Open Show - March 2012

My thanks to the Committee for the invitation and their warm hospitality. Have long admired the breed although no longer owning one; the keen, alert, outgoing temperament and smart good looks has always appealed.

Not a huge turnout with 7 of the 15 dogs absent on the day but I enjoyed judging and the two principal winners well deserved their places.

D or B Not in Show Trim: 1 Woodward’s Wyndham’s Golden Nugget, at just 6 months this bitch, and possibly her handler, could do with more ring training. Nice for size but difficult to assess movement.

PD: Ab.

JD: 1 BD by some considerable distance. Ashe’s Ebrooks Red Robbo, a 13 mth old Wheaten of good size and shape. Well balanced head, good neck and shoulders, reasonably short backed. Moved well in front and with drive behind. Still needs to mature but should do well as he does so.

ND. 1, Clarke’s Chinese Whisper Catcher, 2yr old wheaten, nice enough but a touch long in body and could be cleaner in movement. A touch unenthusiastic about showing but his owner was enjoying the day.

OD: 1 & RBD, Girdwood’s Rayfos Shonshone Dawn. Nice enough example of the breed but at 5years old head is a touch strong, shoulders could be better laid which would improve the movement. Nicely presented.

PB: 1 & BPiS. Benyon’s Keldthwaite Betty Boop. 9 mth black & tan of good colour. Nice for size, sweet head body shape could be shorter. Clean mover front and rear and handled extremely well.

JB 1 BB & BiS  Ashe’s Ebrooks Red Rose, litter mate to JD. Lovely shape and size, well balanced overall on the day. Moving with drive, on her toes throughout – alert and outgoing.

OB 1 & RBiS, McCallum’s Glentops Butterfly Kisses, 3yr old nicely balanced bitch, head balances the rest of the picture, not in the best of coats, short back but movement gave her this place over 2. McCallum’s Glentops Bubble & Squeak, 4yr old who I have admired before. Good head and better coat than one, but lost out on movement. A tight decision between the two.

Open Stakes: 1, G B Kisses, 2 G B&Squeak, 3 R S Dawn.