West Of England Border Collie Club

West of England Border Collie Club 

Jill Spurr, Dreamwork 

Thank you to Ali Stenhouse and her team at West of England Border Collie Club for the kind invitation to judge. We had a superb entry, but sadly the heat caused a high number of absents. My thanks to my two stewards, Hannah and Geoff, who kept the ring moving and everything organised. 

No dog was carrying excess weight, tail lengths and heights were good and I was delighted that toplines were also good, having observed some loss of level topline recently. Rear movement, especially out and back, made the decision for me in a few cases. A couple of exhibits had a high head position on the move, putting pressure on the topline and shortening reach from the front, which can be costly in an entry filled with good breed-typical movement. 

Minor Puppy Dog (1,1a) 

Puppy Dog (3,2a)

Junior Dog (5,3a)

1 – Wiltshire and Rogers’ Caleykiz Ignite the Passion – 13 months black and white, dark, masculine head, mobile ears sensitive in use, he is full of character with super temperament. Super length of neck. Correct height, level topline to sloping croup. Balanced angles front and back. Excels in movement, head and tail low, holds his topline with the characteristic low lift of foot. Res Best Dog. 

2 – Sloan’s Inverstag Tennessee Whisky – 14 months black and white. What a treat to start my day with two such promising males – without doubt they would swap places another day. This lad has super proportions, another who is correct height, with masculine headpiece and excellent neck length. Firm topline held on the move, powered by his excellent rear angles. Just didn’t quite have the outline on side gait of 1 today, but will watch both with interest as they develop. 

Yearling Dog (3, 2a)

1 - Sloan’s Inverstag Tennessee Whisky – as 2 in Junior

Post Graduate Dog (6, 5a)

1 – Rettie’s Glenfound Future Hope – 2 year old black and white. Masculine head, super expression with correct eye and ears set well apart. Super neck length to firm topline and sloping croup giving him an eye-catching outline. Well let down hocks with matching angles front and back. Effortless, ground covering movement. Presented in excellent condition. 

Limit Dog (4, 2a)

1 – Buckley’s Amkamel Half Blood Prince JW – 3 year black and white that I judged earlier this year and could see great improvement, he was much more at one with his handler on the move, producing fluid, ground covering movement that won him the class. Parallel front and super rear angles, level topline and sloping croup giving him a balanced outline on the stand. 

2 – Shamatova’s Nashdom All Eyes On You JW – 4 years black and white. Super head with melting expression yet all masculine. Good length of neck and front angles, depth of chest and overall proportions. He just wasn’t powering through on his rear movement today. 

Open Dog (1, 1a) 

Veteran Dog (6, 4a)

1 – Rettie and Morley’s Sh Ch Chikaramor Cast A Spell of Glenfound – 8 years black tri that I have admired from ringside, so what a treat to go over him. Far from being veteran, this is a dog in his prime, an absolute powerhouse. Masculine throughout, he has a super neck, level topline and long, well-set tail. Deep chest, and excels in rear angles with well let-down hocks. Powerful mover who just eats up the ring with head and tail in the correct position and low lift of foot. The more he went, the better he got. Best Dog, and delighted to award him Best in Show, Best Veteran and Best AOC in Show. 

2 – Shevenels and De Cree’s Eyes of the World Silver and Gold – 7 years black and white. Different in type to 1, but just as masculine, of good height with excellent length of neck. Super ear set and such a lovely expression. Good length of tail and balanced outline with good reach in side gait, just not quite the movement out and back of 1. 

Any Other Colour Than Black and White Dog (4, 3a)

1 - Rettie and Morley’s Sh Ch Chikaramor Cast A Spell of Glenfound – as 1 in Veteran. 

Minor Puppy Bitch (3, 3a)

Puppy Bitch (4, 2a)

1 – Neil’s Dollindaw Dolly Daydream - 11 months black and white with the prettiest dark head. Beautiful expression, super up and tipped ears that are sensitive in use. Balanced angles front and back, with a super croup and straight front, with the better movement of two nice young bitches. Best Puppy Bitch and Best Puppy in Show. 

2 – Allison’s Wenmap Special Arrival – just short of 12 months black and white with lots to like. Feminine headpiece with mobile ears, level topline and super croup. Moved out well, just preferred the overall balance of 1 today. 

Junior Bitch (5, 3a) 

1 – Morley and Rogerson’s Chikaramor Chyna Roses – 15 months black and white. Lovely balanced bitch who is maturing nicely. Feminine headpiece, uses her ears, super length of neck into strong, straight topline. Moderate coat, good depth of chest for her age, lovely long tail. Moved well, particularly on side gait and just got better the more she moved. 

2 – Neil’s Dollindaw Divine Delight – 11 months black and white, lost out a little on maturity. Another youngster with a super head, length of neck and nice topline, giving a pleasing outline that shows she is balanced in her angles front and back. Preferred movement out and back in 1 today, but another promising youngster. 

Yearling Bitch (7, 4a)

1 – Lewis and Lewis’ Shemella Sky Full of Stars – 19 months black and white. Very feminine, with super headpiece and kind expression though totally focused on her handler. Level topline, super angles in front and really balanced outline. Movement was smooth and effortless. Just pipped it over 2 with a better croup. 

2 - Morley and Rogerson’s Chikaramor Chyna Roses – as 1in Junior

3 – Deane’s Jupavia Time is a Teacher

Post Graduate Bitch (8, 3a)

An interesting class to judge, full of variance in type. 

1 – Allison’s Wenmap Topkapi Gem – 3 years black and white I have judged more than once, but what a transformation! In the past, she has been prone to inconsistent movement, but not today – absolute respect to the handler for the work she has put in. This bitch brought her A game. She has a lovely head and expression, which complements her balanced outline. She stands four square on excellent angles front and back, super sweep over her croup from a strong topline and finished off with a lovely long tail. She is well off for bone without losing her femininity, giving the impression she is well capable of a day’s work. Her movement was foot perfect, low head and tail and on a loose lead. Delighted to award her Reserve Best Bitch amid strong competition and I look forward to seeing her go from strength to strength. 

2 – Lee’s Floss of Jaybob (ISDS 00/397779) dual registered black tricolour. To say this bitch is of different type to 1 is a bit of an understatement, but if you want the blueprint of “could work all day”, this is it. She is workmanlike but still feminine, lovely expression and ears that are sensitive in use. Slightly out of coat but nothing hidden. Good length of neck, strong topline and a super croup. She has good rear angles but is just the tiniest bit long in second thigh and hock, which is very typical of ISDS lines. Her movement was smooth and utterly effortless, which won her this place, although her movement was better in this class than her next one. 

3 – Neil’s Shemella April Showers of Dollindaw

Limit Bitch (8, 7a)

1 – McConnachie and McConnachie’s Wish’s Emerald Star for Thistleskye 6 years black and white. Dark, compact but balanced bitch, well muscled, she has a lovely sweep from her neckline, across her firm topline to a super croup and tail set. Excellent angles front and back that propel her around the ring effortlessly, her movement away and back was sound, and she held a lovely shape in side profile. 

2 – Dodd’s Borderbears Be My Surprise at Molumiki AW(S) – 4 years blue with a super sheen to her coat. More English in type than 1, giving her a very different outline with different features to like. Her agility warrant qualification shows she works, and she was shown in particularly good, hard condition. She didn’t quite bring the same animation to her movement as 1, but she holds a lovely shape on the move with correct head and tail position and on a loose lead. 

Open Bitch (5, 1a)

1 - McConnachie and McConnachie’s Your Still The One at Thistleskye 4 years black tri that has caught my eye from ringside, so I was delighted to go over her – she does not disappoint. She has the prettiest head with mobile ears active in use and the loveliest kind expression. She has clear tan points with good depth of pigment and immaculately presented, her coat shone. She stood out in a super quality class, with a graceful sweep from her long neck, firm topline into the best of croups. Her movement is slow, effortless with low lift of foot, topline held perfectly. Ultra feminine yet still gives the impression she can work her socks off, and handled to bring the best out of her. Best Bitch, Reserve Best in Show and Best Opposite Sex. 

2 – Wiltshire and Wiltshire’s Caleykiz Passion for Power – 4 years black and white. Dark, powerful bitch of the type this kennel does so well. A little out of coat, so you could really admire her qualities, well-muscled and balanced, definitely one that looks ready for a day’s work. In a class of four quality bitches that could so easily swap places, it was her outline on the move that secured this place; top line held, head and tail in correct position and exceptional reach throughout. A super bitch.

3 – Lewis and Lewis’ Shemella Shepherd’s Delight 

Veteran Bitch (3,3a)

Any Other Colour Than Black and White (6, 1a)

Always a joy to judge the minority colours, although disappointed there were no merles. 

1 - McConnachie and McConnachie’s Your Still The One at Thistleskye – as 1 Open Bitch

2 – Dodds’ Molumiki Down in Upendi 4 years blue tri, another I have observed ringside and can see the work the handler has put in to show this bitch to her advantage. She has a lovely head, alert and expressive with mobile sensitive ears. Eyes correct colour to match coat and a pleasing depth of pigment to her blue. Very balanced in outline, super angles and right amount of bone. She is every inch a dog that can work. Movement was easy with low lift of foot on side profile, just needs a little more accuracy out and back. 

3 – Lewis and Lewis’ Shemella Shepherd’s Delight