JD (2,1) 1 Hall’s Canerikie Crocodile Cooler. Lovely profile standing and on the move. Nice head with a kindly expression. Well arched neck, strong topline. Excellent quarters with correct proportion upper thigh to lower thigh. Just needs to tighten in front movement.

PGD (9,2) 1 Pearce’s Claonaiglen Nevis. Built on quite fine lines. Nice head and expression with the darkest of eyes. I would like him tidier in hind action, but his light, ground covering movement won him the class. 2 Edwards’ Kilbourne Vincent of Brackeland. Heavy headed. Nice legs and feet and well laid shoulders. Strong quarters. Keeps his nice lines at all times. Could carry a little less weight, very sound coming and going. 3 Peach’s Wild West Von der Oelmuhle.

LD (11,4) 1 and Res CC, Owen and Brodie’s Wolfscastle Wood Melick. He grabbed my attention when he first went round and I was not disappointed when I went over him. Good front construction, strong topline and powerful quarters. Dead sound both ways and really covers the ground effortlessly. To top it all he is such a fun fellow; if a dog can flirt he certainly did with me! Just needs to mature, when he must do some top winning. 2 Traynor’s Kenmilltri Jock. One of the few exhibits I have judged before. Again so well made, with head and expression to die for. I always thought that when he bodied up he would be hard to beat, but on the day he was carrying just too much beef, and despite being true on the move, was lethargic. Still a very lovely exhibit. 3 Peach’s Gentom Oliver Twist to Kilbourne.

OD (8,2) 1 and CC, Peach’s Kilbourne Macleod. Well balanced and honest hound. When you go over him he is hard to fault, except maybe he is a little heavy in head. His movement is dead true and he covered the ground well, never losing his nice lines. 2 Gomm’s Ch Terichline Xplorer. This hound shouts DEERHOUND when he enters the ring. I gave him a Res CC last time I judged and he is still as nice to go over, being so well constructed. Classic head and expression. Really clean lines over the shoulders. Powerful quarters with low hocks. Whilst his movement was dead true, he lacked enthusiasm and was not covering the ground - which I know he can and one has to judge on the day. 3 Bond’s Regalflight Stormbird.

MPB (8) 1 and Best Puppy, Rhodes’ Kilbourne Charity of Gentom. Wow! Everything about her made me smile. She is so curvaceous, correct front, quarters and body. Moved so confidently for a baby. 2 Reynold’s Wickwar Wagg. Another shapely baby but not quite as good in front as the winner. She moved and showed very well. 3 Griffin’s Wickwar Walnut Whip.

PB (3) 1 Parsons and McKinnon’s Claonaiglen Shira. Neat and tidy with a sweet head and tiny ears. Lovely legs and feet. Keeps her nice lines at all times. Her tail just needs to settle, free and true mover. 2 Bailey’s Greyflax Milly Molly Mandy. Going through the gangly stage. Pretty head and expression. Moved very well up and down and in profile. Little steep over the croup. 3 Rhodes’ Cookland Dibbs.

JB (6,1) Three truly beautiful girls, hard to separate. 1 Traynor’s Canishurn Zena. Beautiful head and expression. The best of fronts, topline and quarters. Really covers the ground truly. On the day scored on her substance. 2 Peach’s Pingleholl Ruby to Kulbourne. Another one out of the top drawer. So well made and, like Zena, moves out well and is dead true. 3 Mansell and Duddell’s Canerikie Coco Colada. Equally as good as the two above her. She has a classic head and expression, super front and hind angulation. Just needs to fine down a fraction. What a boost for the breed to have three such beautiful young bitches.

PGB (15,5) Best class of the day, quality went far down the line. 1 and Res CC, Parsons and McKinnon’s Claonaiglen Orrin. Lovely profile on the move and standing. She has strength without a trace of coarseness. One’s hands from the top of her nose to the tip of her tail. Powerful quarters with length in upper thigh that is beginning to be a worry in the breed. Her movement is a joy. 2 Williams’ Kilbourne Iduna at Inverclyde. Very similar in make and shape, she too moves out well. 3 Shannon’s Lealla Is Fearr.

LB (12,3) Disappointing class after two such quality ones. Also, without doubt, my hardest decisions of the day. 1 Hird’s Claonaiglen Albyn at Cloweswood. Won with something in hand. What a graceful mover, yet she has bone and substance. Litter sister to the winner of both PG classes, these breeders have certainly found a great recipe! Good outline standing and on the move. 2 Cartmell’s Riding in the Wind with Cusidh. This is a really well made hound but was playing her handler up and making it hard to see if she was true. I saw enough and, with her excellent construction - particularly her rear end, decided she deserved her place. 3 Bailey’s Greyflax A Kind of Magic JW.

OB (6,2) 1 CC and BOB, Phillips’ Kilbourne Grey Ghost of Ladygrove. Just a lovely bitch that I find hard to find fault. Strong neck going into well laid shoulders. Good legs and feet. Well ribbed with width as well as depth, strong quarters. Needless to say she moved dead true covering the ground. Plus her handler should be watched by all Deerhound exhibitors: no tight lead, no stringing up and no glaring at the judge, the exhibit was clean and perfectly groomed. I was astonished that this was only her third CC at 6 years old. Certainly the nicest bitch I have judged for some years. 2 Bailey’s Greyflax Waterloo Sunset. Classy exhibit. Nice legs and feet and well ribbed with powerful quarters. Not quite the balance of Ghost. 3 Buswell’s Ghylladare Kinglas of Glenmorlich.

Mrs J Blandford