Crufts 2012
DACHSHUND - SMOOTH HAIRED
I enjoyed my day judging at Crufts, and my
thanks go to the Crufts committee for inviting me, and to the exhibitors who
helped to make it so special. Temperaments were mainly excellent. As a general
comment, I did find that length and angle of upper arm needs to be watched, as
quite a few were shorter and more upright than desirable.
VD(1) 1 Cooper's Ch Sontag Simon Le Bone JW. Masculine seven and a
half year old black and tan, carrying his age well. He has a lovely head and
neck, prominent forechest, well made body with correct angulation fore and aft,
and he moves very soundly both ways, keeping a strong outline.
Sp PD(4) 1 Trafford's Dabrenhof Nadal. B/t dog with good head and eye,
good body proportions with enough ground clearance, moved soundly. 2 Ellis'
Tealby Red Between The Lines. Red dog, liked his overall shape and balance,
sound mover but just lost his front a little on the move. 3 Seago &Gibbard's
Amlida Dramatiker. Very close up. Little between these puppies. Liked his head
and expression and he kept a very good profile going round the ring.
JD(5) This was a difficult class as all had different virtues. 1 and
RCC was Hunt's Cwmdarhian Hogan's Hero At Carpaccio. I really like this b/t
boy. He has a super head, well balanced body with excellent angulation to
forequarters and hindquarters. He powers around the ring and is sound from all
angles. Very close up in the challenge. 2 Kovacic's Kan Trace Odysseus [ATC
AM01713HRV]. Smaller red of very different type. Looked fantastic on the move,
which gained him the second place here. 3 Kuranava's Hampdach Chryses JWW-2011.
Dark red of good type, nice head and eye, well made body, moved soundly but
just fell away over the croup on the move, which cost him a higher place.
PGD(4) 1 Norton's Matzell Man Of The Moment. Balanced red boy with no
exaggerations. Good head carriage, level topline standing and moving, sound. 2
Jones' Adnerbs Smooth Criminal. Another nice type red, showed very well,
attractive head, good body shape, moved soundly. 3 Marsh's Rill Black Prince
With Marshwick. B/t boy, good to go over on the table, looked good in profile
but showed elbows coming towards me.
LD(8) 1 Gatheral-Graham's Phaeland Screwdriver. Beautiful rich red
dog. To be critical, I would like him a tad smaller, but after saying that, I
love everything else about him, he has a classic head and eye on arched neck,
prominent prosternum, well ribbed body and correct angulation fore and aft and
sound movement, all he needs to hit the top spots is to be moved with more
verve. 2 Payton's Hampdach Gold Quest. Smaller red boy with lots to like, he
moved well keeping a good shape, but was a bit unsettled standing. I judge dogs
moving rather than stacked. 3 Macdonald's Bensarka Phoenix Sun. Dark red with
lovely head and neck, good body shape but hind angulation just straightened out
on the move.
OD(8) 1 and CC, Higgins' Leveliss This Charming Man. This was a new
one to me, and I was delighted to be told that this win gave him his title. He
is of ideal size and so well balanced. Lovely head and neck, good body shape,
excellent feet and a smart mover and the more I moved this class the more he
caught my eye. Loved him. 2 Tite's Ch Rijobeau Caught Red Handed. Handsome red
boy, he has everything in the right proportions. Head, neck, body etc. He moves
sout well keeping his shape at all times. 3 Ellis' Ch Tealby Another Rumour In
Red. Little between these two red boys of similar type. Just splitting hairs.
Liked this boys head and sound construction. Pity there is only one red card
and not assessments as each deserved excellents.
GCD(2) 1 Linacre's Cavalleria Rusticana. Soundly constructed red,
moved soundly keeping a good outline. 2 Starkey's Carpaccio Top Of The Class At
Hamoura. Smart b/t boy, good head, clean legs, preferred movement of winner.
VB(1) 1 Hinwood's Longmel
Double Truffle. Smaller type b/t lady of nearly 9 years who was enjoying her
day at Crufts. She has a sweet head and expression, good body shape and moved
soundly.
Sp PB(3) 1 and BPIB, Jones' Adnerbs Betty Boop. Nice size red girl,
pretty head, good forechest and body shape, good angulation, looked good in
profile on the move. 2 Chauhan Manish's Sapphire Dazzle. Very elegant b/t with
pretty head and good neck, Impressive mover but just a shade too long which
resulted in a slack topline. 3 Higgins' Leveliss Drink Down The Moon. Red
bitch, ok for head and body shape and angulation, just needing to mature.
JB(5, 2) 1 Dalgety's Thundergay Bebop A Lula. Neat b/t, feminine head
on good neck leading to well shaped body. She had good legs and feet with which
she moved out well. Sound both ways and keeping a good outline going around. 2
Bethel's Hambach Coraline. Thought she was my winner when she came into the
ring but was a little overawed by the occasion, pity. Lovely head and eye,
correct body proportions, balanced all through, sound mover. 3 Marsh's Rill
Royal Romance With Marshwick. B/t bitch, well constructed, moved ok in profile
but a little wide coming towards me.
PGB(11) This was a very good class. 1 and RCC, Gatheral-Graham's
Phaeland Special Duty. And I do think she is rather special. Beautiful red girl
with exquisite head, good neck, prominent forechest and well ribbed body,
correct angulation which showed in her faultless movement. I could have taken
her home. 2 Dalgety's Thundergay Blue Bayou. Another lovely b/t, lovely head,
good front, well made body and sound movement. Kept a super outline both
standing and moving. 3 Ellis' Tealby Little Dorrit. Another really nice b/t of
ideal size. Sound all through in both construction and movement. Was splitting
hairs, but have to place them one to five.
LB(8, 2) Another very good class of top quality exhibits. 1 Dalgety's
Thundergay Delta Dawn. The third bitch from this super litter, and what a sire
Simon Le Bone is proving to be. Not only has he sired this litter, but also my
Dog CC and my Best Puppy. Delta Dawn is a very balanced b/t bitch with feminine
head and neck, correct body proportions of length to height, very good
angulation and super movement. 2 Ellis' Tealby Tittle Tattle. Lovely b/t bitch
with good dhead and neck, correct front and body shape, sound mover keeping a
good outline at all times. 3 Higgins' Leveliss What She Said. Litter sister to
my Dog CC winner. Slightly taller girl but not too tall, nice tall, good body,
lovely feet and sound movement, good profile when standing and moving.
OB(6, 1) Another really hard class to place as a lot of my favourites
in here. 1, CC and BOB, Norton's Ch Matzell Mildred. Lovely red bitch in top
condition, excellent head, eye and neck leading to correct shoulders and length
of upper arm, prominent forechest, good top and underline and super rear
angulation, moved soundly with purpose presenting a perfect picture at all
times. 2 Cooper's Ch Hacienda Lo N Behold It's Sontag JW (Imp). Rich dark red
bitch with super head and eye, carrying a little too much weight which spoiled
the picture a little, but couldn't deny her this place as I love her front,
body and angulation and she moves so soundly. 3 Lovick-Gibbs' Ch Roleta Keepin
Up Appirances. Again, pity only one red card, but she is lovely. Red bitch,
sweet head, very balanced proportions of length to height, correct size, moved
very well.
Ellen P. Blackburn
