Yearling Dog (5 entries, 2 Absent)

Judge's Critique

Irish Wolfhound Society 39th Championship Show

Sunday 28th September 2025 (pm)

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​Thanks to the committee for an efficiently run show and to my stewards for keeping things moving along. This was the second championship show on the same day for the Society. An experiment which went well albeit with the second one getting under way later than anticipated.

Before the critique there are some things which I feel breeders should pay close attention to in their future breeding plans. One is that there seems to be a tendency for overlong backs to be creeping in. Certainly a Wolfhound should be "rather long than short" but that does not mean that a coursing hound should have a back stretching to infinity, giving no arch over the loin and a portion of unsupported spine. This is not good and leads to a lack of stamina and strength. The next one is that there are too many hounds with incorrect croups, mostly far too steep. This pushes the dog's pelvis forward and diminishes its backward thrust. This really does need to be corrected. If a dog is of true greyhound conformation it should never suffer from hip dysplasia. If a plumb line is dropped through the line of the hip, the end should meet the ground immediately in front of the hind toes. This indicates that the hip is of the exactly correct placement. It should neither hit the toes nor have a gap between plumb line and toes. The last thing is too many chubby hounds. A hunting hound's body mass should essentially be made up of muscle, not fat. I think a lot of them could do with more galloping, which I understand can be difficult in today's world where a galloping Wolfhound could be seen as a threat by the generally dog ignorant population. However, there should be a field somewhere to let the dogs off for a really good gallop.

Minor Puppy Dog  5 entered, 1absent

1) Porter's Dahmrak's Riogahn For Lindall (Imp Deu). Compact dark dog of 8 months. Beautiful houndy outline. Not yet showing much of an arch over the loin but this should come as he grows. Beautiful head and ears and a good bite. Soundest movement in the class. A very promising youngster and I look forward to seeing him mature. BPIS.

2) Harris's Haziannes Knights Templar At Sullyenda. Another very dark dog, also 8 months old. Much larger than 1st but does not yet have the same curves. This is probably because he has shot up and gained height at the expense of said curves.  He will take a while to mature and when he does, the curves will come as he lets down. Up on the rear end at present but that will even out in time. Movement all over the place but that is just due to being a gangly pup.

3) Stanton and Latham's Dainwolf Adventurer.

Puppy Dog  1 entered, 0 absent

!) Dawson's Cairnstorm Latest Edition Of Shalico. Sandy brindle of 10 months. Pleasing outline standing but much too proud of his tail on the move. Good head with well held ears. Strong neck into good shoulder. Movement erratic but he's only a baby so may improve with maturity.

Junior Dog  1 entered, 0 absent

Stanton and Latham's Bonaforte's Golden Voyager From Dainwolf. Fifteen months youngster. Nice head, good bite, strong neck into slightly upright shoulders. Correct length of body with arch over the loin. Well muscled but too short in croup and therefore flying his tail, which is ringed at rest.

Yearling Dog  5 entered, 2 absent

1) Dawson's Hydebeck Tyme To Love At Graefyn. Upstanding young dog. Best croup in class. Nice head with good ear carriage. Strong neck into good shoulder. Correct arch over loin. Well muscled, movement fair. RDCC.

2) Tingle's Fosco Della Bassa Pavese (Imp Ita) Otherwise  good head spoiled by large, flat ears. Strong neck into fair shoulder. Good width of chest. Too steep in croup and movement only fair.

3) Connor's Hydebeck Eternal Love.

Novice Dog 3 entered, 2 absent

1) Connor's Hydebeck Eternal Love. Third in previous class. Large dog with a kind expression. Strong neck into fair shoulder but much too steep in the croup, giving a stilted hind action. Good ear carriage.

Post Graduate Dog 4 entered, 0 absent

1) Dawson's Hydebeck Tyme To Love At Graefyn. First in Yearling Dog.

2) Murray's Dukesarum Casper At Sabata. Good, typical head. Not a long neck but very strong set into fair shoulder. Good depth of chest. Slight arch over loin but much too steep in croup. Tuck up could be better. Well muscled but a tad chubby.

3) Littlefair's Conmeryl Joshua Jupp.

Limit Dog  6 entered, 0 absent

1) Guntrip's Brachan Giorno Di Natale. Very strong dog. Thick neck of fair length into good shoulder. Strong, well muscled body with good depth of chest and width of forechest. Correct croup and therefore correct tail set although did raise it slightly on the move. Feet rather flat and lacking arched knuckles.Would benefit from being taken round a bit faster.

2) Sharratt's Lynelouper Lyndene Laddie. Large, rather plain dog but with a good neck and front assembly. Good breadth of chest. Tuck up could be better. Well muscled but another chubby one who would benefit from shedding a couple of pounds.

3) Harris's Jaguar Shark At Sullyenda.

Open Dog 3 entered, 0 absent

1) Sumner's Creena Atticus Finch At Dukesarum. Black dog with white ears! Upright front but good width. Long neck. Topline almost correct but would benefit from a better arch over the loin and is too steep in croup. Well bent stifles.

2) White's Whitglen The Real Thing. Very happy dog. Very good neck into fair shoulder. Correct tuck up but another one too steep in the croup which impedes hind movement. Good feet.

3) Gregory's Killoughery Touchstone.

Veteran Dog  3 entered, 2 absent

1) Riley's King Merlin. Eight year old red wheaten. Typical head on good neck. Pleasing outline. Good width and depth of chest. Rather soft condition but as good moving as any youngster.

Champion Dog  3 entered, 0 absent

1) Tebbutt's Ch. Caredig Mafioso. Without doubt the best Wolfhound male in the UK show ring today. I loved this dog when I first met him as a puppy and was sure of a glittering future for him. This has been more than borne out by his meteoric blaze of success subsequently. The best way to describe him would be to suggest reading the standard. He is almost perfect in every way - except he is slightly too steep in the croup. Movement is excellent as one would expect from his conformation. DCC and BOB.

2) Reeve's Ch. Whiteorchard Arcturus. Substantial dog. Pleasant head but ears could be better held. Strong neck, fair shoulder placement. Good depth and width of chest, reasonable tuck up. Correct hind angulation. Good movement.

3) Sumner's Dukesarum Murphy.

Minor Puppy Bitch  2 entered, 0 absent

1) Cape's Dainwolf Another Debut. Pretty pup of 7 months with a lovely old fashioned head with very good ears. Nice neck into fair shoulder. Sufficient width of chest for her age. Good hindquarters. A promising baby.

2) Treadwell's Floydian Lailarni. 8 months. Another nice old fashioned head. Nice neck into fair shoulder but much too long in body. Not sufficiently ribbed back, leaving too much unsupported spine. Steep croup pushing hind assembly forward, thus impeding hind movement. Very immature and it will be interesting to see how she comes on.

Puppy Bitch  4 entered, 1 absent

1) Warwick and Gregory's Cairnstorm Legacy. 11 months. Pale brindle with a lovely head. Correct length of neck into good front. Good width of chest. Fair topline and underline.Pleasing bend of stifle. Promising youngster.

2) Crosse's Cairnstorm Lullaby. Litter sister to first and very similar but with the drawback of being too steep in the croup.

3) Kane's Kenbloom Sabinio.

Puppy Junior Bitch  3 entered, 0 absent

1) Malone's Barachois Quackle. 14 months. Good old fashioned head with very good ears. Nice neck into well laid shoulder but needs more width. Good tuck up, nice topline, correct hindquarters. Promising.

2) Crosse's Cairnstorm Lullaby. second in previous class.

3) Campbell-Woodford's Neavetokilmacduagh Di Castello Berge.

Yearling Bitch  3 entered, 1 absent

1) Pask's Florence Della Bassa Pavese To Baronglen. Beautiful, almost mature bitch with a lovely head but her ears could be better rosed. Strong body of good width and depth. Good tuck up and topline but a shade steep in croup.

2) Campbell-Woodford's Neavetokilmacduagh Di Castello Berge. Third in previous class. Less mature than 1st but only two months younger. At this age, two months can mean the world of difference. Pleasing head, good neck, tuck up and topline. Needs to let down in stifle. This one needs time to realise her potential.

Puppy Bitch  4 entered, 2 absent

1) Sumner's Angitta Aisha. Nice youngster but shame about the ears! Gives the impression when stacked of an upright shoulder but this is due to her markings, not reality. Needs to let down a bit in stifle. Moving close behind.

2) Cope's Dainwolf About Time Too. Considerably younger than the first and rather outclassed because of that. She is only a puppy and her litter sister was entered in MPB. Perhaps this one could have gone into PB for fairer competition? Pleasing red sable with a good outline. Maturity should justify the promise she shows now.

Post Graduate Bitch  4 entered, 0 absent

1) MacLeod's Brachan Neve Di Natale. Strong bitch, a real huntress who could really do the job she was bred for. Lovely head on a good, correct neck. Excellent topline with correct arch over the loin and the best croup seen so far, both for breadth and angle. Lovely outline standing and moved with drive.

2) Sumner's Dukesarum Lyudmila. Really beautiful head. Slightly upright in shoulder and a bit too long in the body for strength. Very long tail. Good bend of stifle.

3) Sumner's Dukesarum Evie.

Limit Bitch  4 entered, 1 absent

1) Ashby's Ashgroave Betty Mae. A really lovely bitch. Looks a real huntress but with a kind expression. Wheaten sable. She has good depth and width. Correct topline showing strength. Correct tuck up. Absolutely correct croup with good tail set. Moved easily with drive. BCC, BOS, RBIS.

2) Sumner's Dukesarum Tallulah. Tall, very dark bitch. Front assembly fair but too long in the body leading to a flat topline. Steep croup.

Open Bitch  2 entered, 0 absent

1) MacLeod's Brachan Wolf Moon. Lovely old fashioned head. Strong bitch with a good front and topline. Sadly she has completely lost her underline (I found out later that she had never recovered her tuck up after pups). Despite that it was obvious that she is another real huntress and she is very well muscled. Movement fair but she dropped a shoulder once on the run round.

2) Campbell-Woodford's Whiteorchard Adhara At Kilmacduagh. Different type from first. Good face furnishings on a typical head. Good width, depth and underline but again, an incorrect croup.

Veteran Bitch  5 entered, 2 absent

1) Harmer's Comedias It's About Liberty At Ballanroo. Seven and a half year old dark bitch. Good topline and has kept her tuck up. Good front of correct width. Good hind angulation and movement.

2) Stirling's Clanlily Diamond Dust. Seven and a half year old taller bitch with a pleasing outline. Everything flows nicely - neck to shoulder to topline. Good tuck up. Smart movement.
 

Champion Bitch  3 entered, 2 absent

1) Sumner's Ch. Dukesarum Niamh. Lovely bitch with a really good topline. Correct tuck up. Good head, neck and forechest. Moderate bend of stifle. Good movement and that seeming rarity, a correct croup. RBCC.

Miranda Brace (Judge)

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