Thank you to all exhibitors for your entries,  I thoroughly enjoyed my day. Thankfully we had a dry one after the heavy rain  of previous days. The resulting ground conditions outside did mean that we were  inside but we had a good sized ring. One thing that was particularly noticeable  in the entry was problems with ears. Ears carried correctly with the top third  tipping forward as per the standard were in short supply which meant I had to  forgive less than perfect ears to a certain extent in otherwise good dogs.  Certainly something to bear in mind for future breeding programmes as poor ears  undoubtedly spoil the aesthetics of an otherwise good head. The majority of the  entry were b/m which is unusual for these days and not a sable in sight!

JD (1) 1 Leach's Manordeifi Dionysus at Hilltarn. Typically adolescent male of 14  mths and a touch narrow and gawky all through at the moment. Has a good head  pattern with level planes and a sweet eye. Ear set and carriage is good. Holds  a firm topline and is sound up and down but would persist in pacing going  around. His b/m coat is correct for texture, colour and markings. Will  undoubtedly mature on and look forward to seeing the finished article.

PGD (2) 1 Evans' Neytiri Tsu'tay Warrior. Smart, upstanding tri of 18 mths who I  rather liked. His ears are his cross as they are too heavy but the set is good.  He is a good size and has the dignity I like to see in a male and although his  head is a touch deep through, with his size he can carry it off. It is a good  length and the eye is sweet and well placed although he lacks a little in stop.  Has a good lay of shoulder and depth of chest, enough length of body and rear  angulation. Tail just long enough. Moves out so smoothly with a lovely rhythm  on a reasonable length of stride. With his sleek coat in shining condition he  was close to going higher. A really interesting dog to judge with an  international mix of breeding lines behind him. I admire his breeder for  thinking outside the box with her breeding programme and look forward to seeing  the next generation! 2 Leach's Manordeifi Dionysus at Hilltarn.

O (3,1)  1 Evans' Southcombe Starman. Honest 5 years b/m who has improved with age. Has  a lovely pattern of head with level planes, correct stop and well placed sweet  eye. Clean through the cheeks and the best ears for set and carriage in the  entry. Has a lovely lay of shoulder although would prefer a touch more length  and angle to upper arm. Enough length of body with good depth and neat,  unexaggerated quarters. Good coat, colour and markings, tail just reaches the  hock but is a touch high set. Sensible, sound mover, nothing flashy, just  raising his tail a bit more than I like. Sire of the winner of LD and has the  better head. BD & RBOB. 2 Purvey's Norfield Silver Knight for Freejack.  This 6 years darker b/m is such a well constructed dog and I appreciated him  for that but he really did not want to be here today. An older type of Smooth,  having that curvy collie outline which I like to see. Not the head of 1; I found  his eye a little small and he was reluctant to use his ears. Perfect front for  angulation and a good forechest, mature in body although would like more length  of ribbing. Really good angulation at the rear with lovely turn of stifle and  the best length of tail in the entry. His angulation means that he moves on a  super length of stride but today his heart definitely wasn't in it. Deserved  RBD for his virtues and I'm sure he will have better days.

JB (1)  Moores' Manordeifi Silver Dazzler. This 14 mth b/m bitch took my eye as soon as  she entered the ring for her lovely flowing outline and textbook proportions.  Litter sister to the JD but much more together. Gorgeous collie head; clean  through, just right for length, planes and underjaw with correctly placed stop  and sweet eye. Ears are correctly set but one in particular was quite obviously  on the heavy side today - I hope it was just temporary as she has real  potential. Her front angulation is excellent with great length of ribbing and  body maturing well. Doesn't want any more weight but she has improved in this  department. She has beautiful quarters with super sweep to stifle but no  overlong second thighs and is nice and short in rear pasterns which are  perpendicular to the ground and she has lovely bone and feet. Really came  alight on the move showing great length of stride with easy reach and drive,  holding her topline and if nothing else, her movement and energy set her apart  from the rest of the entry today. Excellent tail length and carriage. Has picture  book markings with lovely tan and the blue is a good colour but still clearing.  Have awarded her grandmother a BOB, her mother a RBOB and had no hesitation in  awarding her BB and BOB today. Well done.

PGB (3) 1 Moores' Manordeifi  Silver Dazzler. 2 Baker's Manordeifi Dolly Daydream At Tomalca. Tri litter  sister to 1 & JD. A neat and tidy bitch with the same good pattern of head  which seems to be a feature of the litter. Found her eyes a touch round and in  contrast to her sister, her ears tip just enough. She has the same good  shoulder but not the layback of upperarm and she drops off a touch over the  croup hence not the extension or drive of her sister on the move. However, she  is a sound moving bitch with a delightful character who still has a little way  to go to full maturity. 3. Rice's Kingrock Adriel For Kevranna. Taller stamp of  bitch who throws a striking and statuesque profile which I found very  appealing. Very clean in head with a good eyeshape but ears not so good,  straight in upperarm and not as steady in temperament as those above her. The  best of tight coats in stunning condition.

OB (4,2) 1 Coates' Alopex  Blue Moon. Neat and tidy 3yrs b/m. Appealing and balanced in head; enough  length, good planes and eye. A bit lazy with her ears but they are set and tip  correctly. Has a decent front with good lay of shoulder. Mature in body and  great for coat texture and colour. Not the exceptionally good rear of the BB,  which was evident on the move but she is light on her feet and totally sound.  Fantastic temperament and evidently quite a character! RBB. 2 Purvey's Freejack  A Touch Of Magic. Darker b/m of 5yrs who I have appreciated in the past but  today brought a new meaning to smooth coated as she was totally and utterly out  of coat! Never a big girl, it accentuated her size and despite her good head  with its sweet eye, her well angulated front and rear, she was lacking in body  and not on top form today. Moved soundly with a good length of stride but  without a lot of drive. Will have better days I'm sure.