Three Counties Agricultural Society

Thank you to the Committee of Three Counties Dog Show for inviting me to judge after the original Judge Mr Colwell, sadly had to withdraw. I would like to send Mr Colwell my best wishes going forward and my thanks to the exhibitors who still entrusted me with their lovely Beardies. I found some super examples of our breed, particularly in the higher classes but also some that lacked angulation, correct ribbing and I did find some rather weak rears too, some of which would definitely improve with more exercise. A few Beardies, particularly the younger bitches found the hall a bit overwhelming but most took it all in their stride. Finally I would like to thank my two stewards who worked so unobtrusively and efficiently to keep the ring running smoothly.

MPD (2,0 abs) Both of these two boys were at that awkward puppy stage of growth and both were very excited to be in the ring, as one would hope at this age! 1.Tomlinsons, Miller & Fletcher’s Coalacre Serious Moonlight, this brown puppy had a lovely head, eye colour to tone, good neck onto nice shoulders and good length of back. Nice rear angulation but needs to strengthen, as one would expect given his age. When he settled there were glimpses of good movement; 2. Garrity & Tibbetts’ Potterdale Taylor Plus, dark slate, just 6 months and very raw. Head acceptable for his age, good eye colour, nice neck onto well laid shoulders and good ribbing. He also needs to strengthen in rear and is a bit bum high at the moment which affected his movement, but time is very much on his side.

PD (2,0) 1. Baker & Van De Hoef’s Malandex Xciting Legacy, dark slate, lovely head and expression from dark eyes, really liked his outline on the stand. Good neck onto nice shoulders and ribs of good depth and length. Moved out well around the ring, although I thought he could be a little more positive behind today, but again time is on his side; 2. Akester & Wiltshire, Whelan & Young’s Corimist The Designer at Thwaitlake this dark slate pushed 1 hard, lovely head and eye, good neck onto nice shoulders, and ribs of good depth. He also moved out well around the ring, and again like 1 needs more time to strengthen in rear. Just preferred the overall proportions of 1.

JD (3,1) 1. Baker & Van De Hoef’s Malandex Xciting Image, well grown, paler slate who has a lovely head and expression, good proportions overall with nice neck onto well laid shoulders and ribs of good depth and length. Nicely angulated rear to balance his front he covers the ground really well on the move. I was pleased to award him BP in the challenge, where he really powered around the ring and will watch his career with interest; 2. Twinning’s Tamjenta Ghost Protocol at Kaycee another nice youngster who was close up to 1, strong, masculine head, nice eye colour, good shoulder placement, correct ribbing and a nicely angulated rear to balance front. He was a little unsettled today which affected his movement, but I’m sure he will have better days. 

YD (2,1) 1. Osborne’s Potterdale Prime Edition, loved this dark slate boy for type, he has a strong head, with a pleasing expression, good neck onto nice shoulders, good length and depth of rib, and correct rear angulation. He covered the ground well on the move.  

ND No Entries, GD No Entries

PGD (4,0) 1. Newson’s Beardora On The Huh, this masculine, slate boy had a nice outline on the stand, good head and eye, and ribs of correct depth and length. Decent front and rear angulation enabled him to cover the ground with a balanced action. A quality harsh coat completed the picture; 2. Gibb & Dungavell’s Debbeacol Devil in Disguise at Pirateer, slightly smaller than 1 this slate boy has a nice head and expression from dark eyes and was also balanced on the move. I just felt 1 had a little more extension; 3. Steer-Eldridge’s Gwalltafwyn Rhodd Unigryw VW, nice brown, enjoying his day out. Good head and expression, presented in lovely coat, he was balanced on the move but needs more angulation front and rear. 

LD (10, 4) 1. Bramley & Moore’s Coalacre Do The Hokey Cokey, this masculine slate dog caught my eye on the first go around. Absolutely nothing exaggerated about this boy, just coming into his prime, lovely outline standing, he has a good strong head, a lovely dark eye, nice neck onto well laid shoulders, good ribbing and correct rear to balance front. His nice harsh coat completes the picture. He moved out well around the ring, covering the ground as his construction suggested and held a firm, level topline throughout. The icing on the cake was his lovely happy temperament which shone though. In the Challenge I could not resist him and was pleased to award him the CC, his second. I hope the third is not too far away; 2. Tomlinson & Miller & Fletchers Memorylane Flirt with Every Skirt (Imp Fin), smaller boy but still masculine, dark brown, with a correctly proportioned head, nice eye, good length of neck onto well laid shoulders and good ribbing. Moved around the ring with an easy balanced action, just not quite the rear drive of 1 today; 3. Carter & Palmers Burnhock Perfect Diamond of Woodacre, dark brown of lovely type, good head and nicely constructed throughout. Another who moved out well when settled. 

OD (10,4) A very nice class of quality dogs 1. Glasspool’s Ch Ungaro De Chester (Imp Fra), glamourous, masculine, dark slate, beautifully presented and lovely outline standing, he has a strong head and dark eye, nice length of neck onto well laid shoulders, good depth of chest and length of rib and good rear angulation. Comes into his own on the move when he covers the ground so well. A worthy Champion and pleased to award him the RCC;  2. Whelan & Young’s Ch Blumaci U Son of The King at Corimist (Imp Fra), strongly made dark slate who was close up to 1, another who presents a lovely outline, has a beautiful head and eye and is well constructed throughout. Powers around the ring on the move, just slightly preferred the precision of 1 today; 3. Brooks & Grundy’s Ch Fraglestone Family Affair, a lovely dog who I gave the RCC to last time I judged. He excels in head, lovely eye with soft expression, correct construction throughout and moved out well with a lovely balanced action. Just lost out to the enthusiasm of youth of the first two, but a super dog nonetheless and very worthy of his title.

VD (4,1) 1. Salmon’s Ch Potterdale Piper dark slate of lovely type, masculine but not coarse in any way. He has a good head and eye, well angulated front, correct ribbing and well angulated rear. Covered the ground well on the move and presented a lovely picture on the stand; 2. Wood’s Pepperjay Bartholomew another dog whose type I like he excels in head and has that lovely melting Beardie expression, good neck, nicely angulated front and rear and moves with a pleasing, balanced action, just not quite the extension of 1 & 2;  3. Gibb’s Ch Snikkles Bluebeard at Pirateer JW ShCM ShCEx VW, 11 year old blue, nice head and expression, good neck and nicely angulated front and rear, correct ribbing, just showing his age a bit on the move today and therefore not quite the balance of 1 & 2

MPB (4,0) A hard class to judge as these young ladies were all determined to enjoy their day out! 1. Tomlinson’s Coalacre Blue Moon, loved this blue baby for type, so feminine with a lovely outline standing, good neck onto well laid shoulders and nice rear angulation to match. Chest needs to develop a little but it’s early days. She was in the ring with her sister so both were rather excited about that, but I got glimpses of nice balanced movement which won her the class. I will watch her career with interest; 2. Sale & Lewis’ Potterdale Plus One More, another baby having fun, she has a good head and expression, nice neck onto well laid shoulders, good ribbing and nicely angulated rear. She is a little up at the rear at the moment which slightly affected her movement, but she showed good reach overall; 3. Tomlinson’s Coalacre Moon, and Kisses, another of lovely type, and many of the same comments apply as for her sister. She was quite unsettled today so it was difficult to fully assess her movement but she did enough to win this place.

PB (5,0) 1. Ayrtons Briarsfield Little Swan at Aoibh, really liked this youngster for type, free standing she makes a lovely outline, nicely proportioned overall with a sweet head and expression, ribs of nice depth and length, and good angles front and rear. She moved out confidently with a lovely balanced action, pleased to award her BPB; 2. Griggs’ Malandex Xquisit Image for Emazenridge, brown of different type being longer and more heavily made, though still feminine. She has a pleasing head and expression and is nicely angulated front and rear. She covered the ground well on the move but I just preferred the overall balance of 1; 3. Whelan & Young’s Corimist The Empress, dark slate and white girl, with a beautiful head and good eye colour, good length of neck onto well laid shoulders, good ribbing and well angulated rear. She just needed to relax into herself a little more on the move today to truly show off her attributes.
JB (5,2) 1. Baker & Van De Hoef’s Potterdale Prime Xample at Malandex, I really liked this dark slate girl, she has a lovely head and expression, good neck onto well laid shoulders, well shaped ribs of correct depth and length and rear angulation to balance front. She covered the ground with a lovely easy action and her harsh dark coat completed the picture. One who should have a bright future; 2. Stockwell’s Breaksea Pretty Woman, brown of nice type, pretty head and soft expression, good proportions overall and nicely angulated front and rear. She was a bit unsettled on the move today but showed glimpses of pleasing movement; 3. Steer-Eldridge’s Gwalltafwyn Gwenllian, another who was unsettled today, blue bitch of lovely type, feminine head, nice overall proportions and balanced angulation, just not quite the extension of 1 & 2

YB (4,0) 1. Sewell & Gray’s Victime D Amour De Chester with Kemelstowe (Imp Fra), glamourous slate going through the pale stage, lovely head and eye, good length of neck onto well laid shoulders, correct ribbing and nice rear angulation to balance front. She moved out around the ring with a pleasing, ground covering action; 2. Mitchell’s Beabeardies Grace Kelly, slate of different type being somewhat taller, she had left her coat at home today, but nice harsh coat coming though. Feminine head, nice eye colour, good neck onto well laid shoulders, nice ribbing and good angulation to balance rear. Came into her own when she moved with a nice scopey action around the ring and pushed 1 hard. I shall watch with interest how she matures; 3. Brookes’ Brookles Barkarole, another nice slate, with a strong yet feminine head, eye tones with coat, nice neck onto well laid shoulders and rear angulation to balance. Moved out well around the ring, just preferred the overall balance of 1 & 2

NB (1,0) 1. Malandex Xquisit Image for Emazenridge

GB (6,0) 1. Victime D Amour De Chester with Kemelstowe; 2. Axford’s Bramblemead Sparkling Lady JW, blue of good type, nice outline standing and well presented with a good harsh coat. Pretty head, eye toning with coat colour, good neck onto well laid shoulders and nicely angulated rear. Moved out well around the ring and pushed 1 hard; 3. Edwards’ Breaksea It's Time at Nellbrook JW, brown girl, with nice harsh coat coming, lovely head and eye colour, good neck onto well shaped ribs, and nicely angulated front and rear. Moved out with a pleasing balanced action, just not quite the extension of 1 & 2 today. 

PGB (7,2) 1. Skinner’s Valkyrie De Chester at Tamjenta (Imp Fra) feminine young slate bitch, of lovely type, nice outline standing, good head, and soft expression, good length of neck onto well angulated shoulders, nice length and depth of rib and nicely angulated rear to complete the picture. In lovely coat and condition, she moved out around the ring with grace and ease. Just coming to her best and worthy of top honours; 2. Harcourt-Brown’s Orora’s Pearly Princess, another lovely bitch and close up to 1, many of the same comments apply. Not quite as finished in coat as 1 and just needs to relax a little more into herself on the move, but another I liked very much, her time will come; 3. Patterson’s Eltimaris Jubilee Hoorah JW, beautifully presented, feminine bitch of good type, I loved her head and expression, nicely balanced angulation fore and aft, she too moved well around the ring, but just not quite the extension of 1 & 2 on the move. 
LB (11,5) 1. Bevis’ Beabeardies Cinnamon Girl, feminine fawn, ideal for size and substance, pretty head and good eye colour giving soft expression, correct depth and length of ribs, really nicely angulated front and rear, moved out really well around the ring with a pleasing balanced action to win this class; 2. Swaby’s Kiltondale Hot Favourite for Marsby, pushed 1 all the way and another nice bitch of good type, good head and expression, nicely angulated front and rear and good ribbing. Moved out well, I just thought 1 had slightly more front extension today; 3. Fooks’ Moonhill Blissful Dream, quality slate bitch, of good type. Strong yet feminine head, with nice expression, lovely outline on the stand, nice angulation front and rear and correct ribbing. Her nice harsh coat completed the picture. On the move she was balanced and true, but today she didn’t quite cover as much ground as 1 & 2. 

OB (9,2) This was a very strong class and I’d have been happy to award any of those placed a red card. 1. Harcourt-Brown’s Ch Orora’s Oriana, this feminine, plainly marked slate reminded me so much of Beardies from past times. She has a lovely head and expression from her dark eyes, in beautiful coat and condition, I loved her outline on the stand and she did not disappoint on going over her. Length of neck flows into correctly angulated shoulders, and she has ribs of good depth and length. Rear angulation to balance front, she really covers the ground on the move and is so balanced. Her happy Beardie character completed the picture. Pleased to award her the CC and in the challenge for BOB I could not resist her BOB; 2. Peirson’s Ch Kiltondale Miley Cyrus JW, unlucky to meet 1 another I really liked. Of different type being a little bigger and more strongly made but still feminine. She too had a good head and lovely expression, good ribbing and good angles front and rear. She moved out as her construction suggested, covering the ground well with a pleasing balanced action, pleased to award her the RCC; 3. Rivers’ Ch Orora’s French Silk at Merrimak JW ShCEx OSW, dark slate litter sister to 1 but of different type being a bit taller. An elegant girl, with a sweet head and expression from dark eyes, lovely length of neck onto well laid shoulders, good ribbing and correct rear angulation. She too moved out well around the ring - a lovely girl and a very worthy Champion.

VB (3,1) 1. Edwards’ Ch Nellbrook Pure Imagination JW VW, blue of good type, lovely outline on the stand, in good coat and condition. Nice head and expression from eyes that tone with coat, good ribbing and correct angulation front and rear. On the move she covers the ground so well and is beautifully handled to get the best out of her. In the challenge for BV I just preferred the preciseness of her rear movement over the dog and was pleased to award her BV; 2. Harkin’s Corimist Galway Girl at Claudalla, feminine slate of lovely type, beautiful head and expression, nice neck onto well laid shoulders, good ribbing, nicely angulated front and rear. Nice balanced movement around the ring, just not quite so positive as 1. 

Yvonne Fox (Judge)