It was an honour to award CC’s in our breed and, as an exhibitor myself, I appreciate the time, effort and preparation required, so I thank all exhibitors for showing their dogs under me. I was impressed with the overall quality of the entry; I saw more incorrect bites this time compared to 2 years ago when I judged our breed club show, but have noticed a great improvement in front assemblies. The size of ears & also tail set’s need to be watched, as larger ears and tight tails are becoming more prevalent. Weight needs to be watched with bitches, as there were some very nice exhibits who, unfortunately, were carrying far too much weight; this is a working breed and should be fit, well muscled and sound, to do their job.
I do not like to see products in dogs’ coats and they should not be necessary if a dog has a correct coat – unfortunately they were very apparent on some exhibits. I considered the quality of the bitches, in particular, to be excellent in terms of consistency of type & movement and there were several worthy CC winners in the bitch classes.

Minor puppy dog (13,0)
1. Waker’s Casiat Fuori Dal Mondo Di Alchawak. Promising, well-balanced pup; I loved his proportions. Good head maturing nicely with correct ears and muzzle size & correct bite. Nice lay of shoulder & upper arm. Good chest, correct topline and firm loin with broad thighs and strong rear. Moved soundly, with a lovely side gait. Correct coat of course texture and a very good tail-set. Good bone & feet ok, but would prefer them slightly larger. Should have a promising future. BP
2. Hunter’s Tuvaurat Minuteman. Another lovely pup and a close decision with 1. I liked his outline, with a lovely arch of neck from well laid shoulders and correct topline. Correct coat. Chest developing nicely. Balanced, strong rear with good tail set and correct feet. Attractive head, dark eye, with skull developing well for age – ears a little lower set than 1. Moved very well.

Puppy dog (8,0)
1. Hunter’s Tuvaurat Minuteman
2. Shiers’ Celticwolf Loving Life. Handsome pup and lots to like. Good head proportions, ear size & set. Correct eye and good bite. Slightly shorter neck than 1 but still well balanced outline &, again, good lay of shoulder & upper arm. Good chest & loin. Correct coat. Tail set ok & a nicely assembled rear with strong hocks. Good coat & correct feet but would prefer slightly less slope to front pasterns. Just a little unsettled on the move today, but with practice and maturity should do well.

Junior dog (10,2)
1. Bebiano’s Equinox Woodvram Polarni Usvit (Imp Cze). Heading a nice class this good sized boy is very well balanced. A smart dog, in good coat, with lots of quality & sound construction; which was evident on the move. Very good front assembly with good bone and a nice arch to neck. Attractive head, of excellent proportions, beautiful soft expression with dark eye, pigment and correct ears. Good chest, well ribbed with strong loin, good tail set and a strong rear with well let down hocks to complete the picture. Moved out very well in this class and was shown in well muscled condition, with skilful handling and presentation.
2. Roper’s Tokosha Atka JW, Sh.CM. Another quality youngster with slightly larger frame.
Good shoulder placement giving a nice arch to neck. Attractive head and expression with correct proportions; just right at the moment but wouldn’t want to see it any heavier. Ears good for size & placement. Plenty of bone, with good feet, and depth of chest. Correct topline with a beautiful waving plume and a strong rear. Demonstrating an excellent side gait with sound movement also on the up and back. More square in outline than my winner and just preferred the loin length and chest width of 1 on the day. Well handled & presented.

Yearling Dog (6,1)
1. Fotheringham’s Tailfly Suntower Asking. Super dog. Pushed hard for the RCC & I’m sure he will mature very well. Really liked him for type and, with a nicely proportioned outline and well balanced front & strong rear assembly, he covered the ground with an easy, sound gait. Handsome head, correct in all aspects and with good pigment and eye. Carrying a correct coat he is well ribbed with a strong, firm loin. Good feet and bone. Tail set is good although carried slightly tight. His superb front reach and rear drive won him the class. Most handsome boy, I thought he was lovely
2. Copley-Holland’s Tailfly Turnround Glider at Katabatic JW. Litter brother to 1, so similar in type and hard to split them; both have such quality. Attractive head for shape and expression, although slightly lighter in eye. Ears good for size & placement. Good front with a nice lay of shoulder and forechest. Correct feet. Overall body proportions very good with good spring of rib and firm loin. Tail set & carriage very good. Carrying a correct coat and well presented. Moved very well but I just preferred the rear extension, through the hock joint, of my winner on the day.

Post Graduate dog (13,3)
1. Fotheringham’s Tailfly Suntower Asking.
2. Wilkinson’s Icewolf a Touch De Lapema. Smaller framed dog than 1 and good overall proportions. Most lovely head and expression with neat ears, good back skull, dark eye and strong jaw. Correct lay of shoulder with a good arch of neck. Plenty of bone, feet ok and carrying a very good coat. Well developed chest, good spring of rib, correct topline and tail set. Moved out very well in profile. Just preferred the upper arm placement & forechest of my winner.

Limit dog (18, 2) Nice class.
1. Ballington-Graham’s Catua A Kind of Magic JW. Compact dog of super type & carrying a wonderful correct coat. Fit & looking so strong with a good straight front, good lay of shoulder and correct forechest. Well ribbed with a firm loin. Tail set good, tail carried slightly tight. Well off for bone, correct feet with well arched toes and short, strong pasterns. Very handsome broad, powerful head with neat ears, well set, & strong jaw. Slightly light in eye, but good for shape & obliquely set. Moved very soundly with a power gait.
2. Howarth’s Limited Edition. A close decision between these two. Very sound dog who gave nothing away on the move and I liked his overall balance. Smaller in frame than 1 but just as powerful and shown in great condition. A well constructed boy with good shoulders & lay of upper arm and a nice arch to neck. Pleasing head, not quite as strong in muzzle or skull as 1. Well ribbed with firm loin and well muscled, broad thighs. Correct feet and a good tail set. Very sound coming & going and a powerful side gait.

Open Dog (13,2) Difficult class to judge as very mixed type.
1. Molloy’s Snowshoes Shadow at Wintablizard Sh.CM. Impressive looking, fit & well muscled dog who was on top form today. I loved his very typical & balanced profile and he presented a wonderful picture both standing & moving. Head ok with correct eye and ear placement, would have just prefer a slightly more masculine skull & muzzle. Good front assembly, lay of shoulder, forechest and upper arm placement. Strong, moderately arched neck. Deep chest with correct, slightly sloping topline, strong loin and well boned legs with super feet. His front assembly was balanced by an equally strong rear with powerful broad thighs and good let-down of hock that gave him an effortless, powerful side gait. Correct tail set. Well handled & presented, he just excelled on the move and gave a faultless performance on the day. I was very pleased to award him his first CC.
2. Wilkinson’s Gwinner Lapema Star De Jungla Negra (Imp Esp). Lovely dog with just the most gorgeous (& typical), head & expression, with broad skull and neat ears. Looking in great condition, a powerful dog of good balance. In profile he has a good lay of shoulder, moderately arched neck, correct topline and tail set. Carrying an excellent coat, he has plenty of bone and very good feet. Good length of rib and strong loin. Chest is good for depth, but just preferred the chest width of winner. Moved very soundly and when he first came into the ring he was on top form, but just lost enthusiasm on the move towards the end. Nevertheless a quality boy who I was very pleased to award RCC.

Minor puppy bitch (10,2)
1. Wilkinson’s Koldsnap Aprilia Mille. Just 6 months and a bit over-awed by the occasion, but there is no denying her super quality. Pretty head, with good back skull and muzzle proportions and a nice eye. Such wonderful angulations front & rear with plenty of bone and good feet. There is a lovely balance to her, with a compact shape I would expect at this age. Well ribbed with good coupling and a good tail set. Moved very soundly when she settled, but a little spooked by the loud speaker at times. I could quite happily have taken her home, I thought she was divine.
2. Hunter’s Tuvaurat Miss Independence. Larger frame than 1. Nice outline with good shoulders and arch to neck. Pretty head and expression, correct eye & I liked her head proportions. Well boned with good feet and a balanced, strong rear assembly. Good chest, well ribbed and tail set good. In good coat & well presented & handled. Lovely puppy who moved out well – I just preferred body length & proportions of winner.

Puppy bitch ((9,0)
1. Hunter’s Tuvaurat Miss Independence
2. Atherton’s Casiat Dietro Casa. Very nice type with a nice outline. Feminine head with good pigment & eye colour and correct ears. Good shoulder placement & front assembly but carrying a little extra weight so looked a tad heavy over the shoulders. Nicely balanced angulations front & rear with good bone and feet. Nice proportions and a good chest & ribbing. Tail ok, but would just prefer more slope to croup. Moved with an easy action in profile.

Junior bitch (13,2) Very nice class.
1. Nawrocka’s Monikoona Casablanca. Winning a very strong class, this top quality bitch is certainly one to watch for the future. Her overall balance & substance is lovely with plenty of bone, great feet and a correct coat. Most attractive head with correct proportions, nice eye and good pigment. In profile she is very pleasing with broad thighs and short rear pasterns, matched by a correct front. Slightly sloping topline, good spring of rib and good tail set. Moved very well, all ways. Well presented & handled to her best advantage.
2. Hunter & Whyman’s Tokosha Siku. Similar in type & outline to 1. Good head shape, ears a little low set. Nice neck length with good shoulders. Good length of rib & loin. Well off for bone with correct feet. Good coat & well presented. A nicely balanced bitch, who moved very soundly; I just preferred the overall body length & topline of 1 on the day.

Yearling Bitch (7,1)
1. Hunter & Whyman’s Tokosha Siku.
2. Aitchison & Hurst’s Kegluneq Dolce Vita. A pleasing bitch of different type to 1. Pretty head with dark eye; muzzle could be slightly bulkier. In profile a little straighter in angles both front & rear than 1 but, nevertheless, balanced. Moderately arched neck with good shoulder placement. I liked the size of her feet but would prefer slightly more arch to toes. Good bone and well ribbed. Well muscled with a strong rear and good tail set. Moved true coming & going, just preferred the side action of my winner.

Post graduate bitch (15,6) A difficult decision between these as all three were super-moving bitches.
1. Archer’s Hyteton Relu Bella. Boy can this bitch move! Lovely outline with everything as it should be, giving her a balance that is pleasing to the eye. Pretty head with dark eye & good pigment; well set ears. Well off for bone, with correct feet & pasterns and carrying a correct harsh coat. Good croup & tail set. Good neck length into strong shoulders. Needs to body up and gain some weight, but she has plenty of time to mature yet. She won a very strong class here with her beautiful ground-covering gait, moving with fluidity & ease whilst carrying a firm topline.
2. Duggan’s Pelentan Stella Aurora. A close decision as I really like this bitch also. With good bone and feet she is solidly constructed and there is so much to like about her. Presents a very attractive profile with her good neck length & angles front & rear. Really nice head for proportion, with dark eye and good back skull, but would prefer slightly smaller ears. Well ribbed body with good loin length and carrying a correct tail and coat. Very sound mover and unlucky to meet 1 in such good form.

Limit bitch (19,4) Very strong class.
1. Forster’s Hawkam Leading Lady of Kachemak. This bitch has so much quality I just loved her for her substance & type. So typical in profile, she is moderate in every way the standard calls for. Feminine head of good proportion with nice eye and good pigment. A lovely arch to her neck, well laid shoulders & straight front. Good chest depth and spring of rib, firm loin. Well boned legs with feet of good size and well arched toes. Short, strong & slightly sloping pasterns. Balanced angles front & rear with broad thighs, slightly sloping croup and correct tail. She moved with a lovely powerful side gait, maintaining her topline and she didn’t put a foot wrong. She had tough competition, but I thought she was cracking and I was delighted to award her the BCC & BOB.
2. Butler’s Kaytoo Kandi Kandu. A bitch I just love, and she is unmistakably feminine. Similar in type to 1, although slightly smaller in frame. She is so well put together & a pleasure to watch. To me, her outline is as the standard describes with her matching angles front & rear, good chest, topline and firm loin and with the prettiest of heads. She naturally stands so well due to her wonderful balance of conformation. With a lovely tail set and carrying a correct coat, she moved very well and pushed hard all the way & I had to nit-pick for my CC & RCC winners; I just preferred the size of feet & bone of the other two girls on the day.

Open Bitch (18,5) A super class
1. Archer’s Hawkam’s Irresistible. Similar in type to my CC winner this girl headed off some very strong competiton. Very sound bitch of rising 8 years, I think she is in her prime. Most attractive head, eye and expression with well set ears. I loved her front assembly; she has great shoulders and chest with good ribbing and strong loin. With broad thighs and strong rear to balance her she moved with a wonderful side gait and has a correct slope to her croup with well set tail. Well off for bone and with lovely feet she was so nearly my CC winner, it was so close. I was delighted to award her the RCC; an absolutely delightful bitch. Well handled and presented.
2. Nawrocka’s Pol Ch. Ilia Lucky Appalachian (Imp Pol). I was spoilt for choice in this class and this bitch was delightful. She is a very glamorous, sound bitch with lots to like, including a powerful side gait. Pretty head with good ear set and overall proportions & a lovely length of neck. Ok for bone and feet a nice size but would prefer more arch to the toes. Again, she pushed my winners hard & I just preferred the feet & shoulders of my two winners. Well handled & presented.

Judge: Sharon Loades