Dogs (Mrs L. Suggett)

It was a great honour to judge at the North of England Dalmatian Club Championship Show and I enjoyed the experience very much indeed. My thanks go to the exhibitors for their entries, to the Officers and Committee for their kind hospitality throughout the day, and to the willing and very competent stewards who kindly volunteered and worked in shifts when those expected did not arrive.
All exhibits were well presented and temperament was excellent. Whilst clearly enjoying their day out, many exhibits had been schooled to make the most of their best features with their handlers completely focussed on the job in hand – this pre-show work is well worth the effort. My biggest concern was overall elegance - boys need to be elegant too! Shorter necks, lack of length of loin and front feet falling at ten to two all contribute to a lack of elegance either standing or on the move. Fortunately we have sufficient capacity within the breed to assist in improving all of these areas. I was pleased to see an increase in the number of livers exhibited. It is good for the breed to have both colours well represented numerically and in depth of quality.
BIS Neath-Duggan's Buffrey Gift Wrapped JW Sh CM. Two top quality Dalmatians challenged for BIS. I appreciated the many qualities of this excellent bitch, but agreed with my co-judge to call for the referee. I was satisfied with the outcome. The young dog will certainly be back to challenge in the future.
Special JVDog (7-10 years) (1 entered - 0 absent) 1 Quayle's Ir Ch Cubalibre Top Spot Sh CM BVD b/w 7 years old. Pleasing head with kind expression. Good depth of chest. Sound moving fore and aft. Not over enthusiastic today which showed when he challenged for BVIS (Judged jointly with Mrs P Wilson).

Special VD (10+ years) (0-0)

MPD (3-0) 1 Todhunter & Robinson's Millbelle Young Gun l/w almost 9 months old but knows what is expected of him. Well off for bone. Gentle head with good eye colour. Very pleasing outline standing and on the move. Lovely rhythmic movement in one so young. A very promising youngster. 2 Swift's
Shacarlu Moonracer b/w 8 months old. Delightful puppy with lovely temperament. Level topline with good tailset. Steady on the move – needs to drive out more. Although only one month older, 1 is more mature at present. This will come. Needs to tighten in front, but he is still very much a youngster.
3 Lightfoots's Caldecacre Callin Hey Jude

PD (4-0) 1 Harrison-Stratford's Dalkereve Dark Dragon BPD and BPIS (Judged jointly with Mrs P Wilson) l/w. Attractive, quality 10 month old. Mature, well schooled, at one with his handler. Shown in excellent condition. Gentle head with good eye colour and lovely neck. Well put together all over with a super outline both standing and moving. Sound, rhythmic, driving movement. 2 Swift's Shacarlu Moonracer 3 Lightfoot's Caldecacre Callin Hey Jude

JD (9-0) 1 Cutt's Kilndandy Casanova at Marzelina l/w of the correct colour. Compact dog with elegance. Correct head into elegant neck. Good depth of chest. Correct angulation fore and aft. Not overdone in any department. Seemed a little unsettled, but moved very positively with a good length of stride. 2 Johnson's Tynevale the Tease l/w. Lovely head and neck into good shoulders. Level topline to gentle arch with good tail set and carriage. Longer cast than 1, shown to advantage. Up close to 1.
3 Alcock's Creaganbrec Face of Beau at Dalspartan
YD (2-0)
1 Lamb's Kalsidoni Dexter by Dalpetro b/w. Lovely dark eye enhancing expression. Elegant arched neck. Straight front legs into super feet. Good hind angulation powering strong movement. Well schooled and working as one with handler. 2 Alcock's Creaganbrec Face of Beau at Dalspartan l/w. Sound, honest dog with everything in the right place. Nicely arched neck. Quietly gets on with his job. Seemed distracted in this class and not giving of his best.

MD (1-0)
1 Harrison-Stratford's Dalkereve Dark Dragon

ND (4-0)
The first two had not met previously. Differing in type, both top quality, the winner just had the maturity to gain an edge.
1 Cutt's Kilndandy Casanova at Marzelina 2 Harrison-Stratford's Dalkereve Dark Dragon
3 Roach's Holderness Henman Hill

GD (4-0)
1 Alexander's Offordale Chevalier CC, BoS and RBIS (Judged jointly with Mrs P Wilson) b/w. Took my eye as he entered the ring and did not disappoint. In tip top condition, a pleasure to go over. Dense coat colour. Lovely arch to elegant neck. Super angulation fore and aft. Clean muscular lines standing which convert to powerful long strides on the move. Really looked as if he could go all day. Super disposition – what a charmer! Pulled out all the stops in the challenge. 2 Johnson's Tynevale the Tease 3 Townson & Pardoe's Buffrey Follow that Star

PGD (8-1)
1 Williams' Phadante Brighton Rock l/w with good colour and lovely dark eye. Good depth of chest. Level topline with correct tail set and carriage. Moved positively and effortlessly. Handled to advantage. His overall togetherness, standing and on the move, won this class. 2 Story-Taylor's Major Tornado at Kesteven b/w. A strong well made dog with elegance. Everything in the right place. Moved positively. Not quite such clean lines today – looked to be carrying an ounce or two over his shoulder. 3 Alcock's Mapplewell Chocolate Box for Dalpartan

LD (16-3)
Three very good Dalmatians, split by their finer points. Three very good handlers getting the very best out of their charges. 1 Rose's Candidals Run Forest Run l/w with attractive spotting. Attractive head with good eye, enhancing expression. Lovely reach of neck. Straight front legs into tight feet. Rear angulation good. Coat in lovely condition. Clean lines maintained at all times. Moved with a powerful stride. 2 Kay's Kaytian One Kool Kat JW l/w. Not quite as settled as 1 today, but ran him close. Good head with correct ear carriage framing kind expression. Correct angulation fore and aft. Level topline held on the move. Moved steadily but with drive. 3 Croft's Koroyza Candy Man

OD (14-1)
This was, undoubtedly, the best class of the day with so many top winners displaying quality in all departments. Watching these boys power round the ring was spine tingling. Many very good dogs had to go cardless as I had the luxury of splitting them on very fine points.
1 Hartley & Griffith's Ch Creaganbrec The Favourite at Miragua JW RCC b/w with excellent depth of colour. Masculine head but retaining elegance. Good reach of neck. Deep capacious chest. Good angulation fore and aft. Topline level with good tailset and carriage. Powerful, striding movement. Shown in excellent condition and handled to advantage. Ran close for the CC, but was just beginning to flag in the challenge. 2 Stock's Ch Dalmark the Shaded Moon at Nospar JW l/w right on his toes today. Lovely head and expression – again, masculine but elegant. Arched neck into good shoulders. Correct in all departments. Moved with drive and purpose. Presented in top condition. On the day 1 just had the edge. 3 Goff-Leggett's Ch Washakie Nutcracker Prince JW

Special BD (5-0)
The puppies in this class gave away so much to the more mature older boys.
1 Story-Taylor's Major Tornado at Kesteven 2 Webster's Tynevale Truly Talented at Dalmarno l/w. Had taken R in PGD. A kind head with a good eye. Clean lines when standing. Well presented. Did not move as powerfully or positively as 1 today. 3 Swift's Shacarlu Moonracer

Brace (6-1) Judged jointly with Mrs P Wilson
Brace showing has improved so much over the years with exhibitors now presenting their dogs in a very professional manner.
1 Tingey's Standing and moving presented a very pleasing picture.
2 Neath's A super pair, very well presented. Up close to 1.
3 Johnson's

Progeny (3-1) Judged jointly with Mrs P Wilson
1 Roach's Ch Hebe Aleatory in Holderness JW Sh CM Appeared more matched in construction and marking and all moved well.
2 Scott's Dalendale Sinaloa Not quite the togetherness of 1 in family traits, but nonetheless a good group.