Judge's Critique

Irish Wolfhound Society Championship Show

Sunday 25th September 2022

 

I would like to thank the Committee for the honour of judging this show and special thanks to Elizabeth Murray and Joan Williams for their help and organisation. Thanks to Peter Williams for his assistance at the table and my stewards Diane Redfern and Elaine Bogart.

 

Thank you to everyone who entered and allowed me the privilege of going over and assessing your hounds, I really appreciated it and enjoyed the day.

 

The hounds were clean and well presented with good temperaments, just a few youngsters were a bit in awe and some hounds didn’t like the floor.

 

I was very happy with my main winners quality, movement and type though the rear movement in a lot of hounds was closer than I would have liked and feel this does need watching and given consideration when breeding.

 

MINOR PUPPY DOG 3 entries 1 absent

 

1st GUNTRIP’S BRACHAN GIORNO DI NATALE

9 months well grown puppy, good shaped head with nice expression, good coat, correct front assembly with forechest, good length of back and moved steadily holding topline as he went, promising pup

 

2nd KELLY’S BONAFORT ZIPPIDY DO

7 months more immature than 1 and not quite the movement, nice head and expression, good bone, straight limbs and good coat

 

PUPPY DOG 4 entries 2 absent

 

1st TURINI SALAMON’S BENBOW DELLA BASSA PAVESE

8months typey dog, well balanced outline, strong head on strong neck moving into good shoulders and sweeping topline, well curved croup and bend of stifle, movement true but a bit unsettled. BEST DOG PUPPY & BEST PUPPY IN SHOW.

 

2nd KELLY’S BONAFORTE ZIPPIDY DO 

 

 

JUNIOR DOG 5 entries 3 absent

 

1st PASK’S BARONGLEN THE NOBLEMAN

Typey young upstanding dog, dark brindle pin-wire coat, good head carried well, good forechest and shoulders, nice spring to ribs which are well ribbed back, topline and underline correct,  good curve to stifle and well muscled with 1st & 2nd thigh definition, moved with drive.

 

2nd DAWSON’S HYDEBECK HEART OF GOLD AT GRAEFYN

Tall youngster who needs time to settle into his impressive frame, good head and expression, nice topline, movement sound but uncoordinated at present.

 

YEARLING DOG 6 entries 2 absent

 

1st REEVES’ WHITEORCHARD ARCTURUS

23 months brindle dog covering plenty of ground, nice head and neck, good shoulder with forechest, nice topline when moving but stood a little back end high at the moment, good rear quarters which gave him excellent drive, well muscled.

 

2nd PATEMAN’S WHITEORCHARD ATLAS

Litter brother to 1st with many similar points, not quite the forechest of 1st, good head and shoulder, nice topline, moved with drive but a little close behind.

 

3rd ALLITT’S SIRIUS AT JASCARA d’ADRALIE

Well grown young dog, good top and underline, not quite the drive of 1st & 2nd.

 

NOVICE DOG  2 entries

 

1st HOOPER’S FLOYDIAN AFFRIC

Workmanlike dog with nice head shape, good neck into fair shoulder, slopes away over croup, moved soundly.

 

2nd SHARRATT’S WHITEORCHARD ARES

Large wheaten dog, good depth and width of forechest, good rough coat, movement was a bit close behind and loose in front.

 

POST GRADUATE DOG 1 entry

 

1st HOOPER’S FLOYDIAN AFFRIC 

 

  

LIMIT DOG 4 entries 1 absent

 

1st ASHBY’S ASHGROAVE ALFIE BUMBLE

2 yr old well grown typey dog, strong head & neck with good shoulders and excellent forechest, well ribbed back, good topline into powerful rear, well muscled, moved with reach & drive, just looked a bit immature in the dog line up.

 

2nd TAYLOR & LYNCH’S GAELTARA EIREANN WATSON

More compact than 1st with nice expression from a well shaped head, good front assembly, correct top & underlines, moved well.

 

3rd ALLITT’S AUSTONLEY’S GILBERT D’ARCY

Well boned dog, good ears on masculine head, strong neck flowing into to good topline, moved well.

 

 

OPEN DOG 5 entries 4 absent

 

1st SUMNER’S BALLYPHELAN AMADEUS

Strong mature stallion hound with great presence, good head on strong powerful neck leading into correct front assembly, nice spring of rib which is well ribbed back, powerful well muscled hind quarters, he moved effortlessly with power and drive. CC&BIS. I believe this gives him his crown which is well deserved.

 

VETERAN DOG 3 entries 2 absent

 

1st HEATHER’S CH. RAVENSBEECH REVENIO WHITEORCHARD

Sprightly moving veteran, good head & ears, strong neck into nice front, still well muscled behind and moved with reach & drive. BEST VETERAN

 

CHAMPION DOG 1entry

 

1st AMOO’S CH SADE PARIS

Another mature top quality male, a commanding dog with strong head onto powerful neck, good forechest, well sprung ribs & ribbed well back, movement easy and powerful, very close for CC. RCC 

 

 

MINOR PUPPY BITCH 3 entries 1 absent

 

1st FORRET’S BANSHEE DELLA BASSA PAVESE AT CULVERCROFT

8 month old lovely, typical pup, super head & eye with lovely expression, ears excellent, nicely balanced body with correct topline, good bone & feet, moved effortlessly with drive & reach. BEST PUPPY BITCH

 

2nd MACLEOD’S BRACHAN NEVE DI NATALE

9 months old well grown pup, workmanlike head on strong neck, good front, slightly up on back end at present, moved soundly.

 

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PUPPY BITCH 5 entries 1 absent

 

1st MUSSELL’S RAINSTER EMERALD

Well grown pup with good coat, nice head & topline, curved stifles, drove well, very unruly but plenty of promise.

 

2nd MACLEOD’S BRACHAN NEVE DI NATALE

 

3rd CROSSE’S RAINSTER EVIE

Nice youngster with sweet head, strong neck & good shoulders, not quite the drive of 1st & 2nd but moved soundly.

 

JUNIOR BITCH 3 entries 2 absent

 

1st SHEPPARD’S GAELMARQUE TREASURED BY GOLDSWIFT

A nicely balanced bitch with good head, strong neck & good front, nicely flowing topline, she had good extension and drive when she settled.

 

YEARLING BITCH 5 entries 2 absent

 

1st HEATHER’S WHITEORCHARD AD ASTRA

Feminine, typey bitch, proportions well balanced, sweet head & expression, good front, flowing topline, well rounded & muscled croup, moved well with reach & drive.

 

2nd SALES’ OH BABY ! VON DER EICHENKOPPEL

Nice old fashioned bitch with good head and ear carriage, strong neck into good shoulder with nice topline, not quite the drive of 1st.

 

3rd CAMPBELL-WOODFORD’S WHITEORCHARD ADHARA AT KILMACDUAGH

Good head into strong neck and shoulder, good spring of rib, moved OK.

 

 

NOVICE BITCH 7 entries 3 absent

 

1st SHEPPARD’S GAELMARQUE TREASURED AT GOLDSWIFT

 

2nd FORRET’S BANSHEE DELLA BASSA PAVESE AT CULVERCROFT

 

3rd MACLEOD’S BRACHAN NEVE DI NATALE

 

 

POST GRADUATE BITCH 7 entries 2 absent

 

1st CATLOW’S HYDEBECK DREAM OF LORELEI AT LAOISEACH

Nice wheaten bitch who moved steadily & well, good head with small ears, correct top & underline, good curve to croup.

 

2nd FORRET’S VALKIRIA DELLA BASSA PAVESE AT CULVERCROFT

Very typey bitch but not happy with the floor, attractive head, powerful neck, correct topline and well muscled rear.

 

3rd BRUCE’S KILLOUGHERY TALIA

Balanced bitch, nice head, well set ears, good bone & feet, nice curve to stifle, moved well.

 

LIMIT BITCH 6 entries 1 absent

 

What a great quality class to judge!!

 

1st HOLDER & HOWE’S SADE ARAYA MASCOTTS

Very typical bitch, good harsh coat, her movement is easy and active with power & drive, her hind movement has the width lacking in many hounds, super head with dark eyes, strong neck into flowing topline, correct front & strongly muscled rear. BITCH CC & RESERVE BIS.

 

2nd PATEMAN’S GLYDAS GOLD MOTH

Slightly longer & bigger than 1st with well balanced proportions, moved well but her curves would show off better if she lost a bit of weight.

 

3rd REDFERN’S RAINSTER TATIANA

Quality bitch with good head and balanced outline, good coat, extended well in front on the move, not quite the drive of 1st & 2nd. 

 

OPEN BITCH 6 absent 3 absent

 

1st SALES’ MANEATER VON DER EICHENKOPPEL

Mature bitch of good type, excellent head & ear carriage, strong neck flowing into good front which extended well on the move, nice top & underline, well shaped croup which powered her strongly around the ring, well deserved RESERVE BCC.

 

2nd TURINI SALAMON’S WINTACA DELLA BASSA PAVESE

Young bitch of super type, not as mature and finished as 1st, lovely head with sweet expression, good strong neck into flowing topline, moved out well in front but close behind, a very promising, quality bitch.

 

3rd MACLEOD’S BRACHAN WOLF MOON

Well grown girl with plenty of substance, old fashioned head, good forechest and topline, moved steadily.

 

VETERAN BITCH  3 entries 1 absent

 

1st DOLLING’S RAINSTER NANCY OF CHAROBIE

Bitch of good type, nice head and ear carriage, good front & topline, good bone & feet, still well muscled, moved well.

 

2nd DU ROSE’S BONAFORTE’S JUSSIS

Well muscled bitch in good condition, good head, good lay of shoulder, good topline but flattened a bit on the move.

 

Steve Bradley (Glengail)

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