Birmingham Dog Show Society Ltd

This was my first time awarding Challenge Certificates in this charming breed. Firstly, thank you for the lovely entry in terms of quantity and quality. I was grateful. Secondly thanks to all the exhibitors for a friendly and supportive atmosphere around the ring. It was a joy to be amongst you. As a non-specialist can I be permitted to make one comment. Ears are not good throughout the breed. The standard calls for a semi-erect and high set ear, yet I found many heavy ears with heavy drops it really does spoil an otherwise good Griffon.

Minor Puppy Dog 1. Marquant New Order. Red/R. Very raw young male that needs time and maturity to come into his own. Pleasing head and expression. Head although needs to finish has all the essential elements. Nice dark eye of good size and neat ears. Good length of neck. Could have a fraction more length of upper arm for preference. Stands on decent bone and feet. Needs to drop into himself and fill out. Good topline and short enough. Nicely angulated rear. Moved well. Should do well. BP

Puppy Dog 1. Zilcan Kick Boxer. Pleasing young dog. Has a typical head with good breadth to his skull and which has a correct slight rounded appearance. Good dark eye and nice dark rims. Good width and strength to his muzzle with enough turn up. Well placed ears. Nice front with width, and correct neck and shoulder. Stands on good bone and has a neat cat foot. Another that is yet to fill his frame. Decent spring of rib. Level and short enough. Nice rear angulation. Good front action although could be a fraction tidier going away. In good coat and condition.

Junior Dog. Large class of nine, and not an easy class to sort. 1. Zilcan Sunbeam TAF. R/R. Won here on his size and balance coupled with a beautiful head and expression. Quite mature for his age and was in contention for the RCC. Scored in head which is of good size for his stature, with good width of skull and good width between the eyes. Correct turn up and has a prominent chin. Good neck and well laid shoulder. Cobby. Strong topline and good short loin. Nice tail set. Moved soundly but could have a little more drive from the rear. 2. Delightbull Tad The Man For Topmead. Many of the attributes of the first placed dog also apply here. Another promising youngster with a typical head and expression. Nicely made front. Correct spring of rib. For me I preferred the bone on the first dog and would prefer a slightly better tail set. Sound mover. In good hard condition. 3. Cilleine Just Fun

PG Dog 1. Osthaen A Kind Of Magic. B/T. Quality dog. Pleasing head and expression. Good length of neck which is nicely arched. Well laid shoulder. Scored well in front assembly. Good rib and short strong loin. Correct topline and tail set. Moved well in both directions.2. Star Griff Sheridan At Delightbull (imp Ukr). R/R. Good for size and overall shape. Good head with neat ears and good dark round eye. Not quite the front of the class winner and stands just a fraction off in front. However good bone and good width to the front. Short and cobby with good rib. Well angulated rear. Could have a slightly higher tail set. In good hard condition. Moved with drive but could be a fraction better in the front.

Limit Dog 1. Zilcan Parker. R/R. Typey dog. Good or size and overall shape. Pleasing quality head with neat ears. Correct eye. Short muzzle of good width. Good turn up. Bone is sufficient and feet are tight. Won this class on his super rib and shortness. Good strong loin. Nice hind angulation. Moved true. In good harsh wiry coat. 2. Movalian Firestorm. Pleasing head. Good eye and neat ear. Good bone although could be a little more upright in pastern. Good neck and shoulder. Long cast than the first dog. Good rear which is well muscled. Moved with drive. 3. Osthaen Thunder In The Night

Open Dog 1. Ch Zilcan Monkey Business. R/R who appealed to me in this class and subsequently in the challenge. He appealed for his size and overall shape. He is not overdone in any way. Square cobby dog with a good sized head of quality. Correct head proportions. Masculine head but no evidence of coarseness. Correct dark round eye which are well placed apart. Clearly defined stop and good strength of muzzle with good width to his underjaw and correct turn up. Pleasing front. Stands on good bone and decent feet. This dog is really cobby and short. Nice high set tail. If I were to be critical, he could have a fraction better topline. Lovely hind quarters. Well muscled. Best of harsh jackets with decent undercoat. Well put down. Moved soundly in both directions. I liked him very much and was pleased to see later that he is already in the upper house. CC 2. Ch Beauborne Nadal At Topmead RCC. I have judged this dog before. As then, he was in excellent condition today and his owner clearly has an excellent grasp of the stripping knife, with not a hair out of place. He also scores in his excellent head and expression. Good dark eye and lovely set of ears. For me he is a slightly longer cast than ideal which is where 1 scored over him today. He has a good front assembly and stands on excellent bone and the tightest of cat feet. Although he is slightly longer cast, he is well ribbed it has a strong loin. He moves well with good rear drive coming from his well angulated and well muscled hind quarters. In front he is precise. Another with a very harsh topcoat. Please to award him the RCC in good company.3. Hierners Vidocq At Fennymore NAF TAF (Imp)

Veteran Dog 1. Ch Harpersband Case In Point At Balthazar (Imp Rus). R/R. Quality dog who probably had one of the best jackets of this entry. He is an excellent shape although I wouldn’t want him any bigger. Head is good with lovely breath in skull. Good ear placement and well used is nice eye. Excellent bone and nice feet. He is copy with an excellent spring of rib and has a short strong line. Nicely angulated back end. Moves well although could be a fraction tidier in hind action for perfection.2 Ch Nord Swed Norw Fin Admiravel Crazy Man In Beard. Black. Longer cast than the winner of this class and not as Cobby. However, a pleasing head and expression with lovely ears and a nice dark expressive eye. Good topline which is maintained on the move. Nice tail set. Excellent muscular condition. And has a very good jacket. I would like him a little bit more moderate behind. Moved well.

Special Beginners Bitch 1. Delightbull Come On Eileen. R/R. Very raw young bitch who needs time to come into her own. Head needs to break. However, has lovely dark round eyes which are well spaced and full of alertness. Needs to use her ears to better advantage. Good bone for a bitch. Needs to be a little more foursquare in the front. Well ribbed. Good topline. Nice underline. Could be a fraction shorter in loin. Good tail set. Very neat mover.

Minor Puppy Bitch 1. Norymarbi Stelmaria Asriel. B/T smooth. Quality head of decent size. Good expression. Neat ears. Super neck. Could, if I am being critical, have a fraction more length of upper arm for perfection. Good width to her chest. Well ribbed. Good hind angulation. Won here on her absolute soundness and attitude. 2 Fennymore Drama Puss. Cobby and compact bitch. Nice and short. Head is of good proportions with good eye and dark eye rims. Good muzzle of decent width with good upturn. Would prefer more lift to her ears more. Nice front. Could be a little more positive in the rear. 3. Fennymore Ellie May At Sharnese Taf Naf

Puppy Bitch 1. Fennymore Annie Power. Nice bitch with prospects. She is going through that rangier stage of development at the present time and just needs to mature through and fill her frame. I am sure she will do that. She has a good neck and shoulder. Pleasing front assembly was good with her chest. Nice bone and good tight feet. She has a level top line and a very good tail set. Would like a fraction less angulated in the rear for my preference. Super front movement could be a fraction tidier behind, but this may come with strengthening up. In good hardcoat.2. Beauborne Vanda Via Tremaloy. B/T rough. Another nice young puppy. A little more cobby and more mature in body than the first placed Bitch. However still needs time to finish through. Not using her tail today which cost her higher owners. She is nicely made with a good front and a good rear. Sound on the move.

Junior Bitch 1. Zilcan Toffee Apple. Very nice prospect here. She is very typey and I predict a good career ahead of her. This stems from an excellent headpiece which is correct in its proportions, with lovely eye, and good set of ears. She has a good strong chin. Her front is decent. Stands on good bone and lovely feet. Already at this stage she has a quality to her body with a good spring of rib and is really quite cobby. Nicely angulated rear. Her rough jacket is harsh to the touch and she has a decent undercoat. Moved well.2. Osthaen Fire Will Reign. This bitch pushed the winner quite hard. She is also a very nice bitch who is also cobby. She has that added advantage in a show dog of being very gassy and full of herself, this pleased me. Well made through. She has not quite got the rib of the winner of the class. But another that is very sound coming towards and going away. She is nice on the go around. 3. Osthaen I'm Your Fantasy

Post Graduate Bitch 1. Osthaen Cast A Spell. Red smooth. Nice bitch with lots of qualities. Pleasing head. Good neck and shoulder with a super front assembly. Nice bone and lovely compact. Could be a fraction shorter and could use her tail to better advantage. Good rear. Well muscled. Smooth coat in excellent condition and nice and tight. Moved well.

Limit Bitch 1. Movalian Burning Desire. Not a small bitch but she otherwise really pleased me. She is of such good breed type. Super outline and shape. Pleased in head which is very correct and as a smooth she just had to be correct as there are no furnishings to hide lack of strength or faults. Good dark eye. Good ears. Well made through. Cobby. Super rib in terms of spring and ribbed back to her strong loin. A super mover with real drive from good hindquarters. If I am critical, I would like a better tail although the set is good. I thought her very nice and was delighted to award her the RCC. Pushed the CC winner hard. I wish her well. I hope she males the upper house. 2. Cilleine Quintessential JW. Another nice bitch who made this class a good class to Judge. I thought her very nice with regards to her overall head and expression. She has a good broad skull. Skull is slightly rounded as required and her ears are sent well and a small and well used. She has a good neck and shoulder with a good Layback of the latter. Good work in front. Preferred the topline on the winner. Nice hindquarters. Moved well.

Open Bitch 1. Ch Zilcan Blazinickers. This red rough bitch topped a nice open bitch class. She immediately appeals for her overall silhouette and balance. When you come to her head, there is breadth of skull, well set small, neat ears, good dark eye with correct dark rims. She has breadth and strength to her muscle. Good upturn, with the position of the nose in relation to the eyes exactly as I would want. If I am however to be very hypercritical, I would like the eyes a fraction wider spaced. She has a lovely neck and shoulder. Her front is excellent with good width. She is super cobby. Top line is level, short, with short line. Tail on top. Good hind angulation. A quality champion bitch. I was delighted to award her the CC. In the challenge for best of breed I felt her top line was a little bit more solid than the dog. Put on a good performance in the group.2. Ch Datiro Chickadee JW OSW. This smooth is also very nice and presents a beautiful overall shape. She is good to go over. Lovely head and expression. Nicely made front and well angulated rear. She has good spring of rib and a correct top line. She really is a nice mover, being true fore and aft. In good hard muscular condition. A very worthy titleholder in my opinion. 3. Beauborne Pussycat Doll