My thanks to the exhibitors for turning up, and in particular to  a very efficient pair of stewards who made my task a lot easier than it has been on some occasions in the past, I really enjoyed my day.
I thought the standard of presentation was good and the dogs mostly performed well in quite a noisy venue.
The concrete surface was pitiless in revealing defects in movement, and in particular rear movement as a whole is not good – there were of course exceptions but far too many dogs are moving close behind.
As breeders we all need to take heed as the unsoundess can become the norm if not addressed. If stock is bred from and is unsound it generally will produce unsoundness. 

Class 201 VD (1 Entries) Abs: 0 

1st: EDWARDS  Brackenland Ran 
Straight front, strong feet, heavy in the head and eye could be darker, good fold on ears, strong neck. nice lay of shoulder with a decent forechest and good spring of rib. Not moving with great enthusiasm, but very sound with good width behind.

Class 202 PD (3 Entries) Abs: 1 

1st:  SHANNON’s  Erewhon Celestial Fire 
Pleasing head with dark eye, good ears, straight front, nice spring of rib. well knuckled feet.  A little lacking in topline and angles at the moment which is almost certainly down to his age. Moved soundly enough with good width coming and going. Promising.

2nd: 605 LUCAS/DARGONNE  Packway Comanche Moon 
Somewhat taller dog than the winner, better in profile at the moment. Pleasing head, good spring of rib reasonable angles front and rear considering his age. Moving a little close behind, and somewhat ten to two in front.

Class 203 JD (3 Entries) Abs: 0 

1st:  OWEN/BRODIE’s Luckhurst Nebo To Wolfscastle 
Very attractive junior, smallest of the three in this class and the most shapely, well balanced dog with good angulation front and rear with a forechest, good bladed bone, more than I thought he would have, tight feet which were pointing in the right direction good width front and rear. beautiful head with well folded ear. Moved well in profile, rear action could be better. I have a slight reservation as to whether he will eventually make more size, but time will tell.

2nd: GREENHALGH’S  Regalflight Poacher At Leksmoor 
This is a nice dog which I suspect is at that difficult age where things have not settled down after a period of rapid growth, consequently topline is rather flat and his angles front and rear have straightened somewhat. This may change as he matures.  Straight front, tight feet, nicely bend in the  pastern, good coat. Did not do himself justice, probably due to a strange handler.

3rd: 589 FAIRCLOTH’S  Beardswood Ripley For Calbraidh 

Class 204 PGD (3 Entries) Abs: 1 

1st: 597 HELPS’ Beardswood Quinlan 
Good head, eye could be a little darker. Good forechest and lay of shoulder, straight front with well knuckled feet, plenty of substance, rear angulation fair, hocks could be a little lower. Supremely fit and well handled and presented, as were all the dogs from this kennel. Excellent movement in profile but somewhat close behind.

2nd:  SCHAANNING LING’S  Beardswood Quiver
Brother of the winner and looks like it. Not quite the quality of the winner, tends to ring his tail slightly, but a lot of the above applies.

Class 205 LD (5 Entries) Abs: 2 
1st: 617 SEYMOUR-JACKSON’S  Ghiltan Hero 
A very mature hound of the type I like. Nice head strong neck falling good lay of shoulder deep chest with good forechest and spring of rib. He has plenty of bone with good strong feet pointing in the right direction.  Good angles behind and adequate on the move.  RES CC

2nd: 596 HAWKINS’  Kwaricott Corelli
This dog caused me a problem, to be honest I do not like the type, as he is too coarse for me. However, on the positive side, I can well see why some would like him, this is a powerful, sound  well constructed hound with notably free movement, he is in superb physical condition and was excellently handled, in fact the best I came across today.

3rd: 628 WILSON’S  Hamiltonhill Fred D Mercury 

Class 206 OD (2 Entries) Abs: 0 

1st: 621 SPENCE/HEATHCOTE’S  Ch Hyndsight Riddick 
Well constructed and balanced mature male, masculine but not unattractive head, well folded ears, leading into a well constructed front assembly with good lay of shoulder and a forechest, straight front, pasterns well let down , good topline and well angulated powerfull rear quarters with low hocks. Well muscled, good spring of rib, harsh coat, moved well in profile and also coming and going. Preferred the type of the Bitch CC winner so had to be content with Dog CC.

2nd: 607 MORTON/MORGAN’S  Ch Cotherstone Shot And Steel 
More my type than the winner, smaller dog with pleasing head with dark eye, ears could be better folded, but are quite small, strong neck, good lay of shoulder with excellent forechest, well boned good spring of rib and a correct coat.  Not the rear angulation of the winner, and movement was not as positive.    Challenged hard for the RCC but I had reservations today because of his movement.

Class 207 GCD NO ENTRIES 

Class 208 VB NO ENTRIES 

Class 209 PB (6 Entries) Abs: 2 

1st: 609 OWEN/BRODIE’S  Wolfscastle Greyce 
A very pretty young lady! An easy winner of this class. Most attractive head dark eye, neat ears straight front, with tight well knuckled feet, good lay of shoulder with a nice forechest, sufficient angles behind. Tail good and extending to floor. Showed well for  one so young, moving well in profile, a little untidy fore and behind at the moment, but she is young yet.

2nd: 620 SHANNON ‘S  Erewhon Wanton Flame 
A strong hound who shows promise, plenty of bone and size.  Attractive head, dark eye, straight front good feet, Good spring of rib and topline, Angles at front and rear OK. Another dog not being handled by the usual handler, and in consequence probably not performing at her best on the move.

3rd: 586 CONSTANTINE Mrs K Cotherstone Islay Mist Of Kaleginy 

Class 210 JB (5 Entries) Abs: 4 

1st: FINNETT/HEATHCOTE’S  Shagiead Mrs Bridges 
Attractive dark bitch, dark eye neat folded ears, straight front tight well knuckled feet, front and rear assemblies quite good, Somewhat tense in the ring which did do her any favours, subsequently found that this exhibit was not being handled by the owner which probably accounted for it. One of the few exhibits today that moved completely parallel behind.


Class 211 PGB (8 Entries) Abs: 1

1st: 599 HELPS’  Beardswood Quintessence 
Not my type but a hound worthy of respect, being of overall good construction with plenty of substance. Excellent physical condition. Well bodied, good harsh coat but I would like more of it. Good in profile movement but is a somewhat close behind.

2nd: 587 CONSTANTINE’S  Gentiehun Adelaide Of Kaleginy 
Close decision between 2 and 3. Well balanced bitch , attractive head, pleasing profile, well angulated front assembly and satisfactory rear.  Feet are tight but she is upright in pastern. Not the bone and substance of the winner. Moved well in profile. A promising bitch.

3rd: 606 MCGILL’S  Cotherstone Take Silk 

Class 212 LB (9 Entries) Abs: 5 

1st: 583 BARTER/CHRISTIAN’S  Hyndsight Wind Dancer Of Ehlaradawn 
A most attractive bitch. winner of the best head and expression, well folded neat ears tight feet with just the right amount of let down in the pasterns, good profile with well laid shoulder and good rear angulation. Excellent harsh coat and in very good condition, but carrying a little too much weight. Could do with being a little longer, one of the better movers of the day, and an easy winner of this class. RCC

2nd: 629 WILSON’S  Hamiltonhill One Vision 
Attractive 5 year old bitch, well balanced with good construction throughout, slightly loose in front, and carrying too much weight. Movement satisfactory but not as good as winner.

3rd: 590 FAIRCLOTH Mr & Mrs L Beardswood Poesy At Calbraidh 

Class 213 OB (3 Entries) Abs: 1 

1st: 585 BARTER/CHRISTIAN’S  Hoddingrey Strahanna Of Ehlaradawn 
To me a classic bitch, strong well boned but a feminine girl, well laid shoulder and return of upper arm, in fact the best today. Excellent topline which is held on the move, good spring of rib, good rear angles and low set hocks. Does not need to put on any more weight, feet could be tighter and ears are not her fortune but I liked everything else. One of the best movers of the day and later performed even better in the group where she got a pull to the final eight. BOB

2nd: 600 HELPS/FAIRCLOTH’S  Beardswood Panthera 
Totally different type to 1, Shapely dark bitch good bone and tight feet, sweeping quarters, excellent harsh coat. Carrying a little too much weight, and a little close behind coming and going, although movement in profile was good.

Class 214 GCB NO ENTRIES

Mick Peach