BRITISH COLLIE CHAMPIONSHIP SHOW
Saturday 1st March.

Judge Mrs Pauline Hayden [Sunnyhurst]

Dog CC  Foxearth Sandy Footprints

Reserve Dog CC Dark Motif from Mistoff

Bitch CC CH. Foxearth Fondant

Reserve Bitch CC  Southcombe Sophisticate at Rowvale

Best Puppy  Manordeifi Silver Dawn

Best of Breed CH. Foxearth Fondant

Puppy Dog
1. Sharidon Anything Goes at Keenacre BPD

Junior Dog
1. Foxearth Flash Past

Post Grad Dog
1. Devern Blue Horizon

Limit Dog
1. Dark Motif from Mistoff

Open Dog
1. Foxearth Sandy Footprints

Puppy Bitch
1. Manordeifi Silver Dawn BPB, BPIB,and BPIS

Junior Bitch
1. Southcombe Sophisticate at Rowvale

Post Grad Bitch
1. Antoc Fascination

Limit Bitch
1. CH. Foxearth Fondant

Open Bitch
1. Foxearth Finesse at Sandwick

It was a pleasure to judge this lovely entry, over the last few years the quality has been very much mixed, but some well planned imports seem to have injected a much needed boost for the breed. On a purely personal note it was interesting to see how the sables have overtaken blue merles in the popularity stakes. I've only had blues and must admit they are my favourites, so I surprised myself by finding two lovely sables for both CC's. I was hoping to find a shapely Collie, sound, with the head to match but also with an air of class and quality which is so hard to define but unmistakable when you see it. Quality in depth has improved immensely since I last judged, with body conformation and movement much improved, eye shape and size also is better, so expressions are more appealing and correct to the Standard, although as always interpretation of same is an individual matter and this is what makes judging and watching others judge so interesting. As always, exhibitors turned their charges out faultlessly, only some handling gave me a headache. Its such a shame when confronted by a quality dog, only to have the handler let then stand any old how when with a bit of training their chances would improve dramatically. It's not just a matter of them using their ears which seems the be the be all, but the WHOLE picture. Still, as I'm far from perfect in the regard let me just say thank you to all concerned for such a pleasureable day, and to all those people who knew how worried I was because I had a Rough whelping a week late and had to leave her with Alan, all turned out well, Mum and babies thriving but not too sure if Alan will recover.

PD 1 Davis's Sharidon Anything Goes at Keenacre. Quite promising, tri with pleasing head for his age, all legs and wings at this stage but general make and shape gd, moved v loose in front but better in the rear, quite open coated at the moment but this should improve with adult coat, nails badly need attention as this was flattening and spreading his feet, lovely natured boy and showed well when required; 2 Smith's Tentola Foreign Liaison. Tri with better body shape and movement, but needs to clean out in stop which will hopefully improve his expression which I found rather hard at the moment, showed and presented well; 3 Moore's Manordeifi Solar Eclipse.

JD 1 Norman's Foxearth Flash Past. S/w lovely head, eye and expression on this boy, good neck, front and top line, moved well eventually, v playful, coat of good texture, well presented and handled; 2 Kinsey's Foxearth To Twist Fate of Sturtmoor. Another nice sable with pleasing head and expression, not moving as well as first, would benefit from some controlled road work.

PGD 1 Hill's Devern Blue Horizon. B/m, good body shape spoilt on the move by high tail carriage, nice size and bone for a male, good tight feet, just a tad strong in head for me and his movement could be improved, showed well and was spotlessly clean; 2 Kinsey's Foxearth Finlander at Sturtmoor. B/m size small than first and therefore finer all through, similar body shape and construction, moved quite well, nice head, eye and expression, showed and presented well.

LD 1 Tuck's Dark Motif from Misstoff. Super tri, v elegant but not at all bitchy, pleasing head, eye and expression, good neck, top line level on the move, had plenty of power in his hindquarters, the best jacket of the day, really harsh and tight, gleamed from ears to tail, v well presented and shown; 2 Breeze's Ochilview Great Scot. B/w, attractive boy who made the most of himself, sound moving and shapely in stance, nice head and eye, not the quality coat of first; 3 Saunt's Rowvale Moon Rocket of Boothwood. OD Lovely class. 1 Hayward's Foxearth Sandy Footprints. S/w striking male of good size, excellent neck and front, good top line, beautiful head to handle, good stop, eye and expression, super feet, well boned limbs, well carried tail, rich sable jacket of the correct texture, showed v well especially when his handler left him alone. A male with presence in tip top condition, sound as a pound won his title here today, congratulations DCC; 2 McGregor's Ch Moonwalker from Misstoff. Loved this tri boy's head and expression, just what I like, elegant d but would like him a size bigger all over for a male. Lovely conformation and movement, gleaming jacket of the correct texture, so expertly handled and shown, wish his handler would pass on a few tips to other exhibitors here today, won RDCC in excellent company, congratulations; 3 Whittingham's Southcombe Sterling.

PB 1 Moore's Manordeifi Silver Dawn. What a stunning B/M baby. At her first show and taking everything in and still wagging her tail, just at the right development for her age, balanced head, good eye, sweet expression and when her ears come up properly she'll be quite breathtaking, good neck, in fact I could go on and on, suffice to say I wouldn't alter her anywhere at the moment, lovely colour and markings, moved well, first time for a few years that I've coveted another Smoothie. I think and hope she will be a force to be reckoned with in time, won BP with a lot to spare and later BPIS, many congratulations; 2 Chapman's Sharidon Luck Be A Lady. Promising tri, bit finer than first, v appealing head to handle, sweet expression not as good as first on the move today, but they were mere babes out for a good time and its more important that they enjoy showing than do a perfect triangle. Good shaped body, v well handled and showed non stop. JB 1 MacGregor's Southcombe Sophisticate at Rowvale. Eyecatching tri who shone with health and condition, good harsh jacket covering beautiful elegant body. Firm top line, good front, stands on good legs and feet, lovely reach of neck, super head, eye and expression, ears bang on top and used constantly, trained and shown to perfection, quality girl won the RCC today, just preferred size of Fondant, but not much in it, congratulations; 2 Hyde's Foxearth Future Magic. S/w attractive in stance for her correct conformation, moved v well, showed her neat ears constantly, not as clean in head as first; 3 Wallis' Chicnoir Uptown Gilr at Norfield. PGB 1 Speding's Antoc Fascination. Tri, took her place here with her melting expression and shapely body lines, loved her head, so correct to handle, good neck, straight front, level top line, moved extremely well, well presented and sympathetically handled, just needs a bit more body weight (not usually a problem with Smoothies) then will trouble the best; 2 Robinson's Southcombe Sweet As A Nut. S/w, excellent body shape on this girl, good top line and movement, super reach of neck, showed well, good jacket, just not the expression of first; 3 Hill's Devern Dark Mistress. LB 1 Hyde's Foxearth Fondant. Stunning s/w with the most lovely head and expression and also the body to match. Sweet eye, good head planes, neatest of ears set atop a good reach of neck, excellent front, level top line, good strong hindquarters just the right amount of body weight, in lovely coat and condition, showing non stop and defying me to walk past her. Moved v well with good reach at the front and drive from the rear, v well handled, richly coloured sable on top form won her qualifying CC here today and BOB on her absolutely feminine expression, a truly lovely girl, congratulations to all concerned; 2 Hayward's Foxearth Castles In The Sky. S/w later found was litter sister to first and also DCC. Having stayed away from the Smooth rings for a while, most were new to me and what a delightful litter this must have been. Obviously some lovely type, excellent conformation, v good head to handle but somehow not the expression I was looking for, she looked a bit worried, excellent texture to coat, needs to tighten a shade in movement, lovely presentation on all this exhibitors stock, congratulations the kennel had a lovely day; 3 Gibson's Knipes Shades Of Gold for Pelghart.

OB 1 Hayward's Foxearth Finesse at Sandwick. Shapely b/m of good colour, correct textured coat, level top line, good reach of neck, standing on well boned legs and neat feet, moved well, head v correct to handle, showed well; 2 Moore's Ch Manordeifi Silver Serenade. B/m size larger all through than first but still v feminine, mum to the exciting baby and has passed on her elegant body shape, good colour, straight front, v good neck, correct head planes, nice eye, would just like her ears tighter but as she stood too close to her handler and poked her neck out this didn't help. I really liked her and maybe a refresher course would help eliminate this bad habit, moved out well and was well presented; 3 Leach's Hilltarn Hilton .
 

Pauline Hayden