Driffield Championship Dog Show

DRIFFIELD CHAMPIONSHIP DOG SHOW SOCIETY

31 August 2026

Many thanks to the Officers and Committee for the invitation to judge at Driffield Golden Anniversary Show, at its new venue at Stafford. It was nice to know that Dalmatians topped the Utility Group and were only second overall on the day behind Whippets.

Many thanks to my steward Brian Chessell, who kept things moving in what was quite a tight ring.

The hall was quite unsettling for some dogs with noise from the trade stands on the balcony, the echo in the hall, the tannoy was very loud and the squeaky toys being used in the adjacent ring.

My last judging appointment was Crufts 3½ years ago, so there were dogs I had seen before who have now matured and, of course, new ones to me. I was looking for a dog that could fulfil it’s function of following a carriage, moving economically at a steady speed – Dalmatians are long distance runners, not sprinters. Most dogs were presented in a clean condition, however, it was disappointing to see some nails that could do with a trim and dirty teeth.

DOGS

Sp Beg (6, 1abs)

1​Bridge & Meyer’s Tamilanda Staropramen for Akoni Striking l/w dog celebrating his first birthday today. Good shaped head, gentle expression, well set ears. Good length of neck into well laid shoulders, strong round bone, tight feet, correct amount of muscling for age, level topline and correct tail set. Moved with drive. He tends to get excited with his tail on the move, but his other attributes compensated for that. Best Sp Beg

2​Hickman’s Tamilanda Shining Star Black litter brother to 1. Masculine head with super dark eye. Good reach of neck, good front and rear angulation, level topline and tailset, good bend of stifle. Not as steady on the move as the winner but showed plenty of good driving action.

3​Leak’s Tamilanda Continental Icon

Veteran ((3)

1​Green & Sears’ Alphadal Aint Misbehaving at Judally JW Its no secret that I love this dog, having given him the ResCC at Crufts and I also now have his offspring. Lovely head with a gentle expression, well set ears with correct carriage. Good length of neck leading to well laid shoulders, good spring of rib, level topline and excellent tailset and carriage. Strong bone, well muscled, in super hard condition. At one with his handler, and moved with reach and drive, at a steady pace. Difficult to believe he is now 8. Delighted to award him his crowning CC, BOB & B Vet. So pleased to hear he was shortlisted in a strong Utility Group.

2​Sampson’s Ch Dalstorm Golden Guinea JW 7 year old black dog of good overall make and shape. Lovely expression and dark eye. Good angulation front and rear, well boned, lovely tight feet. Good depth of chest, well muscled. Happy boy who moved out well round the ring.

3​Williams & Tanswell’s Tolkain Storm King from Phadante JW

Minor Puppy (2)

1​Petersen’s Kelevra Sole Mate for Daedalus Exuberant 7 month old with bold black spotting. Good head shape with lovely dark eye, nice reach of neck, good shoulder placement. Well off for bone, correct muscle for age. Bit of a handful on the move but shows great promise.

2​Pearson’s Kelevra Tickle My Trout Liver litter brother to 1, plainer in face but has a lovely expression. Good overall body shape, good front, tight feet, good hindquarters. Moved ok but was lacking his brother’s confidence today.

Puppy (3)

1​Bridge & Meyer’s Tamilanda Staropramen for Akoni

2​Whincup’s Tamilanda Starlight Liver litter brother to 1. Handsome head, gentle expression, very attentive to his handler. Excellent reach of neck, good lay of shoulder, level topline and showing correct muscling for age. Moved with drive, but noises in the hall unsettled him a little.

3​Christie’s Sophtspot Xtra Spicy

Junior (8,1)

1​Clement’s A Spottified Young Forseti for Perdita’s (Imp Bel) 16 month liver dog with a lovely demeanour. Nice head and expression, well carried ears. Nice length of neck, good shoulders, level topline, well set tail which was constantly wagging. Good bend of stifle. Took a while to settle on the move, but when he got himself organised, he moved with good reach and drive.

2​Bridge & Meyer’s Tamilanda Staropramen for Akoni  

3​Brooks & DeRozario’s Jemblewood Resolute Stork

PostGrad (6,1)

1​Hickman’s Tamilanda Shining Star 2nd in Special Beginners, he came into the ring with purpose in this class, showed and moved better and deserved to win the class.

2​Richardson’s Portunes St Jimmy at Exayeex JW Liver dog with a lovely head and lovely spotty ears, beautifully marked. Good angulation, nicely boned, well muscled rear. Moved well with drive, however he did not like the hall noises, so did not show to his bext advantage today.

3​ Brooks & DeRozario’s Jemblewood Resolute Stork

Limit (6,1wd)

1​Pearson’s Kelevra Beam Me Up Biscotti JW Well balanced black dog, masculine head, dark eye, well set ears. Good depth of chest, level topline, well muscled with good second thigh, nicely boned. Moved well showing good driving action. At one with his handler.

2​Croft & Richardson’s Mapplewell Rolex with Koroyza Nicely balanced, eyecatching liver dog. Well off for bone, good muscling, level topline, well set waggy tail. Little stronger in head than I prefer. Wanted to race round the ring, but once he slowed, moved well showing good reach and drive.

3​Leak’s Tamilanda Continental Icon

Open (7)

1​Dinsdale’s Ch Dotlun Apache Running Bear JW So pleased to judge this dog as I have long admired him from the ringside. Handsome head and expression, good eye colour, well set ears. Good angulation front and rear, super tight feet, level topline which he held well on the move, correct tailset and a constantly wagging tail. Very economical on the move but covered the ground with good reach and drive. Sympathetically handled. Pleased to award him the ResCC.

2​Pearson’s Swiss Ch Kelevra Dill Or No Dill JW This b/w dog was a very young puppy when I last judge him and he has matured into a very handsome dog. Super pigment, nice head and expression, dark eye, good angulation, strong bone, well muscled and moved out well.  

3​French’s Tamilanda Instant Envy

BITCHES

Sp Beg (5)

1​Grant’s Salvadorada Lady of the Glen for Bevahalli Dense black spotting on this pretty young lady. Nice head shape and lovely dark eye, well set and carried ears, good length of neck, good depth of chest, correct topline and tailset. Good muscling, moved soundly. Well handled.

2​Stubbins’ Perdita’s Bean A Stormy Ride JW Well balanced b/w, attractive head, dark eye, good ear set, nice reach of neck, clean shoulders, good depth of brisket. Level topline, good bone and bend of stifle. Not moving as well behind as the winner today.

3​Gill’s Jemblewood Stork of Solace for Embergilly

Veteran (3)

1​Tingey’s Dallyador Secret Addiction 8 year old black spotted lady who was very attentive to her handler. Lovely expression, spooty ears which she used well. Nicely balanced outline with good front and rear angulation. Covered the ground well on the move. She was certainly enjoying her day in the ring as her tail never stopped wagging.

2​Pearson’s Kelevra Mind Your Nebula A smaller type than 1. Nicely marked black 7 year old bitch. Gentle expression, good ear carariage, round bone, nicely muscled. Strong back, level topline and good tail carriage. Moved soundly.

3​Williams & Tanswell’s Nalderhill Aphrodite at Waltzaway VW

Minor Puppy 0

Puppy 0

Junior (7)

1​Haywood-Ridgway & Jenkins’ Sophtspot With Style at Luccombe 17 month b/w bitch of excellent make and shape. Pretty head and soft exression, good dark eye, nice length of neck into well laid shoulders. Deep chest, level topline, good tail set and carriage. Correct muscling for age. She was a peasure to watch on the move with her lovely steady but purposeful stride. Excellently handled and shown and a loose lead. She was a serious contender for the ResCC. A star of the future.

2​Grant’s Salvadorada Lady of the Glen for Bevahalli  

3​Nicholson’s Diocletian Chizza Manzi for Dibynn

PostGrad (4)

1​Vockings’ Portunes Whatsername JW Elegant liver bitch with a nice head and expression, lovely spotty ears, good reach of neck, level topline and correct tail set, good bend of stifle. Moved steadily,.

2​Pratt’s Lyndalla Belle of the Ball I really liked the overll make and shape of this liver bitch, pressy head, good angulation fore and aft. Good topline, well muscled hindquarters. Unfortnately she was affected by the noises in the hall, so didn’t give of her best today.

3​Stubbins’ Perdita’s Aurelia

Limit (16,2) Lovely class – I was spoilt for choice

1​Sasmpson’s Dalstorm Just Waltzing JW Liver bitch with good overall make and shape, very attentive to her handler. Good ear set, length of neck, good front and rear angulation, level topline. Plenty of bone and excellent feet. Moved with a really good length of stride.

2​Howard-Riddle’s Shydally Stars Aligned JW Eyecathing b/w bitch, pretty head, excellent pigment, evenly marked, well bodied, level toline, nicely boned, excellent feet. Moved steadily, such a happy girl.

3​French’s Tamilanda Instant Sass

Open (7) Another lovely class

1​Whincup’s Tamilanda Instant Star JW This pretty black bitch was a Junior when I last judged her and she has matured into an excellent example of our breed,. Super deep black markings, lovely head and expression. Good ear placement, nice length of neck, well angulated front and rear. Good topline and tailset and a non-stop waggy tail. Well muscled, strong round bone and excellent tight feet. Lovely to watch on the move with her excellent reach and drive. So well handled. Her handler gets the best out of her. Pleased to award her the CC.

2​Howard-Riddle’s Ch Shydally Star Attraction This b/w bitch topped a large Limit class when I last judged her and at 6 she is still showing all the attributes I liked about her then. Attractive head, gentle expression, used her ears well. Good reach of neck, level topline, correct tailset and carriage. Well ribbed, good bend of stifle. Moved with drive covering the ground well. Just preferred the front of the winner today, however, she fully deserved the RCC.

Elaine Tillson (Judge)