North Eastern German Shepherd Dog Club

North Eastern GSD Open Show                                         6th July 2025
Thank you to the North Eastern GSD Club committee for the kind invitation to judge at their Breed Open show.
Thanks to Heather and Ann, my very able stewards, who kept me right with skill and good humour throughout the day.
Huge thanks to Raymond Sullivan for his support and generous prize money donations for the show and club.
Thanks also to all exhibitors for their entries. There was a relaxed, pleasant atmosphere ringside, and my decisions were generally taken with good grace.
I must commend all the junior handlers who conducted themselves so well and presented their charges with skill. Congratulations and good luck to you all. Keep at it !!

Minor Puppy Dog (2,1)

1st Williams & Starkey’s STARKWILL COOPER

7 months, black and gold, medium size and strength with good height to length proportions. Masculine head and alert expression with a dark eye. Large ears which need to firm. High wither and straight back into a short, steep croup. Well angulated; front and rear. When he settled, he showed good movement in profile, with free front reach and rear drive. He has an outgoing character and happy temperament, and it was lovely to see a puppy having fun in the ring - just needs time to firm up throughout.

Puppy Dog – No Entries

Junior Dog – No Entries

Special Long Coat Junior Dog – No Entries

Yearling Dog (2,1)

1st Halliday & Roe’s ARBORIENTELUX RAUL

23 months, large, black and tan, well pigmented. A male of good strength and substance who presents a pleasing picture in stance. Masculine head and expression; dark eye. High wither, good shoulder placement and front assembly. Height to length proportions are good. Straight back and clean topline into a slightly short, steep croup. Front and rear pasterns are not quite firm. He tends to amble on the walk and flattens on the fast gait. Well done to his young handler who did an excellent job.

Post Graduate Dog (4,1)

1st Mitchell’s BOBBY DAZZLA

3 ½ years, top size long coat. Black and tan with excellent pigmentation, in good coat and body condition. Masculine head, beautiful alert expression and dark eye. High wither, good front assembly firm back into a slightly short steep croup. Good height to length proportions with balanced angulation, front and rear. Sound away and back. He walked with good co-ordination and purpose. Extended well on the fast gait with free front reach and strong hind drive, covering the ground easily. He has a big presence and energy which demands your attention. Clear winner of this class.

2nd Cave’s ABSELA RIVER AT CASIANN

3 years, large black and tan, excellent pigmentation. Good strength with masculine head and alert expression with a dark eye. Balanced angulation, front and rear. Good depth, length in foreleg and body proportions. Good reach of neck, normal wither, steep upper arm, straight back into a short, steep croup. Sound away and back. Walked well and extended with a co-ordinated ground covering movement on the gait.

3rd Fletcher-Mill’s DANISOF QUARTZ AT ZARIVENA

Special Long Coat Open Dog (3,0)

1st Wilson's STELAINROS MEISTER

18 months, correct size, substantial medium strong, black and tan with excellent pigmentation. Masculine head and expression, dark eye. Balanced angulation, front and rear. Good proportions, high wither, firm back. Excellent front assembly with a well-placed shoulder, slightly steep croup of good length. Sound away and back. Co-ordinated on the walk and extended effortlessly on the fast gait with good front reach and hind drive, covering the ground, holding a high wither. An impressive young male with a calm, self-assured temperament.

2nd Mitchell’s BOBBY DAZZLA

Critique as previous class. Fully expected him to win this class when he came in again but he must have exerted all his energy before as he sadly didn’t move or perform to his best.

3rd Cave’s CASIANN ATLAS

Open Dog (4,2)

1st Pegg’s DAHLMANN XANDER

2 ½ years, top size, black and tan, well pigmented, mature, strong, well developed with good bone and substance. Striking, masculine head, pronounced stop, deep muzzle and loose lips. A furrowed forehead and light eye gives a coarse impression. Balanced angulation, front and rear and excellent top and under lines with a notable clean overline from neck, high wither, firm back into a croup of good length and angle. Sound away and back. Walks well, with purpose and extends on the fast gait with good front reach and hind drive, keeping his wither height. Pleased to award him Best Dog.

2nd Bracher’s BLERIO ANUBIS

4 years, large black & gold, strong with a beautiful alert, masculine head and expression, firm ears, dark eye. In excellent coat and firm body condition. Balanced angles front and rear with correct height to length proportions. In stance, his topline has a slight peak. Sound away and back. Walks with purpose and moves into the fast gait effortlessly with free front reach and strong rear drive, keeping his wither. Love this male and it was a close decision between them both.

Veteran Dog – No Entries

Minor Puppy Bitch – No Entries

Puppy Bitch – (1,0)

Pegg’s ABORIENTELUX KALYIA

9 months, black and gold, medium size and medium strength. Feminine head and expression, firm ears and dark eye. Nice to see a youngster of this age so dry and firm. Sound away and back. Needs some training to present herself better on the move but when she settled, showed an easy side gait with free front reach and good hind drive. A lovely outgoing temperament.

Best Puppy Bitch and BPIS

Junior Bitch – (6,3)

1st Mitchell’s - AAREET BONNY LASS

13 months, black and tan, long coat with excellent dark pigment. Medium size, medium strong. Very pretty with a feminine head and expression and dark eye. Good proportions and balanced angulation, front and rear. Good shoulder placement and front assembly. She’s quite deep but not in full coat condition so still showed plenty length in foreleg. Good length of neck, high wither and straight back into a slightly short, steep croup. Sound away and back. Walked with lovely co-ordination and deportment, extending effortlessly into ground covering fast gait with free front reach and strong hind drive. A lovely youngster, who consistently presented herself well, calmly and with composure throughout the class.

2nd Robinson’s LIEPSNA’S ATHENA

14 months, sable, upper medium size and medium strong. Feminine head and expression, dark eye. High wither, straight back, slightly short steep croup and a high tail set detracts from an otherwise clean topline. Sound away and back with a good side gait. Not much to separate the 2nd and 3rd in this class. Both were a bit erratic in their performance, but this female showed herself with more periods of consistency.

3rd Hall’s GRAUERHUND ALICE

Special Long Coat Junior Bitch (3,0)

1st Mitchell’s - AAREET BONNY LASS

As per Junior class

2nd Towning & Landgren’s - YAKASIMBA BIANCA

13 months, black and gold, well pigmented. Medium size and strength, feminine head and expression with a dark eye. Good height to length proportions with good length of foreleg. High wither, straight back into a slightly steep croup of good length. Sound away and back with a good extensive side gait. Liked this youngster a lot but she didn’t present herself as well or consistently as the winner.

3rd Sobolewska’s DARK VALLEY GALLAGOTH

Yearling Bitch (3,1)

1st Ingham’s PALUKA BALI

23 months, well pigmented black and gold female of correct size. Good height to length proportions and balanced angulation, front and rear. Strong but feminine head and expression, dark eye, firm ears. Good reach of neck, high wither, firm back into a slightly steep croup of good length. Good shoulder placement; slightly steep upper arm of good length. Sound away and back. Calm and self-assured temperament. She moves well at all speeds, with purpose on the walk, extending effortlessly on the gait, with good rear drive and front reach, keeping her wither height throughout and covering the ground effortlessly.

Best Bitch and Best of Breed.

2nd Williams & Starkey’s STARKWILL BRUNILDA

19 months, black and rich gold, well pigmented with a lovely head and expression. Firm and well-muscled, in good coat condition. Normal wither, straight back. Balanced angulation front and rear. Good height to length proportions but should have a bit more length of foreleg. Sound away and back and moves with power on the fast gait but she loses her wither height and flattens somewhat. Really like this female.

Post Graduate Bitch (4,2)

1st Robinson’s HAZELGROVE TINA

2 ½ years black and gold, medium size and medium strong, good pigment. Feminine head and expression with a dark eye. Not in best coat condition today. Good proportions and angulation. High wither, straight back into a short steep croup. Good front but a bit steep in upper arm. Sound coming, a bit close away. Moved well in the fast gait with good front reach and strong hind drive, holding her wither and topline.

2nd Wilson’s STELAINROS CASSANDRA

3 years, paling black and tan, upper medium size and medium strong. Good head and expression, dark eye. Balanced angulation front and rear. Should have a bit more length and a bit heavy in body condition today. Normal wither, straight back. Stood true, sound coming and going with an easy side gait.

Special Long Coat Open Bitch (5,3)

1st Miller’s HAUSMULLER DIXIE

3 years, black and tan, upper medium size and strength. Strong but feminine head and expression with dark eye. Not in full coat today but looking very well. Good proportions and balanced angles front and rear. Front pasterns are not straight but stands straight in rear. Very good fast gait with excellent reach and hind drive, keeping her wither height. Her young handler presented her so expertly today, minimal manipulation in stance and correct paces throughout the class. Well done.

2nd Sobolewska’s WILCZYJAR ARIEL

3 years, black and tan, large, mature with strong but feminine head and expression, dark eye. Good pigment. A little bit heavy today. Balanced angulation, front and rear. Should have a bit more length in body. Sound away and back with a good side gait.

Open Bitch (4,1)

1st Hall’s HAZELGROVE QWILLA

5 years black & gold female. Medium size and strength. Feminine head and expression with a dark eye. Good proportions and balanced angulation front and rear. High wither, good shoulder placement but steep in upper arm. Straight back, into a short steep croup. Sound away and back. Not in the best body and coat condition today but dry and firm. She walked with purpose and co-ordinated steps and extended with ease in the fast gait, which gave her the class today.

2nd Shipley’s GAYVILLE VARINKA WITH TRIMIKA

6 ½ years, large black and tan, well pigmented, strong and substantial. Strong but feminine head and expression. Not in full bloom but in lovely coat condition. High wither. Clean over and underlines. Excellent proportions and balanced angulation front and rear. Stands true and moves soundly away and back. Extended well on the fast gait in her individual. Tends to amble on the walk. A beautiful female but she didn’t present herself at best today.

Veteran Bitch (2,1)

1st Cave’s BALLYNABOLA RIA AT CASIANN

7 years, medium sized long coat. Paling black and gold with feminine head and expression, dark eye. Balanced angles front and rear. Normal wither with a short, firm back into a slightly steep croup of good length. A dip behind the wither and high tailset detracts the eye on the topline. Good underline. Should have more length in foreleg. Sound away and back. She covers the ground well on the gait and certainly enjoyed her time in the ring today which was lovely to watch.