock Star from Hantzburg JW ShCEx OSW VW, he looks smart stacked & has good height to length body proportions. Appeals in head with good depth of flew. He has a good side gait but his return of upper arm could be better; 3 Snaith’s Skilaki Move On Up to Bifonda JW.

PD (2): 1 Charlish’s Gunalt The Morning After, lots of attitude – very full of himself & enjoying moving around the ring. He is smart & looks lovely stacked up. He is chunky in substance, just as he should be, has good height to length proportions. He is raw through the front at the moment & hope this comes in time as he has a lot of potential; 2 S Show Pride.

JD (4): 1 RCC Whitehead’s Gunalt Back Chat from Stridview, stands out, soundly made & stacks up well, brisket down to elbow, good neck into well laid shoulders, correct height to length ratios, good rear angulation, well-muscled quarters, hocks vertical to the ground. Moved co-ordinately. Would like a tad more of him; 2 Cain’s Lustamusk Star Ship Trooper, he has lovely proportions with good length of body & a strong topline. Would like more forechest & would prefer a more masculine head; 3 O’Donoghue’s Sireva Mayhem.

LD (4): 1 & 2 completely different types & at opposite ends of the colour scale but I liked both. 1 CC Phillips’ Moon Shadow By Atria Cordis Rivertone (Imp), medium sized male with a polished outline, good pigment, depth of muzzle & dark amber eyes, brisket down to elbow, well developed forechest, taut through the loin, well-muscled & well angulated quarters. Lovely side gait & moves off with positivity & enthusiasm. Holds good posture in a free stack – never losing his topline. Very well presented; 2 Thwaites & Woodward-Thwaites’ Sireva Rambler (AI), medium size male, on his toes, brisket down to elbow, nice length of ear leathers, correct length of neck, good angulation to front pasterns, moved co-ordinately. Preferred the streamlined outline of 1; 3 W Romeo JW.

OD (2): 1 & 2 completely different types but both lovely specimens. 1 Phillips’ Sh Ch Rivertone Retrograde, upstanding stately male, very well made & lovely to go over as everything flows, his elbows are snug & tight to the chest wall with brisket down to elbow, stands on lovely tight feet with well arched toes. Good length of body, with a cut glass outline – no breaks or divots, well angulated quarters. Moved co-ordinately & moved the best I’d seen him today; 2 Simpson’s Ch Sireva Emeyefive JW, medium sized male, beautiful pigmentation contrasting with his coat, well made, appeals standing, with a clean outline, brisket own to elbow, good forechest, clean neck, firm topline, in extremely fit condition, good bend of stifle, hocks vertical to the ground. Moved well.

SBB (3,1A): 1 BSB Golbourn’s Kallasilya Swan River Daisy, really a rather lovely bitch of 3 years – nothing is overdone or exaggerated – just as she should be – moderate. Well-developed forechest, brisket down to elbow, good length of body with the ribbing to match, holds a level topline, excellent turn of stifle & free mover; 2 Jennings’ Wallaroo Red Dwarf, only a baby of 7 months, very smart with a clean outline, good length of neck, well angulated quarters. When she matures through her front & gets her act together on the move, will make for a nice adult.

VB (3): 1 BV Maclaine & Dickson’s Greyspirit Hopes N'Dreams JW ShCEx OSW VW, elegant, stands with presence & moves around the ring with a lovely easy gait where she has a good neck extension. Pretty head, lovely length of ear, clean outline, good topline – elegant, well angulated quarters. A lovely bitch; 2 Copeland’s Sh Ch Gunalt Wondrous at Strideview JW (AI), nice type, well developed forechest, brisket down to elbow, good length of body, correct turn of stifle. Carrying a tad extra weight over the shoulders today. Went away well but could see it coming towards. Liked her a lot though; 3 Cain’s Schonhund Show Tallulah at Lustamusk.

MPB (4): Two beautiful siblings in 1 & 2. 1 BP & RCC Dyer & Oddie’s Rivertone Wicked for Sharnphilly, right up my street, well off for bone, good front assembly, snug elbows, pretty head, clean neck into well laid shoulders, stacks up lovely, flows from head to toe – elegant & clean, good rear angles. Lovely kick to her drive. Superbly presented. As I awarded her the RCC, the puppy snatched it out of my hands – cheeky minx. She’ll go far; 2 Jefferies Rivertone Athena over Silbermeer, litter sister to 1 & also a lovely quality bitch, finer in appearance than 1 but not lacking bone by any means. Looks so polished, elegant & clean in outline – good length of neck into well laid shoulders, excellent topline & moved really well. Nothing is out of place. Well handled; 3 W Red Dwarf.

PB (3): 1 Difficult to pick between 1 & 2 – not much separates them at all. R Wicked for S; 2 Phillips’ Rivertone Defying Gravity, another quality bitch from this litter. Chunky bone, good forechest, correct length of neck into well laid shoulders, super clean topline – cut glass appearance, correct length of loin, well angulated quarters, hocks vertical to the ground. Moves well once settled holding a super strong, level topline. She just needs a little more ringcraft to find her easy moving groove; 3 Tierney’s Gunalt Madeira at Greyfurs.

JB (2): 1 Simpson’s Sireva Maze, appeals in outline on the stack, very together & good to go over, stands on tidy feet, lovely dark pigment, nice forechest, brisket down to elbow, correct bend of stifle, hocks vertical to the ground. Moved better than 2 Cain’s Lustamusk Star Mississippi, holds a level topline & has good rear angles. Rather strong bone for a bitch & paced at times.

PGB (5): 1 & 2 completely different in type & yet half-sisters, I believe. I liked both. 1 Kelly’s Vansant Vixen, appeals standing & moving, lovely elegance to her without being too fine, pretty head with lovely ears, clean neck into well laid shoulders, good length of body & turn of stifle, well-muscled quarters. Moved with some power to her. Will get even better with maturity; 2 Moore’s Theondale Mave The Rave at Cavalmist, strong looking bitch, well off for bone, appeals in outline with correct height to length body proportions, clean over the topline, good depth of flew, clean neck into well laid shoulders, good ribbing, moved well. Just a tad heavy through the front today; 3 McLoughlin’s Kalimor Tailor.

LB (4): 1 Simpson’s Sireva Emseesee, nice to go over, good head in profile with lovely length of ear, nice bone, appeals standing & holds good posture with a strong topline & good underline, excellent turn of stifle. She moves co-ordinately. Scored on front assembly over 2 West’s Gunalt Frequency by Hantu (AI) JW, I like this bitch’s type, she has substance & has a clean smooth outline which appeals. Good neck – no excess dewlap, nice size & substance – yet feminine, good length of body. Her tailset is a slight distraction; 3 Maskell & Rayner‘s Brownbank Willow with Raystans JW.

OB (4): 1 CC & BOB West’s Sh Ch Gunalt Wavelength JW ShCEx OSW, a superb bitch full of breed type who has matured beautifully, perfectly balanced in every respect. Lovely head & expression with amber eyes, clean neck, snug elbows, firm level topline, taut loin, and powerful quarters. Moves with great co-ordination. A true breed specialist’s dog & an excellent example of the Weimaraner. No hesitation awarding her the CC & BOB. She is looking fab; 2 Pavey & Evans’ Rivertone Inevitable at Joneva, a lovely elegant, balanced bitch with nothing out of place, maturing beautifully. Looked her best today, moving strongly from strong hocks with polished topline & muscled quarters. She is well made with good bone & length of body & lovely ribbing; 3 Hostler’s Sh Ch Kalimor Daisy JW.

DANIELA PINTO TRANQUADA (Judge)