Southern Counties Championship Show 2023 Critique

Thank you to the show society for inviting me, to my wonderful steward who managed it all solo (I was so pleased to see him) to all of the exhibitors who entered under me, at a midweek show, and to some wonderful Scottish Deerhounds for letting me go over them, So pleased to find no over exaggeration, I found no over angulated stifles, no steep pelvis settings that push the hind quarters forward giving the impression of “Curves”

I just would like to say, please stop “stringing “your hounds up, it totally changes their outline and front movement they are not WHFT (were you want Forelegs and hind legs to move straight forward and parallel,) a deerhound needs to have forward reach with drive from the rear end moving, covering a lot of ground effortlessly, also its horrible for the hound, if you want their heads up talk to them when taking them around, be happy they pick up on it. Also over the years I have heard from others “too big” too small, and have dismissed the hound totally on this basis, made worse when those hounds are in a class of over tall ones , or have tall handlers this is fault judging and I would say to them read your breed standard. Be aware of the very tall ones and tall handlers take it into account, end of lecture J

I do not wish to mention faults in these critiques, this is up to others to notice and decide upon, my great mentors of years ago taught me to never be a “Fault judge” , and to “practice forgiveness”, and I hope I did not let them down today.

Breed Results: Deerhound (Day 1)

DCC 578 - Quantastico Guiseppe to Kilbourne (Mr M J & Mrs G M Peach)

RDCC 572 - Fritzen Zareef at Wolfscastle (Imp Ger) (Mr K J & Ms Z L S Owen & Brodie)

BCC 564 - Ch Claonaiglen Strontian Maelstrom (Miss D Kilgar)

RBCC 558 - Quantastico Lucia to Kilbourne (Mrs T C & Mr M C Edwards)

BOB 578 - Quantastico Guiseppe to Kilbourne (Mr M J & Mrs G M Peach)

BP 575 - Kilbourne Devon (Mr M J & Mrs G M Peach)

BV 590 - Luckhurst Pani (Ms S Thom)

BJ 578 - Quantastico Guiseppe to Kilbourne (Mr M J & Mrs G M Peach)

244. Deerhound - Puppy Dog

Entries: 1 Absentees: 0

1ST 586 - Castleflax Ace of Spades by Flaxside (Ms S Thom)

Masculine head, into a nice neck and shoulder placement, has spring to pastern, nice ribbing top line and fall away of a nice type, moved well for one so young needs time now

245. Deerhound - Junior Dog

Entries: 5 Absentees: 0

1ST 578 - Quantastico Guiseppe to Kilbourne (Mr M J & Mrs G M Peach)

Caught my eye as he came into the ring, has one of the finest classic deerhound heads I have seen in a long time, he reminded me of “tragic of Ross” in head type, gentle eye, and super temperament lovely shoulder placement return to upper arm and length of foreleg balanced to upper arm, tight feet, nice sloping neck into a lovely correct top line, very balanced correct fall away and sweep, his length to height ratio, was so balanced has good substance for age, came into his own on the move, covered a lot of ground, had drive on the rear end ,crisp in jacket, the more I saw of him the more I liked him, excelled in type for me as judging is “on the day” I was delighted to award this young dog hound the CC and Best of Breed.

2ND 572 - Fritzen Zareef at Wolfscastle (Imp Ger) (Mr K J & Ms Z L S Owen & Brodie)

Another one that caught my eye, lovely classic head ,had a lovely “type” gentle eye super neck into a good shoulder, return of upper arm and balanced to foreleg, nice ribbing and spring, good top line and sweep, low hocks balanced in length to height , moved out so very well , covering the ground effortlessly, I see when I got home that he has some bloodlines that I have liked in the past, when he is “strung up” it makes his back end sink, I made allowances for this as he was free on the move pleased to award him the RCC

RES 589 - Flaxside Corrachan Chief (Ms S Thom)

VHC 556 - Claonaiglen Artney (Mrs S & Mr S Cummings)

248. Deerhound - Limit Dog

Entries: 5 Absentees: 2

1ST 568 - Hunkydory Bowie to Kilbourne (Miss Ka Llewellyn)

6 years young and has come into his own, one word to describe this boy is “honest” he does not immediately grab you, but the more you go over him, see him move the more you like him, the most gentle of eyes super head of a different type to my junior winners but lovely, nice neck into a correct front assembly, super substance and spring, drove out beautifully with drive so kindly handled a lovely boy

Another lovely dog hound, different in “type “ to one, a type I probably prefer , has lovely bone and substance and , nice depth to ribbing with spring , moved out well but preferred ones movement on the day

3RD 592 - Kirjojax Harris (Mrs J & Mr R J Wilce-Quinton & Quinton)

249. Deerhound - Open Dog

Entries: 3 Absentees: 0

1ST 585 - Ch Ormanstar Dark Shadow (Mrs S J Taylor)

Well what to say about this superb dog hound, superb in bone and substance, workman like, lovely shoulder, return of upper arm, balanced to foreleg with spring to pastern, super ribbing with spring, had the best hind movement here today so strong on the back end when moving away a pleasure to see the power there, In the challenge I just preferred the “type” of what I found out later was his son

2ND 577 - Ch Kilbourne Lloyd (Mr M J & Mrs G M Peach)

Another really quality dog hound, lovely head gentle eye super ears lovely shoulder and front assembly length to height ratio so balanced, has the most wonderful temperament and if you don’t have that you don’t have a deerhound, had to give way to the width and power in 1's back end

3RD 571 - Kensteen Laird of Islay at Ballygrand TAF (Miss D F & Mrs P M Nichols & Baker)

251. Deerhound - Veteran

Entries: 1 Absentees: 0

1ST 590 - Luckhurst Pani (Ms S Thom)

Such a pretty bitch belittled her years, nearly 8, so sound, shorter cast than some others but very balanced moved out beautifully owner should be proud

252. Deerhound - Good Citizen Dog Scheme

Entries: 1 Absentees: 0

1ST 590 - Luckhurst Pani (Ms S Thom)

Same comments apply such a lovely head

255. Deerhound - Puppy Bitch

Entries: 1 Absentees: 0

1ST 575 - Kilbourne Devon (Mr M J & Mrs G M Peach)

Another lovely head, classic with gentle eye, super in neck into well placed shoulder, return of upper arm balanced to length of foreleg, spring to pastern, correct top line shorter cast than some but very balanced in length to height ratio, super substance in rib for one so young, lovely to see her move very powerful on back end free moving for age Very promising Best Puppy

256. Deerhound - Junior Bitch

Entries: 3 Absentees: 1

1ST 558 - Quantastico Lucia to Kilbourne (Mrs T C & Mr M C Edwards)

Caught my eye as she came into the ring, she has lovely type, her head was super lovely dark eye and expression, lovely slope of neck into a good shoulder placement , upper arm balanced to length of foreleg, had fore chest, nice spring to pastern, nice substance and ribbing , with correct width to thigh second thigh, and slope to fall away, moved out very well once owner dropped the lead, kindly and well handled, loved her “type” delighted to award her the RCC, I later found out she is a sister to my BOB and daughter to my open dog class winner

2ND 565 - Claonaiglen Tilt Maelstrom (Miss D Kilgar)

Loved her type took me back years, super head for me, long cast and hard to assess her balance today , moved well I just feel she needs a bit of time

257. Deerhound - Graduate Bitch

Entries: 8 Absentees: 0

1ST 570 - Kilbourne Ocean Blue of Matahari (Miss Ka Llewellyn)

Pretty bitch with feminine head, nice slope to neck into a good front assembly has spring to pastern and foreleg is balanced to upper arm, lovely body length nice slope to fall way, good width to thigh and second thigh no exaggeration here low hocks, moved out very well and kindly handled

2ND 553 - Penherald Prelude (Mrs E Barter)

Young bitch, of a different “Type” the more I watched her the more I liked her, she is workmanlike but so honest, shorter cast than one,, but balanced, super rear end has real power and drive, lovely substance for age, nice low hocks and width to second thigh I liked her, will improve with time

RES 554 - Kilbourne Queen Mary at Mirzabad (Mrs H & Mrs J Bruton & Dove)

VHC 559 - Penherald Polka at Calbraidh (Mr J & Mrs L Faircloth)

258. Deerhound - Post Graduate Bitch

Entries: 5 Absentees: 0

1ST 584 - Hyndsight Only in My Dreams (Mr D & Mrs S Spring-Arnold)

Pretty bitch with face furnishings so feminine, nice neck into adequate shoulder, lovely length , very balanced in leg to height ratio , has spring to rib and nice underline, well presented and moved out very well

2ND 588 - Flaxside Against All Odds (Ms S Thom)

Different in type shorter cast, but very balanced, lovely substance and spring to rib superb in muscle, very powerful on her rear end moved out with purpose kindly handled

RES 552 - Ehlaradawn Lore (Mrs E Barter)

VHC 582 - Hyndsight Neaghley (ai) (Mrs L A Spence)

259. Deerhound - Limit Bitch

Entries: 7 Absentees: 2

1ST 591 - Tiobraid Lady Morrigan at Flaxside (Ms S Thom)

Took my eye as she walked in, dark bitch lovely head, front assembly as it should be with slight spring to pastern, excelled in spring of rib and underline, correct bend to stifle and super width to second thigh, nice low hock, really like her type, her top line was correct and nice sweep to fall away free from exaggeration, came into he own on the move and the best bit drive from the rear was superb, she deserved her placing

2ND 563 - Beardswood Verbena (Dr S A F Helps)

Lovely girl very feminine , nicely balanced in length to height ratio , narrower in rib to one and longer cast but balanced, super head and lovely eye, she moved out well a difficult decision for me as these 2 could change places easily , I just preferred ones movement and spring on the day

3RD 574 - Hyndsight Fields of Gold (Mr M, Mrs R & Mr A Paisey)

RES 593 - Kirjojax Pancho (Mrs J & Mr R J Wilce-Quinton & Quinton)

VHC 569 - Kilbourne Mistress Martha at Matahari (Miss Ka Llewellyn)

260. Deerhound - Open Bitch

Entries: 5 Absentees: 2

1ST 564 - Ch Claonaiglen Strontian Maelstrom (Miss D Kilgar)

Well I don’t think it’s a secret that I have liked this bitch since she was a youngster, but I had never gone over her, so bated breath would I be disappointed? I was not, she has such an “Old Type “ look to her, I could not say she has the most feminine head, but one I liked it’s work manlike, she is so sound the most lovely shoulder placement with super return to upper arm balanced to foreleg, lovely tight feet super top line and such depth and spring to rib, lovely underline , the best of stifle angulations with width to second thigh lovely low hock’s she is honest , movement superb, width forward reach, and drive on the rear, I see from her pedigree when I got home I have awarded 2 other CC.s to her fourth generation, delighted to award her the CC, a dilemma when choosing my Best of Breed, as I liked them both so much, but thought the youngster should have it today.

Such a feminine bitch , lovely head, super length balanced to height of a different “type” but lovely, moved out very well but just lacked the drive of one

3RD 573 - Wolfscastle Soul Sister (Mr K J & Ms Z L S Owen & Brodie)

Betina Adams