It was so good to be back at a show after my enforced layoff but unfortunately it was disappointing to find so many Smooths with poor movement especially in front & with lack of refinement in head.

PB (0). JD (1) 1 Trundley’s Juniperwood King Of Kings, impressive tri in excellent body, coat & condition & a keen showman. Head is rather strong & deep & a little hard in expression. Moved freely covering the ground well. Would prefer tighter feet. Stood alone but well deserved his place. PG (1) 1 Moore’s Manordeifi Pathfinder, another single exhibit who could head bigger classes. Tri in super coat & condition, well balanced throughout & moved with drive, quality head with pleasing expression, well placed & carried ears, good flat skull & correct stop. LD (4,1a) 1 Griffiths’ Alopex Skymaster Blue, most attractive good coloured merle presented in immaculate condition, correctly balanced head, showed sensibly. Fell away a little at the rear & although he moved out freely lacked drive; 2 Moore’s Manordeifi Storm Breaker, tri in good condition, presented well. Not quite the eye & expression of 1. Moved out freely but would prefer more positive front action; 3 Norfield’s Freejack First Knight at Norfield. OD (3) 1 Forbes’ Ch Pelghart Paint It Black at Willowhurst, tri with an impressive track record & easy to see why, well balanced in body & construction standing on excellent legs & feet, moved out well. Head is a bit deep through & eye & expression does not appeal but his overall quality & showmanship cannot be overlooked. RCC; 2 Griffiths’ Alopex Matt Finish, tri in gleaming coat & excellent body condition. Not a big boy but certainly a quality dog. Balanced in head but eyes placed too far forward to give the desired expression. Good construction & moved out freely; 3 Wallis’ Norfield Soul Mate. VD (2) 1 Evans’ Rowvale Storm Rising at Southcombe, 8 years tri, a new face to me but I now realise that I have favoured his progeny in the past & indeed BCC today is his granddaughter so not surprised that I liked him enough to award him CC & BOB. An upstanding tri in excellent body, hard & well muscled, correct textured coat presented in gleaming condition, well balanced head, good eye & expression, flat skull & correct stop, standing looked a picture but on the move he came into his own powering round the ring, driving off his strong hocks & with very positive front movement so lacking in most exhibits. Hope a well deserved third soon comes his way. CC & BOB; 2 Tuck’s Ch Dark Motif from Misstoff, a real favourite of mine & has brought so much publicity for the breed in agility. Enjoying his day out this lighter built tri moved with purpose & showed really well, excellent head & expression, good bone for size with neat feet.

PB (3) 1 McKenna’s Shulune Imperial Flower of Plaisance, most attractive 8 months sable, well grown with excellent bone, good body & depth of chest, standing on good legs & correct shaped feet, balanced head with appealing eye & expression, flat skull, well placed & used ears. Could be more coordinated on the move, in part due to an inexperienced handler. An interesting future prospect. BP; 2 Moore’s Manordeifi Sweet Suzanna, promising tri in excellent coat, body & condition, pleasing head with flat skull & well placed ears, so full of puppy exuberance it was difficult to assess her movement; 3 Williams’ Shulune Imperial Moonlight. JB (3) 1 Hartley’s Foxearth Silver Dream at Jimjack, top quality b/m, super outline when standing, good front & shoulders. Moving a tad close in front but with good drive from the rear. Most refined head with clean cheeks, flat skull, correctly placed eyes & ears giving an appealing expression. Still needs to develop in stop but her sheer quality even at this young age got her RCC; 2 Trundley’s Juniperwood Final Affair, sister to JD winner with many of his qualities. Just lacked the true feminine charm of 1; 3 S Imperial Moonlight. PGB (2) 1 Neff's Hightri Until, attractive b/m who appealed for her balance & shape & outline, head with flat skull & well placed ears, moved soundly & showed well; 2 Evans’ Dawcher Decorum at Southcombe, quality bitch but not in her best jacket & so lacked the sparkle of 1. LB (5,1) 1 Moore’s Manordeifi Silvadora, merle, well broken reasonably coloured blue, coat of correct texture covering a well shaped body, excellent make & shape with well muscled strong quarters, well placed shoulders & nicely arched neck, excellent legs & feet with good bone, balanced head with flat skull & dark eye. Would prefer tighter ear carriage but she is a good showgirl & has a delightful outgoing temperament. In the challenge it was her very positive movement & especially her driving hind action & excellent side gait that gave her the edge. CC, her second; 2 Gay’s Manordeifi Sapphire Mist at Yagane, sister to 1, not so clear in colour with deep tan markings. Compactly made giving too square an outline. Balanced head with nice eye, good ear placement & a super showgirl, moved freely; 3 Giddings’ Foxearth Gold Filigree. OB (4) 1 Hill’s Devern Fate A Compli, tri with so much going for her, excellent body condition, good legs & feet, nicely arched neck, beautifully balanced head with flat skull, well placed eyes & ears giving lovely expression, the whole picture making for true feminine charm. Moved quite well. What a shame that maternal duties have left her with a very dippy topline & her coat showed a definite wave; 2 Sewell’s Ch Foxearth Farris via Lewarne, have admired her from ringside & watched her taking top honours, super tri now 6 years, in good hard condition, gleaming correct textured coat, good legs & feet, showed & moved well, quite a big girl & not as feminine in head & expression as 1; 3 Moore’s Manordeifi Silver Dawn. VB (2,1) Hill’s Ch Devern Blue Silhouette, 8 years blue, good colour, make & shape, attractive head although ears could be tighter. Moved freely & showed sensibly.