manchester 2015

JD (1) 1 Benton & Wood's Oakestelle Vivaldi. Handsome tri with super outline and shape. Good length of head with correct eye shape and placement giving sweet but masculine expression. Excellent profile movement with extension in front and drive from behind. Tends to move wide initially when moving away but then tightens to produce correct parallel rear movement and moved better in the challenge. This dog shows a lot of promise.

LD (5,1) 1 Cyzak's Cuba Libre Smooth Drinks (imp). Eyecatching 3yr old s/w who has real ring presence and attitude. Presented in excellent body and muscle tone. Balanced head of good length with flat skull, strong underjaw and rounded muzzle. Good depth of chest and spring of rib. Pleasing outline with level topline and good reach of neck. Super long tail that went well past the hock. His well bent stifle and let down of hock enabled him to move round the ring with drive. 2 French's Breckamore Blushing Groom. S/w of good size who has excellent spring, depth and length of rib. Good bend of stifle and well let down hock enables him to move with drive round the ring. Another with a long well carried tail. Head pattern slightly different to the winner with a little more width to the skull and in consequence not such a tight ear carriage but his skull is flat and his eye size and placement correct. Presented in good coat of the correct texture. 3 Gay's Yagane Blue Mist.

OD (3,1) Two lovely dogs to choose from here. I preferred the head of the 2nd placed dog but the winner had the edge in front movement and tail carriage. 1 Hayward's Ch.Foxearth Flintab. 3yr old b/m whose colour is well broken and who excels for shape and outline. Good reach of neck and level topline with long well carried tail. Head of good length with strong muzzle and underjaw and kind masculine expression. Good depth of chest and long length of rib. On the move this dog comes into his own. Very light on his feet with good extension in front and drive from behind, he looks as if he could move all day and never tire. This gave him the edge over the 2nd placed dog when moving round the ring in the final run off. A top quality collie who I was more than pleased to award the CC to. 2 French's Ch.Foxearth Flock Master For Breckamore. I have admired this dog since I saw him at 6mths and it is good to see he has kept his promise. Head of good length with flat skull, dark eye of correct size, shape and placement, well moulded cheeks and muzzle and stong underjaw. Correct ear placement finishes the picture. Good reach of neck and pleasing outline. Excellent quarters and well let down hock enables him to move with drive. He is slightly shorter in back than his brother and his tail carriage when moving detracts from his outline. When moving towards me in this class he had a parallel front action rather than the converging one required by the standard and it cost him 1st place and ultimately the CC. In the challenge for the Res CC he got his act together and I could not fault him. A worthy Res CC winner who is the sire of the superstar puppy.

VD (2) Two excellent veterans who were both a credit to their owners. They excelled for breed type with the winner having the edge on profile movement. 1 Lister's Ch Eridor I'm Blue At Newarp (Imp). At almost 10 yrs of age this this dog is so light on his feet when moving. A good colour that is well broken and his coat has an excellent harsh texture. Pleasing outline and shape with good depth of chest and spring and length of rib. Rounded bone, good legs and tight feet completed the picture. Moving well with drive from behind and good forward reach and extension. 2 Griffith's Alopex Matt Finnish. Loved the head type of the 8 yr old tri. Good length, well balanced with correct eye shape and placement, correct ear placement and carriage and a masculine but sweet expression. Well angulated front and back but lacked any length to his stride which meant he could not show the powering rear action his rear hindquarter assembly suggests. Hard to believe this dog is not a champion.

PB (1) 1 White's Breckamore Bridget Jones. One word describes this 10mth tri - Excellent!! Super neck and outline, level topline, correct set of croup and well carried tail. Well angulated shoulders with good depth of chest and length of rib. Strong quarters with well bent stifle and let down of hock. Balanced head with correct eye size shape and placement, neat well used ears, feminine but mischievious expression and good underjaw. I saw this b a month ago and questioned whether there was too much strength below the eye - so pleased to see she has pulled out and flattened on the cheeks and moulded in the foreface. Just shows what even a short time can do! Her movement from any angle is excellent with strong drive from the rear and good length of stride in front. This is definitely a diva with character and she must have a super future ahead of her. She fought off a very strong challenge from a top quality Open winner to take the CC and BOB. Many congratulations and she can have a home with me anytime!

JB (2) 1 Benton's Oakestelle Venus De Milo. Pretty b/m of excellent colour and very well broken. Good length of head with flat skull, correct ear placement and well used, almond shaped eye of correct size and placement. Only just 18mths old on first day of show and still needs to finish in foreface to complete the picture. Pleasing outline with good reach of neck and level topline. Very light on her feet and moved with verve. Moving away from me she started off a little wide but got into her stride to show correct parallel movement. My impression of this bitch is that she needs more time to mature - but she holds a lot of promise. 2 Sweeney's Plaisance Blue Belle. My heartbreak dog of the day! Loved everything about this 17mths old b/m bitch. Balanced head with well filled foreface, correct eye placement and neat ears giving the sweetest of expressions. Her conformation is textbook with excellent shoulder angulation and length of upperarm, good depth of chest and spring of rib, correct length of coupling, correct bend of stifle and let down of hock, round bone and tight well padded feet. And did she move? Well that's a big fat NO! She was having none of it! Not even a change of handler could persuade her. My only criticism at this moment in time is that she just needs to clear in colour as she still has a sandy cast running through her blue - but a change of coat will sort that out! I hope this lady gets her act together as she is not nervous - she's just got attitude! When she does, she's a winner.

PGB (1) 1 Norman's Seanua Serendipity. This 19mth s/w exudes quality. Lovely shape and outline with good reach of neck and proud head carriage. Well placed shoulder and good length of upper arm together with correct rear angulation and well let down hock meant she moved effortlessly round the ring with extension in front and drive from the rear. Balanced head with flat skull, good underjaw, well filled muzzle and correct eye shape and placement. When she uses her ears she has the sweetest of expressions. Stood alone today but a worthy winner in any company.

LB (2) Two quality bitches but two very different types. Not easy to split them as both were correct in their own way. The decider was on the profile movement where the winner had freer action and length of stride. But a very close decision where there was no right or wrong. 1 Gay's Yagane Lavender Mist. B/m who has a classic head pattern with dark eye of correct size shape and placement, flat skull, neat ears and the sweetest of expressions. Good reach of neck, level topline, correct set of croup and tail carriage. This bitch is well angulated and it showed in her easy movement. She has drive from behind and extension in front with an effortless foot placement. Not in full coat and to be critical I would like a better colour but having said that she is none the less a quality bitch. 2 Howard's Jack Mack's Hefin Huw. Two yr old b/m who is a better colour than the winner. She is shorter all through than Lavender Mist but is still balanced. Has a clean head with correct eye size shape and placement, neat well used ears and sweet feminine expression. Good reach of neck and head carriage, level topline and tail of good length and carriage. Excellent conformation with strong quarters and well let down hocks. She tends to stand squarer than her conformation suggests with her hocks too far forward making her too square in profile. She moves with drive from the rear and the correct convergence coming towards me but I think she would benefit from her handler taking a longer stride as she lifts her front pastern a little in profile movement and assessment of her front assembly suggests she shouldn't do this. Hope she settles to the task as she is quality.

OB (9) A lovely class where all the exhibits had a classic outline and shape. My final placings came down to movement and expression. 1 Sewell's Ch. Foxearth Dressed To Frill. This 4yr old tri was the last to be examined but having watched her go round the ring at the start of the class I couldn't wait to see if she was as good as she looked. Wasn't disappointed. This is a classy lady who oozes quality. Classic head of good length, flat skull, dark eye of correct size shape and placement, neat well used ears, moulded foreface and good underjaw and the sweetest of expressions. Well carried head and arched neck, level topline, correct set of croup and tail carriage. Excellent conformation with good shoulder placement and length of upperarm, well developed chest and good length of rib, strong quarters with well bent stifle and let down of hock. Moved very well with drive from the rear and extension in front. Not surprised to see she has her title. She won this class with ease. In the challenge it was between her and the puppy but at that point she flagged and dropped her head a little as she came towards me which just affected her front movement. It was a pleasure to award this beautiful bitch the Res CC. She headed some lovely collies in this class who I could quite easily award a CC to. 2 Denton's Kevranna Thera's Enate Echo. S/w who excels for shape and outline. Very light on her feet and moves with drive from the rear and extension in front. Balanced head with flat skull, dark eye correctly placed, well filled foreface and good underjaw. Just preferred the sweeter expression of the winner. Well angled front and rear with good legs, round bone and tight padded feet. Excellent muscle tone. Moves freely with well carried tail. 3 Hayward's Breckamore Fly Me To Foxearth. 18mth s/w who I have long admired. Classic shape and outline and so feminine. Moved well with drive from the rear and extension in front. Lost out on condition and muscle tone to the winners today but when in top form should go all the way.