Birtley & District Canine Society

BIRTLEY & DISTRICT CANINE SOCIETY PREMIER OPEN SHOW

5TH APRIL 2025

RHODESIAN RIDGEBACK

Thank you to the society for inviting me to judge at your friendly and well-run show.

And thank you to the exhibitors for your entries and the opportunity to judge your beautiful hounds.

All dogs had good temperaments, correct bites and correct ridges.

With no puppy class the large junior class ranged from 7 – 17 months, and with it the corresponding wide range of maturity was an interesting challenge.

Throughout I was looking for a well-balanced, moderate ridgeback, with good feet and nicely muscled and the majority of today’s entrants met this.

JUNIOR (13,5)

1: Mackfall, Mackfall & McIntosh’s AFRICANER ZAVANNA BREEZE

7-month red wheaten, correct size bitch with an attractive feminine head and lovely dark round eyes. Good substance and elbows well tucked in, good feet and correct pasterns. Good length of ribbing, strong topline held on the move and correct tail set. Well let down hocks. She moved with precision and drive and was handled beautifully and shown in gleaming condition. Delighted to award her BPIB

2: Mills, Mills, Mills & Parsons’ PRIORPARK PRIDE AND JOY TO NZURI

Balanced and correct size 15-month wheaten bitch. Attractive, clean head with lovely dark round eye. Good depth of chest and held her topline well when on the move. Good first and second thigh, correct tail set and good feet. Just lost out to 1 on her movement in this class.

3: Kerr’s PRIORPARK PURE THEATRE AT BUHERA

POST GRADUATE (5,3)

1: Mills, Mills, Mills & Parsons’ PRIORPARK PRIDE AND JOY TO NZURI

As for Junior.

 In this second class she moved with more purpose and drive and showed the fluid, efficient movement she is capable of.

2: Green & Thomson’s ROTTZRIDGE CELTIC LEGEND AT KOTAMURY

23-month red wheaten boy. A lovely masculine, attractive head with good ear set. and well balanced, moderate angulation. Good depth of chest & shown in fabulous condition. Moved at one with his handler, covering the ground with efficiency.

OPEN DOG (6,2)

1: Barker’s DELIANZA WHAT’S YOUR MOTIVE JW

23-month red wheaten dog of correct size and fabulous overall balance with no exaggeration. A clean masculine head, with kind round eye. Good depth of chest, lovely run of rib and correct loin. Good feet and pasterns, balanced angulation and correct tail set. He moved out with ease and precision, covering the ground with efficiency, at one with his handler. Delighted to award him BOB

2: Shaw’s NEGASI RADAGAST JW

3-year old male, with a masculine head and harmonising eye. Correct size, with good feet and good bone. Correct forechest and held his topline well. Shown in good, hard condition.

3: Brewis’ BARFORDRIDGE WILHEMINA OF JANAK

Caroline Catharell (Faahac)