History of the Irish
wolfhound
Championship Show, September 28th 2003
Judge's Report
It was a great pleasure and honor to be asked to judge this show and I was thrilled to have a record entry. Special thanks to Elizabeth Murray and her great crew whose efficiency and hospitality made my day go with ease and pleasure. I was delighted to provide special ribbons for all of the top awards and challenges. "Necks ribbons" as we refer to them here..Enjoy!
The quality of dogs was simply outstanding and every class was a pleasure to judge. This is my 22nd Specialty, having judged my first in 1982, and the anticipation of seeing the progeny of breeding programs never diminishes. Breed standards are fascinating things, particularly the Sighthound standards, and studying them gives one a greater understanding of our own. Standards are about form and function and the more we study our own, the more we think about the meaning of the words. Whether breeder or owner, we should carry "in our mind's eye", the ideal Wolfhound as portrayed by the Standard. This image is what drives us forward and creates the excitement and desire to aim for perfection as we breed. A judge should carry this image in their mind and apply it as they approach each dog in the ring.
While time is always a factor, judging a Specialty is of the greatest importance and therefore time must be given in evaluating those decisions which affect the final placements. No mean feat as pros and cons of every dog must be played off against its importance to the standard. I judge the way I want to be judged, with care and concentration. One cannot take too long in making the right decision. As a breeder and exhibitor of many Specialty winning dogs, I know how important this is to every exhibitor.
In the first class, I began by critiquing all 5 placements and did so again in the very intense Puppy Bitch class.
Puppy dog - 9
1-Shanimarle Augustus - A beautiful dog with tremendous substance. Just the right shape and correct length of leg to length of body. A very strong neck, lovely head, beautiful low hock, wonderful depth of chest and good tuck up. Very nice croup and overall very smooth mover. Overall a very nice dog. 2-Hydebeck Currant Tyme - A puppy that has a beautiful movement about him. Lovely proportions, strong neck and a very nice head, lovely rear assembly and good croup. He loses in this class because his top line does not have the same strength of loin and rise as the first place winner. Outstanding coat, lovely bone and very good head and expression. 3-Anstyarna Ruada to Madiamoy- Another very nicely made puppy, who has lovely substance and wonderful type. Good overall balance. Very sound moving, lovely strong neck, wonderful head and expression. 4-Anastyarna Mister Schloemp - Another dog very similar to the above overall. Beautiful head, neck and expression, lovely upper arm, very nice strong top line. Looks like a younger puppy in this class. Lovely coat, good angulation, Good overall width and lovely low hock. 5-Bokra Sequel - This is a beautiful dog and great overall balance, lovely head, expression, good pigmentation, beautiful ear, strong neck. His front is not reaching correctly which takes him to fifth, but I love the overall look of the dog. Just a little flatter in the top line than the above 4 but when you are dealing with a puppy, you know this is something that changes. He has wonderful overall strength.
Junior Dog - 6 (3ab)
1-Saringa's Mr. Gradgrind- A dog of enormous type, tremendous coat, doesn't quite have his rear together but I love his strength of neck, he has a very lovely shoulder, wonderful head and expression, just falls off a little in the rear but we have to forgive him that as his type is superb. He moves along very well, has wonderful strength and power. Beautiful head and ear. 2-Bonfire of First Avenue at Hollyhenge - Beautiful overall balance, not quite as smooth in the topline as the winner, his head is not as pleasing as the first place dog..a little heavier than ideal. He moves along quite well, has a lovely croup, nice front assembly, and a nice depth of chest coming into a good tuck up. Nice low hock. 3-Baronfore Tiernan at Nehalennia - Beautiful overall balance and outline. Good head, strong neck, nice depth of chest, good tuck up. Not as strong in movement as the above winners but excellent over quality and shows very good promise.
Special yearling dog - 6 (1 ab)
1-Ballyphelan Red Admiral - Although this dog does not move with quite as much soundness as some others, he has tremendous type. He just takes your breath away. His topline is good and will be stronger, no doubt, as he pulls himself together. He has wonderful overall balance, great bone, good head and expression, good neck, good croup, lovely angulation, low hock and is a wonderful example of overall breed type. 2-Caredig Jupiter - Another beautiful dog of elegance and greyhound-like type. Wonderful shoulder, neck, head, topline, wonderful rear assembly, he is not as strong in the front as the winner but the overall type is exquisite. 3-Shanimarle American Pie - Another wonderful dog of lovely type. He has beautiful overall balance, good proportion of leg length to body length, Lovely depth of chest and good tuck up. Nice width of thigh and low hock. Absolutely dead sound and it was a very close thing between these three dogs.
Novice dogs - 4
1-Uella Dunore at Bonheddig - Lovely dog with wonderful head and expression. Good ear, nice strong neck, good shoulder, moving soundly with good depth of chest and good topline and lovely rear angulation coming into a low hock. Nice overall outline and croup. Would prefer a hair more leg on him to give him that ideal overall balance but a very nice dog. 2-Shalico Man in the Moon - A puppy which did not place in the Puppy dog class but is quite a nice dog and certainly deserves his win in the class. Excellent coat, good head and correct ear. A little close behind. Overall nice angulation for his age, good croup, low hock and very pleasing overall balance. 3-Madach Drangan - Would prefer more of an overall greyhound outline on this dog. He is rather heavy in the body and not as sound as the above two winners. He has an excellent coat and good overall depth.
Graduate Dog - 7 (4 ab)
1-Knockarea Solamh - Has beautiful head, neck, expression, lovely upper arm and very solid topline. Good depth of chest, nice coat, good croup, beautiful strong rear. He is a strong powerful dog. He is not as sound in the rear as I would like but we forgive him that as he has so much overall quality. 2-Solstrand Titanic - Another very sound, beautiful dog. Lovely head, strong neck, Probably a younger dog as not the overall depth of the above but it was very close between them. He has a good coat, head, expression, strong bone, nice rear, good croup and overall a dog of exceptional quality. 3- Madach Drangan - Judged in the previous class and up against some very tough competition in the class.
Post Graduate Dog - 5 (1 ab)
1-Amarach Hirsute- A dog of beautiful overall balance. Wonderful length of leg to body length. Strong topline, very nice head and expression, Strong bone, good croup, lovely sweep of stifle and a great amount of presence which adds to his overall quality. Good depth coming into the correct tuck up. 2-Culkeeran Shade- A dog with beautiful overall type, Not quite as strong in the topline as the winner but is very sound and has great strength and good bone about him. He is a little heavier in the head than I like but nevertheless, he is a very good dog, very sound on the move. Lovely croup, low hock and good depth of chest. 3-Ballyphelan Minstral - A large heavier bodied dog but with good overall shape. Not the same "greyhound balance" of the above two but with good coat, strong neck, good bone. Good depth of chest and sound on the move.
Limit dog - 11 (2 Ab)
1-Culkeeran Phantom of Grifemy - A winner in an exceptionally strong class. This dog wins on his overall balance. Beautiful length of leg to length of body. Tremendously strong dog with a beautiful topline and just the correct amount of angulation. Very nice upper arm. I would prefer a little more length of neck but it really goes with his overall balance of body. Very nice croup and carries his tail very well and is exceptionally strong in the hock. Very nice bone but would prefer a slightly more refined head. He is dead sound. 2-Driftcot Ottawa - Another really beautiful dog. He just floats aound the ring. Would prefer a little more length of leg but he is beautifully made with a magnificent shoulder, beautiful head and expression and very strong topline. Lovely rear angulation and low, strong hock. About another inch or so on leg would give him ideal balance but he is a dog of exceptional quality. 3-Gartlove Galenkelso - Another quality dog but with a heavier look to him. He has good overall balance, Strong neck, good head, solid topline. Nicely angulated in the front and rear and with a low hock. Would prefer more length of leg to balance out his overall picture. A quality dog in tough competition.
Open Dog 10 (1 ab)
1-Amarach Clagan -A winner in a class of great quality. This dog has wonderful overall type and balance. He has wonderful proportion of length of leg to length of body. A wonderful neck coming into a excellent shoulder and his topline is just perfection. He is very strong on the topline. He has depth of chest and just enormous overall quality. Beautiful bone, perfect croup, set at just the right angle, coming into lots of width across the thigh and a very low hock. Lovely coat. 2-Ch. Ravensbeech Sulla - Another really lovely dog. Very sound with beautiful overall balance and lovely head. Ear not as pleasing but this is a minor point. Strong neck, beautiful shoulder and a very strong topline, coming into a beautiful croup and down in to good width of thigh and a low hock. 3-Ch. Gartlove Ghleannkyle -Another top quality hound. Strongly made with lovely head, strong neck, good topline, excellent bone. Good croup. Correctly angulated with good width of thigh and a low hock. This was a class of top quality hounds!
Veteran dog - 4 (1 ab)
1-Ch. Culkeeran Seth - A very lovely dog and dead sound. Moves with ease and action about the ring. Excellent coat and in excellent condition for his age. Nice depth of chest coming into a nice tuck up. Topline still strong for his age and his rear with good angulation and low hock. 2-Mascotts Magnifico - Another very pretty dog. Very sound with nice shoulder but his topline is not as strong as the winner. Good croup. Rear assembly not quite as together as the winner. But nevertheless, a real quality dog. 3-Kilrein Finmere - A wonderful dog of 10 ½ moving along very well for his age but in tough competition with two younger dogs.
The Class winners for Dog CC - What an impressive sight. The dog quality at this show was exceptional. In this class, I asked each dog to come out into the center of ring and stand on his own, with no adjustments from the handler. The very best of dogs are so comfortable with themselves that they will stand easily "over their ground" and this is an indicator of a beautifully made dog…The soundest dog neither lays off his front or pulls his rear under him..he simply distributes his weight and covers the ground with his presence.
The CC goes to Amarach Clagan. This dog is a wonderful example of the breed with a superb topline, great head, neck and overall balance with great substance and yet he maintains this superb greyhound outline with all of that substance. This is so incredibly hard to find. His croup is superb coming down thru a wide thigh and to a low hock. Look at that beautiful angulation above the hock and how beautifully the hock articulates at the joint. This dog is completely comfortable with himself. A beautiful ear…something we don't see enough of. He moves with strength and power to spare.
Reserve CC to Ch. Ravensbeech Sulla. Same overall balance as the winner. Lovely head, neck. Beautiful shoulder coming into a wonderful topline and lovely spring coming into the depth of chest. Beautiful sweep of stifle with low hock. A very elegant dog. Two dogs of very exceptional quality.
Puppy Bitch - 22 (3Ab)
A class of tremendous quality - 1-Solstrand Unity - A bitch of enormous quality with great substance. Beautiful shoulder and neck and beautiful topline with correct rise over the loin. Wonderful bone and substance for her age and lovely deep chest. Wonderful sweeping stifle into a low hock with a wonderful head and expression, good ear and great temperament. Moves along very soundly on a loose leash. 2-Bokra Summer - Another bitch of enormous quality. Trememdous balance, good head and expression, lovely shoulder, very nice bone. Solid topline with good croup. Just the right amount of angulation for her age.. Really a bitch of enormous quality in an exceptionally tough class. 3-Shanimarle Artemis - Another beauty with great substance, just the right shape and overall balance. Strong neck, lovely head, beautiful sweep of stifle coming into a low hock. Excellent front assembly with lovely upper arm angulation. Overall a sound mover. Due to the intense quality in this class, many bitches who could win on another day did not place, therefore, I am mentioning the 4th and 5th placings as well as this was no mean feat to place on this day. 4-Blakeskerra Daisey -Another beautiful puppy with beautiful head and expression, strong neck, good topline, lovely croup. Beautifully angulated fore and aft . 5-Ballanroo Wild Meadow - Enormous breed type in this bitch with just the right balance, solid topline, powerful hindquarters, low hock. Good head and expression. Standing over her ground with great presence.
Junior Bitch - 10 (2 ab)
1-Saringa's Miss Guided - A beautiful bitch with just the kind of balance that I like to see. Great proportion of leg length to height. Very solid topline, outstanding rear with beautiful sweep of stifle, low strong hock with lots of angulation above the hock. Excellent bone, moving along beautifully with just the ideal proportion for me in a wolfhound with a true greyhound balance. 2-Mascotts Miss Marple - Another beautiful bitch with superb overall quality. She tends to carry her tail up a bit. Beautiful shoulder with lovely overall balance and easy mover. Strong topline. Just a hair longer in body than the winner but she carries it well. She has the same quality rear as the winner, coming into a beautifully set hock..These well set hocks are key for a coursing hound. 3-Ballanroo Wild Meadow - A substantial bitch with great body type and overall body tone. Beautiful overall balance with good head, strong neck, good topline and powerful rear. Not quite as pleasing in the upper arm but a bitch of excellent quality.
Junior Challenge- Two litter mates - The bitch goes over the dog as she has it all together while he is not as 'at ease' with his rear assembly today but still has intense overall quality.
Special Yearling Bitch - 19 (5 ab)
1-Clhannworthy Alicia - A bitch of enormous quality, wonderful substance, beautiful overall balance, lovely head and expression. Great shoulder and upper arm and rock solid topline. Lovely bone. Great depth of chest coming up into a nice tuck up. Lovely sweep of stifle with good width and low hock. A wonderfully solid, powerful bitch with all the right proportions. 2-Shanimarle Amanda - Another wonderful bitch. Beautiful overall balance, lovely head, neck wonderful topline, a little closer in the rear than #1 but it is not that material as her overall quality is so great. Beautiful croup. Tremendous width of thigh and lovely low hock. Assuming the handler is the breeder, then overall a really superior quality bitch from a breeder who seems to produce this kind of consistent quality as seen on this day. 3-Caredig Keziah of Culvercroft - Another well balanced bitch with similar overall look to the second place bitch. Lovely outline, good substance. Good width of thigh, good depth of chest coming into a nice tuck up. Pleasing head, strong neck coming into a good shoulder. Beautifully proportioned.
Special Yearling Challenge - The above bitch of outstanding quality and the dog who I pulled out to be considered for Reserve CC. This is a dog of tremendous type and quality . Not as sound as he might be in the rear but has such overall quality - stands his ground - has strength with elegance, simply a magnificent creature. If he comes together in the rear, he will be a hard dog to beat. He is the winner of Special Yearling.
Novice Bitch - 12 (5 ab)
1-.Saringa's Miss Guided - Winner of Junior Bitch. A bitch of tremendous quality, with great shape, a superb topline, faultless mover. Beautiful rear, head and outstanding bitch. 2-Juxtalia Io - Lovely greyhound type with quality. Could be a little stronger in the head, good neck, good coat, nice topline, lovely angulation and moves along very well. Lovely ears. 3-Hunacres Kantata - Such a pretty bitch. Lovely head and strong neck. Beautiful upper arm and lovely overall depth. Beautiful type. Topline not quite as strong as the two winners. A sound moving bitch with a lot of grace to her.
Novice Challenge- Goes to the bitch. While the dog is quite a good dog, the bitch has that lovely shape to her and is very elegant, but strong with just the right balance.
Graduate bitch - 10 (4 ab)
1-Agatahope of Mait Fecant - A very solid, substantial bitch. Very sound. Reminds me very much of Ch. Sulhamstead Fredina and her brother Fred who were sent to the US. A little heavy in the head but a very strong neck coming into a very nice shoulder. Beautiful balance. Lovely croup and width of thigh and tremendous overall quality. A very strong, substantial bitch but you can still see that she is a bitch. 2-Milkwood Me and My girl - A beautiful topline with strong neck coming into a good shoulder. Very sound - A rangier look about her. Good depth of chest. Solid topline, nice croup and good width of thigh. Could do with a hair more angulation in the rear but all in all a nice quality bitch. 3-Clanellan Craine Solstrand - This is a bitch standing with a lot of presence. Good overall outline with lovely head and ear, good neck, good topline and nicely angulated.
Graduate Challenge - Both dog and bitch are really outstanding in quality. The bitch is a little sounder right now coming and going. They both have wonderful substance. The dog is really fabulous but just not quite as sound overall as the bitch. Since they were both of equal quality in every respect, the bitch goes up based on her being the sounder of the two at this time.
Post Graduate - 15 (4 ab)
1-Ravensbeech Sahel -This is a bitch with a wonderful shape to her. Lovely head, nice ear, strong neck, beautiful topline, lovely balance, beautiful croup, nice bone, and she has good width thru the thigh and a low hock. A wolfhound of beautiful type. 2-Bokra Reflection - A sound bitch with good overall balance. A little longer in the back but with strong topline, good width and low hock. Lots of substance and has a lovely head and expression. 3-Ballyphelan Blueberry - A very nice bitch who is sound with good overall shape but I would prefer a little more leg on her to give her the balance that I look for. Still a quality bitch with strong neck, good depth of chest and tuck up and good angulation. Not as strong in the topline as the two winners.
Post graduate challenge - This goes to the dog who is a lovely sound dog with great substance and who moves along with great strength, has overall a wonderful outline with the correct balance but still maintains correct male substance.
Limit Bitch - 20 (9 ab)
1-Culkeeran Ghost - A bitch of overall quality with the most elegant, easy action. This defines easy and active movement. A tremendously strong neck coming into a lovely shoulder. She is not quite as strong in the topline as I would like, but her overall quality is not to be denied in this placement. Her overall quality is intense so we forgive a fault for this great quality. Beautiful set of hindquarters and good coat. 2-Uella Oola -Another bitch of beautiful type. Very strong in the topline with a wonderful shoulder, elegant head, strong neck, lovely croup, wonderful width of thigh. She does not move with quite the animation of #1 but it was very close between these two. 3-Ballyphelan Liquorice - My apologies, I have no notes on this bitch but judging her to 3rd from the large entry and the quality of the first two bitches, I am sure she was of similar quality.
Open bitch - 16 (4 ab)
1-Amarach Cliodhna - A very beautiful bitch with great overall balance. Great depth of chest, wonderful head and expresssion, strong neck, good topline going into a nice croup. Moderately angulated, but with enough to carry off the overall balance. A wonderful typey bitch. 2-Ch.Driftcot Orlando - She pushed winner very hard. She moves with tremendous ease and action. A very powerful, sound bitch. I would prefer a little more leg but her overall quality is superb. Wonderful head and expression, nice shoulder. Not quite as strong in the topline as the winner but with a superb rear assembly. She moves with tremendous spring of action. 3-Ravensbeech Caledonia -Here is a very elegant bitch with beautiful outline. Nice head and expession. Lovely depth of chest and tuck up and good rear angulation . Beautiful overall substance and a sound mover. A quality bitch in tough competition.
Veteran Bitch -
1-Ailbe of Gorteen - What a wonderful veteran. Full of energy at her age and with a great attitude. She is a very sturdy, strong bitch with a strong neck, a topline which is still good and lovely hindquarters.
Like the class winners for the Dog CC, this class of winners is superb and there is not one who could not be awarded the CC. Bitch CC goes to the Open bitch, Amarach Cliodhna, who I find turns out to be the sister of the winner of the Dog CC. A tremendous quality of head, neck, superb topline, wonderful depth of chest, Just a powerful greyhound type outline with just the correct amount of leg to length of back. This bitch has strength with elegance which is so important to me in the breed.
Reserve CC to the Puppy Bitch Solstrand Unity in very tough competition. She is a beautiful mover with a lovely coat, a wonderful topline and has such ease about her. Lovely rise over the loin, beautiful sweep of stifle with good width and very low hock. She is dead sound coming and going and tops it off with a charming personality. She has great substance for her age but is not overdone still maintaining that elegance of the greyhound exuding no nonsense strength about her.
Best Puppy in Show goes to the Reserve CC bitch - Solstrand Unity
Best Veteran goes to the dog, Ch. Culkeeran Seth who is a wonderful dog, with a lovely outline, very strong, and in excellent condition. Both the Veterans should be commended on their condition and their ability to move so well at their age.
Best in Show to the Dog CC winner Amarach Clagan who goes over his sister, the Bitch CC winner, by virtue of his superb hindquarters and low hock ..all other things being equal. To have a dog of such correct structure, and magnificent balance and who handles himself on the move with such strength is a rare thing indeed. He has it all..balance, substance, a beautiful flowing outline and great coat. What a Wolfhound! I judged in many countries around the world and this dog will be at the top of competition in any country.
Best Opposite Sex to Amarach Cliodhna. A beautiful bitch!
Reserve Best in Show to Ch. Ravensbeech Sulla A dog of great quality and soundness. He moves faultlessly and has glorious type. Superb hindquarters, wonderful topline; and that flowing outline from head to neck, into topline, over loin and into those lovely hindquarters. A super dog!
Brace -
1-Milkwood's Me and My Girl and Milkwood's My Fair Lady -This brace shows the greatest similarity and consistency in similar type and structure. 2-Shanimarle American Pie and Shanimarle Amanda- This pair is very similar but not quite as much so as the winner. but a credit to consistency in a breeding program. 3-Baronfore Tiernan At Nehalennia and Baronfore Grainne at Nehalennia.- Sorry no notes.
Progeny dog -
1-Ch. Windspray Dante - This is a lovely stud dog and from the dogs that I see in the ring, he has produced exceptionally well. He has produced at least as well as himself and in some cases slightly better. The sign of a good sire. From the looks of it, he appears to have been bred to at least two different bitches and the get all have tremendous quality about them.
Progeny bitch -
1-Cefni Annacarriga cum Anstyarna - A very nice bitch who has produced well. She is holding on to her own quality in her progeny.
Best Limit - This turns out to be a brother and sister and two really good dogs. Culkeeran Ghost and Culkeeran Phantom at Grifemy. The dog goes up to Best Limit. He is a wonderful dog with great strength and substance. Good topline. I would prefer a slightly different head but he moves beautifully and has that great overall balance and substance and yet maintains that beautiful hound outline. Wonderfully powerful rear. The bitch is also exceptional as previously noted.
Best Movement - Some wonderful dogs in the ring for this award and in the end the Best of Breed dog wins this. He really is a very big dog moving with a lot of ease and power. I think he could really let loose and take off if his owner could keep up. He looks like he is keeping his power in check but he just goes with such strength. His foot timing is beautiful. No overreaching here which is a sign of evenly matched angulation.
Jill Richards Bregy
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