It was an honour as well as a pleasure to judge ROUGH COLLIE BITCHES for THE WEST OF ENGLAND COLLIE SOCIETY, AT THE AUCTION CENTRE BRIDGEWATER SOMERSET.
The venue was beautifully set up with carpeted rings and there was a lovely friendly atmosphere all round.
The overall entry I judged was very much to my liking and mostly well presented with gleaming coats so they were obviously well looked after.. The only thing I feel needs saying is that I like to feel where the rib cage finishes when I go over a collie and quite a few bitches were carrying far to much weight for me to do this. A working breed should be able to run like the wind and turn on a sixpence and quite a few today would not be able work.
Class 13 Veteran Bitch.
(1) Randall’s Ladnar Inkheart. This quality tri coloured bitch stood alone but it would have taken something very special to beat her on the day. Her overall construction was very pleasing to the eye and her coat gleamed with condition.Not the biggest of bitches but she made up for that with her lovely shape and superb overall construction. Lovely eye set, correct ear placement and ears used to perfection. On the move she had a sound easy movement with very little effort. Very pleased to see her go Best Veteran in Show.
Class 14 Minor Puppy Bitch.
Scott’s Chantique Over The Moon. This lovely young lady is well coated for her age and beautifully presented with correct bone for her size and age. Her head is pleasing and she uses her ears when required. She showed to perfection. She had the usual puppy movement which showed she was obviously enjoying herself just the way a puppy should at probably her first show.
(2) Burrows Tiganlea Hoity Toity at Revdvicki. Hard to critique this baby as she was obviously enjoying her day out to the extent that should could not keep all 4 feet on the ground at the same time. The most important thing was she thought it was all fun bless her.
Class 15 Puppy Bitch.
(1) Walker & Ritchie Starlenga Nina Simone. I had the chance to judge this bitch at The British Collie CH Show and I found her delightful then and my opinion has not changed. First she is the most glorious colour and for a blue merle this is very important. That tad of extra length to her back made her completely balanced overall. Lovely clean head, no lumps or bumps with flat scull, great eye placement and correct ear carriage which she decided that early in the day she would only use them when she wanted to. Smooth clean fore face, good bone and substance completed a lovely picture. She moved very well in this class and the same when she finished as best puppy in show. Well done.
!2) Lockyer’s Shining Star Du Close De Seawind at Cataj Beautifully presented gold sable with a correct texture to her coat and not a hair out of place. Her overall balance is very appealing to the eye and she gives her owner handle her full attention constantly. She was rather close behind on the move and for me she is carrying more weight than is appropriate for her age and size.
Class 16 Junior Bitch
(1)Turner’s Paulara Keep The Faith Lovely hear pattern on this Gold sable with such a clean smooth muzzle , good stop and great eye placement. Had that little bit of extra length to her back that I like and all 4 feet were just where they should be. She never stoped giving her full attention to her owner/handler. She was very well presented and she moved well.
(2) Growcott’s Lillyway Lemon Breeze. Another well presented bitch but this time a tri colour and did she shine. Very much liked her overall balance with that little bit extra length to her back, good turn of stifle. Pleasing head with correct eye placement and good ear carriage all together giving a very pleasing expression. She was very close behind on the move but looked good in profile.
Class 17 Special Yearling Bitch
Not easy to judge between these two bitches. Neither were comfortable moving on the mats and both were rather erratic.
(1)Larkin’s Rahlissa Toffee Cake for Denora. This lovely bitch has absolutely no exaggerations and is completely balanced in her oval all outline. She is very easy on the eye such a sweet expression from correct eye placement, great ear carriage. Her length of neck to length of back ratio is perfect.
(2) Turner’s Corisian French Flirt. Beautifully presented gold sable with good bone, great ear carriage good reach of neck. She is just not quite as sweet in eye and a tad finer in fore face than the first.
Class 18 Maiden Bitch
Burrows Avonfair A Million Love Song at Revdvicki. Such a pretty little Gold Sable. She has such lovely overall balance between reach of neck and length of back and she had a nice eye well placed, well moulded fore face and great ear carriage. She stood and showed her head of and moved well. All she needs now to complete the picture is to grow her coat and she could have a bright future
Class 19 Novice Bitch
Mills Samhaven Super Natural at Willowcombe. A dark shaded blue bitch of pleasing shape and well presented. Carrying rather too much weight for her age.
Class 20 Graduate Bitch
Mitchell & Mitchell &Jorddan Salsina Secret Love Song at Avonfair. This lovely bitch had a really good head with correct stop, ear carriage and eye placement. Every foot was exactly were it should be and her reach of neck made her overall outline very pleasing on the eye. She could not take her mind away from her owner handler. Her presentation was second to none and her movement was sound. Only one thing was needed was coat. What she had was gleaming with health and of correct texture and when she is in full coat I think she will have a great future.
James Old Golden Gates Fifty Fifty at Deanjan (imp UKR) This beautiful coloured blue bitch of just coming up to 5 is all quality, She has huge coat in great condition and she shows very well but she is severely over weight which is not good for her at all and she is still relatively young. Such a shame.
Class 21Post Graduate Bitch
Walker & Ritchie Starlenga All About Me. A very impressive tri colour bitch with a stunning outline even without a white collar. Great reach of neck and decent length to her back and a coat that gleamed with a healthy condition. Well balanced head with correctly placed stop, lovely dark eyes well set and ears used constantly. Her conformation suggested she would move well and she did.
(2) Scott’s Chantique Ooh La La A very pretty gold sable. She has a well filled fore face, moulded and balanced. Sweet expression from correct eye placement and well used ears. I liked her oval balance and her decent neck and correct length of back .Very well presented. Such a shame she was not at all happy on the move.
Class 22 Mid Limit Bitch
Scott’s Chantique Deja Vu . Litter sister to second in previous class and previous comments apply. This one moved extremely well and I was very pleased to b able to give her the Res CC
(2) Brown’s Mertrisa Cool Love. A very sweet tri a size smaller than the winner. Another with a correct eye placement and correct stop, I liked the moulding of her fore face and ear carriage all put together to produce a lovely expression. She has good bone and substance and moved well.
Class 23 Limit Bitch
Llewellyn Artzaiak Selina De Salsina (imp esp) Gorgeous sable bitch of great quality who was presented to perfection with not a hair out of place. A lovely head peace with correct eye placement, stop where it should be , ears used to advantage and smooth clean fore face. I loved her expression and her overall balance. She was in great condition and one of the very few to move around the ring on a loose lead all the time and totally in tune with her owner. So very pleased to be able to giver her the Bitch Challenge Certificate and Best of Breed
Lockyer Gataj Girl’s Best Friend. Another quality bitch with everything in place. I realy liked her overall balance. She has a good heard with correct moulding and ear carriage. A nice eye and clean well filled forface completed the picture. She was not so happy on the move but her quality took her to this placing.
Class 24 Open Bitch.
Scotts Chantique Cinderella at Starlenga I loved the eye placement on this bitch and although her ears were set a little wide she still used then and it did not spoil her overall expression. Her stop was in the correct place and fore face clean. She had a good reach of neck and had a good length to her back. She moved very well and to show how much she enjoyed it she managed to get her tail a little high.
(2) Llewellyn Salsina Share the Love. I liked the profile on this bitch with her lovely outline and she has good bone and substance but not overdone. Here head is clean and smooth with correct stop and she moved well with confidence.
Anne Hollywood (Amalie)