South Wales Kennel Association

SWKA 2026

Puppy Groups and BPIS

Many thanks to Bridget, Richard and the Officers and Committee for inviting me to judge the puppy groups at SWKA. As always it was such a friendly and inviting committee. It is always exciting to be able to go over the next generation of stars and even more so, as despite living away for almost 30 years South Wales is always home, and SWKA the first general Ch show I judged at. Diolch yn Fawr Iawn. Overall, the quality of the puppies I judged was excellent and my overall winners I am sure will make a name for themselves.

Toy

This was a nice puppy group. Bramerita I’m A Traitor. I was quite captivated by this Long Coat Chihuahua. Has the most beautiful head which is nicely domed and framed by correctly set, correctly sized well feathered ears. Good eye. Has the correct body proportions and level in topline. Tail is set correctly, well feathered and was carried well. Well angulated rear. Moved with such superb front extension and really drove from the rear. Really lovely, animated puppy and in my opinion soon for the upper house. 2. Hawksflight Race The Stars. B/T Miniature Pinscher with little to dislike. Super head and wonderful dark keen eye of correct shape. Good neck and well-placed shoulders. Well sprung ribs of good depth. Super hind quarters and in such good hard condition. Neat bone and good cat foot which is essential. Moved with drive and very precise in front although would like a fraction more pick up. Pushed 1 hard. 3. Lizlanmor Mary Rose. Pekingese. Nice head of correct shape and with lovely clear round eye. Good underjaw. Decent front assembly and well boned. Correct body shape and tail set. Picked up well. 4. Sandigara Hot Property. Very smart Pug who I admired as he came into the ring. Substantial for his size. Quality head with nice round dark and soft eye. Nicely but not excessively wrinkled. Well boned with good feet. Cobby and short. Moved well and in a super smooth soft and untouched jacket, just needs to muscled up which will come with age.

Hound

1 Whittimere Spexy. Norwegian Elkhound who was recently my BOB at Belfast. Smart young male. Pleasing head piece with decent width and correctly wedged. Neat small ears. Good neck into good shoulders. Has sufficient length of leg and stands on good tight feet. Compact in body with correct tail set. Correctly angulated. He is a very typey male and since I last judged him just a short time ago his jacket has grown well and he his is in better coat with a good ruff. Moved very well. 2 Kinabula's Sassy Souffle. Promising Rhodesian Ridgeback who presents a super silhouette. Quality head piece with good eye. Superb front assembly. Good bone and feet. Has a lovely ridge of sufficient length. Strongly made hindquarters. Scored here with his effortless and free movement. I really liked him. 3 Menigma Rey's Touch The Sun. This is a promising young Borzoi. Needs time of course, however ,has the essentials to finish into a quality male who should challenge for the upper house. Good length of head and delicately veined. Correct foreface shape and strong underjaw. Well set eye. Good length of neck into correct shoulders. Good depth already through the chest. Pleasing topline which is not overdone. Moved effortlessly. 4 Jenivon's Standing Ovation. Quality red smooth haired dachshund. Impressed in overall make and shape and presented a classical outline. Pleasing head shape and of good length, with correct dark almond shaped eye. Well set leathers of good length. Good length of neck into good shoulders. Good keel. Enough ground clearance. Well ribbed back. Good bone. Moved well with correct tail carriage.

Terrier. 1. Berrybreeze Bewitched. New one to me. This young Scottish Terrier is indeed a pleasure to go over on the table. Correct head of good length and clean through with correct skull to foreface proportions. Correct dark eye of desired shape and neat well placed ears. Typical front and correctly slung. Good bone for a bitch. Short. Well ribbed. Super rear. In good hard jacket which is well put down. Moved well despite the floor. A very typical Scottie. 2 Hopecharm November Storm. Smart West Highland White Terrier. This is another smart youngster who presents a very smart outline with good length of neck and compact body. Pleasing head and expression derived from typical head proportions, and keen dark eye. Well ribbed. Correct hind angulation. In good jacket and moved well. He should do well. 3. Ornella Honey Rider. This Sealyham pushed the winners hard and impressed me greatly. He is super for type, and importantly of the correct size for the breed when many are becoming too large. He pleased me with his head which is of good width and with strong foreface, lovely dark eye, and correct leather. Good neck and shoulder. Pleasing front and his body proportions are correct. Super coat texture. Powerful rear which is uses on the move. In my opinion a Ch in the making. 4 Chandlimore Mandarin at Jaeva. Very raw T/w Jack Russell Terrier. Pleased me with his super head and expression and correct muzzle length. Good body proportions. So well put down. Good topline held on the move. Just needs more time to fill his frame mature. Will do well.

Utility

This really was a super puppy group and filled with quality specimens who I am sure all of which will make their presence felt in their respective breed rings. Heading up the group was the Black miniature poodle Michandy Charismatic. Really impressed with her overall outline and deportment. On further inspection she has a beautiful head which is of super length and lean back. Well chiseled foreface and good strength in underjaw. Lovely dark correctly shaped eye and decent leather length. Pleasing front assembly. Correct topline. Correct tail set. Jacket is harsh and a lovely solid black. Very poodly on the move. I really liked this bitch and wish her well. 2 Olijah Striptease. I judged this precocious French Bulldog in the summer when I made her BOB and Group 1 in both adult and puppy groups. Nothing changed my mind about her today. I still think she is quality through. Such a typical expression and with the best of ears. Has a good length of neck and pleasing front, Cobby with well sprung rib. Ideal topline. Of good bone and nice compact feet. Moved soundly around the ring as if she owned it. Just needs maturity. 3. Ashowai Rockin Robin. Shar Pei who I have also done well for previously. I liked this bitch for her overall silhouette and shape. Pleasing head with no excess of wrinkle. Correct eye and expression. Lovely small ear. Strong neck into good shoulders. Nice overall proportions. Moved well. 4. Blue Blood Ambassador Way to Rock with Waterley (Imp Svk) NAF TAF. B/W Tibetan Terrier. Very promising youngster. Good square outline and very pleasing head proportions. Good eye and good dark rims. Well made front. Good angulation at the rear. In tip top condition. Moved with drive.

Gundog

1 De Lombardie Spirit of Barleyarch (Imp Can). This L/W GSP caught my eye immediately I saw him enter the ring. He is most impressive in outline and on further inspection does not disappoint. This male has a quality head which is clean, of good width and with correct eye colour and well-set leathers of good length. There is strength through his muzzle without being coarse. Good length and strength of neck which is nicely arched. Where this dog excels is in his front assembly, with good length of upper arm and excellent lay of the shoulder. Correct bone and super compact foot. Good depth to his chest with enough width. Excellent topline and correct at the croup. Ribs well sprung back. Correctly set tail. Good hind angulation but in no way overdone. What impressed me was how in good hard condition this young dog is. Clearly this dog is free run. On the move his construction and condition led to effortless action which is foot perfect. He really did impress me, and I was delighted to award him this puppy group and subsequently BPIS over some promising youngsters. I shall watch him with close interest 2 Moontorn Dare to Dream with Dexbenella. ESS who pushed the GSP hard. I haven’t seen this l/w bitch before, but she is quality through. Has a beautiful head and expression, has that desired fluting, is clean in back skull and correctly chiseled. Good front, and with nice foot. Well sprung and pleasing topline which is held on the move. Exhibits such correct movement with super front extension and drive from the rear. Another that will have a very bright future. 3. Malricey Tina Burner, black American Cocker. Pleased me in outline. She has a beautiful head and lovely eye giving her the best of expressions. Well set leathers of sufficient length. Good neck and shoulder, pleasing front with good depth of chest. Good ribbing with strong short loin. Nicely angled at the rear and moved well. 4. Stormdancer Sweet Coraline Rivertone. Quality Weimaraner. Pleasing head of good length and correct proportions. Keen expression. Leathers of good length. Pleasing front assembly, well boned with good feet. Body proportions are good and has a well angulated rear. Moved with lovely side gait and true fore and aft. Just needs to strengthen in topline and she will do very well I am sure.

Working

Firstly, I would like to acknowledge the very smart Giant Schnauzer who had to withdraw from the group due to my RKC connections with her owner. This bitch looked very typey and I am sure would have figured in the group. I wish her well. 1. Chandlimore Blow Me A Kiss. This St Bernard was a standout for me, as soon as she came into the group it was hard to ignore her lightness of foot and correct footfall despite her substantial frame. This was impressive, however on closer inspection she impressed me further and although there is much maturing to do the essentials are well established. Super large head with correct length of foreface, deep through with good eye and no haw. Excellent length of neck into well laid shoulders, good bone and such good feet. Good width and correct depth of chest. Level back and correct croup. Well muscled rear with ideal angulation. I could have watched her move all day. With maturity she will be a force to reckon with. Congratulations. 2. Optimus Bridget Jones. Very nice fawn who combines strength yet with no loss of femininity. Well built Bullmastiff bitch. Good breadth of skull and foreface, strong in underjaw and good broad nose. Neat ears correctly set. Excels I front, her chest of good width and well let down. Good bone. Correct topline. Powerful hindquarters which she uses on the move. In good condition. Moved well. 3. Taranut Treacle Tart for Glenauld. Very raw Boxer but she could not be denied a place. Quality typical head, with correct skull muzzle ratio and good underjaw. Nice dark eye. Lovely length of neck into good shoulders. Well made front assembly and lovely tight foot. Correct rib and typical topline. Lovely hind angulation, not overdone. Moved well. Just needs time. 4. Shimano in Your Dreams. I was impressed by the togetherness and maturity of this Dogue De Bordeaux who presented a very nice overall shape. Although some maturity in the head is needed, she is very well developed with a typical large trapezoid shaped headpiece, well defined chin, correct flews and correct eye. Lovely substance and bone and despite her stature stands on strong tight foot. Typical topline. Well-muscled quarters and moved very soundly.

Pastoral 1. Merthyr Wanda Take Ten to Penliath (Imp Nzl), Welsh Corgi (Pembroke). Young bitch with pleasing head, which is clearly very feminine, and exhibits the correct skull to muzzle ratio. Nice dark round eye and good pigment. Well placed ears of ideal size. Very typical front assembly and is good at the elbow. Body of sufficient length and super hard topline. Well ribbed and with a well angulated rear. Has a super free action and on the move holding her topline while driving from the rear. In good jacket and well put down. I am sure she has a bright future 2. Austmans Cowculated. I was very much taken with this Australian Cattle Dog. She has a super outline and is nice and compact. Nice head with decent width across the skull, and strong in muzzle with sufficient underjaw. Correct dark oval eye and well-set ears of correct size complete the picture. Has strength in neck and well laid shoulder, good round bone and good foot. Of ideal proportions and well sprung. In good double coat. Moved well on a loose lead. I was pleased to be able to award this bitch high honours. 3. Borderbrook Follow My Heart. Quality Border Collie bitch with a lovely overall make and shape. Quality head and correct well shaped eye. Lovely neck and shoulder. Nicely but not overly boned. Well sprung with good strong broad loin. Moved with reach and drive and desired head and tail carriage. A nice prospect. 4. Joseter Morgan Brooklands. Welsh Corgi (Cardigan). Pleasing brindle. Typical in head with ideal proportions, good eye and importantly correctly shaped large ear. Lovely dentition. Typical Cardigan front and with good bone. Of decent length and well muscled hindquarters. Moved with drive.

Dr Ian H Gabriel