Stoneleigh Park, 26th September 2021. Judge: Mr Paul Eardley.
This was my first judging appointment since things started to open up again and what better way to start than with the Dandies.
Margaret Russell and her team did a great job of setting things up and making us all feel safe at Stoneleigh and there was a lovely relaxed atmosphere throughout the day. It was a decent sized ring which really enabled me to put the dogs through their paces.
Many thanks to my two stewards Mary Drake and Laura Noble who were super efficient and very pleasant to work with.
Thank you to all the exhibitors for bringing their Dandies for my assessment. There were some quality specimens on show which made for some good competition.
By way of general comment I have a couple of points to make.
First I was a little concerned that some of the top lines are becoming a little flat. The gentle curves of a Dandie are one of its unique features and it is an important breed point.
Secondly, although I am a great believer in good presentation I am concerned that some of the trimming is becoming a little extreme with very little evidence of what I would call “blending”. Presentation really should enhance the dog and a dog should be trimmed to emphasise its virtues and, wherever possible, not to emphasise its faults!
| Dog CC & BIS | Nicholson & Ness’s Viking via Calmarlin | 
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| Reserve Dog CC | France’s Int Ch. Back To My Roots at Luna Caprese with Torbrae | |
| Bitch CC | Milton’s Ch. Hawkesmill Jenny for Wilmit | |
| Reserve Bitch CC | Tinsley’s Cloverwood The One And Only | |
| Best Puppy | Allenby’s Diddimont Luna Wuffgood | |
| Best Veteran | Milton’s Ch. Hawkesmill Jenny for Wilmit | |
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| Minor Puppy Dog | 1st: Butcher’s Mishahda Mischief Managed Lovely one to start the day. Good size for his age with correct bone. Super outline both standing and on the move, good rear, great tail set and tail well carried. A bit long in foreface but there is of course time for his head to develop. Well handled and very promising. | 
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| 2nd: Davies’s Dandie Dream Call Me Winner Lovely head and eye on this youngster. Good coat of correct texture. A touch proud of his tail which meant he could not match the outline of the winner. Lovely temperament. | 
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| Puppy Dog | 1st: Butcher’s Mishahda Mischief Managed |
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| Junior Dog | 1st: Simpson’s Dandiroyal Dream Catcher Loved the head and expression on this boy. Good neck and shoulders, good coat with some pencilling, moved ok in front and good behind. Steady showman. Just a touch flat in outline. Promising. | 
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| Graduate Dog | 1st: Simpson’s Dandiroyal Dream Catcher |
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| 2nd: Jacka-Slater’s Partoncourt Song In Heaven Lovely head and expression with the expression coming from a good eye. Coat just coming through. A bit too low to the ground which made him look a bit restricted. | 
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| Postgraduate Dog | 1st: Bromley’s Mishahda Just Like Dad Masculine boy with good head. Good texture of jacket. Probably needs a bit more time to come into his own. | 
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| Limit Dog | 1st: Webber’s Lilyphanie Great Showman Interesting contest between the first two here. This boy is now fully mature, good head proportions, ok outline, steady showman. A bit narrow behind. Lovely temperament and character. | 
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| 2nd: Milton’s Etsill Tammie Norrie to Wilmit Good type with a melting expression, good crisp coat and well presented. Just not putting all in against quite a showy dog. | 
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| 3rd: Poole’s Hawkesmill Merlon | 
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| Res: Bromley’s Mishahda Just Like Dad |
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| Open Dog | 1st: Nicholson & Ness’s Viking via Calmarlin Very much my sort. Caught my eye as soon as he came in the ring as he is so stylish. Absolutely correct in length to height proportions and is an excellent mover. Has a super neck and shoulders and really excels in forehand. Super temperament. Lovely headed boy. A well deserved CC and ultimately BIS. | 
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| 2nd: Hume’s Danchester’s Vote Me To Win Another stylish dog, liked his head, super show temperament and fully cooperative with his handler. Not the rear of the winner. | 
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| 3rd: Bell’s Reidswire Lord O’Liddesdale | 
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| Champion Dog | 1st: France’s Int Ch. Back To My Roots at Luna Caprese with Torbrae Impressive boy who is fully mature, beautifully presented to enhance his good points and well handled, great head, lovely feet on this boy, good rear. Pushed for the CC but not quite the attitude of the open winner. A well deserved Res CC and should always be there or thereabouts. | 
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| Veteran Dog | 1st: Youngs’s Inzievar The Goldsmith Gosh, this boy looks well for his age. Super jacket which was well presented, decent head, good outline. Could stride out a little more on the move but is very competitive. | 
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| Minor Puppy Bitch | 1st: Fray’s Woodfud Winters Dream Nice girl, my notes said feminine but workmanlike, melting expression, lovely outline and moved ok. Is still a baby so will need to firm up. Coat just coming through. Promising baby. | 
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| Puppy Bitch | 1st: Allenby’s Diddimont Luna Wuffgood What a lovely baby, super outline, gorgeous head, lovely neck and shoulders, tail carriage perfect, well presented and well handled. A quality girl who just asked for BPIS. | 
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| 2nd: Karlsen’s Diddimont Ginny Wren at Karezig More rangy at this stage than her litter sister, sound, decent head, not a bad outline and quite steady. | 
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| 3rd: Bell’s Reidswire Lady Gaye | 
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| Res: Turner-Tarr’s Redgreet Mary Buttercup | 
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| Junior Bitch | 1st: Rolland’s Dandiroyal Dream Maker Very promising young lady, super head, her jacket is just coming through and when it does it will be excellent, ok on the move. Is a bit in-between but should make a very nice girl. | 
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| Graduate Bitch | 1st: Kurg’s Etsill Selchie Super feminine this one, lovely type, melting expression, good outline, moved well both ends. Has some character and is one to watch. | 
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| 2nd: Youngs’s Danchester’s Can U Keep A Secret Good moving girl, looking a touch raw at the moment, coat coming through, nice head, decent animation, will look better with maturity. | 
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| 3rd: Throup’s Aksiom Eva Captiva | 
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| Postgraduate Bitch | 1st: McCain’s Blue Violet Flower at Bankwillow Pepper with a good head, nice mover, good crisp jacket with enough undercoat, lovely feet, animated, well handled. Would like a little more length on her but she is another showing promise. | 
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| 2nd: Jacka-Slater’s Partoncourt Show Me Heaven Was unfortunately in her underwear which pegged her today, outline not bad when stacked but lost it a bit on the move. Showed well. | 
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| 3rd: Bromley’s Mishahda Easter Bonnet | 
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| Limit Bitch | 1st: Hume’s Danchester’s Could This Be Magic This one is a showgirl, good outline, loved her temperament and animation, not quite as free moving as some of the others but has lots of quality. | 
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| 2nd: Moult’s Hawkesmill Meg for Zamdilsa Was carrying a bit of weight which pegged her here today, ok in outline, moved well. Will look better when she firms up. | 
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| 3rd: Wilson’s Morawelon Cader Idris | 
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| Res: Jackman’s Dryfevalley Golden Lullaby at Carnkie | 
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| VHC: Drake’s Tollcross Thistledown | 
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| Bromley’s Mishahda Easter Bonnet |
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| Open Bitch | 1st: Tinsley’s Cloverwood The One And Only Quality girl, eyecatching and looked lovely when she was freestanding. Melting expression from a liquid eye and beautiful neck and shoulders. Moved well and has all the graceful curves that I was looking for. Is only just out of junior so still needs to firm up a little in body and short jacket just coming through. Could not deny her the Res CC. | 
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| 2nd: Allenby’s Wilmit Mildred Potter for Diddimont Lovely girl to go over, not quite as flashy as the one above her but ticks a number of the boxes. Good mover and well handled. | 
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| 3rd: Bell’s Dryfevalley Gala | 
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| Champion Bitch | 1st: Jacka-Slater’s Ch. Cloverwood Duchess May Looking good for her age. Super type, lovely outline, steady showgirl, good rear. | 
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| Veteran Bitch | 1st: Milton’s Ch. Hawkesmill Jenny for Wilmit This girl is, in my opinion, looking better than ever. Had my attention as soon as she came in the ring. Has been unlucky under me before but today was her day. Lovely outline, good proportions as she has the requisite length and strength. Pretty head with good expression and enough strength that she could do her job. Good ribs, correct loin, moved well both ends and was well presented. Won the CC in quite a strong bitch line up and was ultimately Res BIS. | 
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| 2nd: Jacka-Slater’s Ch. Cloverwood Duchess May |
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| 3rd: Bell’s Kirkhalin Mystic Prudence from Reidswire | 
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| Res: Drake’s Deegandan Bessie Surtees to Tollcross | 
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| VHC: Little’s Courtmoat Heilan Maid | 
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