West Of England Collie Society

West of England Collie Society Open Show – 7th September 2025

Smooth Collies

My thanks to WECS committee for the invitation to judge this lovely entry of Smooth Collies and thank you also to my efficient steward. Fortunately the weather was kind enough to allow judging to take place outside in a big ring where movement could be seen to advantage. Quality throughout was high, making my task tough but still a great pleasure.

Veteran Dog (1,1)

Absent.

Puppy Dog

No entries.

Junior Dog (1,1)

Absent.

Post Graduate Dog (1,0)

1st – Seager’s Blamorder Scale Force with Freejack

Tricolour boy, nice for size with good bone. Good depth of chest and spring of rib, short loin, level topline and sweep over croup to long low-set tail. Excellent reach of neck, well angulated fore and aft with elbows under withers. Pleasing head with parallel planes, slight stop, dark well-set eye, good muzzle and underjaw, and well-set ears, though could be slightly better tipped. Moved true coming and going, with good reach and drive in profile.

Open Dog (4,1)

1st – Wensley’s Ch Constella Hazy Cosmic Drive. BD & RBOB

Tricolour at the smaller end of the scale but of excellent type and balance. Good reach of neck, level topline, sweep over croup to long enough low-set tail. Straight front, well angulated forequarters, chest reaches to elbow with ribcage extending well back, good bend of stifle and well let-down hocks. Pleasing head with well-placed stop, parallel planes, good mouth and underjaw, dark well-shaped eye, and excellent ear set and carriage, all combining to give an alert but gentle expression. Moved very well with drive and extension.

2nd – Rodgers’ Blamorder Mischief Maker with Jerdoni

Attractive golden sable with a super outline. Shows himself off to advantage with a long well arched neck, level topline with rise over loin and slope over croup to a low set tail of good length. He has a good layback of shoulder and return of upper arm, a well-boned straight front, enough depth of chest, and well angulated hindquarters. His head is appealing with the flattest of skulls, slight stop and parallel planes, dark almond shaped eye and nicely tipped well carried ears. He too moved soundly with a good ground covering action.

3rd – Seager’s Blamorder Magic Maker with Freejack

Veteran Bitch (4,1)

1st – Lusty’s Ch Blamorder Ice Cream Dream. BV & BVIS.

Nine-year-old blue merle girl, full of quality. Loved her head and expression, showing a perfect balance of skull to muzzle with well-filled foreface, slight stop, dark, well-shaped eye, and correctly set and carried ears. She has a strong, well-arched neck flowing into well laid shoulders and a level topline with rise over the loin, sloping croup and low-set tail of good length. Her angulation is balanced at both ends, she has a good depth of chest and spring of rib, and she is well muscled, so impressed from all angles on the move.

2nd – Benton’s Ch Oakestelle Artemis ShCEx VW

Eight-year-old blue merle, presenting a pleasing shape and balance. Her head is of correct proportions, though not quite the fill of foreface of 1st, but her eye shape and ear carriage are correct giving her a sweet expression. She has a good reach of neck, level topline and well-set tail. Nice bone for her size with straight front, flexible pasterns, super bend of stifle and well let-down hocks. Moved true with reach and drive as her construction would suggest.

3rd – Lusty’s Blamorder Back With A Dream AW(S)

Puppy Bitch (1,0)

1st – Wensley’s Blamorder Starstruck. BP & BPIS

Feminine sable and white of super shape, size and balance. Good reach of neck, level topline with rise over loin, sloping croup and low-set tail of good length. Excellent layback of shoulder and length of upper arm, straight front with flexible pasterns, chest and ribcage developing well for age, short loin, well angulated hindquarters. Pretty head with parallel planes, well-placed stop, good bite and underjaw, dark obliquely set eyes, and lovely ear set and carriage. She still needs to fill a little in foreface, but at 8 months she has plenty of time. Moved true with reach and drive.

Junior Bitch (2,1)

1st – Benton’s Blamorder Double Or Quits of Oakestelle JW. BOB & BIS.

Exquisite blue merle of very good colour, well broken, who scores for shape and balance. Good reach of neck into a level topline with slight rise over the loin, sloping croup and low-set tail of correct length. Well-boned with a straight front, flexible pasterns, good bend of stifle and well let-down hocks. Her head is of good length with correct balance of skull to muzzle, well placed stop and smooth cheeks, dark almond-shaped eye, obliquely set, and correctly placed and carried ears. She moved well from all angles and presented a pleasing picture when standing.

Post Graduate Bitch (3,1)

1st – Rodgers’ Blamorder High Brow with Jerdoni

Smart tricolour in super coat and condition who shows herself off to advantage. Nice for size and overall balance with enough neck, level topline and slope over the croup to a low-set tail. Lovely substance for her ideal size, balanced angulation at both ends, straight front with flexible pasterns and good feet, good depth of chest and spring of rib, Loved her head and expression with parallel planes of skull to muzzle, slight stop, good underjaw, dark almond-shaped eye, perfect ear set and carriage. Showed alertly throughout and moved out well with good front extension and drive from well muscled hindquarters.

2nd – Rundle’s Shulune Imperial Bonny Blu

Twenty-three-month-old blue merle, pleasing for size and shape though still needing to develop in chest and ribcage. Straight front with enough bone, good bend of stifle and well let-down hocks. Level topline with well-set tail of good length. Head balanced though stop could be better defined. Flat skull, dark eye, ears well placed but could be better tipped. Moved steadily.

Open Bitch (4,2)

1st – Benton’s Ch Brackenhaye Queen Of Hearts of Oakestelle. RBB

Lovely tricolour, excellent for shape and balance, standing naturally foursquare. Well-angulated and particularly well-muscled with a straight front, good bone, flexible pasterns and neat feet. Super bend of stifle with well let-down hocks. Good reach of neck, topline and tail set. Beautiful head and expression with flat skull, well-placed stop, dark well-shaped eye, and correctly set and carried ears. Very attentive showgirl and when moving covers the ground with ease.

2nd – Cole & Fort’s Shulune Imperial Rum Punch JW

Another quality tricolour who appealed for her shapely outline. More compact than 1st but she has an excellent reach of neck into well laid shoulders and return of upper arm, level topline and low set tail of good length. Straight front, good bone and feet, and well-angulated behind with good bend of stifle and well let-down hocks. Head of nice type with parallel planes, good stop, nicely rounded muzzle, dark obliquely set eye, and well-placed and carried ears, all giving a sweet feminine expression. Another very sound mover from every angle. Lots to like about her but 1st just had the edge in showing off her virtues on the day.

Marion Withers