A pleasing entry, and some close decisions for me, I was pleased to see that tails there placements and carriage have so improved, however I have a couple of concerns, toplines quite a few poor toplines with too steep a rise starting to far forward over ribbing and not a slight rise over the loin drooping to tail, therefore this does not allow a good fallaway and makes the spine dip behind the withers. in my view this is the chassis of a galloping deerhound along with the carrier of the central nervous system it is a structural fault which is both ugly and more importantly detrimental to sound movement, form follows function and a correct topline in my view is paramount to function.I would ask that we all pay attention to this . Light eyes seem to be creeping in again, it does so change the deerhounds expression has no effect on their working ability or movement, but its something that needs to be watched. Height in bitches seems to be increasing; often the price to pay for extra height is narrow ribbing lack of correct angulations not always but often, something else worth bearing in mind.

On the positive side so many promising adults and youngsters and some truly super exhibits. I just want to flag up a couple of concerns I personally had.

Class 809 Puppy dog

Entry 1 Abs 1

Class 810 Junior Dog

Entry 3 Abs 2

1st Peach Ellnkayvee Boycee at Kilbourne

This chap really took my eye, masculine young dog hound, very attractive in head masculine and typical with good strong jaw , strong neck into adequate shoulder placement and upper arm has fore chest lovely ribbing with good spring, nice depth to brisket super bone and substance moved out very well, should have a bright future.

Class 811 Post grad dog

Entry 7 abs 1

1st Mrs C Wilson Hamiltonhill Fred D Mercury

Classic head, nice eye strong jaw, super neck into good shoulder, nice return to upper arm long cast good length to foreleg height to length ratio balanced, adequate topline nice fall away good length to loin and correct length from hip to hock with good width to second thigh, hocks moved very freely, had good width behind, came into his own when moving, had real real fluidity and drive has excellent forward reach when seen in profile ground eating and effortless, not the tallest hound but one of the best movers on the day and a well deserved RCC.

2nd 2nd Mr K & Miss Z Owen & Brodie Wolfcastle Draig

Younger hound than my class winner “old fashioned “in type which I totally loved, excels in substance and bone, which they used to do. Masculine head, strong in jaw lovely strong neck into a good shoulder placement a lot of strength here. Correct length to foreleg and length to height ratio balanced. Super ribbing plenty of spring allowing lots of heart room lovely topline with nice fall away , shorter cast than one but balanced, good width to thigh and second thigh , moved well just need to tighten up on the rear when moving which should happen with maturity. Very promising

Class 812 Limit Dog

1st Ms K Barret Stranwith Symphony

Totally stunning in type screams I am aScottish deerhound , lovely head masculine with good pigmentation nicely folded ears, good neck into adequate shoulder , nice fore chest lovely depth to brisket with spring , correct topline with lovely rise over the loin which allowed good sweep and fall away height to length ratio balanced good width to thigh and second thigh, would like a little more freedom in the hock joint moved well , pushed hard but in the final challenge lacked the drive and forward reach of my CC and RCC winners.

2nd Mr S & Mrs C De Bolla Regalflight Mithras

Lovely masculine dog hound, strong head and jaw, neck has nice angulation and strength into adequate shoulder placement, super brisket with spring, and depth nice length to foreleg with flat bone, has fore chest, longer cast but totally balanced, good length from him to hock very strong rear end on the move workmanlike and powerful unfortunate to meet 1 who just scored in type on the final decision.

Class 813 Open Dog

5 entries 3 absent

1st Miss M J Girling Pyefleet Rollo

A Totally honest masculine Scottish deerhound male, without any form of exaggeration, and has now reached his prime, masculine head with a nice strong jaw, keen eye, lovely neck flowing into a good shoulder placement nice return to upper arm , allowing good fore chest, super length, long cast but balanced to height, good length to foreleg with flat bone, good length to loin , nice fall away strong rudder which worked well when moving around the ring giving real balance on the turns, presented in super muscular condition tight feet . This hound totally comes into his own when moving he is not one to judge standing, drives out covering a lot of ground with an energy saving gait, the more I moved him the more I liked him, he is the one hound here today that I would of chosen if I wanted a day out on the hill and am confident he would have had no problem in stocking the larder, no hesitation in awarding a well deserved CC and thrilled to learn after judging that this had given him his crown.

Class 815 Puppy Bitch

9 entries 1 absent

A very promising class of puppies

1st Mr B & Mrs J M Mansell & Duddell Canerikie Coco Clarissa

10 ½ month puppy bitch , lovely head feminine and classic , good length and angulations of neck sloping correctly into a nice shoulder placement , nice return to upper arm with good sternum, excelled in topline with nice rise over the loin into good fall away, hips powerful and drooping, length to height ratio balanced with good length to foreleg. nice length from hip to hock with good width to second thigh , super ribbing with spring, moved very well for one so young liked her very much had lovely type and moved with drive. Very promising Best Puppy.

2nd Mr M J & Mrs GM Peach Kilbourne Teliah

Just six months and 3 days super feminine head, nice neck into good shoulder placement nice return to the upper arm, lovely ribbing with plenty of spring and depth, nice substance and bone, liked her width to second thigh and angulation really moved out so very well confidently, had the most wonderful temperament and was handled so well had super type, again very promising.

3rd Mrs S E & Mrs A B Barter & Christian Hyndsight wind dancer of Ehlaradawn

Class 816 Junior Bitch

4 Entries 0 Absent

A really good quality class of exhibits all very promising and all could change places on another day .a joy to judge.

1st Mr A K & Mrs V Lewis Greyhawks Romanie Rawnie to Luckhurst

Very exciting youngster, Classic head with good dark eye really good length to height ratio with no short forelegs as some seem to have, totally balanced, nice ribbing with spring lovely topline correct rise over the loin into nice drooping hindquarters, with good un exaggerated angulation to stifle and nice freedom and correct angulation to the hock joint. Moved very well with great fluidity and drive covering a lot of ground one I liked very much

2nd Miss S McGill Cotherstone Take Silk

This girl really took my eye the second she came into the ring, for me she excelled in type, beautiful head with the darkest of eyes, lovely far away deerhound expression, no snippiness to head shape. Strong neck into adequate shoulder , lovely topline totally correct with unexaggerated rise over loin sweeping into a really good fall away, a joy to see this, nice width to thigh and second thigh, and lovely free hock joint, shorter cast than one but totally balanced to length of leg. Lovely ribbing with good spring moved very well if a little unsettled pushed really hard for the first place but thought my winner was a little more settled on the move that day, and covered more ground. I really liked these two girls and would happily have taken them both home, a really promising pair and both owners should feel very proud.

3rd Mrs S E & Barter & Christian Hoddingrey Strahanna of Ehlaradawn

Class 817 Post Graduate Bitch

15 entries 6 absent

1st Mr M J & Mrs G M Peach Ain’t Miss behavin at Kilbourne

1st Tall elegant young bitch, feminine classic head, nice neck into adequate shoulder good depth to brisket with spring, nice crisp dark jacket good length to foreleg moved adequately. Scored in type.

Mr G & Mrs N B Bailey 2nd Greyflax Crystal

Feminine head, into a nice neck with good angulation flowing into adequate shoulder, nice ribbing with plenty of spring, good length to loin, height to length ratio balanced nice topline.

Good length from hip to hock moved out well, pushed for 1st place but just preferred one in type. On the day.

Mr B & Mrs JM Mansell & Duddell 3rd Killoeter Pieris at Canerikie

Class 818 Limit Bitch

9 entries 2 absent

A lovely class of real quality exhibits

Ms K Barrett 1st Stranwith Morag CC and BOB

You have to get your hands on this girl to really appreciate her, superb head, feminine, dark eye lovely furnishings , far away deerhound expression, the best of necks with super set on and length ( no yew neck here) sloping beautifully into the best lay of shoulder I found today, lovely return to the upper arm, super fore chest , correct length to foreleg with good flat bone , lovely topline one of the best I found , totally correct with nice rise over the loin into the most wonderful fallway hips drooping broad and powerful a joy to find this. Super length from hip to hock with such good angulation width to thigh and second thigh, lovely free low set and correct hock joints, length to height ratio so balanced, super coat rugged and natural , a joy to see her move with good front extension , powerful rear end with plenty of drive , not the tallest by today’s standard, but well within the breed standard and years ago she would have had the company of other bitches of a similar height, a really superb example of a Scottish Deerhound bitch hound, could not be denied top honours a joy to judge and a delight to award her the CC and BOB

Mrs A Morgan 2nd Ladygrove Calamity Jane at Amiro RCC

Feminine head. lovely neck correctly set on with good length into a nice shoulder , good return to upper arm with sternum present , nice topline with good rise over the loin into drooping powerful hips and hindquarters, super ribbing with depth and spring, nice un exaggerated angulations to stifle with good width to thigh and second thigh, well set low free moving hocks, lovely crisp jacket, rugged and natural, moved out with drive and forward reach was really superb in type now just reaching maturity a truly lovely Deerhound bitch RCC

3rd Mrs S E Barter Stainlonan Bit of Ehlaradawn

Open Bitch Class 819

Entries 6 absent 3

Mrs S Platt 1st Charbonnel Fliss

Strong workmanlike bitch, lovely head classic in type, super strong neck into good shoulder, nice length to foreleg super ribbing with spring and depth loved her bone and substance good length from hip to hock with nice width to thigh and second thigh, moved out powerfully, has super width on the quarters, just preferred the topline and underlines of my CC and RCC winners. On the day but a super quality bitch.

Miss SL MISS N Finnett & Heathcote 2nd Hyndsight Who’s That Girl

Elegant bitch, lovely feminine head, nice neck of correct length and angulation flowing into a good shoulder, lovely ribbing and correct length to height ratio dark crisp jacket quality in type, I have liked this girl so much but was disappointed that today she just lacked drive when on the move, which I know she has, but I have to judge as I see it on the day, super quality bitch that I am sure will have many other days.