West of England Collie April 2013
Judge Pat Hutchinson
In show awards my co-judge & I were in agreement with all the major awards. BIS went to the Rough dog, Triburle Zachary, winning BOB from Junior, has much potential with super head qualities & delightful expression; the Smooth BOB, the bitch Ch Foxearth Gold Filigree, then challenged the Rough BB, Chantique Daisy Chain for Jumitra, for RBIS & BOSIS & the Smooth took these awards due to her overall conformation, balance & free movement, also won BV, the promising b/m Smooth puppy, Yagane’s Blue Mist, & the s/w Rough puppy, Rydeen In Concert with Triburle then challenged for BP & the nod went to the Smooth boy on his excellent type, overall balance & superior movement.
VD (3) 1 Davis’ Sharidon Anything Goes at Keenacre, 10½ years upstanding tri, going a little grey now, conforms well to the Standard with clean wedge head, flat skull & good underjaw though tends to be a trifle deep through. Good eye placement & ear carriage, ample angulation fore & aft, deep chest & level back, moved freely. PD (3) 1 Gay’s Yagane’s Blue Mist, elegant & eyecatching 8½ months b/m with super confident temperament, coat of good harsh texture though would prefer a clearer colour, however this did not detract from his overall type & balance, pleasing head pattern with flat skull, moulded foreface, good underjaw, clean cheeks & sweetest of expressions, a virtue that is often hard to find in the breed, ample reach of neck, length of back & rib & adequate substance for age. To be critical would prefer slightly more bend of stifle though he covered the ground well on the move. Very promising young dog. BD, BP, & with my co-judge, BPIS; 2 Davis’ Yagane’s The Jazz Singer at Keenacre, tri, litter brother to 1, lovely pup & similar remarks apply but I preferred the sweeter expression of 1; 3 Denton’s Ryecombe Jaffa Jake. YD (2) 1 Gidding’s Ryecombe Discovered Gold, s/w, harsh weather-proof jacket, presented a pleasing profile with plenty of substance & bone, good depth of chest & length of rib, excels in head & eye, has a most kind expression, good hind angulation though a little steep in front. Moved with drive though a little proud of his tail. PGD (3) A. OD (4) 1 Gadd’s Snuggletooth Oliver’s Twist via Chicnoir, upstanding s/w with harsh coat & good double undercoat, though just beginning to blow. Lovely make & shape, elegant reach of neck, head handled well with kind eye & good ears when he made the effort. Appeared unhappy with the cold wind so unfortunately did not make the most of his virtues standing, though came into his own on the move. RBD; 2 Gadd’s Snuggletooth Filly’s Fellow at Chicnoir, tri, half brother to 1, preferred head & ear carriage of this dog but topline not so good as he tended to stand hunched up. Moved freely.
VB (3) 1 Gidding’s Ch Foxearth Gold Filigree, upstanding & elegant 7½ years s/w, does not quite have the sweetness of expression I look for but what she lacked here she more than made up for in overall conformation & correct type, excellent bone & substance, good depth of chest & spring of rib with short loin, level back & good angulation, head of good proportions with flat skull, good eye placement & strength of muzzle, moved lightly & freely with good front extension & drive from the rear. BB, BV, BOB, later, in agreement with my co-judge, RBIS & BV; 2 Gadd’s Snuggletooth Fag Ash Lil at Chicnoir, 13 years b/m, rather dark in colour now, despite preferring this bitch’s sweeter & darker eye & her pleasing conformation & free movement she could not match 1 for overall soundness; 3 Coates’ Starlight Spirt at Pencloda. PB (4) 1 Evans’ Southcombe Stylistic, upstanding 10½ months tri of good length & height ratio. A bit rangy just now but developing along the right lines. Ample bone & substance, good reach of neck, depth of chest & spring of rib, pleasing head pattern with ample underjaw & sweet eye. Close decision between 1 & 2 but this bitch had the better front which gave her better extension on the move, moved freely though a little unsettled; 2 Beeney’s Ryecombe Jylly Jonquil at Coneypark, elegant 11 months s/w of correct proportions, head handled well with well placed eye & good ears. Although she excels in reach of neck is a little short in upper arm & this unfortunately affects her overall balance. Moved with drive, though because of steep front, lacked extension in front. YB (4) 1 Evans’ Southcombe Sapphira, b/m, sister to Stylistic & so like her, well proportioned with excellent reach of neck, length of back & good angulation fore & aft, head developing well with sweet eye (one brown, one blue), good fill of foreface though would prefer slightly more underjaw, moved with drive covering the ground easily. PGB (1) A. OB (6) 1 Benton’s Alopex Marionette of Oakestelle, an easy class winner, this elegant & pretty b/m has so much to offer the breed in terms of overall balance, construction & clarity of colour, however to complete the picture she requires a little more size & substance, showed steadily & moved soundly as always &, although I have done her well in the past, today could not get past the veteran sable. RBB; 2 Giddings’ All That Jazz at Ryecombe, tri with plenty of bone & substance, good head pattern & nice eye placement though would prefer a darker eye colour. Good front angulation & reach of neck with ample depth of chest & spring of rib, moved OK though lacked drive; 3 Coates’ Alopex Blue Moon.
PAT HUTCHINSON