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Scottish Breeds Championship Show 2017 Critique

This was my first Championship Show judging appointment and I would very much like to thank Scottish Breeds Canine Club for my invitation, all the exhibitors who very kindly entered and my excellent stewards. There were some super hounds resulting in some tight decisions and I very much enjoyed my day. I was looking for athletic strong hounds that moved well, had good length and arch to the loin and good overall balance. I did observe good movement on the day but overall I’m afraid a number of hounds did not have the length of stride I was looking for or that easy light true movement that’s so wonderful to see. Most hounds though seemed to have excellent tight feet. I appreciate we are not long out of winter but unfortunately a number of hounds were a little overweight and less well muscled than I would like. Finally, the condition of teeth needs to be prioritised more.

DOGS

Veteran (1 entry, 0 abs)

  1. CH REGALFLIGHT TARLOCH (MRS S BAUMANN) 7.5 years. Light grey harsh coated dog in wonderful fit condition. Lovely head, dark eye, good ears and teeth. Good bone. Tight feet and straight front. Good depth of chest. Would just prefer a little more rise over the loin. Moving very freely and well.

Puppy Dog (1 entry, 0 abs)

  1. ORMANSTAR KEEPASECRET (MRS C C & MRS A M ANDERSON & WHITE) 9 months. Light grey harsh coat. Nice dark eye. Overall substance and bone was good with a decent depth of chest for age and good spring of rib. Good feet. Would prefer more front angulation. Just at that tricky teenage stage which meant that in the puppy challenge the better balance of the bitch puppy won out. But promising puppy nevertheless.

Junior Dog (4 entries, 1 abs)

  1. PACKWAY LOXLEY NORTON (MRS S BAUMANN) 19 months. More mature dog than second. Ears could be smaller but nice dark eye. Good front angulation, forechest and length of neck. Good feet and bone. Lovely depth of chest. Overall balance good. At first movement was difficult to assess as was pacing a little. However, once he got going he moved freely and in the dog challenge it was his movement with top line held well which won him the RDCC.

  2. HYNDSIGHT BRUBECK (MISS S L & MISS N FINNETT & HEATHCOTE). 13 months. Really lovely head and expression with a harsh dark coat Good feet and bone. Good depth of chest with nice tuck up. Lovely rear angulation and fall away. It was a close decision but in the end I went for the front angulation and forechest of the 1st.

  3. LILAC WIND MONTGOMERY CLIFT TO GLOOSCAP (IMP FRA) (MRS T M FREEMAN)

Post Graduate Dog (2 entries, 0 Abs)

  1. KILLOETER SKYE (DR S SHARP) 2.5 years. Good substantial dog with good bone. Good dark eye. Super angulation and good balance overall with no exaggerations. Really good feet with a good front pastern slope. Would have preferred a little more arch to the lion. Good movement.

  2. STRANWITH ROAG AT GLOOSCAP (MRS T M FREEMAN) 2.5 years. Light grey dog with a nice dark eye. Good depth of chest. Overall, I would have liked a bit more substance, bone and breadth to body.

Limit Dog (2 entries, 1 Abs)

  1. TEVIOTDALE BANNER BLUE (MS S MCCOMBE) 4 years. Stood alone in class but thoroughly deserved place. Good expression with nice dark eye and small ears. Lovely harsh coat. Good feet and straight front. Good depth of chest and spring of rib. Overall balance was good with good rear angulation and low hocks. Profile movement good.

Open – Dog (3 entries, 1 Abs)

  1. ISLAY'S IARLA TO LEOCH (IMP DEU) (MR W & MS C MILNE & ANDREWS) 5 years. This was an exceptionally athletic and well muscled dog in top physical condition projecting power who moves out very easily and freely. Lovely dark harsh coat, good length and strength of neck leading to a good straight well angulated front with a good forechest. Depth of chest was fine with good ribbing. Strong loin with width and strength with sufficient arch leading to powerful hindquarters. Good feet and bone. This was an impressive, eye catching and workmanlike dog who’s overall balance, fluid movement and power gave him the DCC and BOB. If I’d had the chance to get up on the Scottish hills after the show this would have been the dog I’d have taken with me!

  2. KILLOETER QUERN AT CUILLINMOR (MISS C & MISS D DAVIS & MACINTYRE) 5 years. Light grey dog in full coat. Heavier dog than 1st. Nice dark eye and small ears. Good depth of chest and spring of rib. Length of body good with good hindquarters. Not striding out so well today in this indoor ring.

Puppy – Bitch (3 entries, 2 withdrew)

  1. ARDNEISH PADRAIGIN (MR G MONTEITH) 8 months. Lovely pretty bitch. Super head with lovely expression and good ears. Good feet, straight front and good front pastern slope. At this point in time she’s only young and needing to build up substance and body but overall very balanced and moving nicely. BP.

Junior – Bitch (2 entries, 0 abs)

  1. HYNDSIGHT MANDOLIN WIND (MISS S L & MISS N FINNETT & HEATHCOTE) 15 months. Striking dog I really liked her. Nice head, good teeth and dark eye. Super long neck leading to a good forechest, straight front and tight feet. Good depth of chest and spring of rib. Liked her length and top line which had a good fall away. Strong hindquarters. Good tail. She wasn’t settled so well in the ring for her class but she held her top line well with good profile movement in the bitch challenge which together with her curves and presence won her the RBCC and Deerhound Club best RCC award.

  2. OLLANDSHEART NANCY (MS M & MS K STUART & HOLT) 13 months. Lovely dark beautiful harsh coat. Good dark eye. Good length and strength to neck. Just didn’t quite have the straight front and forechest of the 1st. Good length of body leading to a lovely fallaway. Like the 1st was not that settled in this indoor ring today so movement was difficult to assess. Overall, a promising bitch.

  3. ARDNEISH PADRAIGIN (MR G MONTEITH)

Graduate – Bitch (1 entry, 0 abs)

  1. LEOCH JUNIPER OF FINTALLOCH (MR R & MRS B HEAP) 2 years. Stood alone in class but thoroughly deserved her place. Really attractive head with lovely dark eye and facial furnishings and well set small ears. Lovely harsh dark coat. Good bone and feet. Would benefit from a more laid back shoulder. But had a good depth of chest and spring of rib with a nice length of the body. Movement at the start lacked enthusiasm but when she got going more she moved true coming and going. Overall, she was better judged on the move rather than standing as her rear angulation and hocks were seen better then.

Post Graduate – Bitch (3 entries, 0 abs)

  1. CHUILINN BERENGARIA (MRS B A & DR D ROBERTSON) 3 years. Just a super well balanced bitch. Lovely dark harsh coat. Attractive head with dark eye and small well set ears. Strong neck of good length leading to a well angulated and straight front with a good forechest. Good feet, bone and front pastern slope. Good depth of chest. Body had a lovely underline and top line with a decent length to the loin leading to a nice fallaway, really good strong hindquarters with good angulation and good tail. She could just have done with a little more weight. Her profile movement was really fluid and light. It was her overall balance, light profile movement and curves which won her the BCC.

  2. CELTICMOON SHADOW MAGIC AT SILVERTHYME (MS V A & MRS M M LINDSAY) 3 years. Lighter grey nice bitch with a good harsh coat. Pretty face with a dark eye and small ears. Good bone and feet. Didn’t quite have the overall curves of the first but she had a good depth of chest, nice body length, good hindquarters and tail.

  3. STRANWITH DEMELZA (MR D LYON)

Limit – Bitch (5 entries, 0 abs)

Strongest class of the day making for some difficult decisions .

  1. STRANWITH RAFAELA (MS K BARRET) 2 years. Strong powerful bitch in great condition. Good dark eye and small ears. Straight front with a good depth of chest. Good feet and bone. Would have liked a little more front angulation and front pastern slope but there was a lovely length and breadth to the body and good movement, holding her outline well, which won her the class. One to watch for the future when her hindquarters strengthen and she achieves greater balance as she matures.

  2. COTHERSTONE BROGUE OF ALTIMARLACH (MR I R & MRS L SWANSON) 4 years. This and the third bitch were also really lovely hounds and both were very much in contention for first. This bitch had a lovely expression and dark eye. She had good front angulation, lovely depth of chest and good spring of rib. Top line, length of body and fallaway were great. Good rear angulation. In the end I went for strength and movement of the first but all three places were really close.

  3. KESSOCH MARSCO OF GREYSTIEL (MISS A M SMART)

Open – Bitch (4 entries, 1 abs)

  1. CH HYNDSIGHT BECAUSE THE NIGHT (MISS S L & MISS N FINNETT & HEATHCOTE) 2 years. Lovely bitch fully deserving of CC status. She had a super expression and lovely dark eye. Great long strong neck leading to a good straight front with good angulation and forechest. Lovely depth of chest and spring of rib. Good bone and lovely hindquarters and fall away. In the challenge the bitches with the longer length came through as she just needed a little more length for me in the loin.

  2. CHUILINN WHISPER (MRS B A & DR D ROBERTSON) 4 years. Another super bitch and a close decision between the first two. Good harsh full coat. Had better length in body to winner but not quite the forechest and front angulation. Good bone and feet. Nice depth of chest top line was good but sometimes just not held as well in the stand. Lovely hindquarters and fallaway. Movement good.

  3. JACOBITE CORONA AUSTRALIS (MRS P MOFFITT)

    Elise Cartmell