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| West Highland | Crufts 12 Judge's Critique |
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Crufts 11 Judge
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WEST HIGHLAND WHITE CRUFTS 12 West Highland White Terrier Judge(s): MR D BERRY WEST HIGHLAND WHITE TERRIER Thank you all for entering. The numbers in each sex were roughly equal however the overall quality of the males is still not as good as in the bitches, particularly in fronts, nail colour and mouths. I was generally very pleased with coats, both in length and in texture. However there were some where I consider texture had been sacrificed to present a dog with a whiter than white appearance. Preparation of exhibits is obviously a thorny issue considering the events of last year, however I can only judge what a coat feels like on the day and cannot make allowances for a silky texture being caused by recent shampooing, however much I may suspect that to be the case. VD (4,3) 1 Thomson's Ch/Ir/Int/Am Ch Ashgate Scot`s Progress JW, a pleasure to get the opportunity to go over this 9-year old, particularly as his excellent coat and condition needed no age-related allowances. Excellent head, ears and body construction with well-set tail of good length. As expected moved true and well and only in the go round did he show the merest hint of not being in the first flush of youth. SPD (4,1) 1 Van Der Veen's Alborada Lucho, showy well-presented 12-month old that looked the winner on entering the ring and didn't disappoint. Lovely head, eye and expression, straight front, short back and lovely back end with well let down hocks. Like the rest of the class he had a good coat but also could do with blacker nails. BP; 2 Ladhams & Rudd's Juraspirit Caimbeul, it would be difficult to find a dog that gives a more contrasting first impression to that of the above. And yet when you go over him he is better than you expect. Yes he will always be long, but his tail-set is better than first impressions and he has a well-made back end. His pasterns need tightened, but the legs are straight and he moves true. He has a good head and, when he chooses to use it, a good expression. And he has a correct mouth with lovely big teeth; 3 Windram's Louie Conquistador, with his more compact shape and level back expected to place this dog over the above until examination of the mouth. Apart from that a good example of the breed with a true varminty expression and good movement. SJD (5,0) 1 Hyczewska's My Hairy Braveheart Victorix J Ch, tallish but balanced dog that moved well with excellent drive from his backend. Particularly good head and expression. Would prefer a shorter tail and, although the texture was good, more coat length on his back; 2 Fox's Hillsted Same Again, coat of very good length and texture. Maybe not the expression of the above but that may have been down to trimming. Excellent forehand with forward pointing feet; 3 Dale's Something Special Superbia Lynnsto, good dog but lost out to above on just too silky coat texture. YD (4,1) 1 A Lucho. 2 Flamang's Magic Mondriaan Vom Maerchengarten BJS, preferred ear-set, expression, tail length and backend to that of; 3 Carlin & Gillott's Lizandycris Devlin Disgise, but not perfect mouths on either. Both moved true and with enthusiasm. PGD (9,0) 1 Noyce's Maxula Name Of The Game, very typical big nosed male head with true expression. Well balanced both stacked and moving. Excellent coat and short tail on lovely backend. Moved true and competently; 2 Pearson's Winoski Mr Chips Smaller less well furnished, though coat on back of enough length, splitting two dogs of similar look. Well-constructed and good moving. Showed a good expression, tail relatively longer than above; 3 Jenkinson's Highcross Willie Be Charmed, many of the comments on the first apply to this dog, however he seemed to show better balance on the move than when stacked, and his tail is not just as short. LD (14,1) A good but difficult class to judge. 1 West's Tomlyndon Spoilt Rotten, a dog with an excellent profile best appreciated on the move as he doesn't stack well. His type, head, expression, lovely clean shoulder, well developed hindquarters, bang on short tail and excellent movement are all I want to see in a Westie. RCC; 2 Britten's Walk The Line Vom Deipen Brook To Krisma, bigger dog splitting two that are more towards my preferred type but his quality of construction could not deny him his place. Particularly impressed by his lovely straight front. True controlled mover; 3 Griffiths' Karamynd Play It Again, has so much that I want to see, but as I've said before his tail is longer than I'd like for his size. OD (15,4) 1 Hufnagel's Can Ch Blythfell Fergus, I've often before gone over a dog, watched it move, and 'known' that it was my ticket winner but never before have I 'known' that it was my best of breed. To go over him - from his lovely straight front to his short and, joy of joys, traditionally trimmed carrot shaped tail - was indeed a joy. To then watch him move round the ring with such fluidity and extension on a relatively loose lead was so good to see that I almost got emotional! An exceptional dog and he had to be to win in such company. I know it will be no consolation to those placed behind him, all Champions, when I say I could happily have given tickets to them all in other circumstances, but it is true. CC & BOB; 2 West's Ch/Int Ch Karamynd Playing Away At Tomlyndon JW, and as I have actually given these two the ticket and reserve ticket before I'm not going to say anything other than that they are still as good as I thought they were then; 3 Gordon's Ch Lamsmore Fitzwritin. GCD (4,0) 1 Fletcher-Kings Kellbany White Wizard at Ley Hey, nice dog, particularly good in front and expression, coby with a short tail. Moved well; 2 Ipatova's Ch/Rus/Uk/Cro/Turk Ch Olle Lucky Star Fanfan, rangier type with good coat that went round the ring well. To me the head trimming spoilt the expression; 3 Taylor's Flassendale Fairlie, dog I liked the look of from outside the ring in his earlier days however his attitude seems to have let him down. VB (5,1) 1 Thomson's Ashgate Scots Sagacity, lovely class who could show most of the preceding classes up for fronts and movement; 2 Milner's Juanne Gin N' Soda, again impressed with the coat and condition of this kennelmate to winner of the equivalent dog class, I can forgive a nose being a bit off in a 10½-year old, who showed very well; 3 Windram's Cassara Princess, like the rest of this class a different, more compact, type to that of the above. 10-year old and lacking in head hair. SPB (6,0) 1 Dale's Lynnsto Eye Candy, beautifully presented 10-month old with neat ears and a piercing expression. Very much my type in body shape and balance. Forequarters good, as they were for all placed in this class, straight coat, powerful hindquarters giving good drive and a tail of a length to match her size. BPB; 2 Thomson's Hillcloud Athena At Ashgate, different type but very close decision. Liked her shorter muzzle but preferred backend of above; 3 Berry's Carthonastar Fleur By Ashgate, again an awful lot to like about this one just would have preferred a shorter tail. SJB (9,1) 1 Fox's Comdale Miss January At Hillsted, very nice bitch. Preferred her development for age and her ear-set which helped give that more varminty expression; 2 Burns' Burneze Plan Bea, a couple of months older than the other two and did look much more mature. Lovely hindquarters; 3 Jennings' Comdale Starr, well made, not carrying the furnishings of her sister which accentuated the thinness of her tail. All moved well here but did feel she wasn't putting everything in and I think I've seen her looking better before. YB (8,4) 1 Cooper's Brorastar Words Of Love, first two from same sire but looked very different in type. This one leggier with narrower front but went very well with free and easy action, and I preferred her head; 2 Sizmore's Lamsmore Harmonie, preferred her shorter tail and more developed backend. Felt she wasn't as confident which may have helped give the impression her being down into her shoulders; 3 Williams' Glenbelle High Foxy Lady, lot to like here, particularly her shape, very free movement and straight front feet. There are times when judging that I find it very hard to discount an aspect of presentation, however hard I try. Here I'm afraid I found her head trimming with its floppy moustache and hair taken away in front of her eyes very off-putting. PGB (14,2) As usual a difficult class to judge, so many almost there. 1 Tullis' Drumsheugh White Mischief, another one who looks her best on the move where she goes very well showing off a lovely balanced construction. A neat type not carrying a lot of leg furnishings, and has no need to as she has nothing to hide. Personally I would take her head hair down a little as she has a lovely head and expression anyway, and I would also leave a bit more hair on her well-proportioned tail; 2 Smith's Lingbeck Playing The Lady, totally different type, bigger all over, though again moved very well. Preferred ear-set and expression of above; 3 Toender's Westi World Glen Spey, very well put down and I particularly liked her front and her shortness of tail. Moved well though maybe not putting everything in. LB (10,3) 1 Carlin & Gillott's Lizandycris Aint She Grand, aye, she is. Her name does say a lot about her. An impressive bitch who looked the winner from the outset and didn't disappoint for construction or movement. Particularly liked her backend and tail. RCC; 2 Smith's Lingbeck Leading Lady, little between her and the above for quality just preferred movement of winner; 3 Griffiths' Krisma Asking For Trouble At Karamynd, I think it' obvious to all that I like this breeders type, just felt here on the final look round that her outline isn't quite as good as others I've judged. OB (14,4) 1 Coley's Ch Karamynd On Cue For Kingsview, my third time of judging this bitch and the owner knows I've always liked her. This time I felt she was back on form and could not be denied. As with my best of breed it's her profile movement which particularly impresses. CC; 2 Smith's Ch Faymar Fine Romance, very feminine bitch with exquisite expression that I've admired from outside the ring and was very pleased to get the opportunity to go over. Again didn't disappoint but sometimes you have to make hard decisions; 3 Griffiths' Karamynd Make A Splash, lovely bitch. Deserves to be in this company and very hard to fault, so I'm not going to. Douglas Berry |
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