Thanks to Midland Counties for my appointment and the warm welcome from the hard working Committee and thanks to two very efficient stewards.

A huge thank you to all the exhibitors, not only for such a lovely entry but also for bringing such quality hounds which were an absolute pleasure to judge.   Some classes were extremely difficult, but for the best of reasons, as I was spoilt for choice.

PUPPY DOG 4 (1 Absent)

1. Cartmell’s Cusidh Drawing Down the Sun  – 11 month old well grown puppy with good bone.  Nice head with high set ears and good reach of neck.  Needs to drop in brisket but has time.  Good topline with rise over loin and sloping croup.   Good width to thigh and moved out well. 
2. Mrs S Taylor’s Kilbourne Boogaloo to Ormanstar.  At 6 months giving away a lot in age but youngster of lovely type with good head and expression.  Well laid shoulder and return of upper arm and good topline.  Good hindquarters though a little unsettled on the move.
3. Barter & Christian’s Ehlaradawn Rune

JUNIOR DOG 5 (1 Absent)

1. Owen & Brodie’s Luckhurst Nebo to Wolfscastle.  A striking youngster with well balanced outline.  Lovely head and expression.  Good shoulder and return.  Deep brisket with ribs well sprung.  Well angulated hindquarters and correct tightly knuckled feet.  Moved soundly.
2. Shannon’s Erewhon Celestial Fire.  At 13 months, a tall and well boned youngster with good front, deep brisket and good length of back with strong loin.  Sound mover.
3. Spencer, Rhodes & Morton’s Kanba The Time Lord for Gentom

POST GRADUATE DOG 4 (2 Absent)

1. Taylor’s Kilbourne Usher to Ormanstar.  2 year old of lovely type with balanced outline.  Typical head with dark eye, and good reach of neck.  Well laid shoulder and good length of back with good topline.  Good width to thigh and strong well angulated hindquarters.
2. Steele’s Harropine Celtic Warrior for Sorimsway.  Well grown boy of nice type with lovely head and well laid shoulders.  Rather weak in pastern which showed in his movement but good topline, underline and hindquarters.

LIMIT DOG 5 (1 Absent)

1. Peach’s Greyflax Taylor Made for Kilbourne.   Well boned dog with lovely head and expression and good topline into well angulated hindquarters.  Deep brisket.  Good pasterns and feet but would prefer more angulation to return of upper arm.  Sound and true mover.
2. Wilson’s Hamiltonhill Fred D Mercury.  This boy just didn’t want to be here today and didn’t settle at all.  Lovely head and expression with dark eye and super ears.  Good topline and underline and good depth of brisket.  Good hindquarters and moved soundly.
3. Hawkin’s Kwaricott Corelli

OPEN DOG 6 (1 Absent)

1. Morton & Morgan’s Ch. Cotherstone Shot and Steel.  Balanced and well boned handsome dog of super type.  Lovely head and expression.  To be critical, ears could be smaller but good reach of strong neck into well laid shoulder and good return of upper arm.  Deep and well sprung brisket and correct topline into strong well angulated hindquarters.  Moved out soundly.  This dog has terrific ring presence with his quality and balanced outline and I was pleased to award him the Dog CC and so delighted he went on to win the Hound Group.  Congratulations.
2. Spence & Heathcote’s Ch. Hyndsight Riddick.  Another mature dog of quality though more compact than 1 with heavier head and well carried rosed ears.  Good front and strong neck.  Strong well angulated hindquarters.  Sound mover.  Res DCC
3. Peach’s Kilbourne Nico

PUPPY BITCH 13 (7 Absent)
A lovely class of promising youngsters

1. Owen & Brodie’s Wolfscastle Greyce.  Attractive 7 month well grown bitch puppy with lovely outline.  Super head and expression with good reach of neck and tight ears.  Good front and good underline with ribs well back.  Good topline with rise over loin.  Well angulated hindquarters and good feet and pasterns.  Moved out soundly.  Best Puppy
2. Peach’s Ehlaradawn Tilia.  Just 6 months but attractive promising puppy with nice head, good eye and rosed ears, into good neck.  Good length of back and good topline into sloping croup.  Well angulated hindquarters and moved well.
3. Bailey’s Greyflax Summer Breeze

JUNIOR BITCH 5

1. Shannon’s Erewhon Wanton Flame.  Lovely well grown youngster with good head and ears and dark eye.  Good reach of neck.  Needs to strengthen in front.  Deep brisket and good underline.  Good width to thigh and well angulated hindquarters.  Moved well.
2. Grimshaw’s Lodhainn Bennbeheula to Jamilson.  Attractive youngster with super head and expression.  Correct ears well carried.  Good neck and well laid shoulder but straighter in upper arm.  Good topline and hindquarters
3. Tresh’s Lyndorthwin Ethel Grey

POST GRADUATE BITCH 4 (1 Absent)
Another lovely class and a very hard decision between 1 and 2

1. Bailey’s Greyflax Just Peachy.  Quality bitch of nice type with lovely head and expression.  Dark eye and good neck into well laid shoulder and good topline Well angulated hindquarters with width to thigh and good length hip to hock.  Moved out soundly covering the ground with ease but a little close behind.  
2. Peach’s Kilbourne Unity.  Another quality bitch with balanced overall outline.  Super head and typical expression, good neck into correct topline and fallaway.  Strong hindquarters but just not the scope of 1.  Moved soundly
3. Day & O’Brien’s Celticmoon Shadowmancer

LIMIT BITCH 8 (2 Absent)

1. Peach’s Kilbourne Wendela.  A very pretty feminine bitch of lovely type with typical head and expression.  Good neck into well laid shoulder and return of upper arm.  Strong loin and good fallaway into strong, well angulated hindquarters.  Moved soundly in her class.
2. Pursglove’s Stranwith Aria at Roguesmoor ShCM.  Of different type, a feminine bitch with good head and expression, dark eye and pigment.  Rosed ears, well carried.  Good reach of neck into well laid shoulder and return.  Deep in brisket and good underline.  Well angulated hindquarters but not the best feet.  Moved out soundly.
3. Barter & Christian’s Hyndsight Wind Dancer of Ehlaradawn

OPEN BITCH 9 (2 Absent)
This was just the most incredible class of quality bitches which I have ever had the privilege to judge. 

1. Morgan’s Ladygrove Calamity Jane at Amiro.  At 6 years of age, this mature bitch is feminine and totally balanced without exaggeration.  She has a good head with well carried ears, a good neck and well constructed front.  Deep brisket and spring of rib.  Correct topline and fallaway into well angulated and strong hindquarters.  Her movement is easy and sound.  In such strong competition, I was pleased to award her the Bitch CC
2. Taylor’s Ch. Kilbourne Baccarat to Ormanstar.  Another quality bitch of different type and longer cast.  Good head and dark pigment and eye.  Good reach of neck into well laid shoulder and good return.  Well angulated hindquarters and good width to thigh.  Active sound movement.  Res BCC
3. Finnett & Heathcote’s Ch. Hyndsight Into the Mystic  

Sue Piggott
Judge