First of all a sincere thank you to the committee of the ISBC for working so hard to put this show on in such difficult times. I know all who attended appreciated the work that had gone into it.
Thank you too to the committee of The Birmingham National Show. It truly was a fantastic achievement to put the show on and support the breed clubs in the way that they did. I thought the layout, atmosphere and hospitality were superb.
The stewards who worked in the ring with me did an excellent job keeping the show running smoothly, thank you.
Most of all thank you to all exhibitors for allowing me to judge your beautiful bitches and the sporting manner in which my decisions were accepted.
The last time I judged the breed was over 3 years ago . I reported then on light round eyes and I am sad to see them still in evidence as were some heavy heads with broad skulls.
Some classes were very strong in quality though and I was spoiled for choice with beautiful girls down the line or cardless .
Minor Puppy ( 6: 2 ab)
- Atkin’s Lochlorien Marcella , 6 months old, showing great promise for the future. I loved the elegance and balance of this puppy. She has a beautiful head and expression, good reach of neck into well laid shoulders and a gently sloping topline. Well handled and steady on the move.
- Corless’s Swiftlark Illustrious, I see she is half sister to the winner and was close up. I preferred the head of 1 but she too has a nice head and soft expression. Good angulations front and rear. Ribs well sprung and strong hindquarters. Less settled on the move than 1 today
- Henderson & Szwajkowski’s Grenada Lofty Czerwony Taf Naf (Imp Pol)
Puppy (5:1)
- Heather & Heather’s Sixoaks My Fair Lady, Pretty head with refined skull and raised brows. Ears set on low and lying in a neat fold down her neck. Well balanced with depth of chest, correct topline sloping down to a well set on tail. Shown in good coat. Moved very well. BPB and in agreement with my co judge BPIS
- Atkin’s Lochlorien Marcella
- Corless’s Swiftlark IIlustrious
Junior (8.3)
- Box’s Fernstart Hearts Delight,13 mths . This bitch flows from her head down to her tail. She is well constructed with good lay back of shoulder and correct length in upper arm , well sprung ribs, strong quarters. Shown in beautiful condition with a gleaming rich flat coat. Moved well. Very promising I shall watch her progress with interest.
- Douthwaite and Wharfe’s Quensha Beautiful Stranger Of Gracewood, Lovely youngster maturing nicely . She hasn’t got the finish of the winner at this stage. Well balanced, good head with soft, gentle expression and good finish to her foreface. Good depth of chest, straight front, neat feet. Moved steadily.
- Pallister’s Penwyn Keeping Faith
Yearling (8.2)
- Sturrocks’s Forfarian Tickles Yer Fancy. This youngster reminds me so much of her mother at a similar age. She has a lovely head with a refined skull, raised brows and plenty of chiselling. Her ears are set on low and hang correctly in a neat fold down her neck. She flows from her occiput down to the end of her tail with no lumps and bumps. She is strong over the loin and has lovely width through her quarters . Strong driving movement carrying her tail well.
- Bouttell & Burbridge’s Ixia Snow Vixen, (Taf)
Another lovely bitch showing great promise for the future. Well balanced, pretty head and soft expression, good depth of brisket and spring of rib. Moved soundly
- Watt’s Shenanagin Half A Sixpence
Maiden (9.3)
- Heather & Heather Sixoaks My Fair Lady
- Corless’s Swiftlark Illustrious
- Pallister Penwyn Keeping Faith
Novice (9.3)
1 Box’s Fernstart Hearts Delight
2 Watt’s Shenanagin Half A Sixpence this youngster was 3rd in the strong Yearling class She has a lovely head as one would expect from this breeder. Refined skull, raised brows and soft gentle dark eye of correct shape. The head is nicely worked, with good finish to the muzzle. She is well balanced, with straight front and good depth of chest. Moved soundly
3.Heather & Heather Sixoaks Leading Lady
Undergraduate (5.1)
- Heppell’s Riverbrue Be Here Now. Lovely head with raised brows and kind expression. Good finish to foreface. Strong neck slightly arched leading into correctly sloping topline with tail set on well. She is elegant, balanced and full of quality. Shown in lovely coat and condition. She was a little unsettled today but moved soundly carrying her tail well.
- Watt’s Shenanagin Half A Sixpence
- Douthwaite and Wharfe’s Quensha Beautiful Stranger Of Gracewood
Graduate (5.1)
- Humphreys’s Alolfrana Miss Daisy at Henaleas. Pretty girl with refined head and soft dark eye. Well balanced. Correct moderate reach of neck and lay back of shoulders. Ribs well sprung, good depth of brisket . Strong over the loin and through hindquarters. Neat feet . Moved happily and soundly.
- Swainston’s Glenvarna Santa Barbara, gentle head and expression, good front with strong fore-chest, beautiful elegant neck leading into well laid shoulders. Well presented in good coat and condition. Moved well
- McDowell, McDowell and Stewart’s Gwendariff Back off Baby
Post Graduate (12.3)
This was a lovely class. I was splitting hairs
- Sturrocks’s Forfarian Soo Lush. So pretty, elegant and balanced. Strong topline sloping down into a well set on tail . She has a well sprung, deep ribcage. Lovely rich coat in excellent condition. Moved with reach and enthusiasm, using her tail well to win this class.
2 Bott’s Bardonhill Love of My Life, close up to the winner. Gentle head with good finish to her muzzle. Lovely low set ears hanging neatly against her neck. Good layback of shoulder and length to upper arm. Straight front, neat feet. Strong hindquarters. Moved well
3 Muir’s Gwendariff’s Up To Somethin
Mid Limit (3.1)
1 Ciechonska’s Gwendariff’s Smart Move Back to Aoibheanne What a pretty bitch she is. I loved her. She has a well proportioned head with a refined skull, raised brows over soft gentle dark eyes. Lots of work in her head as there should be. Clean outline, well balanced, with correct reach of neck , good forehand, well ribbed with excellent depth. Stifles well bent, hock to heel short and strong. Neat feet. Moved with enthusiasm driving from the rear, carrying her lashing tail correctly . BCC, RBIS and BOS
2 Edwards’s Gwendariff Its Numero Uno at Bonhomie JW Bigger bitch than the winner. Nice head and kindly expression, low set ears. Clean top line with no lumps and bumps, tail set on well. Great depth of brisket. strong hindquarters. Shown in excellent coat and condition. Moved well.
Limit (7.2)
- Bouttell & Burbridge’s Ixia Rainbow Brite.(Taf )
Very elegant,well balanced bitch, full of quality. Lovely head with true Irish expression. Gently arched neck set neatly into her withers. Good angulations front and rear. Hock joints well let down. Ribs well sprung. Strong through the loin and good width in her quarters. Moved soundly showing reach and using her tail. I was delighted to award her the RBCC
- Elkins’s Twoacres Promise of Spring with Avacet, A lovely girl who was unlucky to meet the winner in such strong form today. Gentle well proportioned head with raised brows and chiselling. Well balanced without exaggerations. Straight front, good width across her rear. Shown in good coat and condition. Moved very well
- Naylor’s Anlory Amelia
Open (4.2)
- Mugford’s Sh Ch Lynwood Abracadabra, Beautiful girl with lovely head and expression. Good reach of neck and well laid shoulders. Well balanced. Shown in full coat and excellent condition. Moved soundly
Veteran (3.1)
1. Box’s Bardonhill Afternoon D’Lite at Fernstart. Dam of the winner of Junior and it is easy to recognise the qualities she has passed on to her. Beautiful head with raised brows and good stop. Plenty of work in foreface. Refined skull, excellent ear set. Flowing outline. Correctly balanced with good front and rear angulations and well developed second thigh. Lush coat well presented . Not as collected on the move today as the top winners but I was delighted to award her BVB and BVIS in agreement with my co- judge.
2 Taylor’s Danaway Goody Two Shoes. A lovely girl unlucky to meet the winner in top form. Such a pretty head with just a “smattering of salt” showing through now. Well balanced with good neck and shoulder. Good spring of rib and depth of brisket Strong, well-muscled hind quarters. Moved very well.
Special Beginners (5.2)
- Corless’s Swiftlark Second Nature . Pretty head with lots of work, soft gentle eye, good finish to her muzzle. Straight front nicely angulated front and rear. Moved steadily
- Hadfield’s Covarney Estee Avec Marzanne JW, I preferred the head of the winner. Shown in lovely coat and condition, well sprung ribs and good depth of brisket.
- Shepherd’s Glenvarna Cover Girl
Judge Vivien Blackshaw
