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The centre of the rings brings different pleasures from those sometimes available at the end of a lead on the perimeter, if, in the latter case, your luck’s in. The centre can also bring its horrors: for example, when you subsequently consult your catalogue and come face to face with what you have done! Fortunately, on the day the experience was a wholly pleasurable one. A good entry in numbers and general quality. The shared pleasure of learning at the close of proceedings that my BOB and BOS - although with different owners - were in fact litter brother and sister, and that BOS ticket was her third. The second main pleasure lay in finding vindication of my long held belief that good, hard road work on a lead can do wonders for a young hound’s movement, particularly forehand, but more of that later.
PD. (8). 1. Phillips’, Ladygrove Billy the Kid. Approaching 7 months and growing well. Plenty of substance and bone. Very good quarters. Attractive head. Nice hard dark coat. Give him time. BP. 2. Hawkins's, Kwaricott Archimago. At 10 months of lighter build and bone. Good deep and a long chest. Nicer head than winner. Moved well and true. 3. Hawkins's, Kwaricott Asclepius.
JD. (8). 1. Peach’s, Readwald Thor to Kilbourne. 14 and a half months old. Tall, well constructed and formulated young hound with dark coat. Notable were very good rear angulation and strong neck. Powerful stride. 2. Trotman and Dockree's, Regalflight Princequillo of Penherald. 17 months old. Another well built youngster. Strong and with good quarters. Possibly better in brisket than winner. Lighter coloured coat. 3. Buckley’s, Packway Smart Money.
PGD. (14). 1. Meer’s, Lealla Kinrossie of Lordswell. 2 and a half years old. A pleasing Deerhound. Good height, well boned, super topline and nice Deerhound head. Well set croup giving excellent rear angulation. Lighter grey coat. 2 Llewellyn’s, Kilbourne Macallan at Matahari. 3 and a half years old. This one was a pleasure to meet again. 18 months old previously, my critique has suggested that some good hard roadwork might work wonders on wonky pasterns. The evidence was there to see. Moved well and true. Nice construction, tight feet. Unfortunate to come up against winner. 3. Helps’, Greyfriars Gille of Beardswood.
LD. (8). 1. Guise’s, Saintvalery Dazzler. Well named! A good sized Deerhound, all round pleasing. Strong neck set onto deep well sprung torso, giving lovely sweeping topline. Them well set croup and excellent hindquarters. Great length hip to hock. He covers a lot of ground on tight feet. Well boned. He strode out like a 2 year old. The only concession he made to his 5 and a half years was in the whitening muzzle hair, which only added to the charm. With some Deerhounds you don't know what you’ve got until turned 4 years. RCC. He was unlucky to come up against the CC winner. 2. Owen and Brodie’s, Wolfscastle Wood Melick. A good Deerhound all round from head to feet. Strong and well toned. He moved well and true but he didn’t ‘Dazzle’ as winner, but then he didn’t have the extra 2 years of winner. 3. Finnett and Heathcote’s, Hyndsight Keep the Faith.
OD. (10). 1. Peach’s, Ch. Greyflax Myth to Kilbourne. Well a really impressive hound of 3 and a half year. Large, tall, well boned and strong. Neck, chest depth and capacity, topline with stifle bend and hock well let down, everything impressed. Hard coat. Moved round the ring as though he possessed it. If any Deerhound could do the job he was created for, this one could. A credit to his owner and to his breeder. CC and BOB. 2. Bond’s, Regalflight Sligo. Slightly smaller than winner. He nonetheless has good bone. Nice head and small ears, strong neck, well laid shoulders and straight front. Good chest depth. Stifles well bent and hocks low. He moved with power and style. I couldn't fault him but he was another one unlucky enough to come up against winner. 3. Helps’, Beardswood Marmion.
PB. (11). 1. Mansell and Duddell’s, Canerikie Coco Chanel. Tall and well grown at 9 months. Excellent topline and quarters. Good strong front. Very attractive head. Moved strong and true. 2. Helps’, Beardswood Octavia. 11 months old. Not quite so tall as winner but a quality bitch nonetheless. Darker coated. Moved very well. Keep her growing. 3. Quinn and O’Brien’s, Kilbourne Fire Crest.
JB. (7). 1. Janson’s, Nixophel Crystal Amethyst. Well here’s a very nice one indeed. Not quite 18 months. Shapely, substantial, dark coated. Sweet head and nice dark eye. Good front and quarters. Tight feet. Flowed round the ring. A few more months and could be a superb Deerhound bitch. 2. Owen and Brodie’s, Marandike Ebony’s Choice to Wolfscastle. A few months youngster than winner which was apparent, but still strong and well muscled. Good depth and long brisket. Well sprung and good quarters. I particularly noted her excellent feet. So important to a running dog. 3. Lucas and Dargonne’s, Packway Photo Finish.
PGB. (15). 1. Gomm’s, Canerikie Cookie Crusher to Wildtor. A pleasing all round mature looking bitch. Although just turned 2 years. I particularly noted her deep chest, strong neck and excellent topline, quarters and a very attractive head. 2. Bailey’s, Greyflax Milly Molly Mandy. More lightly built than winner. Graceful topline and croup so typical of her line. Good bend of stifle. Well knuckled feet. Strode out in flowing fashion. 3. Reynold’s, Wickwar White Lace.
LB. (14). 1. Finnett and Heathcote’s, Hyndsight a Box of Dreams. A very promising bitch, I thought. At 2 years old give her more time. Pleasing outline from head (nice) to quarters. Stifle well bent, hocks well let down with good feet. Moved well and true. 2. Peach’s, Pingleholl Ruby to Kilbourne. Although about 6 months older than winner. I felt this bitch had a little catching up to do. Time will tell. Still with a pleasing head on muscular neck, excellent front and quarters. I feel in retrospect it may only have been her different topline which affected my decision. 3. Janson’s, Greyflax Lady of the Lake to Nixophel.
OB. (7). 1. Bailey’s, Greyflax a Kind of Magic. Tall and shapely, typical of her line. Quite dark coated. Strong and mature bodied with excellent front, set of croup. Stifles well bent and hocks well let down, all on good tight feet. Moved superbly. CC her third I learned. 2. Wragg’s, Neroche Halistra. I have admired this bitch since her youngster days, so well constructed all round and beautifully presented. In hard condition. I particularly noted shoulders, laid back, depth of torso and quarters from croup to feet. I regretted for the second time having to award her RCC. 3. Guise’s, Saintvalery Anticipation.
R T Bolton
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