I was very happy and proud to judge this breed, certainly one of the oldest and still so close to the origins. I thought the average quality of the breed is still right, both in dogs and bitches compared with the ones I judged many years ago at the world famous National Deerhound Club Show when Miss Noble from Scotland won BOB. Very impressed with many of my winners.

PD (2) 1 Bond’s Regalflight Rueben. Seven mths, very sound with correct front, very nice head and expression, correct chest for his tender age, good topline and croup, well trained, more than satisfactory drive and movement. 2 Bye’s Luckhurst Orminscraig. Typical and elegant with very easy movement. I would have expected more bone for a male.

JD (4) 1 Girling’s Pyefleet Tarka. Very sound male with excellent head, neck and shoulders, correct topline, nice body shape, covered a lot of ground with great front action. 2 Barter & Christian’s Ehlaradawn Rune. Very nice dog, plenty of breed qualities with a good size to advantage, should improve when he will take more confidence with the ring. 3 Taylor’s Kilbourne Boogaloo To Ormanstar.

PGD (7) 1 Faircloth’s Beardswood Ripley For Calbraidh. Difficult to fault. Size, head, neck and topline, coat and movement pleased me a lot. 2 Merrick & Keeling’s Pedlarspath Shaman. Excellent head and good pigmentation, good coat, again a lot of breed qualities, very correct body shape and spring of movement. 3 Jenkins’ Kilbourne Poacher.

LD (5) 1 Helps’ Beardswood Quinlan. A dog that caught my eyes since he entered the ring. I appreciated his ideal head, soundness and body conformation, front and back with correct bones and angulations. The best mover in the class. So balanced all through. My Res CC. 2 Wilson’s Hamiltonhill Fred D Mercury. Another very typical male of medium size, excellent head with narrow skull and long foreface, correct coat texture, well balanced in body with correct chest, topline and set of tail. 3 Peach’s Nimloth Bilbo For Kilbourne.

OD (4, 1) 1 Baumann’s Lux/Mc/Nl Ch Regalflight Tarloch. A super dog I will remember for a long time. Very typical head and expression, sound with excellent front, plenty of bone, ideal size, good coat in the best of condition, grey in colour, great mover with that particular unique spring of the breed, elegant and powerful. CC and BOB. 2 Stabb & Taylor’s Laird Of Summerisle. Brindle/brown, impressive size, well put down and well presented hound with masculine head, correct topline and body shape, correct hind angulation. 3 Spence & Heathcote’s Ch Hyndsight Riddick.

VD/B (3, 1) 1 Harrington & Finnett’s Kilbourne Levanto With Hyndsight. Tall bitch to advantage, blue/grey, very feminine head in good coat, correct neck and shoulders, body shape and angulations, moved with drive. 2 Bye’s Jamalison Anthem. Another beautiful bitch with great movement and personality, unfortunately not in coat condition.

PB (6, 3) 1 Meer’s Shagiead Aunty Hetty For Lordswell. In my opinion this bitch will have a great future. Typical lovely head, great distinction, very promising all through, chest, topline, set of tail, coat texture, movement, good handling. BP. 2 Bunce’s Pantawick Bliss. Very typical with feminine head, moved with good spring, needs type to mature into a sound bitch. 3 Bunce’s Pantawick Brea.

JB (2, 1) 1 Peach’s Kilbourne Liberty. Lovely bitch, typical head with dark eyes, ear shape, neck, shoulders, topline, pigmentation, moved well. Promising show dog.

PGB (10) 1 Redmond & Friend’s Shagiead Lady Sea With Greybrows. Dark brindle, very sound bitch with great front extension, good neck and shoulders, elegant and plenty of substance, well muscled. 2 Taylor’s Kilbourne Pandora To Talorpeche. I liked this bitch also for her very feminine head and expression, correct in body and hind angulations, an easy mover. 3 Helps’ Beardswood Quintessence.

LB (7, 1) 1 Girling’s Pyefleet Sabine. Right size, lovely type with good front action, excellent neck, topline and hindquarters, correct tail. I know she could have darker eyes but I couldn’t miss her as my winner. Pleased to award her CC later on. 2 Spence’s Hyndsight Ripley Into Shadiead. Another with great type, correct size, excellent bone and conformation, straight front and good feet, correct hindquarters and angulations, smart presentation. Res CC. 3 Johnson’s Brackland Waltz For Kilbourne.

OB (4, 2) 1 Peach’s Kilbourne Wendela. Excellent show condition, well balanced all through, sound mover with very typical head and expression, correct topline, well presented. 2 Bailey’s Greyflax Just Peachy. Very feminine with lovely head and expression, good in body. For me, would have done better with more bone. I had a great day with Deerhounds to remember, hopefully a long time. Thank you to all the sporting exhibitors.