The quality is not consistent either through the dogs or bitches, having said that there are individuals who meet the standard and could be useful to ensure the future of the breed. Please stop treating this as a head only breed. Each Collie should be able to stand four square without handlers continually playing with legs and feet. It does not matter if they move a little, if they are made right they will automatically set themselves right. On viewed from the rear the Smooth Collie should display strong feet, straight rear pasterns leading up to the hock. Unfortunately, there was a lot of deviation to this and as a result the rear movement is not helped. Many would benefit from improved exercise; it was noticeable which exhibits had good condition. 

VD (6) 1 & RCC, Norman & Ratcliffe's Easy Listening At Seanua. S/w who has correct balance of height to length of body. This is covered with a lovely tight, harsh coat of good colour. His head is correct wedge shape, it has the correct slight but perceptible stop; ears tip well and he uses them.  Eye of good shape and dark gives melting expression.  Moved with drive, to be critical his topline can dip at times and this ultimately cost him the CC. 2 Levonen's Fi/Se/Ee/Lv/Balt Ch Timonan Urban Uranus (ATC ASO2862FIN). S/w again, has correct balance of body with good head properties. On the move has good drive and reach action. I preferred the head and expression of first. 3 Griffiths' Alopex Matt Finnish. Balanced body, good coat texture; on the move had excellent reach of forehand but lacked drive behind.  He was not showing quite as well as first and second and this may also have been the reason his drive is not what I have previously seen. 

PD (1) 1 Leke's Foxearth Flag Day. Tri. Has nice length of body. Head good wedge shape, stop needs to clear but he is still young so this should improve as he grows. He was out of coat on the day. 

JD (5, 2) 1 Norman's Seanua Signature. S/w with correct body shape. Good head with lovely eye and ears pull to give pleasing expression. Moved wide behind when setting off but did settle better once he got going. 2 Cole's Sturtmoor Dream Of Kasvelyn. S/w, good body shape but less depth of chest than first. Head was correct shape, on the day he was not keen to be gone over. 3 Kinsey's Strurtmoor Khaos Of Kaswyn. Built on finer lines than first and second. Shoulder a little straighter and less rounded croup. 

PGD (3) 1 Huchon's Clingstone At The Top [ATC AS01991FIN]. Tri. Has correct body shape, covered with a good harsh coat. In tip top condition and moved well as a result. Head is balanced but he fails in eye for me which spoilt expression. 2 Van Der Kieft's Mabinogion Ragnar [ATC AS01688NLD]. B/m. Correct body shape, head balanced shame his ears are heavy as takes away from expression. 3 Vickery's Oakestelle Sebastian Bach. Tri. Ok for overall shape. Good harsh and tight coat. Head ok, eye is pleasing. 

LD (4) 1 Trundley's Blamorder Back To The Future. B/m, he has lovely balance of body and nice harsh tight coat. Head handles well and has pleasing expression. I am afraid I could never give him more than a class due to the amount of white he carries which also breaks into the main body of his coat. 2 Landourar's Twinway Infini Et Au Dela [ATC AS02425FRA]. Body shape ok, head appears to run into the neck without the crest that separates the occipital bone from the first of the cervical vertebrae. Ears wide apart and reluctant to pull them up. 3 Leach's Manordeifi Dionysus At Hilltarn. B/m. Neck slightly short, top line dipping. Head correct wedge with eye of correct shape and has pleasing expression. 

OD (7, 1) 1 & CC, Haywards Ch Foxearth Flintab. B/m, one I have liked since he was young, so pleased to get the chance to go over him.  Head of good wedge shape, eye well placed and contributing to kind expression, ears used well making him look alert. He has the correct length to height of body, covered by good tight, harsh coat. Moves with drive from behind and has good stride. 2 Nurmikaria & Salminen's By/Ee Ch Clingstone's Lap Dog It JCh JWW-15 BYW-15 [ATC AS03109FIN]. S/w, quality dog. Head is correct in shape, as is his body. Good coat. Moved very well. Today I preferred my CC & RCC winners just a little more. 3 Williams' Ch Foxearth Forward Thinking For McClelland. S/w, head handles quite well, but ears set a little wide and are lighter making them lift more. Lovely dark eye.  Moved ok. 

GCD (3) 1 Cole's Strutmoor Dream Of Kasvelyn. 2 Vickery's Oakestelle Sebastian Bach. 3 Trundley's Juniperwood King Of Kings. 

VB (4, 2) 1 & RCC, Tikkanen's Timonan Veronica Velvet [ATC AT00238FIN]. S/w, correct amount of bone, length to height of body is correct and covered in a good harsh textured coat. Because she is well made she strides out without any problem, good rear drive. Head is correct wedge with stop that breaks in the correct place giving balance. Eye is well placed and dark, ears on top showing none stop, pushed the BOB winner hard and although a difficult choice is was so nice to be able to have quality to choice from, on another day the places could swap. 2 Benton's Alopex Marionette Of Oakestelle. B/m, does not have the balance of first and is fine throughout. Moved ok. 

JB (7, 1) 1 Norman & Theobald's Seanua Softly Softly. S/w with the same quality as her kennel mates. Balanced in head and body. Eye well placed and dark, used ears well and has lovely sweet expression. 2 Forbes' Natalain Kilenny At Willowhurst (Imp Rus). S/w, body is not as balanced as first and not moving as well. 3 Williams' Blamorder Just Like Magic. Tri. Lovely body condition, short in neck. Moved ok. 

PGB (8, 1) 1 Mattero's Clingstone's Looks Like Love EEJW-15 EEW-15 BALTJW-15 [ATC AT00465FIN]. Tri. Great balance of body, croup does fall away very slightly, has lovely turn of stifle. Head balanced with nice eye, ears not quite on top. 2 Fort's Shulune Imperial Storm. Tri. Correct amount of bone, good body proportions, head is wedge shape and expression ok. 3 Trundley's Juniperwood Joyful. S/w with correct body proportions, lovely head with pleasing expression. Coat harsh and tight. Was disappointed she was dirty. 

LB (6, 1) 1 Norman's Seanua Serendipity. S/W. Again from this kennel, balanced in both body and head, when she lifts her neck she improves her outline. Has melting expression. Moved well. 2 Benton's Oakestelle Venus De Milo. B/m. Good leght of neck. Fine in forface; too tucked up in body. Moved ok. 3 Peacock's Blamorder Back To The Start For Saraneth. Tri. Head ok, not as pleasing as first, lovely coat in good condition, moved well. 

OB (11, 3) 1, BCC & BOB, Hayward's Ch Clingstone's Hot Shot At Foxearth (Imp Fin). Tri. For me this bitch is a near the standard as they come.  There is no exaggeration in any part and this gives a picture of balance and harmony. Head of correct wedge shape, stop breaking correctly, ears placed correctly. Eye is almond in shape and dark, this all combines to give pleasing collie expression. Strong neck onto firm back. Has correct shoulder and stifle.  Good spring of rib. Coat harsh, tight and gleaming.   There is no surprise on the move as it can be predicted she will move as she should. I was so pleased for the breed to see her short listed and she certainly won a lot of admirers. 2 & RCC, Tikkanen's Timonan Veronica Velvet [ATC AT00238FIN].Winner of veteran. 3 Forbes' Multi Ch Kangasvokon Venice (Imp Fin). S/W. Lovely head which handles well; pleasing expression. Correct body proportions.Lacked drive. 

GCB (3) 1 Williams' Blamorder Just Like Magic. 2 Brown's Blamorder Back In Town. Tri, shorter in neck than first, good body with lovely coat. Moved ok. 3 Rowden's Ch Fortune Cookie From Breckamore. S/w, not at all settled today. Would like cleaner stop, but head is wedge. Body shape ok. Correct coat. Movement erratic today.

Maria Foulston