Thanks to all the exhibitors for a nice entry, especially in the bitches. The weather was just right and a lovely big ring gave everyone a chance to show their dogs off well. The younger dog classes were decidedly mixed, with unbalanced head, some lacking stop and a few receding skulls. Movement in many (& even in the later classes) giving a pinning, high stepping, action coming back towards me, which would tire a d if working. Condition in the most was good, don’t forget the teeth were grooming though.

PD (4). 1 Forbe’s Pelghard Pied Piper. 8 mth old, showing well, and in good coat and condition. A bit rangy at present, but had reasonable shoulder placement and length of neck. Needs to tighten in movement, but went freely. BP; 2 Purvey’s Freejack The Highlander. Nicely balanced head and used ears well. Level back and angulated quarters. Would like a better slope to shoulder and a little more length to height. Moved adequately; 3 Tillier’s Southcombe Set A Flame for Cromarty.

JD (1). 1 Wallis’ Norfield Soul Mate. Sable d, almost too much of him, but nice outline and overall balance, with good length of neck set into lay back of shoulder. Head pleased with nicely rounded foreface, correct eye placement, expression and ear carriage. Moved with a good stride, but still plaited a little in front.

PGD (5). 1 Griffith’s Alopex Highland Fling. Well presented tricolour, whose outline flows smoothly, with the desired length to height ratio. Forehand construction good, used his nicely made quarters to effect and kept his top line on the move. Head balanced, with ‘clean’ cheeks, flat skull and typical expression; 2 Wallis’ Norfield Soul Mate; 3 Clarke’s Astrellita Dr Dray.

LD (4). 1 Evan’s Manordeifi Smart Guy at Southcombe. Sable, who presents a typical picture of a male Smooth Collie and shown to good advantage. Good neck and shoulder and depth of rib, strong quarters, all covered in a correctly textured coat. Head is a clean wedge, with well placed expressive eyes and nicely moulded foreface. Moved as well as his construction suggests. RCC; 2 Davis’ Sharidon Anything Goes at Keenacre. Another v typical Smooth who pleased for his make and shape. Balanced and elegant yet still masculine. Good front and feet and well bent stifles. Moved well coming and going; 3 Moore’s Manordeifi Solar Eclipse.

OD (4). 1 MacGregor’s Ch Moonwalker from Misstoff. Well known champion with a strong of CC’s who surprisingly I had not judged vefore, but like many other judges, could not find anything to beat him. Lovely typical male Smooth, in good coat and condition, showing well, who pleased for balance and outline. His head is refined yet masculine, with correct planes, nice eye placement, well set and used ears. Workmanlike movement. CC and BOB; 2 Hayward’s Ch Int Ger Lux Ch Foxearth High Frequency (imp). Another nice tricolour male with a ‘clean’ head and well rounded foreface, showing to full advantage, and in lovely condition. His outline flows smoothly, good arch to neck and slope of shoulder. Chest maybe just a little deep, which gave him a slightly unbalanced impression for me. Muscled quarters. Moved with a good free stride, slightly wider than the winner; 3 Fulwood’s Darsign Minstrel Blue.

JB (3). 1 Thorne’s Shulane Lady of Rohan. Nicely feminine sable, who pleased for type. Well constructed, with a reachy neck, lay back of shoulders and depth of rib. Good ‘turn of stifle’ all enabling her to move with a free stride; 2 Wallis’ Norfield Tea Rose. Sweet little b who was not happy on the day and did not give of her best. Feminine head with balanced planes, just flying her ears a little. Movement a little difficult to assess. I am sure she will have a better day.

PGB (7). 1 White’s Chicnoir Sea Spray. Loved this sable b who really looked as if she could do a day’s work and reminded me of many of the ‘old time’ Smooths I have judged. Excellent balanced outline, with neck, and shoulder flowing into good depth of rib and level back. Her head has the required length with just enough stop, true expression and ears used to advantage. Moved with style. Hard decision between her and the Open winner for the CC but she well deserved the RCC and I am sure her day will come; 2 MacGregor’s Foxearth Flount It for Rowvale. Blue merle with nicely textured and coloured coat, who gave a good account of herself. Good structure and just the right bone for her sex. Head, balanced and ‘clean’ with sweet expression, would just have liked a little more length to it. Sound movement; 3 Griffith’s Alopex Confetti Blue.

LB (7). 1 Burton’s Glencorrie Begorgeous. No mistaking the sex of this v sweet tricolour and in the final decision for the top honours it was her size which counted. However the most things were correct in a small package. Nicely arched neck and angle of shoulder. Outline flows smoothly, to well bent hocks. Nice two piece head, with good eye placement. Just a little fine in fore face. Showed non stop and moved with an easy movement; 2 Moore’s Manordeifi Silver Dawn. Blue merle whose conformation pleased with the body slightly longer than height ratio. Good forehand assembly, just dipping a little at the withers. Nicely wedge head, with flat skull. Covered the ground well when moving; 3 Hill’s Devern Dark Mistress.

OB (7). 1 Chapman’s Sharidon Silver Belle. The star of the bitches on the day. Was v surprised to find this 6 yr old was not a champion. Her all over make and shape were just what I was looking for. She is so workmanlike, with elegance yet substance. Her outline flows, with no part out of proportion. Her head is balanced (i.e. stop to occiput and stop to nose are equal) with just the perceptible stop, flat skull and nicely rounded foreface, coupled with a sweet feminine expression and ears used to advantage. She moved straight with a free stride. To complete the picture, I just wish she was a slightly better blue, but perfection is hard to come by. BCC; 2 Hill’s Devern Blue Silhouette. This b is a lovely colour, with clear blue, even black patches and tight good textured coat. Showing off her virtues well. Nice lay back of shoulder, adequate bone for her sex, strong quarters. Head is feminine and expression good, but would like it a little longer all over and not quite so much stop. She moved freely but was not quite so true behind as the first; 3 Clark’s Astrellita Bedazzled.

Lyn Westby