A wonderful way to start the year, an entry of 153 hounds gave me great pleasure. Thank you for the enjoyment the day gave me.
A large ring gave the dogs the opportunity to move out and show their lines and their scope on the move. I was surprised to find so many faulty mouths in the males. In both sexes there were quite a lot of heavy ears and light eyes. The bitches, in general, had more depth of quality and the unbeaten line-up gave me enormous pleasure, all what I had been looking for in terms of scope and balance, lines and movement.
Best in Show was the bitch Cornovi Comfort who must be destined to become a champion before too long; wonderful type, quality and movement. Reserve Best in Show the yearling bitch Ravensbeech Brittanica, an exciting prospect. Best opp. Sex Chlannworthy Buccaneer via Ainsea, very houndy, excellent lines. Best Puppy, the bitch Windspray Nocturne beating her litter brother Windspray Dante's Sonata. Lucky owners to have two such beautiful puppies. Best Veteran the bitch Ballyphelan Bridget at Boscalceanb.
Puppy Dog
1. Burt-Hughes' Windspray Dante's Sonata. Very houndy with excellent
proportions, good lines and an excellent stride on the move, can tighten in
feet. Good head and excellent eye, good coat, can let down in body yet, but at
this age everything to please. Excellent prospect. 2. Neal's Fiagai Ghost Steps
at Cahmega. Excellent rib and depth of chest, good quarters. Winner scored in
forechest. Very good head and eye. 3. Sanders Sanderstown Anlaw
Junior Dog
1. Riley & Thomas' Ballyphelan Malachi. Excellent proportions, very houndy
with curvy lines. Excellent stride in front, would like a little more upper
arm, scored in chest here. Very good rear. 2. Holder & Howe's Mascotts
Mantovani. Looked my winner at first glance, tall majestic dog of beautiful
type. Needs to drop in chest yet but he is young, lovely lines. Rear action not
as positive as winner. Should come on well. 3. Exeter's Cleasac Col. Clive
Curtis
Yearling Dog (a difficult class)
1. Simpson's Amarach Melaughlin. Imposing dog, easily the best mover in the
class. A touch long and a little flat for perfect balance but his conformation
is good. Quality head but his dentition is not perfect. I felt that his
soundness and quality merited this class. 2. Sterling's Clanlily Billy Boy. Too
short on the leg for balance, a little over-angulated behind, good depth of
body, eyes too light. Scored in action over 3rd on the day. 3. Edgar's Imptech
Aragon
Novice Dog
1. Goodall & Painter's Driftcot Volante. Best for shape and balance in this
class but he needs to spring in his ribs. Good depth and tuck up and good rear,
needs a little more confidence on being handled. Needs a little more upper arm
angulation, holds a good shape on the move with good profile, reach and drive.
2. Thornton's Mochras One Star. Tall and houndy but rather upright at the
moment and a little narrow throughout. Can shorten in feet and pastern.
Excellent head and eye. Looked the raw teenager and could come on with time. 3.
Imptech Aragon
Graduate Dog
1. Driftcot Volante 2. Wilkinson's Culkeeran Kell Hunacres. Fair shape and
balance but narrow throughout at the moment and his rear action needs to
strengthen. Good depth of body, good head planes and eye, ears a little heavy.
3. Ward's Rathdaws Porthos at Backtor
Post Graduate Dog
1. Sumner's Cufodhla Anois of Dukesarum. Wheaten, best shape and balance in the
class and with excellent front action. He is narrow in the rear but his profile
action is very good. Good depth of body, tuck up and croup, I'd prefer a little
more bone and more strength to the head. 2. Rowe's Ballyniamh Harvey. Wheaten,
a little flat in topline and croup, scored in rear action over winner but picks
his feet up in front. A little cheeky in back skull, and eye a shade light.
Carried himself well. 3. Flood's Baronfore Brogan
Limit Dog
1. Malley's Chlannworthy Buccaneer via Ainsea. Really houndy and great scope on
the move, lovely lines and excellent layback and upper arm. Just needs a little
more time to finish but lovely type all through (Best Dog) 2. Pask's Baronglen
The Journeyman. Beautifully light on his feet and with excellent rear. Not
quite the scope in shoulder angulation of winner but I thought him a lovely
type all through with excellent rib and appealed in head and eye. 3. Cole's
Culkeeran Chase
Open Dog
1. Sumner's Ballyphelan Red Admiral. Well built and with excellent chest, good
proportions. Sound but topline could be better. Looked a picture standing but
does not help himself on the move, with more attitude he would be hard to beat
(Reserve Best Dog) 2. Goodall & Painter's Driftcot Ottowa. Lighter type and
needs more height on front legs for balance. Free movement and clean stride at
both ends won him the place. 3. Cole's Culkeeran Shade
Veteran Dog
1. Richardson's Kilrein Evven. A 9 yr old enjoying the day. A little low on leg
for balance, good head and lovely eye. Neat ears, shown in good condition.
Puppy Bitch
1. Burt-Hughes' Windspray Nocturne. Outstanding 9 month puppy, tall, houndy,
ultra sound bitch on lovely flowing lines. Elegant, well built and remarkably
co-ordinated and true on the move. Like her brother an exciting prospect, she
beat him on the day being a little more forward and a little more curvy (Best
Puppy) 2. Neal's Fiagai Mitexi at Cahmega. Lovely type, excellent balance and
substance for age, a touch steep over the croup at the moment and can
strengthen a little in the quarters but full of type. 3. Sumner's Ballyphelan
Jeni Jones
Junior Bitch
1. Sumner's Ballyphelan The Raven. Beautifully made with wonderful chest, good
lines, a touch flat in topline at the moment and could be cleaner in rear
movement. Excellent profile, skull a touch cheeky but overall full of type and
quality, excellent reach and drive. 2. Butler's Marshgrove Melody at Drakolins.
A lot of houndy quality about her, I would like a shade more leg for perfect
balance. Couldn't match the winner in front assembly or topline but very sound
with a good stride and has a lot of type about her. 3. Exeter's Cleasac Candy
Floss
Yearling Bitch
1. Pain's Ravensbeech Brittanica. Stunning bitch of 22 months, quite beautiful
and on the move spectacular, just an eyeful for type and quality, loved her.
Needs time to finish in body but should go right to the top. Reserve Best Bitch
& Reserve Best in Show. 2. Stirling's Clanlily Lady in Waiting. Another
very good bitch, just a shade longer for balance than winner and not quite the
topline but very sound and full of type. 3. Edgar's Imptech Bewitched
Novice Bitch (A really good class)
1. Pask's Baronglen Miss Jif. Very like her brother from limit dog, I liked her
balance and type enormously, lovely body, sound, light on her feet. I'd like a
little more scope in front but full of quality and beautifully true on the
move. 2. McHugh's Madiamoy Emerald Air. Excellent lines and well made
throughout, sound and lovely scope on the move. Quality head and eye, not as
forward in chest and body as winner but some very appealing qualities to her.
Coat a little untidy. 3. Imptech Bewitched
Graduate Bitch
1. Goodall & Painter's Driftcot Mercedes. Excellent shape, lovely movement
and carriage, deep bodied. Excellent head and eye. I liked her lines and type.
2. MacLeod's Brachan Busted Khia. Excellent shape and balance and fantastic
front legs, feet and forechest. Not quite the scope or carriage of winner on
the move but beautifully made throughout. Her front legs and feet are testament
to very skilled rearing and husbandry. 3. Broughton's Montisacre Adagio
Post Graduate Bitch
1. Driftcot Mercedes 2. Parsons' Milkwood Good Golly Miss Molly. Liked her
forehand and depth of body, needs a little more second thigh. Strong head and
foreface, dentition could be tidier. 3. Farmery's Anstyarna Lady Mae at Falaway
Limit Bitch
1. Cole's Culkeeran Sigh. Lovely name, lovely bitch, beautiful shape and
balance and held it all together on the move, would prefer a slightly darker
eye but her head pleases. Good coat. I liked her immensely and was in the last
three of a beautiful bitch line-up. Should have a great future. 2. Gilbert's
Anstyarna Bizzi Bee. Very houndy, sound bitch. Not quite the length of leg of
winner but everything else to please. Has type and quality. 3. Sumner's
Ballyphelan Blackthorn
Open Bitch
1. Timmins' Cornovi Comfort. Top quality bitch, stood out, quite beautiful and
very good on the move. I would prefer a slightly darker eye but that is nothing
compared to her qualities. Has strength and elegance continued in her lovely
lines which are held on the move, wonderful coat texture. From a high quality
line-up of unbeaten bitches, Best in Show. 2. Wilkinson's Hunacres Caroline.
Another good bitch, not quite the perfect balance of winner but deep bodied,
excellent coat and appealing for type and quality, I see she is half sister to
the winner. 3. Morris' Amarach Agneis
Veteran Bitch
1. Box's Ballyphelan Bridget at Boscaleanb. Remarkably sound 7 yr old holding
her lines, still shapely and in beautiful condition. 2. Dowle's Windspray
Sonata. Beautiful eyes and expression, not the lines of winner
A very memorable day for me. Thank you.
Frank Kane, Judge
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