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by Wally HolliganASCUK Limit Show 2008
Held on Saturday 26th April 2008.
Judge:- Mary Deats (Aradet)
BEST IN SHOW
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by Wally Holligan
Rogers OZWAY FIRST PRINT AT FREBOBEARS
Reserve Best In Show - Gatenby & Green's Armatan Take A Chance On Me
Best Puppy In Show - Gatenby & Green's Armatan Revelation
Reserve Best Puppy In Show - Dowson's Ozzypool Running Bear
Best Veteran In Show - Rogers Accra Have You Heard at Frebobears
Judges Report
Thank you so much for the honour of judging your club’s limited show, which was held before the AGM. The entry of 59 making 96 total made it an interesting day for me. The Aussie folks, were as usual, a very friendly lot with much support from ringside for every class winner and those placed further down the line, something you don’t often hear these days at shows, well done! The show excelled with superb food, friendly atmosphere, a helpful ring steward and show committee, and then of course, the dogs.
We know that the perfect dog does not exist, so I would prefer to give a general overview of the entry and then focus on the breed specific positive points I found in the class winners.
The dogs today were well tempered, fairly well trained, as best one can be with such high-energy dogs, and most were in very clean condition. The time of the year meant a lot of dogs were shedding, to be expected with the spring season. Overall, I found the basic outline and balance very good. All dogs were within the standard for size. Conformation was fairly good, in that I could usually find the shoulder layback, length and return of upper arm I was looking for, which then matched the rear angulation, though a few did have greater rear angulation than fore, and this showed up when gaiting. Length of rear pasterns needs to be looked at as well as rear movement in the breed. I know that the standard allows for the moving towards the central line of balance in fast gaiting, but far too many had very close rear gait when setting off on the move, never mind when getting up to speed. Fronts were quite loose on many dogs and front pasterns were down on more than a few, something consistent proper exercise would help to no end. Feet for the most part were good, though some were far flatter with thinner pads than I would have liked to see in a working breed. Exercise in this case can help to some extent, but breeding for good feet is something all breeders must remember to keep in the mix. Toplines were for the most part very good, with moderately sloping croups. The tails on the undocked specimens were usually correctly set on and carried well. Almost all of the entry had correctly set on and used ears, giving the keen, alert and friendly expression.
Head patterns were quite varied, but it is the eye shape and size that most concerns me, with a close second being the narrowness of muzzles. Only a few dogs had the medium eye size, oval shape with sufficient ‘fill’ underneath, the eye being neither sunken nor protruding. I think that breeders must be concerned about this, as it lends so much to the expression and defining of breed type in the head. I also thought a number were too tapered in muzzles, so the strength in foreface was lacking. On the other hand there were also those that did have only the slight tapering, but then were a bit too short in foreface, coupled with a deep stop. Skulls were okay, but in some instances I felt they could be stronger and broader, particularly in the more mature animals.
Puppy Dog: 1 Dowson’s Ozzypool Running Bear, only 6 months for this baby black tri, but I placed him first in the class based on his preferred head properties and expression. Very good body development for his age, well ribbed back, just needs more practice on how to do this stuff we call a triangle.
Junior Dog: 1 Dennis’ Armatan Rhinestone Cowboy at Ausden, no mistaking this red tri for anything other than male. Excellent head, ears, feet, bone and topline.
Post Graduate Dog: This was a challenging class. 1 Haddock’s Jicarilla Midnight Dreamer, black tri moderate male with overall very good balance, conformation, bone, legs, feet and coat. Best front gait in the class.
Limit Dog: 1 West’s Shepalian Toffee Crisp, red merle moderate dog with everything in proportion. Balanced skull and muzzle, very good front, well ribbed back, balanced angulation fore and aft, excellent gait overall.
Open Dog: 1 Gatenby & Green’s Armatan Take A Chance on Me,6 yr mature black tri dog with appealing outline and balance. Has correct shaped eyes and moderate size with sufficient fill under them, well-used ears giving alert expression. Lovely conformation having excellent shoulder layback, balanced angulation fore and aft, short well let down hocks, and this really showed when he moved with true parallel action coming and going. Best Dog, RBIS, BOS.
Veteran Dog: 1 Rogers’ Accra Have You Heard at Frebobears, 7 ½ yr black tri with lots to like. Excellent construction and gait, strong masculine skull, very good coat, legs, bone and feet, level topline. RBD and Best Veteran in Show
Puppy Bitch:1 Gatenby & Green’s Armatan Revalation, 9 month old red bitch with excellent head and body shape for her age, very good development of head, excellent conformation with matching angulation. When she decided to keep all four feet on the ground, she moved true. Promising quality puppy and Best Puppy in Show.
Junior Bitch: All Absent.
Post Graduate Bitch: 1 Roger’s Ozway’s First Print at Frebobears, this red merle bitch just oozes quality and it shows in everything she does from her natural stance with everything in static balance to her free, easy action on the move. Couple that with her excellent conformation, balance and proportion, body development, topline, angulation, legs, bone and feet along with her feminine expression and you have the Best Bitch, Best in Show Winner, congratulations!
Limit Bitch:1 O’Brien’s Shepalian Bajimba at Abodandy JW, blue merle with rich copper trim, only 20 months so a youngster for the limit level. Immediately appeals for her overall balance and outline and free easy movement. Broad skull, ears well used, very good bone, legs and feet. Reserve Best Bitch.
Open Bitch:1 McNee’s Armatan Angel Eyes, ShCM, 6 yr old black tri very mature in head and body with excellent length of ribbing. Moves very freely. Excellent bone, legs and feet.
Veteran Bitch: 1 Haddock’s Gibbands Red Cherry, 8 yr old light red merle girl with excellent construction, outline and balance. Left her entire party wardrobe at home unfortunately. She will look much better when she is dressed for the ball. Otherwise has a very pleasing overall outlook and shape.
Special Colour Classes:
Black/Black Tri D/B: West’s Shepalian Reims of Verse.
Red/Red Tri D/B: Dennis’ Amatan Rhinestone Cowboy at Ausden
Blue Merle D/B:West’s Fulmay First Challenger at Shepalian.
Red Merle D/B: Cousin’s Shepalian Nightflight to Moortime, ShCM, CDex, UDex WD.
Special Working Class: Cousin’s Shepalian Nightflight to Moortime, ShCM, CDex UDex WD.
D/B Never Having won a 1st at a Ch. Or Open Show: Taylor’s Drcral Social Climber.
Best Junior Handler: Jasmine Cooper.
1st: Jasmine Cooper with Javison Silver Ash at Nanaimo
2nd Catrin Roberts with Armatan Fernando
3rd Alicia Taylor with Shikota Blue Frost
Mary Deats (judge) Aradet