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ASCUK OPEN SHOW 2007

Open Show Critique – Sunday 23^rd September 2007

Judge:- Mrs. P.Hollings (Gunalt)

I was delighted to be asked to judge at the Australian Shepherd Club of the UK Open Show, where I had plenty of good quality dogs to go over.

L-R R.B.I.S Versace Suave Des Chemins Cathares and Mrs Marie Simmonds, ASCUK Chairman Mr Geoff Gatenby, Judge Mrs Patsy Hollings and B.I.S Armatan Take A Chance On Me with Mrs Sarah Green.

Best In Show was Gatenby & Green’s Armatan Take A Chance On Me

Beautiful balanced dog, oozes quality, presented a striking picture with his full gleaming coat, clean masculine head with equal length and width of skull. Had strength in muzzle, moderate stop, well placed well used ears, strong arched neck fitting smoothly into shoulders. Firm level topline, well sprung rib with good forechest and depth. Super quarters, moderately angled and straight viewed from behind. Smooth easy mover with correct reach and drive and true footfall.

Reserve Best In Show was Simmon’s Versace Suave Des Chemins Cathares

I think I have judged this 2 year old blue merle male before. Appealed to me then, and greatly appealed to me here. Slightly different in type to my BIS but still typical of the breed. Correct skull and triangular well set ears used to advantage, well defined stop, very sound well constructed body with quality bone. Firm pasterns, excellent feet, good width and depth of forechest, ribs lead well back to strength in loin. Excellent quarters, beautiful coat and condition. Working with handler at all times, agile, true and stylish mover.

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L-R B.I.S Armatan Take A Chance On Me and Mrs Sarah Green, ASCUK Chairman Mr Geoff Gatenby, Judge Mrs Patsy Hollings and B.O.S Lyveden Razlin' Raina with Mrs Angie Challenger

Best Opposite Sex was Challenger’s Lyveden Razlin’ Raina

This bitch is so correct to go over. Perhaps not the most eye catching and not as profuse a coat as some other bitches but super quality with weather resistant top coat. Well proportioned head with parallel planes, well set eye with alert expression. Clean well developed neck, excellent forehand with well laid shoulders, good return of upper arm. Correct depth and width of forechest, straight front, excellent bone and feet. Well ribbed, strength in loin giving firm level topline. Well muscled quarters, a positive, smooth and agile mover.

L-R B.P.I.S Allmark Careless Whisper and Mrs Norma Gregory, ASCUK Chairman Mr Geoff Gatenby, Judge Mrs Patsy Hollings and R.B.P.I.S. Allmark Solotaire with Mrs Melanie Harris

Best Puppy In Show was Harlow, Richards, Allan & Gregory’s Allmark Careless Whisper

11 months old, typical in outline. Correct proportions, excels in substance and bone yet retains femininity throughout. Correct head proportions with well placed well used ears. Beautiful eye, keen friendly expression, well put together with correct angles. Ribs leading to short strong loin, stands absolutely foursquare, beautiful coat and condition.

Reserve Best Puppy In Show was Harris and Winfrow’s Allmark Solotaire

This 11 month old shows great promise. Alert expression, good head planes, well placed ear and correct width of skull. Just needs to develop in foreface and front but these will come with age. Well put together, excellent hindquarters with good width of second thigh. Profuse coat with correct undercoat, very promising young man.

L-R Judge Mrs Patsy Hollings, B.V.I.S Can.Ch Touchstone Ironhorse with Mrs Tricia Morley and A.S.C.U.K Chairman Mr Geoff Gatenby

Best Veteran In Show was Morley & Bell’s Can.Ch Touchstone Ironhorse

7 year old blue merle dog, not the biggest in the world, but masculine. Clean and well proportioned throughout. Very appealing in head, dry well muscled neck. Well laid shoulders with good return of upper arm, width and depth of brisket. Good bone and feet, well sprung rib, short strong loin. Well developed quarters with good width, excellent coat, moved with good reach and true in hind action with smooth easy side gait. Very much in my eye for the challenge.

Minor Puppy Dog

1 Dennis’s Armatan Rhinestone Cowboy at Ausden

7 and a half months red tri. Head of good proportions but just needs to develop which is to be expected in one so young. Clean in neck, pleasing front. Well ribbed and firm topline. Well balanced, lively, active and true on the move.

Puppy Dog

1 Harris & Winfrow’s Allmark Solotaire

See (R.B.P.I.S).

Junior Dog

1 Bland’s Shepalian Red Ensign

This red stood out, is masculine, fabulous head, correct stop with well placed eye. Quality bone, good legs and firm pasterns with well padded feet. Firm topline, excellent quarters and good width of second thigh. Looked the part standing and moved with easy ground covering action.

2 Forster-Cooper’s Ozways First Impression

12 months old still a baby but has all the essentials. Good bone with lovely legs and feet. Well put together, pleasing coat and should develop well.

3 McFarlane’s Gemthorne Starlight

Yearling Dog

1 Bland’s Shepalian Red Ensign

See (Junior Dog)

2 McKinnon’s Trijem Cowboy Boots

Very decent dog, not quite the bone or croup of 1 but has quality. Good width of skull, correct eye, well ribbed with strong short loin. Very alert and works with handler well on the move.

3 Down’s Ozways First Finale at Freespirit

Post Graduate Dog

1 Gatenby & Green’s Armatan Adorez Mon Maitre

This 4 year old stood out and I was surprised to see him in this class. In the challenge he did look a little immature. Beautiful to go over from his classic head and kind alert expression, his clean well developed neck, so very well put together. Good legs and feet and coat of good quality. Stylish on the side gait and very positive coming and going. Presented to advantage by his unobtrusive handler.

2 Robert’s Applethorn Valentine Magic

This good quality blue merle is very typical. Head in proportion to body and skull is of equal width and length. Moderate stop with tapering muzzle but not snipy. Body well developed and soundly constructed. Excellent limbs with firm topline. Beautifully presented and his action is typical and sound.

3 Hillis’s Armatan Born To Move (A.I)

Limit Dog

1 Simmon’s Versace Suave Des Chemins Cathares

Reserve Best Dog

See (R.B.I.S).

2 Dennis’s Armatan Collne De Bruyere at Ausden ShCM

Little between 2 & 3, both appealed but this dog is not only good to go over. Sound and alert with a well muscled neck, flowing through firm level topline to well developed quarters. He gained his place with his true action on the move and forward reach and drive from his well developed well muscled quarters.

3 Rogers’s Khetashio All American Dude (Imp DK)

Open Dog

1 Gatenby & Green’s Armatan Take A Chance On Me

See (B.I.S)

2 Rogers’s Accra Have You Heard at Frebobears

Masculine, correct height to length ratio. Clean head and neckline, well bodied and good muscled quarters with strength in second thigh. Just not in firm in hock on the move as 1

3 Goodyear’s Armatan Collectors Item at Heibri ShCM

Veteran Dog

1 Morley & Bell’s Can. Ch Touchstone Ironhorse

See (B.V.I.S)

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Regular Bitch Classes

Minor Puppy Bitch

1 Hodges, Gatenby & Green’s Armatan Calamity Jayne at Jopium

Just a little more collected than 2. Very pleasing head, loved her eye and expression. Correct foreface without being weedy, well developed neck and well angulated forequarters. Straight limbs, neat feet, correct depth, firm topline and balanced quarters. A collected sound mover

2 Child’s Trijem Devil If You Do

Promising, sound with good bone and true in action when not being too cheeky which is something I like to see in puppies anyway.

Puppy Bitch

1 Harlow, Richards, Allan and Gregory’s Allmark Careless Whisper

See (B.P.I.S)

2 Gatenby & Green’s Armatan Moonchild

Lovely quality young lady who should easily make the grade. So typical in outline with correct proportions, very honest to go over. In full coat and excellent condition. Sound, alert and positive on the move.

3 Fitches’s Shenkiri Taima Tribal Queen

Junior Bitch

1 As Puppy Bitch

2 O’Brien’s Shepalian Bajimba at Abodandy JW

Loved her standing and will push 1 hard throughout her career I feel. Very pleasing side gait but just not as positive behind as 1. Beautifully prepared and handled, very satisfying to judge.

3 Rogers’s Ozway First Print at Frebobears

Yearling Bitch

1 & 2 as above (Junior Btch)

3 Farrant’s Trijem Yuletide Sapphire

Post Graduate Bitch

1 McNee’s Armatan Commotion (A.I)

Strong feminine bitch with quality bone. Decent head, overall construction, type and balance took my eye. Her movement confirmed her win and she was in lovely bloom. Reserve Best Bitch.

2 Goodyear’s Fragrant Fleur at Heibri

Head of pleasing type, good eye and alert expression. Well placed, well used triangular ears which are not too big. Clean neck flowing into firm topline. Well muscled hindquarters, moves with positive action and pleasing easy side gait.

3 Storer’s Javison Silver Belle

Limit Bitch

1 Morley & Bell’s Touchstone Lovely Rita Oakhill

Feminine red merle, good eye and correct width of skull. Medium stop, balanced in foreface and good mouth. Excellent bone, well developed front and neat feet. Ribs deep and well back to short strong loin. Firm level topline and good width of quarters. When she concentrates, she moves stylishly. In full coat and bloom.

2 Gatenby & Green’s Amoureuse D’Abbey Des Chemins Cathares

Very good bitch, loved her head absolutely just what I was looking for. Ears well placed, well used and of correct size. Super eye and expression, excellent bone. Fabulous to go over and moves with such precision and style. Just so badly out of coat, but could not be denied her place in good company.

3 Buecheler’s Lyveden Razlin’ Riali at Kasaki

Open Bitch

1 Challenger’s Lyveden Razlin’ Raina

See (B.O.S)

2 McNee’s Armatan Angel Eyes ShCM

Very impressive and good to go over. Lovely quality bitch all through. Almost too much coat for a bitch which can tend to make her look a little stuffy. Just preferred the movement of 1, however I was nitpicking as this was a lovely class.

3 Dennis’s Gibbands Silver Skipper at Ausden

Veteran Bitch

1 O’Brien’s Shepalian Asweet Mellow Dee of Abodandy

10 years old and a credit to her owner. Not only is she a good Australian Shepherd but is soundly put together with balance. Could not believe what perfect big white well placed teeth she had. She is lacking in coat but well deserved her place with her free active alert movement and propulsion from well muscled quarters.

2 Hillis’s Blows You Away

Beautifully prepared with good head and correct foreface. Well boned and went well.

3 Goodyear’s Cagasa Bel Air at Heibri

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Colour Classes

Black/ Black Tri

1 McNee’s Armatan Angel Eyes ShCM

Clear, well marked, even gleaming black. Clear bright tan from this well conditioned coat

2 Bland’s Shepalian Book of Dreams at Hilandes

3 Goodyear’s Cagasa Bel Air at Heibri

Red/ Red Tri

1 Swallow’s Mirriyan Bega Tirrike

Excellent quality coat with depth of red and clear white

2 Dennis’s Armatan Rhinestone Cowboy at Ausden

3 Goodyear’s Cagasa Red Red Wine at Heibri

Blue Merle

1 Storer’s Javison Silver Belle

Striking with bright clear markings

2 Dennis’s Gibbands Silver Skipper at Ausden

3 Blackmore’s Jicarilla Dream Lady

Red Merle

1 Blackmore’s Elkstone Lady Bug Red

Very even attractively marked with good density and clear defined white.

2 Bland’s Shepalian Red Ensign

3 Taylor & Venton’s Shenkiri Dancing Rainbow Over Mistyisle

Working Class

1 Roberts’s Armatan Fernando

Black tri, easy active mover. At one with handler. Well presented, soundly made, in super coat and bloom.

Stud Dog

1 Bland’s Shepalian Book of Dreams at Hilandes

Typical in outline, firm toplines, good heads on each. All three offspring well boned and sound with quality coats.

Good Citizen Class

1 Roberts’s Applethorn Valentine Magic

2 Storer’s Javison Silver Belle

Sound, typical with good eye and correct foreface. Well boned, decent body, in excellent bloom and coat.

3 McKinnon’s Trijem Cowboy Boots

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