Judge's Report

It is a great honour to be asked to judge ones breed show. Many thanks for a wonderful entry at the Irish Wolfhound Society Show. I hope they enjoyed themselves as much as I did. I was very pleased with my winners, some easily changing places on another day. I judged the dog on the day and was looking for hounds with strength, soundness and an ability to do the job they were originally bred for.

BIS was Rathkeale Rhinestone Cowboy at Hollyhenge and RBIS Ballyphelan Painted Lady. Both beautiful, typical hounds.

Puppy D (6, 2a): 1 McHugh's Anstyarna Ruada to Madiamoy, strong well made puppy, excellent head & dark eye, ears a little large, long neck, strong forearm and good length of body. As yet to drop into his hindquarters. 2 Neal's Cahmega Mahloo, strong upstanding male, lovely head, dark eye & rose ears. Shoulders not as good as 1, kept topline on the move. Good second thigh, well muscled, sound movement throughout. 3 May's Blairan Alcander.
Junior D (5, 1a): 1 Braine's Rathkeale Rhinestone Cowboy at Hollyhenge, had tremendous presence and size, appeared to have everything I was looking for & did not disappoint. Strong masculine head, dark eyes & neat ears, lovely temperament, neck long & well arched, deep chest, strong forelegs, shoulders as yet to fall into place, but at 13 months to be expected. Super topline with good ribcage, body long, good width across the hips, strong hocks & stifles, moved with drive. Needs to fill out, but definitely one for the future. I shall watch with interest. BIS.; 2 Dawson's Shalico Man in the Moon, strong well boned dog. Not the presence of 1 but strong muzzle, dark eye & small ears. Neck long, shoulder placement good, strong feet & pasterns, reasonable topline & rear angulation; 3 Butler's Drakolins Sir Lancelott.
Special Yearling D (8, 4a): 1 Tebbutt's Caredig Jupiter, have admired him from the ringside, plain true houndy type with strong head & neck. Shoulders as yet to settle. Reasonable topline, adequate second thigh, moved soundly and with drive; 2 Pask's Cefni Eurig of Baronglen, pleasing young male, needs to settle into himself. Strong head & neck, shoulders as yet to settle. Reasonable topline, adequate second thigh, moved soundly & with drive; 3 Marriner's Monclare Blitzer.
Novice D (4, 2a): 1 S Man in the Moon; 2 Farmery's Madiamoy Morran at Falaway, rangy youngster with plain but pleasing head, neck of fair length & reasonable shoulder placement, excellent feet, long body well ribbed, good hips & strong hocks, moved soundly.
Graduate D (6, 1a): 1 Little & Thornton's Solstrand Titanic, rangy youngster, plain head, dark eye & rose ears, good length of neck. Front assembly as yet to settle. Long body with good ribcage and tuck-up, excellent bone throughout. Movement a little erratic, but overall a pleasing picture; 2 McDonald-Ulliott's Luke Skywalker from Hibeck, liked him very much, beautiful head and expression, kind eye. Would have liked more length of neck & shoulders yet to settle. Slightly over the knee when standing but does not affect his movement, which was free and easy. Strong hindquarters; 3 Gilbert's Anstyarna Mor Broc.
Post Graduate D (3): 1 Cole's Culkeeran Shade, strong, well presented, long muzzle and dark eye, good length of neck into well-placed shoulders, strong well arched feet, well ribbed up & strong hindquarters. Moved soundly; 2 Mason's Clanlily Ard Rhi at Scratchincat, lovely head & muzzle, neat ears. Shoulders not the best. Long cast, well ribbed. Topline rather flat. Needs to relax into his hindquarters; 3 Wilby's Uella Durrow.
Limit D (4, 2a): 1 Broughton's Fearnhead Atlas at Montisacre, very hound-like, beautiful head with wonderful grey whiskers, dark eye, strong neck, reasonable shoulders but good spring of rib. Little straight in stifle; 2 Holder & Howe's Amarach Hirsute, strong muzzle but rather light in eye and flat ears, good length of neck & reasonable front, well ribbed, good topline, good rear angulation.
Open D (6, 2a): 1 McDonald-Ulliott's Hibeck Charles, have always liked him, lovely head & expression, strong neck & well set front, ribs well sprung, excellent topline, strong hips, stifle & hock joints, excellent feet, moved with drive. RBD; 2 Sumner's Ballyphelan Bravo, handsome looking hound, catches the eye, masculine head & neck, shoulders adequate & good topline, lovely bend of stifle. Really looks the part when standing but not as balanced as 1; 3 Wilkinson's Hunacres Keir.
Veteran D (0)

Puppy B (8, 3a): 1 Wilkinson's Hunacres Kantata, strong well boned puppy, wonderful kind expression with dark eye & rose ears, strong neck, good lay of shoulder & upper arm, body long & well ribbed up. Needs to drop into her hindquarters. Moved with drive, one for the future. BP; 2 Pain's Ravensbeech Sabyna, liked this hound. Neither the bone nor the substance of 1 but an interesting girl. Refined head, neat ears, long neck flowing into well laid shoulders, long cast with good spring of rib, strong hocks used on the move. Needs maturity but a pleasing picture; 3 Timmins' Cornovi Comfort.
Junior B (10, 5a): 1 Tebbutt's Caredig Isabella, feminine hound with gentle expression, long neck, well made front with deep chest, body long & well ribbed, nice topline kept on the move, excellent rear angulation, stifles nicely bent, moved very soundly; 2 Sheppard's Grifemy Dark Enchantress for Goldswift, beautiful head & expression, strong well arched neck into good shoulder placement, deep forechest, well sprung ribs. Hindquarters not as strong as 1 but moved straight and true; 3 Thornton's Blakeskerra Drusilla.
Special Yearling B (15, 5a): 1 Tebbutt's Caredig Jezebel, another feminine houndy bitch from this kennel, super head & expression, strong neck into well placed shoulders, pleasure to see such strong feet, body long with well sprung ribs, strong rear angulation, really flowed on the move; 2 Flood's Baronfore Aine, houndy girl with super head & expression, long neck & adequate shoulder placement, long in body with good strong thighs and hocks; 3 Sheppard's Goldswift Snow Leopard.
Novice B (13, 5a): 1 Pain's Ravensbeech Sutonia, strong muzzle & dark eyes, well arched neck & strong forequarters, good length of body & spring of rib, good thighs, well muscled, very sound movement; 2 B. Aine; 3 Holder's Mascotts Mere Catherine.
Graduate B (6, 1a): 1 Dawson's Shalico Moon Dancer, strong well boned girl, attractive head, strong neck into well placed shoulders, long body with width across the hips. Would have liked more rear angulation; 2 Catlow's Laoiseach Floragh, good bitch who needs maturity, pleasant head & strong neck, shoulders not as good as 1. Correct topline & adequate rear angulation; 3 Gilbert's Anstyarna Mollie Mae.
Post Graduate B (9, 6a): 1 Sumner's Ballyphelan Painted Lady, workmanlike bitch, super head, dark eye & rose ears, strong neck & good front construction, good ribbing, strong hindquarters with excellent bend of stifle, super feet, well balanced, moved with drive. BB, RBIS; 2 Stirling's Clanlily Moonshine Milly, feminine head with dark eyes & neat ears. Long neck, not the best of fronts & tends to toe in. Well angulated hindquarters used on the move; 3 Donaldson's Ravensbeech Sahel.
Limit B (12, 7a): Disappointing class. 1 Surrell & Coleman's Bokra Reflection, very workmanlike lady, plain head, dark eyes, neat ears, good forechest but a little upright in front. Good topline & rear angulation, kept everything together on the move; 2 Sumner's Ballyphelan Liquorice, good type, strong head & expression, adequate length of neck, reasonable front. Slightly out at elbows. Well angulated hindquarters. Looks the part standing, but not so good on the move; 3 Stirling's Clanlily Maid to Perfection.
Open B (6): 1 Cole's Culkeeran Ghost, liked her, strong bone & substance but retaining her femininity, beautiful head & expression, super forechest and shoulder placement, good topline with strong well angulated hindquarters, very sound on the move. RBB; 2 Timmins & Sherlock's Mallanigh Liberty, lot to like about her, strong muzzle, kind expression, long neck into well placed shoulders. Rather straight upper arm. Good length of body, strong hindquarters; 3 Court's Milkwood's Kiss Me Kate.
Veteran B (8, 3a): What a super class, all the hounds beautifully presented, their owners should be very proud of them. A real pleasure to make my acquaintance with them. 1 Dawson's Corniman Elkie at Shalico, at 9 years she is a real credit to her owner, has that wonderful soft expression which beneath lies a true hound, beautiful head, strong neck & good shoulder placement, lovely topline combined with strong hindquarters, really fit, well presented girl who moved with drive & enthusiasm. BV; 2 Downes & Waring's Downwares Indeed, well presented girl, although perhaps carrying a little extra weight. Super head & kind expression, good pigmentation, strong well made bitch all through; 3 Downes & Waring's Downwares Impression.

MAVIS WILD (Judge)

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