I always look forward to judging the Dalmatians & this was no exception. I found the bitches to be far superior to the dogs today in depth of quality & could happily have awarded several BCCs. Not so in the nales until I turned around to look at OD which lifted my spirits somewhat. My overall concern was the lack of any real definition to the hindquarters in so many of the males, a worrying trend when one considers their function.

PD (4,1a) Lewis' Dalpetro D'Artagnan of Hunterswood, promising youngster, clean & balanced in outline, yet to fill in chest, holds topline well, fairly tidy mover; 2 Thorne's Kesteven Helter Skelter at Castletop, very straightforward dog of good proportions who presents very clean lines, easy balanced mover; 3 Lambs' Kalsidoni Dexter by Dalpetro.

JD (3) 1 Talbots Winflash Wille Do It at Leaveslake, good for balance & proportions, displays a very pleasing side gait, clean in head with dark eye & correct muzzle proportions, length to his arched neck into clean shoulder & front. Enough spring to rib for age. Firm topline, good tailset & carriage, some definition to quarters; 2 Whiting's Cibrith Captain Kirk, presents a much more compact outline, balanced head, decent front assembly, good topline but did not please in tail carriage, steady mover; 3 Littler's Kelevra Man In The Mirror.

YD (4) 1 Dodds & Pearsons Kelevra Hudson Hawk, very clean in outline & so well balanced, head well laid out with medium brown eye, scores in arch & length to neck, decent front with respectable forechest, ribs are well sprung & topline firm, good tailset & carriage, reachy mover; 2 Townson & Pardoes' Buffrey Follow That Star, rather a handful for his owner but deserved his place here, masculine without exaggeration, good expression, moderate stop, straight forelimbs, reasonable spring to ribs, some rear definition, reachy mover once settled to the job in hand; 3 Whittings' Cibrith Captain Kirk.

PGD (7,4) 1 Croft's Doubtwell Show Stopper, masculine b/s who scored here in hindquarters, clean head with moderate stop, decent front assembly, arch to neck, deep well sprung ribs, firm topline also held on the move, good tailset & carriage; 2 Williams' Phadante Brighton Rock, head well laid out & carried on arched neck, decent front. Needs to develop in hindquarters. Well ribbed up, sensible tail carriage & a reachy mover; 3 Beaumont & Croft's Koroyza Candy Man.

LD (7,4) 1 McCarthys' Kilndandy Old Copper, clean outline & neck, good topline & body properties, decent tailset & some definition to quarters, well marked, steady mover; 2 Gates-Raw & Gartons' Dalendale Quiet Riot, fairly broad in head with moderate stop, clean neck, shoulder & front, ribs quite well sprung but a shade long in loin. Just enough rear angulation, fairly reachy mover; 3 Hardys' Mountsorrel Crescendo of Shydally.

OD (5) 1 Stocks Ch Dalmark The Shaded Moon at Nospar, have admired this liver before, he is so clean & well balanced in outline, expressive eye demands attention, muzzle proportionate to skull, possesses a good straight front down to his knuckled feet, sufficient spring to ribs, excellent topline, tailset & carriage, covers the ground so easily, CC. 2nd Bolts Ch Fakenham Flash Gordon, was very interested to discover the identity of this lad, very close up here & pushed 1 all the way, also very clean in construction & outline, well ribbed with firm loin, quite good rear angulation, well marked, particularly impressive side gait. RCC; 3 Tingey & Tingrys' Holderness Hillbilly by Dallador.

VB (2,1) 1 Gartons Jabbawock The Ringleader, 7 years liver, ultra feminine & well balanced, lightly marked, clean neck & forequarters, depth & spring to ribs, firm loin without any excess weight, level topline, balanced reachy & happy mover.

PB (10) Full house that took some sorting out due to the great diversity in development between 6 & 12 months. 1 Petersen's Dalimese Whos That Girl at Daedalus, promising black with substance yet retaining femininity, expressive head, straight front down to well knuckled feet, clean arched neck, ribs developing well for age, steady in topline & tailset & carried well, good turn of stifle, settled well as the class progressed & grew on me, true on the move. BP; 2 Wright's Boutonneux Artemis of Millbelle, similar & very much all of one piece, liked her expression, straight front, well arched neck, reasonable hind angulation, good tailset & carriage, steady mover; 3 Healeys Hebemor Spice Dice.

JB (6,1) 1 Whitings' Winflash Loopy Loo, attractive, well balanced & very soundly built, liked her head with moderate stop & expressive brown eye, muzzle to suit, decent front assembly, arched neck into good topline, some definition to stifles, moves out respectably & shown to advantage; 2 Thorne's Cibrith Cosmos at Castletop, very feminine & clean cut, ribcage well developed, firm topline into well placed tail, reachy mover; 3 Sheldon's Boutonneux Galathea Gemmont.

YB (4,1) 1 Whitings' Winflash Loopy Loo; 2 Smallwood's Lascelles Lady Marmalade, very neat package, scored in developed hindquarters & finish to head with good expression, firm in topline that she also held on the move, reaches out quite well; 3 Dodda & Pearsons' Kelevra Mercury Rising.

PGB (6) 1 Thorners' Tolutim Drambuie, very smart with cleanest of outlines, feminine head with moderate stop & dark eyes well set carried on arched neck of length, shoulders well laid & tidy in front, deep well sprung ribs carried back, excellent topline & tailset & carriage, well muscled & developed rear, moves out with reach & drive holding shape; 2 Whincup's Tamilanda Lilly The Pink, much to like & also very feminine with clean outline, not quite the finish to head or expression of 1, good body properties, decent hindquarters, she too moved out with good reach & drive; 3 Whitings' Cibrith China Aster.

LB (9,1) Super class. 1 Neath & Duggans' Buffrey Gift Wrapped, smartly marked lady, must have a rosy future, liked her the moment I set eyes on her, from my notes, outline, style, presence & action, just lovely. CC & BOB; 2 Williams' Phadante Bossanova Baby, close up here with many of the same attributes & really splitting hairs. Just marginally preferred expression of 1; 3 Pages' Winflash Magic Mystery.

OB (12,3) Another lovely class. 1 Alexander's Ch Offordale White Lady, believe this one has found favour with me previously, admire her femininity & super expression from dark well placed eye giving lively expression, very clean in neck, shoulder & front, depth to her well sprung ribs, firm straight topline & hindquarters with good turn of stifle, demonstrates super sound action with reach & drive holding outline & tail carriage well. RCC; 2 Cuthbertsons Ch Kalsidonie Garnet, ultra feminine with excellent attributes. Just preferred expression of 1. Well ribbed up, loin just slightly longer than 1. Moderate definition to quarters, excellent mover viewed from any direction; 3 Wright's Angelic Aphrodite for Millbelle.

RODNEY OLDHAM