The Whippet Club Open Show, 23 September 2023 – Bitch Critique

I was honoured to be invited to judge bitches at The Whippet Club open show, and a huge thank you to the committee for making my day so enjoyable. Thanks also to my two ring stewards Clara and Clare for the smooth running of the ring. Finally, thank you to all exhibitors for entering under me, I was thrilled with my entry and felt there was quality throughout.

September 2023 BiS RBiS

Special Progeny Dog or Bitch (1,0)

  1. Saxby’s Runaround Amazin’ Grace with Sandspring. A quality group of fawns varying in age, maturity and size. All constructed generally well, of a similar type and moved soundly.

Special Veteran (7-9 Years) (4,3)

  1. Walker’s Jimanica Jade Star of Shoalingham. 7 year old fawn bitch with good proportions. She has a pleasing head with correct fine ears. Elegantly arched neck leading into smooth shoulders. She has a smooth outline with good length and a gentle rise of loin. She could do with some more depth and infill of front. Moderate in angulation front and rear. Moving she is a little narrow in front and rear, but has a nice balanced sidegait, keeping her curves on the move. Best Veteran Bitch.

Special Veteran (10 Years +) (3,0)

  1. Osborne’s Derohan Pour Moi JW. This 12 year old feminine brindle bitch was of nice size and proportions. Stacked, she is well developed through the body with good width and depth to her chest and has a shapely topline. She is moderate in angulation front and rear. True in front movement but shortens in body moving in profile, losing her topline and didn’t quite have the purpose of movement of my BVB.
  2. Robinson’s Goneaway Hedgehunter. This 13 year old blue bitch was great for size and feminine throughout. Lovely head with fine, correct shaped ears and carried on a long muscular neck. I would have preferred more front angulation and infill of forechest. Good ribbing and length of loin. She has such a typical shape to her topline and underline with a smooth croup into moderate well muscled hindquarters. Moving she just lacked the front movement of 1, but she kept her feminine outline well at all times.
  3. Williamson’s Windfly Onnerown.

Minor Puppy (1,0)

  1. Courtney, Wallace & Gower’s Nattah Chasing The Wind to Courtbirch. 7 month old fawn bitch, mature for her age with nice proportions. Correct head but would like smaller ears. Clean neck into shoulder with good return of upper arm and spring to her pasterns. Her body is well developed for her age with good spring and depth. Could be more shapely in topline and hopefully with time this improves. Balanced hindquarters with good length and strength of thigh. Moves well in profile with reach and drive and holds a better topline on the move, but needs to settle coming towards.

Puppy (2,0)

  1. Whitehead & Smith’s Crème Anglaise’s Lady Bridgerton of Citycroft (Imp Ned). A quality 8 month old fawn and white bitch who is feminine, elegant and of good size. Lovely head but would prefer a finer ear. She has a pleasing outline stacked and moving, with an arched neck into smooth shoulders. Correctly angulated in front with good layback of shoulder and return of upper arm. Good depth of chest with a pleasing underline, leading into a moderate well muscled rear. One of the best movers in the entry; she is as clean as can be coming and going, and holds her outline whilst moving in profile once settled, displaying great reach and drive. Shown in great condition. BPIS in agreement with my co-judge.
  2. Middleton & Gilhooly’s Stormida Squirrels For Tea. 11 month old feminine, scopey brindle parti bitch of nice size. Feminine head with good strength to underjaw. Bladed bone, good spring to pastern and neat well-knuckled feet. Quite raw in body and needs to settle on the move but has time on her side.

Junior (7,2)

  1. Morland’s Zoraden You Are My Universe JW. 17 month fawn & white bitch. A stand out in this class and my ‘find of the day’. A quality, feminine bitch of ideal size and proportions. She has a feminine, well-balanced head with correct ears and expression. Long neck leading into excellent front construction. Smooth, well laid shoulders with super length and return of upper arm, setting her front well beneath her body. Well sprung pasterns. Good infill of front and well developed in body with great depth and spring of rib. Smooth and graceful from head to tail, with a gentle rise over the loin into correct croup and tailset. Well angulated rear. Sound coming and going but her profile movement was a standout, effortless reach and drive whilst maintaining her beautiful silhouette. Throughout the class and the challenge she caught my eye just as much free stood as she did moving, she couldn’t stand wrong and kept her excellent outline at all times. Best Bitch and following the referee’s decision for BIS, she was RBIS with the agreement of my co-judge.
  2. Perkins’ Kierpark Just A Song at Zeglynn. 17 month red brindle bitch of good proportions but built on a finer frame than 1. Has shape to her topline and is moderate in front and rear angulation. Some more depth of chest and front fill would have complimented her front. Definite tuck up. Balanced profile movement, would have liked her to be more accurate coming towards.
  3. Hoskins’ Shelsue Jingling Jennie.

Maiden (4,2)

  1. Graham’s Royaltudor Storm Diana of Ohoka. 19 month fawn and white. A little raw but very feminine and typey. Lovely head with dark eyes and well-shaped ears. Good length of neck. Could be slightly more angulated in front. Correct bladed bone and spring to pasterns. Nice shape to top line and definite tuck up. Well-made hindquarters with good strength and width to thighs. Moved with a purposeful stride.
  2. Hoskins’ Shelsue Jingling Jennie. 12 month old fawn and white trim. Would prefer a more refined head. More compactly built than my winner but has a lovely outline with nice curves to her top and underline. Balanced in front and rear angulation. Sound mover but not quite the reach and drive of 1.

Special Beginners (8,1)

  1. Trouton’s Citycroft Grace Kelly of Runnel JW. This 5 year old fawn and white stood out in this class. She is great for size, well balanced and of great proportions. Lovely head with correct ears. Beautiful neck into super layback of shoulder and length of upper arm, with correct spring to pasterns. She is well developed in body, with good depth and fill of chest, spring to her ribs and is well coupled. Textbook shape to her top and underline, graceful curves throughout. She is smooth in croup and moderate through her rear. Moves well but could be more fluid in front extension, holds her outline in profile.
  2. Hoddinott’s Sandspring Sea Hawk. Feminine fawn bitch with a smooth and curvy outline, but not quite the body and maturity of 1. Lovely head with a typical expression and neat ears. Long neck into smooth shoulders but could have a little more return of upper arm to complete her front. Well-made hindquarters. Moves sound in profile, could be a little tighter coming and going.
  3. Perkins’ Kierpark Just A Song at Zeglynn.

Novice (8, 3)

  1. Saxby’s Sandspring Sea Coral. 19 month old fawn and white of good proportions and balance. Nice head and expression with correct ear set. She is a little raw through the body, but has a lovely outline, with good shape to her top and underline. Moderately angulated in front and rear. Won this class with her sound movement coming, going and in profile.
  2. Falconer’s Kuriwao Serrafina Star. Very different to my winner, much more mature and on a longer frame. Lovely head on a long, strong neck. Gentle curves to topline and enough shape to underline. Better depth and spring of rib than my winner. Has nice rear angulation with good bend of stifle and width to thighs. Moved well, just not quite the accuracy of footfall of 1.
  3. Graham’s Royal Tudor Storm Diana of Ohoka.

Undergraduate (5,1)

  1. Tristam’s Pagarni’s Princess Elsa. 22 month old fawn bitch. Feminine head but with good strength to underjaw. Compactly built but has lovely curves throughout, with good width and depth of brisket. I would have preferred a little more length of loin. Moderate well-muscled rear. True movement and kept her shape which ultimately won her this class.
  2. Hoddinott’s Sandspring Sea Hawk.
  3. Lipscombe’s Selinko Cherise.

Post Graduate (8, 2)

  1. Howgate & Hull’s Palmik Truth About Love JW. A quality 20 month old pale fawn bitch caught my attention from the outset. She is balanced and covers plenty ground. Lovely headpiece with strength to underjaw. Could be slightly finer in ears. Long and muscular in neck, leading into well laid smooth shoulders and super return of upper arm. Her depth and infill of chest gives her front an excellent finish. Stacked, she has a nice shape to her topline and underline which leads into a smooth croup and correct tail set. Balanced hindquarters, with excellent strength and width of thighs. True coming and going and covers good ground with her great reach and drive in profile. Didn’t quite hold her topline as well as my Best Bitch, nevertheless, a quality bitch with time on her side for this to improve. Reserve Best Bitch.
  2. Home & Fisher-Home’s Jasarat Caramel Calypso JW. 20 month old quality fawn bitch, finer through than the winner of this class. Pleasing head, with fine, correctly set ears. Clean long neck leading into well laid shoulders. Her front sits underneath her body nicely. She has good return of upper arm and spring to her pasterns. A little taller in the leg than 1 and not as mature through her body. She has graceful shape to top and underline and is balanced in the rear with good muscle. Moving she is true coming and going, and has a nice side gait, just not quite covering the ground as well as the class winner.
  3. Bunney’s Bunehug So Be It.

Limit (2,1)

  1. Whitehead & Smith’s Citycroft Seattle. This pale fawn bitch stood alone in this class but was a very worthy winner. She has such an eye catching outline, so curvy and balanced and is super for size. She has good lay back of shoulder and return of upper arm, quality bladed bone and correct spring to pasterns. Fantastic shape to top and underline leading into well-muscled hindquarters. She keeps her shape and has a low easy action in side profile. I would just like her slightly more refined in head and neck.

Open (4,1)

  1. Wood’s Crosscop She’s A Lady at Ardencote. This 3 year old fawn and white trim was a stand out in this class. So typical, elegant and feminine. I don’t need to look back at my notes to remember how beautiful her head piece was, absolutely textbook with ideal balance and proportions, typical eye and appealing expression. Lovely fine ears and an elegantly arched neck. Well laid shoulders but to be highly critical, could have a touch more return of upper arm. Super depth of chest and spring to rib, with nice shape to her topline and underline. Her smoothness in outline continues over the croup and into moderately angulated rear which is well muscled. True coming and going and has a really good stride in profile, but just slightly loses her topline. Pushed hard for top honours.
  2. Osborne’s Florancy Above And Beyond Derohan JW. Different in type to my winner. Feminine throughout and of nice size. Lovely length to her feminine head held on a strong neck. Good layback of shoulder and return of upper arm, slight more depth of chest would really finish her front off nicely. Lovely curves to her top and underline, with moderate rear. Moves true coming and going but in profile she just shortens a little through her body, losing her shape.
  3. Smith’s Welstar Airs And Graces at Cryhavoc.

Open Height (8,2)

  1. Trouton’s Citycroft Grace Kelly of Runnel JW.
  2. Wood’s Ardencote Destiny’s Child. A nicely built feminine, fawn bitch of correct size, with good head and neck. She has a super shoulder and return of upper arm, but has a tendency to stand over herself when stacked which can make her look a little loaded through her front. She has good depth and spring to ribs. Curvy over the loin and croup and excellent underline. Good bend to stifle. Moves well, just didn’t quite have the shape to her topline of 3. Bunney’s Bunehug So Be It.

Special Open Racing (5, 1)

  1. Hoddinott’s Sandspring Sea Hawk.
  2. Robinson’s Whippiness Tornado Takeoff. 19 month petite blue and white bitch. Feminine head with fine, well set ears. Still has some developing to do through her body, but has good shape to her topline and underline. Moderate in angulation front and rear. Sound in front movement and uses her muscular rear well in profile.
  3. Williamson & Grant’s Windfly One Perfect Day.

Special Open Lure Coursing (5, 1)

A difficult decision between 1 & 2 in this class.

  1. Soffe’s Penbriar Rocket Star. 5 year old bitch of nice size and substance. Balanced in head with a long neck into clean shoulders, complimented by super return of upper arm. Good depth and spring to ribs with smooth curves throughout. Strong hindquarters and well-muscled. Could be slightly cleaner coming towards, but excels in profile movement and holds her shape.
  2. Webber’s Zoraden Fifty Shades Darker. 5 year old black bitch who is no doubt feminine, with similar attributes to 1, curvy and of nice size. Again, super front construction, with well-developed body and curves. True coming and going and moves well in profile. Pushed 1 hard, I just preferred the head of 1.
  3. Graham’s Royaltudor Storm Diana of Ohoka.

Jake Wilson (Danluke)

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