West Of England Border Collie Club

Firstly I’d like to extend my thanks to the committee for their invitation and warm hospitality, I’d also like to thank my stewards for the great job they did keeping everything moving along and in order. It was a very hot and long day for both people and dogs and I’d like to thank all exhibitors, firstly for bringing their dogs, it’s such a privilege to get hands on so many lovely examples of the breed I love, and secondly for being so considerate towards their dogs and each other in the challenging conditions. We had happy relaxed dogs throughout and it’s a testament to you all. All exhibits were presented in good clean condition, we had no backing off or aggression, bites were correct throughout and all males had two fully descended testicles. I was looking for dogs of moderate type that were well balanced, sound throughout and moved out well with reach and drive and minimal foot lift and found lots to like in today’s entry.

Males

MPD (0/0)

PD (3/0)

1st Oliver’s Smart as a Whip Danger Zone at Tambuzi (imp Esp)

9 month old b/w male, correct head proportions and a lovely dark oval eye, semi-erect ears he puts to good use, very keen and alert to his handler. He’s a good sized young male with a pleasing length of leg, strong muscular neck of good length, good broad chest and spring of rib leading to a matching well muscled loin and upper thigh, balanced angles throughout which shows in his breed typical easy flowing movement. One to watch for the future.
BPD

2nd Lampier’s Caleykiz Starshine

11 month old dark b/w male and much smaller and more compact type to 1, beautiful head with a lovely dark oval eye and semi-erect ears, balanced angles front and rear and presents a pleasing outline on the stack but was very loose on the move, hopefully something that will improve with maturity.

3rd Jordans’ Nobite No Tux Required with Jakovall

JD (2/0)

1st Oliver’s Smart as a Whip Danger Zone at Tambuzi (Imp Esp)

As 1st PD

2nd Tunnicliffe’s Littlethorn Kona

14 month old b/w male with a pleasing head and expression, super lay of shoulder and correct balanced angles front and rear, appeals very much for breed type but not quite as straight from the front as 1 which also showed on the move, something that should hopefully improve as he matures/muscles up.

YD (4/1)

1st Rettie’s Glenfound Future Hope

Young b/w dog I judged as a promising but very raw puppy and I’m pleased to see he is maturing into himself. Correct head proportions with a dark oval eye and appealing expression, lovely reach of neck onto well angled muscular shoulders, good breadth and depth of chest and strong muscular loin with the correct sloping croup, he presents a lovely outline, he has the right amount of bone without appearing coarse, correct length to height and balanced rear angulation, he has such a purposeful movement with lovely reach and drive. This is one I can see just getting better with maturity.

2nd Kempton’s Art of Blossom Drowned in Emotion into Borderbrook JW (Sp IMP)

Attractive young b/w male with correct head and eye, very keen and attentive to handler, presented in immaculate condition and shown to his best. Balanced angulation front and rear with a correct smooth outline over topline and croup but just couldn’t match the overall balanced picture of 1 on the move today.

3rd Tandy, Turns and Domotori’s Borderheart Havana Nights

PGD (2/1)

1st Tandy’s Borderbrook Stolen Affair

2 year old b/w male, presented in good condition and very attentive to handler. Correct head proportions but lighter in overall bone and substance than ideal for a male. Tendency to fly his tail which made assessing his movement difficult.

LD (4/0)

1st Buckley’s Amkamel Half Blood Prince JW

This is a very sound and good sized 3 y-o b/w male presented beautifully, head of correct proportions with a lovely alert expression and no mistaking he is a male. Balanced angles front and rear, good reach of neck, correct spring of rib and length of loin, moved well in all directions but really dropped down and settled into his movement today which allowed him to really show off his reach and drive.

2nd Tunnicliffe’s Littlethorn Ioniq

Another very appealing young b/w male, lovely head and alert expression, balanced angles front and rear presenting a correct smooth outline on the stack and on the move. Just didn’t move quite as soundly as 1 to and from.

3rd Lewis’s Shemella Moon River

OD (3/0)

3 top quality males in this class which required some real nit picking to call.

1st McDonald, Turner and Alexander’s Locheil James Martin

3 y-o b/w male with a lovely head and expression, presented in full coat and handled beautifully. He has the correct amount of bone and substance to appear all male without appearing coarse and has a really super reach of neck, lay of shoulder and equivalent return of upper arm. Beautifully balanced rear angles giving him such a lovely balanced outline and equivalent lovely smooth free flowing movement
Res Best Dog

2nd Lee and Green’s Fayken I am Soul JW

A very close second to 1, this 2.5 y-o dark faced b/w male appeals greatly for breed type, correct in all ways with an appealing expression and alertness to handler, presented and handled to his best. Correct proportions throughout and beautifully balanced all round moving out with the typical breed easy flowing gait. Having to be super picky I just preferred the size and substance of 1.

3rd Lampier’s Pencoppen Good Timin’

VD (4/3)

1st Rettie and Morley’s SH CH Chikaramor Cast a Spell of Glenfound

7 year old tricolour boy who appeals as soon as he enters the ring, an upstanding dog that fills the eye. A head of correct proportions that is all male, without being overdone, oval brown eyes to match his coat colouring, pricked ears allow him to demonstrate his alertness and eagerness to get going and he can be a bit of a handful even at his age and maturity. Although a relatively big dog he is well within breed standard and of correct proportions, another with a super reach of neck, lay of shoulder and return of upper arm. Equivalent balanced rear angles giving him such a lovely balanced outline, combined with his length of leg he has reach and drive for days and covers the ground smoothly and effortlessly delighted to award him
Best Dog, Best Veteran Dog, Best Veteran in Show and RBIS

MPB (2/0)

1st Lewis’s Shemella Sky Full of Stars

8 month old dark b/w girl, lovely feminine head of correct proportions for her age. A thick puppy coat gives the impression of a short neck but hands on proves otherwise, balanced angles front and rear and correct movement in all directions. Beautifully handled and presented.

2nd Ward’s Windwalker Aurora

6 month old very raw blue merle baby, feminine head of correct proportions, oval shaped eyes that are a mixture of brown and blue which is correct for her coat colour and does not detract from her expression, semi-erect ears used well. Good length of neck and nicely angulated front and rear, difficult to assess movement as she was very bouncy but everything is in the right place and she just needs to come together.

PB (7/1)

What a quality class of youngsters this was and one that certainly bodes well for the future of the breed

1st Kempton’s Borderbrook Final Destiny

A very pretty 10 month old dark faced black/white bitch of correct proportions throughout, such an appealing feminine head with lovely alert expression. Well angulated and balanced front and rear with straight clean limbs, presented a pleasing outline both on the stack and on the move, moved soundly in all directions and had that typical free flowing easy BC gait with reach and drive and minimal foot lift. Beautifully handled and presented.
BPB and BPIS

2nd McDonald, Turner & Alexander’s Portnadoran Special Recipe

Very close call to 1 today, another lovely balanced and feminine10 m-o b/w bitch, a little longer in body than 1 but with a superb lay of shoulder and reach of neck, presented a lovely picture on the stack and moving where she held her topline beautifully, another I would happily have taken home.

3rd Mercer’s Kirkwind Secret Soul

JB (7/1)

1st Spencer’s Tobermoray All about Freya

A lovely 16 m-o b/w girl of super breed type, another with a superb lay of shoulder, return of upper arm and reach of neck which translated into that breed typical easy movement with lovely forward reach and drive from the rear. Presented in tip top condition, well muscled and in full coat, handled to her advantage.

2nd Kempton’s Borderbrook Final Destiny

As 1st in PB

3rd McDonald, Turner & Alexander’s Portnadoran Family Recipe

YB (2/1)

1st Lampier’s Pencoppen La Parisienne

Feminine 20 m-o b/w bitch with head of correct proportions and a lovely dark oval, well angulated rear but would benefit from more lay of shoulder/return of upper arm, shown in lovely condition, sound moving to and away.

PGB (8/5)

1st Johnson’s Tidespring Take Your Time

What a lovely 2 y-o b/w bitch who appeals greatly for breed type, feminine head of correct proportions and a dark oval eye, balanced angles throughout and correct proportions present a pleasing outline on the stack and on the move, side gait demonstrating typical breed minimal lift with good forward reach and drive from the rear although carrying a little more weight than I would prefer this did not affect her movement and she really pulled out all the stops in the challenge to deservedly receive
Res Best Bitch

2nd Bligh’s Borderbook Princess Raya at Ravencrag JW

Approaching 3 y-o b/w bitch with a lovely feminine head, dark eyes of correct shape & well set ears that she uses well. She has a good firm topline and is well muscled over shoulders, loin and upper thigh, movement was good but didn’t have the reach and drive of 1, presented in lovely condition and very well handled.

3rd Lewis’s Shemella Misty Morning

LB (5/3)

1st Wilkinson’s Altricia Bobby’s Girl

Beautiful 2.5 y-o blue merle bitch with a lovely feminine head of correct proportions, dark oval shaped eyes giving a soft expression while up and tipped ears showed good alertness and attentiveness to handler. A good length of neck onto well angulated shoulders which were well balanced in the rear assembly with gently sloping croup presenting a lovely outline, she moved true in all directions. Well presented and handled

2nd Lea’s Calareto All My loving JW

Another very sound, almost 4 y-o b/w bitch who moved well in all directions, head proportions correct but with a quite a strong defined stop. Well angulated but outline not as smooth As 1. Beautifully presented and handled.

OB (9/3)

What an absolute privilege judging this class was, the quality was exceptional and it was such a pleasure

1st Lee’s Arrodare Rebel With a Cause JW

Almost 5 y-o b/w bitch that I have admired from afar and I was not at all disappointed once I got my hands on her, smaller in stature but absolutely correct she just oozes breed type. Ultra feminine head with correct dark eyes and erect ears that are constantly on the move, she doesn’t miss a trick and is completely tuned in to her handler. Balanced throughout with correct proportions and super angulation front and rear. True in all directions, textbook side gait with effortless reach and drive and minimal foot lift, she just glides gracefully around the ring and this movement won her
Best Bitch and Best in Show

2nd Oliver’s Sh Ch Tambuzi Girlz on Fire JW

A bigger girl than 1 but still of correct type and size. 5 y-o b/w girl with a beautiful head consisting a lovely dark eye and semi-erect ears giving a keen but gentle expression. Another with beautifully balanced angles which translates into that typical breed movement, reach and drive with minimal lift.

3rd McDonald’s Romiodor Miss Dynamite

VB (4/2)

1st Morley & Rogerson’s Chikaramor Black Magic

Lovely 7 y-o dark black tricolour girl who is right up my street but hasn’t been shown much, a quick look through the catalogue after judging confirmed my suspicion that she is in fact the litter sister to my best dog which was unsurprising as they are so similar in type, moderate and absolutely correct throughout, balanced angulation and true in all directions
Best Veteran Bitch

2nd Johnson’s Kanamaren Anything She Does at Tidespring

Lovely 9 y-o b/w girl, a very well put together bitch but heavier in bone and stronger in head than 1. She moved out with real purpose and drive despite carrying a little more weight than ideal.