I would like to thank the officers and committee of Bath CS for inviting me to judge Dalmatians at the 2014 Championship Show It was both an honour and a pleasure to officiate at this level for the first time.
I would also like to thank my stewards Alex and Victoria who did a great job of keeping me in order. I am also grateful to all the exhibitors who allow me to judge their dogs.
In the early classes of both dog and bitch I found a number of exhibits which were unhappy or unwilling to be handled. At one point I had to consider if I should make or withhold awards. After some thought I decide to make the awards on the basis that this was due to a lack of training or of socialisation rather than an inherent nervousness. In the rest of the classes I found some super dogs and bitches the majority of which I had never had hands on.
My CC winners were both fully mature, a 6 year old dog and a 4 year old bitch. Each demonstrated Style, Movement, Elegance and Handling which was a joy to see and should be a lesson to all. My RCC were both 2 Year olds who are just reaching maturity and also showed very similar qualities.
Bath had provided a great ring, with short, lawn quality grass, and a ground anchored tape marking the side of the ring. Despite this many exhibitors found it impossible to move their dogs in a straight line and a number managed to get themselves between me and the dog, when moving back down the ring.
In a free running breed like ours, dogs and owners both need to learn not to meander about the ring and that constantly pulling the dog back to line ruins any chance of seeing the correct tracking. Ideally the dog should be on a loose lead moving alongside the handler in a straight line.

Dogs

Minor Puppy Dog 2

1 - Cooper - Charmindals Goldfinger , B/W lightly decorated 8month male well-muscled with good bone, Sound front, good legs and feet, fairly plain face, good bite. Not entirely happy being gone over.
2 – Davies - Caught Out , L/W better decorated then 1, but as yet lacking body weight and confidence. Finer bone throughout lacks fore chest but at 6 months is young enough to develop some of these requirements.

Puppy Dog 4 (1)

I – Cadden - Phadante Jambalaha B/W 9 Month male well made, good strong bone and muscle all through, masculine head and face well decorated with defined stop and dark eyes. An abundance of confidence stood foursquare on strong straight legs, deep brisket and well tucked loin, defined quarters and well-rounded bottom. Good tail set, good bend of stifle and correct hocks. Moved with drive and maintained topline. A good outing for what I was later informed was both his and his owner’s first show. Best Puppy
2 - Brett - Stardally Prince Charming B/W 10 month old Lighter and smaller than 1 not the muscle or confidence I would expect of a dog at this stage in development.
3 – Davies - Caught Out

Junior Dog 2

I - Ely - Wintermine Gaucho - L/W 12 month male. Well developed, good body shape and weight, lightly decorated face Good eye colour, good teeth and bite, well developed stop. Stands too close to handler, which spoils his neck and topline. Super feet and nails. Nice tuck up and quarters, great bend of stifle and well let down hocks. Used his strengths on the move but tended to meander about at will. I am sure he will improve with experience
2 - Brett - Stardally Prince Charming

Novice Dog 4

I - Ely - Wintermine Gaucho
2 – Hajee & Tidcombe – Rainbeau of Hope B/W well marked if a bit untidy, finer than 1 needs to deepen brisket and lift loin to improve underline but a good topline. Lighter boned all through and finer head, short tail. Moved well and maintained line on the move.
3 - Hurst - Philcarthom Xcaliber At Finnidal

Post Grad Dog 6

1 - Hobbs & Whiting - Boutonneux Baby Buco Avec Rapanooey JW A dog and owner with complete rapport. Sound head with good friendly eyes, good stop strong muzzel and good teeth. Would like more angulation in hindquarter but sound mover who flows round the ring. Comfortably decorated black spot. well-made and shapely
2 – Lewis - Dashwood Diamond Jubilee By Hunterswood B/W Lovely masculine head heavier boned than 1 with a lovely top and under line. Not blessed with the best decoration but a strong and economical mover. Just not looking on top form today.
3 - Scott-Allen & Davis - Tolutim Yaffle

Limit Dog 7 (3)

1 - Lewis - Dalpetro D’Artagnan Of Hunterswood JW Sh.CM B/W Good Size strong male with great muscle and bone all through. Well decorated head and face good eyes and teeth, used ears well. Great topline, strong tail. Deep brisket and well tucked loin, great bone down to tight feet which spoke well of exercise. At the back power and strength. Moved really well.
2 – Edens - Dalens Hot Gossip JW Sh.CM B/W lighter built then 1 but elegant and with a good friendy attitude moved well but would like a bit more of him.
3 - Williams - Phadante Brighton Rock

Open Dog 5

1 - Hultink - DK Ch,Int,Ch. Nl Ch. VDH Norsk Ch. Solbo’s Kayo CW12 EJW 09 AW - B/W 6 year old bred in Norway by Mrs Ivarsson and now resident in the Netherlands this dog is a picture of health strength and elegance. He is slightly bigger than most UK stock but our standard allows for variation in size and this dogs overall balance more than justifies his consideration. A masculine head, he has a confident friendly outlook with good dark eyes, well developed stop, strong muzzel and beautiful teeth that sits on top of a powerful, graceful neck. Clean correct shoulders and a lovely fore chest tell you that both heart and lungs are well developed and have plenty of room, the well sprung and deep brisket confirms this. Strong boned legs finish in tight feet with short well used nails. Moving back a level topline and strong well-muscled quarters top a shapely underline. The thighs are well muscled a great bend of stifle speaks of power well set down vertical hocks take you to the powerful rear feet. The tail is correctly set and carried, thick at insertion it tapers slowly to the tip which reaches to the hock. On the move this dog and his handler are a picture of harmony moving freely together without any stress. The front reach is fabulous and the drive from behind combines to give this dog an enormous length of stride this alone make it appear that he is moving too fast but the eyes are being deceived the movement is beautiful and for him this is a trot. I was very happy to award him DCC and BOB . When I got home I looked up this dog’s record on the BDC website and found that he had won RCC at Crufts 2013 and CC at Crufts 2014 and todays CC was his second in just 4 visits to the UK. I hope he will return to compete for his third and claim his UK Title.
2 - Whincup -Tamilnda Panther Lilly JW Sh.CM A 2 year old black spot exhibited by breeder and reaching maturity with everything in the right place and stage of development, A lovely head and face well developed stop sound bite. Strong neck not as long as 1. Great shoulders and front, deep brisket. Good well boned legs and feet short nails. Nice topline, strong loins, would like a little more tuck up. Well-developed quarters, not quite the bend of stifle of 1 but good hocks. Moved in tune with handler and drove hard to take his place. I would have been very happy to award him a ticket but not today. I was delighted to see him achieve his title just 4 days later under Howard Ogden RCC
3 - Alexander - Ch. Offordale Chevalier JW A very worthy champion whose strength causes his handler to struggle. Today the competition was very strong and it was not his day.

Bitches

Minor Puppy Bitch 3

1 – Eden - The Ice Queen At Dalens B/W Still growing, lovely head good eyes and teeth uses ears expressive face, good bone and feet deep well sprung ribs level topline Moved well BPB
2 – Kaal Schunikka Wishbone Sulky – L/W Good size untidy marking, deceptive decoration on brisket hides shape. Nice head, good bite but didn’t us ears to advantage. Good bone and feet good bend of stifle needs to use tail more
3 – Eden Native New Yorker At Dalens

Puppy Bitch 5 (20

1 – Eden - The Ice Queen At Dalens
2 – Davies Dalens Ginger Spice – Profuse Liver spot with some dally rash nice head good bone developing quarters used tail well but a bit scatty on the move. needs more work.
3 – Hobbs - Rapanooey Rhapsody

Junior Bitch 8

I - Quayle - Cubalibre Follow On – B/W Beautifully decorated young bitch. Feminine head, dark eye, lovely ears, good muzzel, clean teeth correct bite, well used ears. Beautiful body contruction strong bone tight cat feet good tailset and use Developed hind quarters great bend of stifle with well let down hocks. Moved in perfect balance and harmony with owner. A star in the making.
2 – Alexander - Offordale Amsthyst – I first saw this B/W Bitch at 4 months and I though then that she was going to be a great adult. I still do! In make shape and decoration she parallels 1 with just a little more bend of stifle and just a touch shorter in length. But today the handler failed, by a very narrow margin, to achieve the beautiful balanced harmony shown by 1. Already a success I look forward to watching this bitch develop.
3 - Gardener Dvojica Black Again At Wrendragge JW

Novice Bitch 5

I – Finlay Dvijica Black Swan at Dalfin B/W Good size and well decorated good bone nice head good feet well- developed muscle long and happy tail, move really nicely.
2 – Ely Wintermine Giocoso – L/W Profuse decoration but a plain face well defined stop good teeth and bite friendly. Well-developed muscle good condition plenty of bone could do with handler moving a bit faster to hold her attention.
3 – Edens Native New Yorker at Dalens

Post Grad Bitch 16 (2)

1 - Suggett Dalesbred Geebee Gold for Kintegus - Another profusely decorated L/W Very well spotted face and dark ears, dark eyes, good bite, long neck. Good sized body well- developed muscle, good feet, long well used tail another who could have benefited from been moved a little faster.
2 - Whincup - Tamilanda Blue Water Lilly - B/W a very happy bitch Nice head and neck, good shoulder, deep body, great bone, lovely hind quarters, well used tail. One to watch
3 - Thorne Castletop Penderyn

Limit Bitch 6 (1)

I – Stocks - Kalokairie’s Lady Bollinger At Nospar.JW - A super B/W bitch with picture box spotting. Very attentine to owner and completely balanced beautiful head long clean neck strong shoulders good forechest deep well sprung brisket well boned legs down to tight cat feet short nails. Moving back strong correct length of loin, Tail set and carried correctly. Well-developed thigh super stifle and hocks. Moving freely and with drive matched handler throughout, never put a foot wrong. RCC
2 - Radford –House - Fivejays Oloroso - L/W well decorated happy girl Good head, body, muscle and bone. Not as fully developed as 1 and coat need to clear a little. Moved well.
3 – Mcmanus - Boschendal lady In Red

Open Bitch 6 (1)

I – Quayle - Ch.Cubalibra Spot On JW – B/W the most perfectly formed bitch today. Very pretty face with beautiful ears, which she uses. Strong but feminine head darkest eyes, correct bite, graceful curved neck, great shoulders and fore chest straight legs, tight feet with good pads. Topline level, tail straight, ribs well sprung, brisket down to elbow, substantial body strong loin, developed thigh’s, vertical hocks, power in every inch which she uses moving with reach and drive she matches her handler in every pace well-earned 28th CC and she gave the dog a run for his money in the challenge
2 – Whincup - Tamilanda Hot Pink – L/W a very attentive bitch who dances to her handlers tune. Very feminine and shapely slightly longer in length and leaner on the loin then 1. Sometimes overstretches, which can spoil her topline. Moves with drive and freedom.
3 – Gibbs - Ch. Phadante Dixie lily JW – B/W a strong bitch who makes her handler work very hard. Dam to best puppy

Veteran Bitch 1

1 – Neath-Duggan - Ch Buffrey Sprig O Mint – An old favourite. 9 years old and still in full fitness she shows just how well Dalmatians age. The can be little that can be added to what has already been written about this lovely girl It was a pleasure to go over her.

John McCarthy (kilndandy)