Critique for The Australian Shepherd Club of the UK Open Show

25/09/2010

Can I just say thank you to all of you who entered under me. I was thrilled with such a lovely entry and then had a wonderful time at the show. Thank you to the officers and committee for their hospitality and to everyone for making Debbie, Roxanne and myself so welcome.

It is always nice when you watch your class winners come into the ring and have a “I’m pleased with that line up” feeling however I must say that I felt that the quality of the bitches in the younger classes was much better than in the corresponding dog classes, and after talking to people afterwards this seems to be a view shared by some of the exhibitors. Heads is a particular area that springs to mind. There were a number of younger boys who had more than a “slight taper.  The bitches on the other hand were a delight.  Overall, bites were very good with only 2 exceptions. Front movement is something to watch, too many tend to ‘toe in’ but rear movements were good and nearly all had what I would call typical profile movement. I was very pleased with the construction of the exhibits with regard to shoulders and rear angulation.  Tails obviously still vary a lot but it was good to see a number of correct tail sets and some very good tail carriages.

My BIS went to Simmons’ Versace Suave des Chemin Cathares. A super dog that to look at just shouts “Aussie”. Pushed hard in the challenge by the bitch Turnbull, Clegram & Dowson’s Ozzypool Eternal Flame who took BOS and RBIS.  Best Puppy went to the bitch Wright’s Ozzypool Black Velvet

Dogs

Puppy Dog(3,0a)

1^st    Turnbull & Dowson’s Ozzypool Jacob Black. 11mth Blk Tri. Lovely young boy presenting a good outline.  Good head proportions with good breadth to the muzzle and correct bite. Lovely angles. Best mover in the class. 
 

2^nd   Keel’s Impenzie Matchless. 6mth Blk Tri. Another pleasing young man. Super body with good head, lovely angles, good bone and nice feet.  A little reserved but when he gets his confidence will be one to watch.
 

3^rd   Reeve’s Silvarcea Rag ‘n’ Bone Man.

Junior Dog(4,0a)

1^st    Gatenby & Green’s Armatan Fire Blade (AI). 14mth Blk Tri. Young man with a lovely shape, good bone and feet, super angles. Masculine head with correct proportions.  Enjoyed watching him move and nice to see him carrying his tail so well.
 

2^nd   Bland’s Abodandy Nika Yaba Daba Doo at Hilandes. 17mth Red Mrl. Different in type to 1. Broad head & squarer shaped body.  Good bone and feet.  Good movement & in good coat. Natural short bob tail set and carried high.
 

3^rd   Turnbull & Dowson’s Ozzypool Jacob Black

Novice Dog(3,0a)

1^st    McFarlane’s Gemthorne Theme for a Dream. Red Tri. Well up to size, masculine throughout, head in proportion. Good shoulders and rear angles. In good coat. Best mover in this class showing correct tail set and carriage.
 

2^nd    Wright’s Rushbottom Razzle Dazzle. Blu Mrl. Much smaller and finer that 1. Good front angles but needs to develop behind.

3^rd   Richard’s Moortime Once in a Blue Moon.

Post Graduate Dog (8,1a)

1^st    Swallow’s Lyveden Castle Chaska. Red Mrl. Lovely young man who didn’t grab my attention at first but one I found I kept looking back at. Lovely shape, super head shape and planes. Lovely angles front and rear, good bone, nice feet and a nice amount of coat that is well marked.  Gave his runner a hard time but moved better as the class and day progressed. True for and aft with a steady easy stride in profile.  Thought him very worthy of RBD

2^nd   Brown’s Silverdream Aussie’s Marzipan (Imp). Red Mrl. Another lovely boy. Smaller in frame that 1 but in proportion. Lovely head and super ears. Ex. angles fore and aft, good feet. Lovely mover especially behind.
 

3^rd     Bland’s Abodandy Nika Yaba Daba Doo at Hilandes

Limit Dog (5,1a)

1^st    Taylor & Jones’ Shenkiri Rolling Thunder. Red Mrl.  Super shape with lovely angles, good bone and feet, lovely head & expression, super mover and in good coat.

2^nd   Keel’s Drcal Majestic Prince (P.Beg.Ex.). Blk Tri. Another lovely dog of good type and shape. Super angles front and rear, good bone, nice feet.  Nice head.  Slightly smaller than 1 but that takes nothing away. Just lost out to 1’s slightly straighter front movement.

3^rd   Harris & Winfrow’s Allmark Solitaire.

Open Dog (4,0a)

1^st    Simmons’ Versace Suave des Chemin Cathares ShCM (Imp). Blu Mrl. Heading up a lovely class. Full of type, correct size and proportions, masculine, lovely head proportions, correct ears giving an intelligent expression. Super angles front and rear, lovely bone and feet and a super mover. True fore and aft, steady ‘moderate’ gait in profile. Just had the presence in the dog challenge to win Best Dog and was pushed hard in the challenge by the bitch but won out for best Dog & Best In Show

2^nd   Blackburn, Gatenby & Green’s Ir Ch Armatan Bad Moon Rising (AI) ShCM.
Blu Mrl. Another masculine typey boy. Lovely shape with good conformation, good head, and a nice mover. In good coat.  Called in to challenge for RBD and it was very close with the PG winner but the latter just had that little something that takes your eye.
 

3^rd     Brown’s Ir Ch Accra Imtheotherone ShCM

Veteran Dog (7,2a)

 1^st    Gibbans’ Gibband’s Red Admiral. Red Mrl. 10½yrs. What a lovely boy. I remember judging this young man a little over 7 years ago. Beautifully put together with super front and rear assemblies. Preferred the head and ears of my BD & RBD but this ‘young’ man is a pleasure to watch going round the ring.. Lovely rear and super profile movement. Front not what it used to be but he can still can still out move most of the younger dogs. RBVIS.

2^nd   Timperon & Reeve’s Am Ch Windfalls Katchmeif-Youcan. Blk Tri 7½yrs. Lovely outline and well presented. Lovely head and well made throughout. Good coat and colour. Tends to move with a long ‘lazy’ stride rather than the more typical ‘moderate’ stride but still a lovely boy.

3^rd     Gatenby & Green’s Armatan Mon Maitre.
 

Bitches

Puppy Bitch(4,0a)

1^st    Wright’s Ozzypool Black Velvet. 11mth Blk Tri. What a lovely young lady. Unassuming but all there. Lovely head and expression. Super shape, feminine yet with good bone. Very good angles front and rear. Best of movers, true going and coming and a pleasure to watch in profile. Correct tail set and lovely carriage. Just gave a better shape on the stand than her brother to win BPIS

2^nd   Case’s Silvarcea Rags to Riches. 7mth Red Mrl. This young lady took my eye when she came into the ring. Super type and shape. Lovely angles and in good coat for one so young.  Movement every bit as good as the winner. Just a little longer in foreface that decided the placings today.
 

3^rd     Buecheler’s Lyvenden Pheris Song for Kasaki

Junior Bitch(2,0a)

1^st    Wright’s Ozzypool Black Velvet
 

2^nd   O’Brian’s Abodandy Nika Jakaroo Boo. 15mth Red Tri. Another lovely B. Pretty head, sweet expression. Super body with good angles. Lovely steady mover. Not the tail set and carriage of 1.
 

Novice Bitch(2,0a)

1^st    Harrison’s Lyvenden Castill Cholena. 19mth Blk Tri. Pleasing young B. Surprised to find her in Novice. Good overall shape with a lovely head shape. Well made with good angles. Steady mover, true fore and aft with correct tail set and carriage.
 

2^nd    Buecheler’s Lyvenden Pheris Song for Kasaki. Blu Mrl. Finer that 1 but with a nice body. Good angles, pretty head with good ear set. Lovely mover in profile and rear.

Post Graduate Bitch (6,1a)

1^st    Challenger’s Lyvenden Castill Chandra. Red Tri. Another quality young B. who headed up a very promising class. Super typey outline, lovely head with good proportions.  Dark rich Red coat. Super angles, lovely bone and feet and such a lovely mover, true and typey.  Had a look at her for RBB but the open B had the same qualities and maturity.

2^nd   Child & Cartright’s Moonstyle Magic Minx. Blk Tri. Another lovely girl. Different in type to 1 but with lots of quality. Lovely head of good shape, super angles and good bone. Nice feet.  Lovely true typey mover but tail set and carriage lost her the class.

3^rd     Venton’s Liskarn Time to Wish at Mistyisle.

Limit Bitch (3,1a)

1^st    Turnbull, Clegram & Dowson’s Ozzypool Eternal Flame. Red Tri. This young lady has it all.  Excels for type and shape and commands attention. Lovely feminine head of correct proportions and shape. Super angles front and rear. Lovely body, true movement and excellent in profile. Kept showing in the challenge to fend off some strong competition to win Best Bitch, BOS & RBIS

2^nd   Storer Javison Silver Belle. Blu Mrl. Another nice young lady. Good head, well made with lovely body shape and angles. Ears and front movement not as good as 1.

Open Bitch (7,2a)

At this point I decided I was being spoilt. Class after class of quality bitches. Very close between my first 2 here.

1^st    Case’s Trijem Yuletide Christmas Cracker ShCM. Blu Mrl. Judged this lady as a youngster and she has matured nicely. Well put together with good angulation, nice type, lovely shape, good bone and nice feet. Good head proportions and shape with attentive expression. Super mover with correct stride, true fore and aft. Just had the presence and maturity in the challenge to take RBB

2^nd   Taylor & Venton’s Shenkiri Dancing Rainbow over Mistyisle. Red Mrl. Another nice B. Narrower in muzzle than 1 but lovely overall shape. Well put together. Lovely mover, particularly in profile.
 

3^rd     Dowson’s Allmark Veuve Clicquot at Ozzypool.

Veteran Bitch (2,0a)

1^st    Morley’s Trigem Flies via Touchstone with Shloyan. 9½yr Blk Tri. Super ‘young’ lady who still knows how to strut her stuff. Lovely shape with correct head, well made throughout with good angulation, good bone and feet. Still has good colour and can move with the best of them. BVIS.

2^nd   Taylor & Venton’s Moortime Magic of the Moors at Shenkiri. 8yr Blk Tri. Different to 1 but still a lovely girl. Pretty feminine head, narrower in muzzle than the winner but has better ears. Well made and very typical profile on the move. True behind but not as good as the winner in front.

Ray McDonald (Judge)

Junior Handling..

6-11 years.
 

1.               Nikki Reeve.  11yrs. Stood her dog well at the table and although she did not always notice when the dog moved a leg she re-stood the dog correctly after showing the teeth which were shown clearly and precisely. On the move her lines were straight but she needs to ensure that the dog runs back toward the judge and not off to one side. Overall more schooled than 2.
In the challenge for BJH she demonstrated her patience as by now her young puppy was getting bored but Nikki continued to handle in a calm composed manner which was the main factor toward her winning BJH.
 

2.               Georgia-Leigh Childs-Cartwright. 6yrs. This was her first time in the ring at this level and appeared rather ‘in awe’ of the occasion. She came in very apprehensive but as she settled down her enthusiasm shone through. Good teeth presentation and moved her dog well for one so young. With a bit more practice and specialist training this young lady could go a long way in the future.

12-16 years.
 

1.               Samantha Reeve. 13yrs. Always presented her dog well ensuring he was stood correctly at all times. Teeth presentation not as clear as her sister. Moved the dog well with good lines. In the challenge she tended to overshadow for my liking and handling a veteran meant she did not have to work as hard as her sister. Overall slightly less ‘fluid’ and I would like to see her enjoying her hobby more.

Debbie McDonald (Judge)