SKC Championship Show 15/05/26.
Dalmatians.

A sincere thank you to the Scottish Kennel Club for inviting me to judge my first CC appointment and to my very efficient steward for keeping the ring running so smoothly. Biggest thank you to all the exhibitors who entered under me and made the journey for me to examine your dogs.
Some general points on my observations from judging. The bitch classes in particular the upper classes were oozing quality which is wonderful to see. Quality of the males was much more varied. Some of the dogs were quite grubby which is basic preparation, my hands were filthy and I used some amount of wipes between exhibits which surprised me in a short coated breed that’s easy to clean. Movement was hard to assess due to the surface and ring size but I tried to make the best of it given the huge man holes we were provided with in the ring too. Temperaments generally were good, acoustics in this hall put some dogs off which I tried to make allowances for. Finally, please don’t forget this is an endurance breed bred to run beside a carriage, I did notice a lot of dogs were soft where they should be fit and well muscled. I found the desired muscle definition was somewhat lacking in many exhibits.
I very much enjoyed my day and appreciate the sporting way most exhibitors accepted my decisions, I was splitting hairs between many.

Minor Puppy Dog. (4,0) 1. Whincup. Tamilanda Starlight. Liver. Larger frame than 2. Masculine head, correct amber eye with appealing expression and using his ears to advantage. Long elegant neck and good angulation, nicely developing chest and front. Catlike feet with well-manicured nails. Correctly set tail. Nicely balanced which was displayed on the move.
2. Christie. Sophtspot Xtra Spicy. Liver. Smaller type than winner. Well broken ears and soft expression. Moved well with balance and excellent reach. Preferred the head and stop of my winner today but a promising puppy.

Puppy Dog. (6, 0). 1. Reid-West. Jemblewood Northern Stork. Smart liver puppy, lovely long elegant neck. Well set tail. All male head, no doubting his gender from a distance. Well boned with decent substance for age. Well balanced and this displayed on the move displaying the desired reach and drive holding a level topline. Best Puppy Dog.
2. Whincup. Tamilanda Starlight (Repeat).

Junior Dog. (5, 0). 1. Croft & Richardson. Mapplewell Rolex With Koroyza. Nicely balanced shaped liver. Scored in appealing masculine head and expression. Correct amber eye. Strong front and well angulated rear. Well set tail, level topline and long elegant neck. Well muscled boy who exhibited power on the move showing himself well for his calm handler.
2. Marley & Clement. A Spottified Young Forseti For Perdita’s. Another nice liver, splitting hairs between these two boys as much to like with both. Slightly larger than 1 and a long elegant neck. Level topline and well set tail. Even markings on a clean coat. Appealing kind expression and balanced head. Just preferred 1 on the move today but I’m sure they will change places often.

Post Graduate Dog. (8, 2) 1. Pratt. Lyndalla Bail Me Out. Nice sized liver with good balance. Deep chest with sufficient substance and a correct set tail. Well let down hocks. Won this class on his movement which was well balanced and held his topline well.
2. Kaal. Schunikka Ifor Drean JW. Showy male with an attractive head using his ears well, dark eyes with a lovely kind expression. Has a very strong chest and plenty of substance, well muscled shoulders. Strong legs and catlike feet. Happy showman. Moved nicely but I preferred the movement and substance of 1 today.

Limit Dog. (9, 0) 1. Stocks. Dalmark Jubilations At Nospar JW. Eyecatching liver with fabulous masculine head and lovely length of neck. Ideal for bone and well angulated front and rear which was displayed in his balanced free movement. Catlike feet and well set tail. Fabulous showman and his handler knows how to get the best from him.
2. Baker. Kelevra Chive Talking At Dalleaf JW. Densely marked black, fabulous pigment. Well angulated rear and correct tailset. Moved with balance and drive. Was splitting hairs between 1 and 2 but I preferred the head and movement of my winner today.

Open Dog. (9, 0). 1 W/D. Johnson. CH Dvojica Evergreen. This black scored in head, a gorgeous masculine head and the darkest of eyes. Long reaching neck and very well muscled. Well angled front and rear and a strong front. He moved with reach and drive covering so much ground and could clearly go all day long. Picture perfect spots which completed the whole look. Fabulous on the move and on the stand showing himself beautifully for his handler. I could not deny him the CC today and Best Opposite Sex in Breed.
2. Dinsdale. CH Dotlun Apache Running Bear JW. Handsome male head and used his ears to advantage. Ideal for substance and balance. Well muscled throughout. Catlike feet and correct amber eye. So well balanced on the move with reach and drive. I just preferred the length of stride of my winner today. Happy to call him back in for the RCC.

Veteran Dog. (6, 1). 1. Page. CH Bleize De Montjuic At Winflash (imp USA). Black Well boned all male with such a masculine head. He scored on his movement in this class where he displayed excellent reach and drive which would put many of the younger dogs to shame. Well angulated throughout, strong front and correct tailset. Catlike feet. Best Veteran.
2. Sims. CH Mullabuoy Magic Man For Snowspeeder JW. Quality black who is built on a smaller frame to 1 and a different type entirely but has many qualities. He is hardly showing his age. Scored in balance and attractive head with a kind expression. He has catlike feet and moderate angulation which he displayed on the move. Close decision.

Special Beginners Dog. (6, 0) 1. Richardson. Portunes St Jimmy At Exayeex JW. Exuberant liver, makes his handler work for him but once settled showed himself well. Level topline and good angulation with correct tail. Masculine head and cheeky expression, would prefer slightly darker eye to complete the picture. Best mover in class. Happy to award Best Special Beginner and pleased to see he was later Group 2 in the Special Beginners Group.
2. Burke. Hafwenna The Red Viper At Dintradot. Scored in head and expression. Balanced outline and well marked. Moderate rear agulation. Moved with purpose and balance holding topline well.

Good Citizen Dog. (6, 0) 1. Williams & Tanswell. Carodal Welcome Way Via Waltzaway. Well boned youngster with a masculine head and fantastic dark pigment. Nicely developing front, catlike feet. Settled much better here than the earlier class to assess his movement better and he moved with reach and drive to win the class.
2. Grant. Kevin Dude Of The Glen At Bevahalli. Rich colour liver with appealing head and expression. Clean lines and moderate angulation. Moved ok but preferred movement of 1 in this class.

Minor Puppy Bitch. (2, 0) 1. Wilkins. Salvadorada Mirror Image. Pretty head, planer in face and darkest of eyes. Dark pigment and nicely marked. Decent bone for age with moderate angulation front and rear with a correctly set tail. Moved soundly.
2. Hobbs & Whiting. Rapanooey Portia’s Reverie. Different type to 1 and with a spottier face. Very happy showgirl enjoying her time in the ring. Catlike feet and decent bone for one so young. Just preferred the movement of 1 today.

Puppy Bitch. (5, 1). Quayle & Beaumont. Cubalibre Triple Hazy. Quality black with a beautiful head and dark eyes with an attractive expression. Well boned for one so young and very good angulation front and rear. Correct depth of chest, level topline and well balanced. She won on movement today with a lovely length of stride and powerful reach and drive. Happy to later award her Best Puppy in Breed.
2. Wilkins. Salvadorada Mirror Image. Repeat.

Junior Bitch. (6, 1) 1. Christie. Sophtspot Wild Child. Black on the larger scale, very showy. Fabulous extension on the move with so much reach covering the ground so well which won her this class. Dark eye and a pretty head, well placed ears. Held topline well on the move. Elegant throughout with a long neck and well placed shoulders and deep chest.
2. Grant. Salvadorada Lady Of The Glen For Bevahalli. Smart black with such a pretty head and the darkest of eyes. Lovely dark pigment on a pure white coat. Good bone with a strong front and catlike feet. Level topline which she held well on the move. She is nicely balanced throughout. Just lost out to 1 on maturity in this class but lots to like.

Post Graduate Bitch. (10, 3). 1. Scott. Sophtspot Whirlwind. Black with the most gorgeous head and expression. Long elegant neck. Good front and lovely catlike feet. Dark pigment on pure white coat. Moderate front and rear angulation and displayed excellent reach and drive which won her this class.
2. Stocks. Sophtspot Sparkler At Nospar. Elegant black with balanced head and pretty expression, long neck and level topline. Happy showgirl at one with her handler. Has moderate front and rear angulation and had good reach and drive, just preferred the movement of 1 today.

Limit Bitch. (11, 0) 1. Alexander & Collier. Offordale Jazz. This bitch caught my eye on the first run around in a top quality class. She had excellent extension on the move covering the ground so well. She had a lovely head and good bone, catlike feet and is very nicely marked. So well balanced which showed in her movement which won her this class and I shortlisted her to consider for the RBCC.
2. Hughes. Carodal Coast To Coast. Such a sweet liver girl with a calm but confident temperament. She is a lovely size and is well balanced moving with power around the ring. Correct amber eye, attractive expression using her ears well. Was close up to 1st and was splitting hairs on movement but 1 just covered more ground in the limited sized ring. 2 lovely bitches topping a nice class.

Open Bitch. (10, 1, 1 W/D) 1. Quayle. Cubalibre Wishing Star JW. This superb showgirl outmoved everything today. She is a gorgeous rich colour liver with super angulation front and rear. She has the prettiest head and expression using her ears well. Elegant but still with bone and substance and so fit and well muscled. Her foot perfect movement won her this superb class, CC and ultimately Best of Breed.
2. Finlay. CH Dvojica Excuse My French At Dalfin JW. Pretty black of ideal size and balance with lovely dark pigment on a pure white coat. Scored in head and expression. Deep chest and clean lines. On the move she’s a powerhouse and covers the ground so well holding her topline. Called back in and showed herself beautifully to take the RCC.

Veteran Bitch. (7, 1) 1. Collier. Kallierbelle Pink Sapphire. Lovely outline with a good front and moderate rear angulation. Pretty head and a kind expression using her ears well. She moved well with reach and drive not showing her veteran age at all.
2. Tingey. Dallyador Secret Addiction. Another who denys being a veteran. Close up to 1 and presents a good overall picture with moderate front and rear angulation. Well set tail. Pretty head and expression. Just preferred 1 on the move today.

Special Beginners Bitch. (7, 1) 1. Grant. Salvadorada Lady Of The Glen For Bevahalli. Repeat of junior.
2. Burke. Hafwenna Mother Of Dragons At Dintradot. Smaller all round but compact and well balanced. She moved really nicely. Has a pretty expression, showing well. Just preferred the head and substance of 1.

Good Citizen Bitch. (5, 0) 1. Foster. Perdita’s Tomorrowland JW ShCEx OSW. Liked this girl’s bone and head. Elegant but feminine. Of good size and nothing overdone. Even markings and clean coat. Long neck and level topline which held beautifully on the move with excellent reach. Considered her for RCC.
2. Stocks. Nospar’s Gin And Tonic JW. Liver of good size. Feminine head and well set ears. Correct front and catlike feet. Even markings. Preferred 1 on movement today.

Lisa Barrett.