South Eastern Hound Club

South Eastern Hound Club Premier Open Show

Sunday 31st August 2025

Deerhounds, AV Special Veteran (7-9 & 10+), AV Special Champion and Special RBOB Competition

Judge: Rebecca Peek

My thanks to SEHC for another well run show and to all the exhibitors for generating such a good entry. As always this show attracts an excellent quality of hounds making for some very strong competition and very close decisions. Thanks especially to my very hard working stewards Anthea Eardley and Penny Ansell, it’s hugely appreciated - good job well done, thank you, ladies.

DEERHOUND – Thank you to the Deerhound Club for this breed supported entry and to the exhibitors for such a good entry. There were quite a few absentees, but nevertheless there were some lovely hounds to go over.

Class 60 – PD/B (1,1)

Class 61 – JD/B (8,5):

1st Rose’s Hyndsight Better Believe It – Pleasing young grey male of good overall type, shape and balance with lovely light and easy action, sweet head and expression,(but would prefer neater ears), good reach of neck into good topline with good arch over the loin and fallaway; At 16 months, he’s still very raw and has overshot his frame at the moment, stacking a little straight in upper arm and needs to fill through his chest and settle into his frame, but he has time on his side; well muscled and in good condition he moved effortlessly and soundly.

2nd Spence’s Hyndsight For Your Eyes Only – I thought this very shapely 14mth dark brindle bitch would be my winner when she entered the ring on a long and ground covering stride. Sadly she was spooked by the day and wouldn’t be gone over. Such a shame as she is an outstanding bitch, full of breed type and quality with lovely height to length ratio, beautiful sweeping lines, lovely head and expression, neat ears and good coat.

3rd Berriman’s Hyndsight Pretty Woman – Litter sister to 1st but looking more immature with a lot more growing on to do to fill her frame, would have preferred more rise over the loin and fallaway over the croup, moved soundly.

Class 62 – ND/B (3,0):

1st Ruston’s Stranwith Spruce – Really liked this 22 mth light grey male of lovely size, type, shape and balance; lovely head and expression with good reach of neck into flowing topline; good height to length ratios; good angulation fore and aft, good depth and width; at 22 months he still has a lot of maturing to do, but it is all there and just needs time; presented in excellent condition, moved out effortlessly on a long ground covering stride with light and easy action. Both handler and hound need more experience in the ring, but he will be well worth the effort. Seriously considered in the challenge, but he was losing interest by then.

2nd Girling’s Chuilinn Flare – Honest, workmanlike well made 3 yrs bitch. She has a lovely head albeit lacking in furnishings and has less coat all through, but she has good overall construction and has super easy ground covering movement, sound in all respects and is in excellent condition. I would prefer to see more rise over the loin and droop over the croup, but I am sure she could do the job for which she was bred.

3rd Finnett & Heathcote’s Hyndsight Wicked Game – Living up to her name, this very typey bitch was overly exuberant and playing up, so was very difficult to assess on the move.

Class 63 – GD/B (4,1):

1st– Stuart & Holt’s Packway Cora Sundrop at Ollandsheart – Feminine and unexaggerated 2.5 yr bitch. Calm and balanced, she presents a picture of lovely sighthound proportions with good height to length ratios, beautiful curves all through and is lovely for type. Lovely head and expression with good reach of neck into good topline and fallaway, good depth and width, well ribbed back with good underline, good angulation all through and presented in excellent condition, she moved out soundly on a long stride, covering the ground with ease.

2nd Finnett & Heathcote’s Hyndsight Blowin In The Wind – Tall, rangy 4 yr bitch standing over a lot of ground. In her prime, she is lovely for type and overall shape and balance with sweeping lines from her well set on neck into her topline through to her well angulated rear; she feels good under the hand and is well constructed all through, but just failed to cooperate with her handler today and didn’t fulfil her promise on the move.

3rd Stuart & Holt’s Ollandsheart Matilda – Another lovely well made bitch of good breed type and movement with much to recommend her. Just preferred the overall shape and balance of the first and second, but a quality hound nevertheless.

Class 64 – OD (1,1)

Class 65 – OB (11,5):

1st Lucas & Dargonne’s Packway Smackfarthing – Feminine and shapely 6 yr grey bitch in her prime and with the best front of the day. Well settled in her frame she presents a pleasing picture of flowing lines full of type and balance but without exaggeration. Lovely, typical head and expression with darkest eye and neat ears, strong neck into excellent shoulder and forehand, good topline an underline, plenty of depth and width all through, excellent angulation fore and aft. Nice easy action , lovely profile action with reach and drive, sound on the up and down, just going a little close behind. In full maturity, she’s seen it all before and has a lovely calm manner; in excellent condition, well muscled all through, she is another that I’m sure could do the job. BOB

2nd Finnett & Heathcote’s Hyndsight Anything For Love – Really liked this athletic young 16 month, dark brindle bitch with lovely long limbs and an outgoing, exuberant character. Full of herself and full of breed type, she has yet to mature and fill her frame. Good head, reach of neck, topline and underline, good rear angulation used to advantage propelling her around the ring, albeit a bit erratically sometimes. She did enough to demonstrate an expansive and ground covering stride, with light and easy action, but at the moment she is just enjoying the experience too much to be consistent. An exciting prospect. RBOB

3rd Girling’s Chuilinn Flare

4th Lucas & Dargonne’s Packway Ecotrailer

VHC Penherald Polka at Calbraidh

Class 135 - AV SPECIAL VETERAN 7-9 YEARS (28,14) – This was an exceptional class and a pleasure to judge, full of quality with very strong competition for the placings. I always wonder why the Veteran classes begin at 7 years when so many breeds are in their prime at this age and today’s competition was no different, full of vigorous hounds belying their veteran status.

1st Leech & Thornton’s Ch Mochras Mahcushla IR Jun Ch – BFDB – What a cracking little hound this is, only just into veteran and showing no sign of being a senior, full of breed type, she just powers round the ring. Totally unexaggerated, she is so well constructed and workmanlike and under the hand every part flows with plenty of depth and width and presented in hard muscular condition. Lovely head and expression, although in a perfect world I’d like better pigmentation, strong neck into excellent forehand, good height to length ratios, strong topline with good tailset. On the move she looks like she could easily keep going on a day’s hunt. Happy to award her BVIS although I don’t believe she’ll begin to look like a veteran until she’s in her teens. BVIS

2nd Boydell’s Nightwind You Can’t Stop The Beat JW – Afghan – This eye catching and majestic 8 year old black dog has ring presence in abundance and it’s difficult to ignore him. Stacked he presents an excellent picture of breed type and balance, beautifully handled and presented and in his prime he is in full coat, which has been beautifully prepared. Lovely head and expression, good reach of strong neck into well made forehand, good depth and width all through, strong loin into well angulated rear; lovely topline and ringed tail held well on the move, good reach and drive, just could have done with a bigger ring to really show off his stride length.

3rd Rowe’s Ch Boloria’s Trick or Treat JW,VW – Wire Dachshund

4th Allchorne’s Ch Nelgus Thyme Bomb JW,ShCEx – Basset Hound

VHC Skerritt & Betts Monkham’s Memphis Belle - PBGV

Class 136 - AV SPECIAL VETERAN 10+ YEARS (11,3) –

1st Broad’s Ch Neertanauf Sea Magic – ML Dachshund – Standaway winner in this class, I loved everything about this super smart little shaded red, rising 15 years. Full of breed type, lovely size, shape and balance and still looking every bit the champion from the tip of his very black nose to the end of his feathered tail. Lovely head and expression with good planes and excellent pigmentation. Well constructed all through he still holds his topline on the move and although his gait may be slowing he still moves with energy and is sound and true. I could have popped him in my pocket and taken him home. It was a very difficult decision for BVIS and he was understandably out-moved by the younger dog, but I have to say, that was a split second decision and it could so easily have gone the other way.

2nd McBain & Stevens’ Redcap Bella Sorella JW,ShCM,VW – Beagle – This 12 rising 13 yr old tri bitch is lovely for size, type, shape and balance, and her easy and active movement totally belies her age. She is excellent condition and is a credit to her owner. Sweet head and expression, good reach of neck into good shoulder and forehand; good depth and width, strong and level topline with good tailset, moved out soundly with good reach and drive.

3rd Lewis’s Ottaryx Phaedrra - Otterhound

4th Marshall’s Silvamoon Saffron at Soufriere – GBGV

VHC Gray’s Diheath Bohemian Affair – Basset Hound

Class 139 - AV SPECIAL CHAMPION CLASS (13,9)–

1st Lewis’s Ch Olphae Orlaith – Otterhound – Really liked this lovely 4 yr grizzle and tan bitch, such a sound and easy mover. Nothing exaggerated about her and looking workmanlike and fit for function. Well handled and presented to get the best out of her without overdoing it. Lovely breed type, good head and expression with correct earset and fold, good neck into well constructed forehand with depth and width all through, strong topline, good angulation fore and aft without being overdone, in excellent condition, moving out effortlessly with good reach and drive.

2nd Rowe’s Ch Boloria’s Trick or Treat JW,VW – Wire Dachshund – Lovely bitch of good breed type and size. At just shy of 9 years she is still in excellent condition and is not showing her age at all on the move. Lovely head and expression, good reach of neck into well made forehand, good depth and width all through, well ribbed back into strong loin and well let down rear. Moved out soundly with good reach and drive.

3rd Lux Ch Catuma Xuta Tabangwa (imp Cze) - Basenji

4th Prt/Lux/Bel Ch Morialta Sesmarias – Portuguese Podengo

SPECIAL RESERVE BOB COMPETITION – Another class that was full of quality with some very strong competition for the placings, thank you to all exhibitors who came in for this.

1st Akehurst’s Tendrow Down To The Wire – Standard Wire – What an eye catching little stallion hound, he may not be big, but he has tremendous ring presence. Beautifully handled and presented he’s full of breed type, good size with excellent coat, lovely head and expression, strong neck into well made forehand with plenty of forechest, good depth and width all through, ribbed well back into short strong loin and strong quarters with well let down hocks. Moves out with plenty of reach and drive and is true on the up and down. A real showman.

2nd Finnett & Heathcote’s Hyndsight Anything For Love – Deerhound – Young 14 month bitch that went better in this large double ring than in the breed class, having settled and really making use of her lovely long limbs - see deerhound critique.

3rd Larkin’s Asharaa’s Hey There Georgie Girl – Rhodesian Ridgeback

4th Oorloff’s Convica Fast And Furious – Basenji

VHC Agache’s Evforce Leelou Lina - Harrier