Driffield Championship Dog Show

DRIFFIELD 49th

BORZOIS

An amazing day at the double Driffield show. At the first show, judged by Keith Thornton, Ch. Ryazan Viceroy of Radost at Menigma, bred by me, took BOB followed by the hound group. At the 49th show, which I judged, my BOB was Ch. Donskoi Groza at Russmechta and he also went on to win the group. A superb day for the breed.

As a successful Borzoi exhibitor, breeder and judge of 60 years standing I do find the current level of entries and overall quality in the breed very disappointing, a state of affairs by no means confined to this country. If exhibitors do not make the effort to support experienced breed specialist judges then they will receive fewer and fewer appointments, plus the CC allocation will no doubt fall.

Another numerically low entry on this occasion but I was pleased with my top winners. Thanks to the exhibitors who did support me.

Dentition is flagged as a concern on Breedwatch but I found no wrong bites or overly narrow jaws and few missing teeth. Also, all the exhibits had clean teeth which was very pleasing.

VETERAN D (1)

1. Raczka's Jamarqui Alchemy Argent. An upstanding masculine dog with plenty of bone and substance, a good rib cage and well balanced moderate angulation. Correct toplne but he would benefit from a little more length of loin and less steep fallaway. Masculine head in keeping with his frame, back skull could be a little finer, correct ears, good feet. A sound steady mover and I was delighted to see him go on to win the veteran group, congratulations.

PUPPY D (1)

1. Edwards' Go Go Bolshoi Adonis. A well grown shapely elegant puppy of 11 months who is approaching the legs and wings stage and so has a lot of maturing to do. Dark eye, liked his head with correct veining but back skull could be finer. Well set ears and good length of neck. Angulation is balanced but he needs to develop a little more, which will probably come with maturity, likewise spring of rib. Good topline, correct forechest, pasterns and feet. Moved ok apart from turning one hind foot in. Best Puppy.

JUNIOR D (2, 1 abs)

1. Rogerson's Everwyck Alphin. A showy r/w with an elegant masculine head and dark eye. Correct balanced angulation with a good forechest and tight feet. Rather short coupled so his fallaway appears a little exaggerated. Needs to develop more spring of rib and tighten in front movement.

POST GRADUATE D (3)

1. Logvinenko's Lynx Faster Than Light of Noldoli. An attractive young dog with a correct well veined head, good neck, balanced angulation fore and aft, correct pasterns, tight feet. Topline is adequate but I would prefer a little more for a male and just a fraction more length of leg. Sound steady mover covering the ground well. RCC.

2. Dover's Palamedees Arian Khrysos at Keanver. Similar type to 1 , liked his head with veining and dark eye, shapely with good topline and nicely angulated front and rear but a little short in loin. Feet well knuckled but rather long. Lighter on the move than 3.

3. Raczka's Go Go Bolshoi Casino Royal.

LIMIT D (2)

1. Raczka's Prime Rubin Castor. Balanced masculine dog with a correct head, dark eye. Well angulated front and hindquarters, good rib cage, nice feet. Would prefer slightly more length of loin. Neither of these dogs moved well behind.

2. Clare's Donskoi The Mad Hatter at Russmechta. This dog has improved since I last judged him but I still find him too short coupled giving too square an outline. His head is rather strong with a round light eye. He has a good spring of rib and forechest, well angulated hindquarters and correct feet but lacks return of upper arm.

OPEN D (2)

1. Clare's Ch. Donskoi Groza at Russmechta. A dog I have admired from the ringside so was pleased to have the chance to judge him. A very attractive well constructed male who combines masculinity with the essential elegance of the breed. Correct head with a strong lower jaw, excellent front with a good return of upper arm, front feet could be tighter. Long second thigh with hock well let down. Well sprung ribs. Gentle topline retained on the move. Lovely light, sound, flowing movement, covering the ground well with good width behind. CC, BOB, Group 1. Congratulations.

2. Conroy's Santerman The Way We Were at Enolam. Flashy r/w, smaller than 1 and not so sound on the move. Elegant head with dark eye, adequate balanced angulation with a good topline. Some forechest but needs more spring of rib.

JUNIOR B (2)

1. Shakespeare's Menigma Crazy About Her with Cairdean. Attractive balanced young bitch standing over plenty of ground. Feminine head with dark eye, good length of neck, correct chest and topline, well knuckled feet. Well angulated rear but needs more return of upper arm. Sound mover covering the ground well.

2. Conroy's Everwyck Caladria of Enolam. This bitch was rather unsettled. Would like a darker eye. Quite shapely with balanced angles and a good topline, correct feet. Did not make the best of herself on the move.

POST GRADUATE B (1)

1. Donnelly's Sukeshi Tsarina Catherine. This bitch was very apprehensive, worried by the noise of the flapping marquee canvas. Attractive feminine head, correct angulation fore and aft, adequate rib cage. Needs more length of leg to balance her body length. Not moving well, too high stepping in front.

LIMIT B (3)

1. Odell's Sukeshi Tsarina Alexandra. Balanced sound bitch of a lovely type. Correct head with veining, dark eye and a strong lower jaw. Well angulated shoulders and quarters with a gentle flowing topline, good pasterns and feet. Very sound on the move. CC, her second and I am sure her title will soon follow.

2. Kanoo's Nibrass Queen Ethelflaeda. A lighter built bitch with a feminine head and dark eye, good length of neck. Good hindquarters with hock well let down but needs more return of upper arm. Pinning in front on the move.

3. Donnelly & Devereux's Sukeshi Anna Leopoldovna.

OPEN B (2)

1. Marvin & Shyman's Psovaja Ohota Shaherezada Is Charming. Fine head with lovely dark eye and veining. Reachy neck, correct balanced angulation, tight feet. Adequate spring of rib and forechest, longer cast bitch needing more topline. Sound on the move but not the reach of the CC winner. RCC.

2. Wheatley's Takatori Legally Blonde. This bitch really appealed to me standing, beautifully balanced with good angulation and a lovely topline. Liked her head with dark eye and small fine ears, feet could be tighter. Unfortunately she let herself down on the move.

JEAN CLARE (Judge)