Please accept my sincere apologies for the delay in submitting my critique. 

Thank you to two excellent and efficient stewards, who looked after me so well. 

I have to say it was disappointing that the condition of the rings was extremely poor, especially considering this is a permanent showground.  Both ends of our adequately sized oblong ring were under water and the length of the wet grass caused a few hazardous moments for dogs and exhibitors.

Special thanks to the deerhound exhibitors who coped with all of this in their usual cheerful manner, and for such a nice entry.  I think movement has improved since I last judged, though a few are moving close behind, and some short or straight upper arms limit forward reach.  There were some long and flat feet and a few very long uncut toe nails, noticeable even in the long grass!  Overall, the quality was high, especially with so many first rate youngsters and I hope they have a promising future. 

DOGS

Puppy Dog – (2) abs 2

Junior Dog – (2) abs 1

1. Peach’s Rubeus Hagrid to Kilbourne.   Eye catching 13 month old, a shame he stood alone as he is such a promising youngster, full of type and quality.  Well grown with good bone.  A good head and expression, good pigment and well set ears.  A strong neck and good front assembly with well sprung rib.  Correct topline and length of back into strong   hindquarters with good width to thigh and bend of stifle.  Feet could be tighter but he moved out covering the ground soundly with drive.

Graduate Dog – (2) abs 1

1.  Constantine’s Kaleginy The Forester. An 18 month old well grown dog with substance.  Good flowing overall outline.  Nice head and expression with dark eye.  Good neck and shoulder and depth of brisket, well ribbed.  Strong hindquarters, well muscled, with good width of low hock.   Moved out soundly.

Post Graduate Dog – (4) abs 1

1. Phillip’s Hyndsight To The Limit with Ladygrove.  Rising 2 year old dog of nice type and balanced overall outline.  Lovely head and expression, hazel eye with good pigmentation, correct ear set.  Good reach of neck and lay of shoulder.  Good topline into well angulated muscled hindquarters.  Sound free movement.    

2. Pink’s Greyhawks Romanie Drom.   Different type from 1, a 3 year old strong dog with lovely head, high set ears and good strong neck.  Good front construction with well sprung deep brisket.  Lovely hindquarters with width behind.  Correct thick tail.  Although reluctant to be gone over standing, he moved out well with drive.

3. Grimshaw’s Greyflax Domino to Jamalison

Limit Dog – (6) abs 1

1. Finnett & Heathcote’s Hyndsight Desperado. Rising 2 year old dark dog.  Lovely type with shapely, strong outline.  Pleasing head well carried with dark eye, good pigmentation and typical expression.  Super ears, well set.  Good neck and shoulder with correct length of well angulated upper arm.  Deep brisket with well sprung rib, good topline and muscled loin.  Powerful hindquarters with good width to thigh, low hocks and bend of stifle.  Good correct tail.  Covered the ground soundly with ease, and with good width between hocks.  DCC

2. Pink’s Greyhawks Romanie Shero.  Tall upstanding well boned 4 year old.  Good head with lovely expression.  Well held high set ears.  Well laid shoulder, would prefer slightly more angulation to upper arm.  Deep well sprung brisket and good length of back with rise over the loin.  Super hindquarters with good width and bend of stifle.  Good tail.  Moved out well.Res DCC

3. Greyflax The Jazz Singer To Jamalison

Open Dog – (8) abs 2

1.Faircloth’s Beardswood Ripley for Calbraidh.  Tall well boned handsome dog.  Nice head, well held ears.  Good lay of shoulder and return.  Deep well sprung brisket, ribbed well back.  Well muscled loin and held his topline on the move.  Strong hindquarters with good width to thigh.  Moved out well but would prefer a little more width in rear action.

2. Help’s Beardswood Quinlan.  Quality hound of nice type with good overall outline.  Lovely head and good neck, deep brisket and good topline with strong loin into well angulated hindquarters.  Moved out well but rather close behind.

3. Baumann’s Ch Regalflight Tarloch

Veteran Dog – no entries

BITCHES

Puppy Bitch – (3) abs 1

1. Bailey’s Greyflax Lady Sings the Blu’s.  Just on 6 months this young puppy excelled in her overall balanced outline.  Lovely head with dark eye and good pigmentation.  High set well held ears and good reach of neck.  Good front construction.  Well sprung rib. Good length of back and topline into lovely hindquarters with width and well bent stifle.  Moved out soundly like a true professional! 

2. Peach’s Blixten Star to Kilbourne.  At first I thought this young lady was my winner but, judging the dog on the day, she has, quite rightly at 11 months, grown on and just does not have the overall balanced outline of 1 at the moment.  However, this does not detract from her obvious quality.  Lovely head, carried well, with dark eye.  Good neck into good lay of shoulder.  Correct topline into lovely hindquarters with good bend of stifle.  Extended well on the move.

Junior Bitch – (2) abs 1

1. Help’s Beardswood Taisie.  Most attractive 16 month shapely bitch of lovely type and outline.  Nice head and expression.  Good front angulation, deep brisket, underline and topline with good length of loin.  Well angulated hindquarters with length hip to low set hocks.  Harsh dark coat.  Moved out well.

Graduate Bitch – (4) abs 1

1. Taylor’s Kilbourne Millefleur to Talorpeche.  Feminine bitch with a delightful head and expression and dark eye.  A good reach of neck, good underline and topline, ribbed well back and strong loin.  Super hindquarters, well muscled, with low hocks.  Good pasterns and feet.   Lovely easy, true movement

2. Rhode’s Regalflight Raffia of Lairigefyne.  An overall pleasing outline.  Nice head with lovely ears, good neck and lay of shoulder but would prefer slightly more angulation to upper arm.  Not the width of chest of 1 but deep brisket.  Good topline, fallaway and hindquarters with width to thigh.  Moved soundly.

3. Trotman and Dockree’s Stainlonan Rend of Penherald

Post Graduate Bitch – (3) abs 1

1. Finnett & Heathcote’s Hyndsight Because the Night.  I just loved this eye catching young bitch with a totally balanced outline.  She is feminine with a lovely head and expression, super neck, good lay of shoulder and return, forechest, and underline.  Lovely depth and spring of rib, strong loin and good fallaway.  Powerful hindquarters with width to thigh, well bent stifle and low hocks.  Loved watching her true, active and positive movement.  Delighted to award her the BCC and BOB.

2. Barret’s Stranwith Rafaela.  Attractive bitch of nice type but reluctant to be handled today.  Dark eye, good neck into well placed shoulder and return of upper arm.  Deep brisket, good length of back into good hindquarters.   Movement ok but a little unsettled.

Limit Bitch – (6) abs 2

1.Finnett & Heathcote’s Hyndsight Runnin Down a Dream.  Another quality bitch from this kennel.  Lovely type, feminine with attractive head, dark eye and typical expression.  Good ears, well carried.  Well laid shoulder, forechest, good underline.  Good length of back and rise over the loin into fallaway and super well muscled hindquarters with good bend of stifle and low hocks.  To be picky, would prefer slightly longer pastern.  Moved out well.  Res BCC.

2. Phillip’s Charbonnel Gobi to Ladygrove.  Another lovely bitch, feminine and elegant with excellent head and expression.  Good front, not the width of 1, but with good underline and topline which she held on the move.  Super hindquarters with low hocks.  Her feet could be tighter but her movement was true, effortless and with good extension. 

3. Bailey’s Greyflax Teenspirit

Open Bitch – (6) abs 3         
1. Constantine’s Gentiehun Adelaide of Kaleginy ShCM.  A very pleasing balanced overall outline.  Well boned yet still feminine.  Nice head into strong neck, good front construction and forechest, deep brisket with spring of rib into strong topline and fallaway.  Well angulated hindquarters.  Good pasterns and well knuckled feet.  Best mover in this class.

2. Help’s Beardswood Quintessence.  Of different type from 1, a mature, taller, elegant bitch with pleasing head and well set ears, into a good reach of neck.  Good length of shoulder and upper arm but would prefer a little more angulation.  Deep brisket, ribbed well back.  Good length of back with rise over loin and fallaway into good hindquarters.  Moved out well but a bit close behind.

3.Ch Stranwith Ariadne

Veteran Bitch – (1)

1. Wilson’s Hamiltonhill One Vision.  An attractive 8 year old bitch, in good condition, but she just didn’t want to play the game today.  Lovely head with super ears well held.  Good lay of shoulder but would prefer more length to upper arm.  Good length of back and fall away.  Well angulated hindquarters with width to thigh and low hocks.  Moved out well.

Sue Piggott, Judge