My thanks to the exhibitors for making my first championship appointment so enjoyable. I hope that some of you at least enjoyed the day as much as I did. I found the bitches stronger than the dogs, but there were some good males present.

Puppy Dog (4)

Close decision between

1st Gentom Renown

Sizeable 8 month old puppy, good bone, straight front and good front construction, deep chested, pleasing topline and good bend of stifle. I thought he moved very well.

2nd Jamalison Winter Blizzard

Brother of my puppy bitch winner. Quality youngster of different type to my winner, lovely head with dark eye and neat ears, set on a good neck, shapely body, straight front with good feet. Best mover in the class. Rather raw at the moment. Challenged hard for first place.

3rd Erewhon Dambuster

Post Graduate Dog (11)

1st Greyfriars Gille of Beardswood

Really caught my eye this one. Dark well built 2 year old, perfect proportions, most pleasing in profile, in fact from all angles, good depth and width, straight front, super coat, all the right curves lovely dark eye, presented in excellent condition, obviously very fit and shown to perfection. An easy winner of this class. RCC

2nd Kwaricott Archimago

Shapely and attractive 18 month male, good harsh coat, pleasing head, dark eye, neat ears, good front. Good balanced outline, Moved well in profile, slightly untidy in the front coming and going, but he is young yet ( a year younger than the winner), and has plenty of maturing to do.

3rd Lyart Yes Minister

Limit Dog (4)

1st Gentom Peacemaker

Young dog, very good in profile, with good bone, a most attractive head, dark eye and neat folded ears. Good lay of shoulder, good width, correct harsh coat, well muscled with a good bend of stifle. Stood out in this class. Moving well with his handler, was pleased to award him the CC

2nd Hyndsight Keep the Faith

Different type to the winner, a smaller dog but quite powerfully built. Well balanced, good profile, , a good head with dark eye, and neat folded ears. Neat feet, good lay of shoulder. Dense dark coat. Moved well.

3rd Cotherstone The Magician by Breesfalt

Open Dog (5)

1st Beardswood Marmion

Quality large deep chested dog, good head and expression, straight front, good feet, a trifle upright in the shoulder. Excellently presented and handled, and in good physical condition. Good on the move, lost out for the RCC to the PGD winner, also from this kennel, whose topline and overall balance I preferred.

2nd Ch. Hyndsight Wind of Change

Now six years old, this dog has done a lot of winning in his time, and when you go over you can see why – he is very well constructed. Well balanced, a good head with dark eye, tight ears and compact feet. Harsh coat, in good overall condition, a worthy champion.

3rd Gentom Orlando of Talgavar

Puppy Bitch (6)

1st Jamalison Winter Gayle

8 month old promising puppy, Pleasing head, straight front, good shoulder placement, bone and substance, bend of stifle adequate for a puppy this age, topline OK, a little high at the rear at the moment as she is obviously growing rapidly, moved the best in the class.

2nd Killoeter Nectar

Quite a substantial well constructed, nine month old, good bone and muscle, workmanlike but without coarseness, good balance, no exaggeration, moved well, presentation and handling was very good. Preferred the head of my winner, but it was a close decision.

3rd Erewhon Spellbinder

Junior Bitch (2)

Only two in this class but both quality bitches, another close decision.

1st Chuilinn Afra

The taller of the two, but proportions are good. Well boned good width, nice head and expression, coat to standard. Strong hindquarters, would have preferred more rear angulation, but she is young yet, and this will probably change. Moved well.

2nd Ladygrove Calamity Jane At Amiro.

A different type to the winner, somewhat smaller and better in profile, with a excellent topline and rear angulation. Moved very well, I preferred the front assembly of the winner.

Post graduate Bitch (6)

1st Brackenland Tanis

This bitch really caught my eye. Well balanced, good front, topline and rear angulation good bone, attractive head with dark eye, plenty of width front and rear, good harsh coat, very well presented, true movement, in fact the best mover in the class.

2nd Nixophel Crystal Amethyst

Bigger bitch, but with no coarseness, in fact quite shapely. Feminine head dark eyed, tight feet good at front and rear, moved very well in profile. At just two years old, I expect she will get even better. Marginally preferred movement of the winner.

3rd Beardswood Niamh

Limit Bitch (7)

1st Pyefleet Rokesby

Strong well boned and perfectly balanced bitch, excellent front assembly, in fact good throughout, correct coat, in hard physical condition, not doing her handler any favours on the stand, but her quality shone through on the move, where she was light on her feet on a day when most were struggling due to the heat. BOB

2nd Greyflax Milly Molly Mandy

Unfortunate that she came up against the winner, this is a grey bitch with a beautiful head, straight front, good feet, typical of this kennel,who looks less mature than the winner. Combining elegance with substance, she moved very well, and was in very good condition and well handled.

3rd Lealla Janty

Open Bitch (6)

This was the strongest class of the day with a number of fine bitches, and decisions here were very close. Decisions on the first three in this class were close, and could change places on another day.

1st Ch. Greyflax Waterloo Sunset

A top flight bitch, beautiful head , excellent profile,well boned, movement good in both profile and fore and aft. Very well presented and handled. Challenged strongly for the CC, did not quite have the sparkle of the CC winner on the move in the challenge.

2nd Ch, Claonaiglen Albyn at Cloweswood

Another quality hound, beautiful head and ears, dark eye, good shoulder, strongly bodied with good topline and good rear quarters, good width all through. Moved very well, not in full coat, but in super condition and expertly handled.

3rd Ch. Claonaiglen Orrin