London Collie Club 2012
Judge: Mr G Duffield - BIS Judge : Bev White
(L) DCC & RBIS Forbes, UK Ir Int Ch Pelghart Paint It Black At Willowhurs, Judge BIS Judge, Bev White, & BCC BOB & BIS Hayward's , Ch Sandcastles as You Like It at Foxearth
Best Puppy in Breed - Hayward's Foxearth Flintab
Juniperwood Kinda Smart
Best in Show
It was an honour to judge BIS at this well run and sociable club show. The weather gods were looking kindly down upon us as the sun shone for the first time in ages making for a very pleasant day! Best in Show went to a stunning b/m Smooth Collie Hayward’s’ Ch Sandcastles As You Like it At Foxearth. I awarded her the CC & BOB very recently and had no reason to change my opinion of her. She scored over the very nice b/m rough male Brown’s Jopium Cool Dude for Mertrisa with her superior front angulation and reach of neck. Her movement was more positive, her head better balanced and she was in better coat. RBIS and BOSIS also went to a Smooth – this was Forbes’ Ch Pelghart Paint it Black at Willowhurst. Once again, the Smooth scored on overall conformation and movement. BPIS went to a delightful Rough bitch Cronk’s Chelborn Desirable. Moving very freely, this young lady is very feminine with a super sweet expression. She was more mature than the Smooth puppy who needs lots of time to get his act together. BVIS also went to the Smooth, Griffiths’ Ch Alopex Highland Fling who was in super condition and really moved with style.
Bev White
Smooth Collies: I was delighted by the quality of the entry awaiting me where the Smooths almost had a clean sweep in the major awards. My BCC & BOB winner Ch Sandcastles As You Like It at Foxearth was selected for BIS by Bev White who also awarded RBIS to my DCC winner, Ch.Int & Ir Ch Pelghart Paint It Black at Wilowhurst. BVIS then went to the Smooth, Ch Alopex Highland Fling. I guess I didn’t mind the Smooths not taking it all as BPIS, the Rough, Chelborn Desirable was my BPIB at Three Counties the previous day.
Clay shooting nearby upset some of the dogs but the majority coped excellently as temperament overall was something the breed should be proud of. Coats throughout were of the correct harsh texture. The sun went in and out like a fiddler’s elbow until the wet stuff made a brief appearance but overall the day went very well so credit to secretary Steve Clark and his lovely committee.
Dogs: P (6) 1 Haywards’ Foxearth Flinatb, home bred-in-the-purple out of day’s BIS & inherited her stunning b/m colour. At nine months, clearly coming into his own. Sets himself up well, standing four-square continually displaying a correct outline, real quality head, balanced, good stop, flat skull topped by very good ears, lovely eye & expression, full of intelligence, very good shoulder, good length of body, excels in rear construction, lovely temperament & sound as a bell. Moves well, needs to tighten up in front but he’s only young, conformation suggests all will come together, tail reaches past hock. Another year or two on his back & will trouble the best. BP; 2 French’s Foxearth Flockmaster for Breckamore, tri litter brother to 1, much the same remarks apply, as showy as his brother, head clean & balanced with same good eye & sweet expression. Moves soundly, correct tail, a nice boy; 3 Forbes’ Natalain Veni Vidi Vici at Willowhurst (imp Rus). J (1) Leach’s Manordeifi Dionysus at Hilltarn, b/m of good colour, at 14 months is developing nicely, judged him in varieties as a youngster & looks to be realising promise, just needs to start filling out, very nice clean head with good planes, very appealing eye & expression, good skull & earset, well arched neck, pleasing overall make & shape, good shoulder, good length of back, good turn of stifle, easy & comfortable on the move, sound temperament. PG (2) 1 Repeat; 2 Bardills’ Plaisance Fenton Le Beau, tri of good proportions, pleasing eye, alert expression, good shoulder & strong front legs, moved soundly. L (4,1a) 1 Hutchings’ Collidach Molloney Ta Tu You, handsome tri of two years, home bred from champion parents, sired by the famed True Topic who I awarded BIS here two years ago. Plenty of appeal, clean head, flat skull, balanced, kind eye & expression, good neck & shoulder, body well proportioned, nice temperament, sound mover, keeping topline; 2 Trundleys’ Juniperwood King Of Kings, homebred tri of four years, well made throughout, clean head, good dark eye, pleasing expression, good reach of neck, good temperament, sound, very good mover; 3 Woodstock’s Shulune Imperial Guard at Hylaird. O (5,2) 1 Forbes’ Ch.Int & Ir Ch Pelghart Paint It Black at Willowhurst), four months shy of becoming a veteran, this tri boy is all male & no way showing any signs of coarseness. I awarded him the CAC & BOB at the Belgium champ show a couple of years ago, a RCC at Bournemouth so it was nice to have him back to assess. Strongly built throughout, lovely full white neck of good reach supporting quality head of great balance, good flat skull topped by perfect ears, good stop & muzzle, most endearing eye & expression, but definitely masculine! Good make & shape throughout, good depth of chest, strong legs, good pasterns, nice tight feet, level topline, well made rear, has animation by the bucket, moving soundly & straight as a die, handled to advantage, looking as good standing as on the move, which was the deciding factor. Pleased to award him the CC & later see him go RBIS. Well done; 2 Norman & Ratcliffe’s homebred Easy Listening at Seanua, very attractive s/w of excellent presentation & colour. Most endearing eye & expression, but definitely male. At 3 ½ yrs, definitely coming into his own, good make & shape, head very clean & smooth to handle, neat ears, good overall make & shape, strength is in his rear, good turn of stifle, good let down of hock, good feet, allowing him to dig in & propel forward. RCC; 3 Woodstocks’ Shulune Imperial Warrior at Hylaird; V (1) Griffiths’ Ch Alopex Highland Fling, homebred tri of obvious quality, & a real gentleman collie! Approaching nine years, shows no signs of coarseness, presented in superb body & condition with good overall conformation emphasising the movement & fitness one has come to expect from this kennel. Really nice clean head to handle, balanced, good stop, very good ever-alert ears, good strong neck, good front & shoulder, lovely straight front, good length of back, very good rear construction with good bend of stifle & let down of hock, enabling that required thrust of a herding breed. Excellent temperament, sound as a pound. BV, BVIS. Well done.
Bitches: P (2) 1 Trundleys’ Juniperwood Kinda Special, homebred b/m of, dare I say it, the older type of smooth that was around when this couple had their famous old tri champion dog. B/m who needs to clear in colour & tighten up in front but basically, that’s about it. Just finished a season which, I’m told, was responsible for her reluctance to use her ears but when she did, emphasised her good head, kind eye & sweet expression. Very sound, good temperament, good drive from rear; 2 Norman’s Ryecombe Drama Queen, almost out of puppy, s/w with lovely make & shape, turned out in good condition, most attentive girl, good skull & ear set, beautiful dark eye & expression, good rear enabling strong movement but still a little loose in front, super temperament & very sound. J (3,2) 1 Robinson’s Southcombe Summer Special at Dawcher, very sound s/w not long out of puppy & developing into a useful sort, most appealing colour, well presented, super outline, cleanest of heads, most feminine dark eye & expression, super ears, good front & shoulder, strong straight legs, strong pasterns, good rear construction, very sound with lovely temperament, most workmanlike on move. PG (5,1) 1 Sewell’s Foxearth Dressed To Frill, gorgeous tri of obvious quality nearing her best. At two, she has much to offer, & lets you know it! Most attentive, has quality head of good balance, clean, very good ears, flat skull, lovely eye & expression, good neck & shoulder, depth of chest & length of back, presented very well, lovely temperament, sound, very strong rear end, takes time to get into her stride but once on her way, moves freely & untroubled; 2 McKenna & Bardill’s Plaisance Betty La Belle, homebred 4yo s/w of very good balance, make & shape, clean head, very good ears, appealing eye & expression, good reach of neck, strong legs, good temperament, moved with great animation; 3 Trundley’s Juniperwood Jubilation, homebred tri of very good make & shape, unlucky to meet two above, sweet & petite, very sound on the move. L (2,1) 1 Benton’s Alopex Marionette of Oakestelle, most attractive well coloured b/m who sets herself up so well, is attentive & bows to her handler’s every whim. Lovely clean head to handle, balanced, good planes & stop, excellent ever-used ears, lovely eye & expression, good reach of neck set into good shoulder, good overall make & shape, born showgirl, effortless & impressive mover. Just wish there was a little more of her but I’m being picky because she has it all where it counts to reach the top. O (6,1) Lovely class but you’d have to go a long way to beat the winner. 1 Haywards’ Ch Sandcastles As You Like It at Foxearth. As you like it? Takes your breath away. I’ve had the privilege to judge this breed all over the world, as far away as Australia, but this stunningly coloured b/m takes the biscuit. Quality in abundance. Head fits the breed Standard letter by letter but what you can’t breed for is ring presence, panache & charisma. This girl has it in abundance. Apart from anything else, it’s her eye & beautiful feminine, mystical expression that makes her what she is. Lovely arched neck emphasised by her brilliant white collar, reaching into level back & body covered in that lovely merle coat of correct texture, pristinely presented. Lovely shoulder, perfect straight front legs, strong pasterns, lovely tight feet, very well constructed rear with tail reaching beyond the hock. Movement was effortless, so direct & athletic. And at this point, I would like to record that this was the first occasion Trevor Hayward has handled & moved an exhibit in the ring since his horrendous accident a few years back. Trevor, your movement was perfect! And so was your merle. More than happy to award her the CC, BOB, & thrilled to see her awarded BIS, for the second year on the bounce, at this prestigious show. Thank you for bringing her; 2 McKenna & Bardill’s Shulune Imperial Flower of Plaisance, beautiful s/w chasing that elusive 3rd but no disgrace to stand 2nd to 1. Pleasing head to handle, balanced, good skull topped by ever-alert ears, sweetest of dark eye & expression, well arched neck, good overall make & shape, good front & strong legs, good depth of chest, good rear construction enabling workmanlike movement. Lovely temperament, sound throughout. RCC; 3 Hutchings’ Collidach Molloney Fay Mouse, almost 3yo b/m, homebred from Foxearth champions whose quality has clearly come through, super colour, in excellent condition & well presented, lovely head to handle, very sweet eye & expression, good overall make & shape, sound on the move, lovely temperament, completed a trio of lovely bitches.