The weather wasn’t kind to us at Bath but it hardly mattered with such a magnificent ring. Thank you also to my stewards for their efficiency and humour.

When judging I want to be able to tell at a glance that it is a Deerhound and no other breed and I also want to be able to tell whether it is a dog or a bitch. I like a bitch to be feminine and a dog to have that bit of something else.

There are two noticeable problems. The fact that there is no longer a hare coursing section of the club seems to have released any constraints on size, and this could become more of a problem. Size is fine if hounds are in proportion and still of correct type, but one thing that is essential is to be able to tell at first glance that one is looking at a Deerhound. There are some around that you have to look at two or three times before you are sure it isn’t a Wolfhound and this is clearly unacceptable. This is not only to do with size, simply that a Wolfhound is a different shape to a Deerhound. When breeding we have to work with what we have but there will be a dog out there that will balance out faults in your bitch, so please don’t just use the one down the road as type is often similar within certain areas and always has been, so please travel at least as far for a stud dog as you would for a show because it is far more important!

Do remember that in the days when Deerhounds hunted their original quarry, the standard height was two inches less than it is now so although a tall one may look more striking in the show ring it is purely cosmetic and has no bearing on ability to work. I have no problem with big males (consistent with quality) but I am sorry that we are losing the difference in size between dogs and bitches that used to be a hallmark of the breed, as most bitches are way over the old standard weight. Again size is not a problem if it is consistent with quality but sadly many are coarse in bone, which because it extends to the head gives a coarse head.

Like many large breeds Deerhounds appear to be getting taller at the expense of angulation and this is really regrettable. I’m surprised to be writing this because a couple of decades ago, most exhibits in the ring had a good bend of stifle; these days most do not and it is amazing how suddenly it has changed. The standard says that stifles should be well-bent. Everything in the standard is there for a reason, so please read it regularly and certainly before contemplating breeding. Good angulation is needed for flexibility and stamina for the original work. And of course the front angulation needs to balance the rear. And although not in the standard, (perhaps they thought it was pure common sense) I was looking for a good forechest, to give plenty of heart and lung room, stronger construction and therefore better movement. A couple of exhibits today were lacking in forechest to the extent that the sternum had disappeared back into the chest cavity!

Perhaps the worst problem is feet, which are of the utmost importance and there were very few tight well-knuckled feet with thick pads. A great many of the feet today, as well as looking very unsightly, would not stand up to working on rough, hilly terrain.

On a good note, most hounds were in good condition and well-muscled and as delightful as ever. Ribcages are better in length than they used to be. Coats were mostly natural-looking though some are rather straighter than ideal which makes it impossible for them to have the required ragged look. The size of the ring (and maybe the weather) encouraged most exhibitors to move in a straight line making movement easier to assess and I think on the whole movement has improved.

Overall I was looking for a balanced, typical outline; an attractive head of the correct shape – it is possible (and common in more ways than one) to have attractive heads that aren’t correct for the breed: the head should be tapering and with nothing approaching a stop. Ideally, I also want a strong neck, a correct topline, a good ribcage, good feet, good angulation and free-striding movement. There are few that stride out with enough reach in front and drive from the rear, and even fewer with that easy, elastic, effortless movement that could cover the ground all day, helping to increase stamina and reducing the likelihood of injury. And most of all I wanted a hound that looks like a Deerhound and nothing else, with an expression to melt the heart. I can forgive faults if the virtues are there in abundance.

DOGS

Puppy (3, 1 absent)

1.Taylor’s Kilbourne Woodsman to Ormanstar.

Close decision between first two. One eventually scored on slightly nicer head and expression and good topline, well-grown and long in proportion, masculine head, dark eyes and lovely expression, ears OK, reasonable neck and shoulder, reasonable feet, good bend of stifle, harsh coat, moved well all round.

2.Lewis’s Wickwar Wilson to Luckhurst.

Dark eyes, reasonable neck, better shoulders than first and better feet, nice bend of stifle, good coat, moved quite well behind, needs to tighten in front movement but strode out well in profile.

Junior (4,1)

1.Rhodes & Morton’s Gentom Semper Fi.

Liked his shape of head, though eye could be darker, good ears, reasonable neck and shoulder, nice straight front, good feet, shapely with depth of brisket and good bend of stifle, nice condition, moved OK coming and going and well in profile.

2.Wilkinson’s Sireadh Chase.

Rangier than the first, nice shape of head, attractive expression, good neck and shoulder, deep brisket, good bend of stifle, good coat, looked a bit tense and tucked up standing and also in profile movement, better when standing naturally so hopefully will settle more with age.

3.Stabb & Taylor’s Laird of Summerisle.

Novice (4,1)

1.Wragg’s Neroche Irving.

Typical, balanced, quality dog, nice head and ears, reasonable neck and shoulder, lovely straight front with good feet, nice depth of brisket, good topline, bend of stifle, moved well all round and particularly in profile movement.

2.Williams’ Addicted to Love.

Bigger dog, well set ears, strong neck, good shoulders, excellent feet, nice depth of brisket, good topline and bend of stifle, moved reasonably well all round.

3.Stabb & Taylor’s Laird of S.

Post Grad (7,1)

1.Spence & Heathcote’s Hyndsight Riddick.

Appealed immediately for type and overall appearance. Correct head with lovely expression, though eyes could be darker. Well set ears, strong neck, good shoulders, very good forechest, straight front, good depth and length of brisket, good ribcage, nice bend of stifle, lovely condition and well-muscled, attractive coat, moved well coming and going. RCC.

2.Wilson’s Hamiltonhill Fred D Mercury.

Liked his overall shape and balance, very attractive dog, attractive head and ears, lovely topline, good depth of brisket, balanced angulation with good bend of stifle, moved well coming and going and the best mover in profile.

3.Cheshire’s Kilbourne Hennessy Junior of Deeranwith.

Limit (5,1)

1.Morgan’s Hyndsight Meteor.

Very typical standing in profile, lovely shape of head, nice expression though eyes could be darker, good strong neck, reasonable shoulder, nice topline and fallaway, scored on shapely hindquarters with good width across thigh, well muscled, excellent coat, might move better on a loose lead.

2.Cheshire’s Kilbourne Nuin of Deeranwith.

Attractive overall, typical with balanced angulation. Strong neck, good shoulders, excellent feet, good length of body with good ribcage, good coat, nice tail, moved reasonably well all round.

3.Francis & Blatchford’s Cloweswood Acer of Peopleton.

Open (4,0)

Excellent class.

1.Ch. Greyfriars Gille of Beardswood.

Liked his overall shape, especially in profile movement, very typical mature male in his prime. Masculine head but although it is quite strong, it is small in proportion to his body, as it should be. Strong neck, good shoulders, excellent forechest, good front, excellent feet, nice depth of brisket, good ribcage, nice topline, balanced angulation, good width across thigh, excellent coat, moved very well coming and going and moved particularly well in profile movement in the class and dog challenge, but when it came to BOB appeared slightly lame. CC.

2.Adams’ Cscarf O’Cockaigne.

Close decision between 2 and 3. Preferred the really lovely head of the third but liked the balance of this hound overall. Masculine head, nice expression, small well-set ears, reasonable neck and shoulder, good forechest, nice depth of brisket, good length of ribcage, strong hindquarters, good width across thigh and good second thigh, excellent coat, moved reasonably well all round.

3.Finnett & Heathcote’s Ch Hyndsight Keep the Faith.

BITCHES

Very nice puppy class where some really promising puppies had to go cardless. They all showed off their shape better on the move than standing but that is typical of puppies. I never expect them to stand still.

Puppy (10,1)

1.Mansell & Duddell’s Canerikie Coco Clarissa.

More mature-looking. and more body than most. Attractive head and expression, dark eyes, good neck and shoulders, good forechest, reasonable front and feet, good depth of brisket, good topline and fallaway, nice width across thigh, moved well all round. BP.

2.Williams’ Kilbourne Winona.

Won her place on her lovely typical outline, attractive head and eyes, small well-set ears, good neck and shoulders, good forechest, good depth and length of brisket, lovely topline and fallaway, shapely hindquarters with good bend of stifle, very long tail, moved well.

3.Finnett & Heathcote’s Hyndsight Dreams Unwind.

Junior (4,0)

Four promising bitches. The first two were more balanced on the day.

1.Rhodes & Morton’s Gentom Sea of Tranquillity.

The size and overall shape that I like in a bitch, preferred her head to the second, lovely melting expression, good ears, strong neck, reasonable shoulder, good straight front, nice depth of brisket, good length and fallaway, nice bend of stifle, very good width across thigh, moved well all round.

2.Barter & Christian’s Hoddingrey Strahanna of Ehlaradawn.

Bigger, slightly rangier, quite a nice head, ears well-set but could be a bit smaller, reasonable neck and shoulder, good forechest, excellent feet, nice topline and fallaway, good bend of stifle and width across thigh, very good coat, moved well all round.

3.Wilkinson’s Sireadh Charm.

Novice (8,3)

1.Day & O’Brien’s Celticmoon Shadowmancer.

Very pretty smaller bitch, attractive head and expression, well-set ears, good neck, good topline and fallaway, balanced angulation, nice width across thigh, excellent coat of the right length, moved reasonably well all round.

2.Parsons & McKinnon’s Claonaiglen Fionnelighe.

Well proportioned bitch, attractive head and expression though eyes could be darker, nice ears well-set, good neck, good forechest, nice bend of stifle and very good width across thigh, moved well all round.

3.Buswell’s Glenmorlich Just For Fun.

Post Grad (11,1)

The first five were not easy to split and could change places any time.

1.Bailey’s Greyflax Crystal.

Won on overall shape and balance, preferred her length to that of 2. Would prefer a finer head but nice expression, ears well set, very good front construction with good neck, shoulders and forechest, straight front, nice topline and fallaway, balanced angulation, good length from hip to hock, moved well all round.

2.Spence’s Hyndsight Ripley into Shagiead.

Lovely head, delightful expression, aquiline nose, very pretty feminine bitch, good neck and shoulders, good forechest, good front, lovely deep brisket, balanced angulation, very good bend of stifle, nice fallaway, moved well all round.

3.Adams’ Ardneish Pantalaimon.

Limit (8,2)

Six very good bitches.

1.Taylor & Peach’s Brackenland Tan at Kilbourne.

Scored on her overall proportions and outlook. Nice head, eyes could be darker but attractive expression, nice well-set ears, strong neck, excellent shoulders, much better forechest than 2, nice straight front, good ribcage, very good length, correct topline and fallaway, strong hindquarters, nice width across thigh, and low hocks, moved very well all round. Close up in challenge.

2.Peach’s Ain’t Miss Behavin at Kilbourne.

Lovely head, though eyes could be darker had a lovely melting expression, strong neck of nice length, good shoulders, very good feet, nice length of body, good length of ribcage, nice fallaway, moved very well coming and going but could stride out more in profile.

3.Finnett & Heathcote’s Hyndsight into the Mystic.

Open (6,2)

1.Finnett & Heathcote’s Ch Hyndsight Who’s That Girl.

Typical balanced feminine bitch, really lovely shape of head, nice well-set ears, good neck, reasonable shoulder, straight front, absolutely excellent forechest, good brisket, good topline and fallaway, good width across thigh, moved well all round. Ideal full ragged coat completed the picture. CC & BOB.

2.Owen & Brodie’s Ch Marandike Ebony’s Choice to Wolfscastle.

Attractive feminine head, just preferred the first, good ears, strong neck, reasonable shoulder, good forechest, good length of body, nice topline and fallaway, good width across thigh, moved well all round. Another attractive coat which sets her off very well. RCC.

3.Bailey’s Greyflax Milly Molly Mandy.

Kay Barret

(Judge)