Northern Ireland Dalmatian Club Championship Show
Saturday September 25 2010

It is always a privilege to be invited to judge our wonderful Dalmatians at this level and I thank the NIDC Committee for inviting me to judge this very special show. I also thank all the exhibitors travelling from Ireland, N Ireland and the mainland for entering today, as I am acutely aware of the current economic climate. Whether you won or not, I truly appreciated you entering your beloved Dalmatians. Finally I must thank my stewards who always work in the most professional manner.
It was reassuring to find that the dogs were of a very happy disposition and temperaments were sound. The overall quality of the principal winners was excellent. However there is still a great deal of inconsistency in overall type e.g. tall dogs that are too high on the leg, which means that they not balanced. We have an ongoing issue with movement that is incorrect – too many incidences of sidewinding/ crabbing i.e. the dogs’ movement does not meet the standard. There are some issues with top lines, bites and tail sets which are variable. On the plus side there are some examples of excellent feet, good deep pigmentation and dark eyes. I was absolutely thrilled with my major winners who move with drive and could do the job of a carriage dog. There are also some very nice youngsters who show great promise. As ever these comments are general and are meant to be helpful in planning future breeding.

Veteran Dog (1)

1 McCarthy’s Ch Ir Ch Tollwood Lionel at Kilndandy JW. At nine years old he remains a handsome masculine dog. His construction and overall conformation are excellent meeting the breed standard. Good neck and shoulders into a good front but carrying some excess weight over his shoulders, totally forgivable at his age and I still love this fine example of the breed standard. Showed and moved with real enthusiasm today. BVD

MPD (2 - 1)

1 MacDonald & Dunnachie’s Dvojica Vital Vote – Baby black spotted puppy exactly six months old, full of life as a puppy should be!. Nicely made with ample bone and good feet, well turned stifle at this stage, dark eye and appealing expression.

PD (3 - 1)

Two promising youngsters
1 Lewis’s Dalpetro D'Artagnan of Hunterswood Black spotted with good bone and correct feet. Good front and rear assembly and moved well driving from the rear. Attractive head and gleaming coat with good pigmentation. BP D
2 Lamb’s Kalsidoni Dexter by Dalpetro. Nice size young male with good overall balance, good feet and bone,. Nicely decorated but coat needs to clear. Preferred head and movement on 1.

JD (1)

1 Robinson’s Mullabuoy Razzle Dazzle Black spotted male, at fifteen months still needs time to mature. Has good deep brisket and heart room, good turn of stifle and correct dark eyes. Stood alone but well deserved his placing

SYD (3)

1 Lewis’s Dalpetro D'Artagnan of Hunterswood
2 Welch’s Major of Dot Young male, dark eye and appealing expression. Much lighter in bone than 1 and didn’t move with the same drive.
3 O’Connell’s Showman Eyes Cosmo

MD(1)

1 Welch’s Major of Dot

ND(1)

1 Lamb’s Kalsidoni Dexter by Dalpetro

PGD (2)

1 Beaumont & Croft’s Koroyza Candy Man. Masculine dog with plenty of bone and substance and clear black spotting. Shorter in the loin than some but covered the ground efficiently and effectively and maintained a level top line. Well muscled and in tip top condition. Well let down hock and good turn of stifle.
2 Webster’s Tynevale Truly Talented at Dalmarno Attractive liver colour in spotting, this dog was longer in the loin than one with deep chest. Did not move with power or drive of 1.

LD (4)

1st Christie’s Sophtspot Abracadabra JW. Beautifully presented black spotted dog. Elegant outline but with plenty of substance, he has deep brisket and good spring of rib. Well balanced on the move and standing, has good tail set. Lovely head with kind expression. This dog pushed hard and was in contention for top honours – his day will surely come soon!
2 McCarthy’s Kilndandy Old Copper . Beautiful liver colour and decoration. Well boned and muscled with nice front and rear. He has a good level topline on the move and drives true front and rear. More compact than 1 but preferred head of 1on the day.
3rd Caldwell’s Kalsidoni Quartz

OD (9)

Very nice class
1 Casey’s Ch Ir Ch Camargue Calvin Klein Upstanding masculine black spotted quality dog with attractive balanced outline but not in any way overdone. Presented in excellent condition. Sound construction, good front assembly with deep brisket, good lay of shoulder and ample heart room .Correct rear with good bend of stifle. Moved effortlessly around the ring maintaining a level topline with good reach and powerful drive– could go all day. Dark eye and kind expression completed the picture and meant I could not deny him CC BIS
2nd Dunnachie’s Ch Sophtspot Sugar Daddy at Dvojica JW This dog has a lovely outline, is nicely decorated and is expertly handled, exactly the same as the last time I judged him. Has a good head leading into clean neck and defined withers. Appealing expression, correct ear set and level topline, all present a lovely specimen from front and side. Moved well around the ring with drive and really took my eye but was unfortunate to meet 1 who moved with more drive and was in sparkling, unbeatable form. RCC. RBIS
3rd Lewis’s Man About Town at Hunterswood ShCM

VB (4 - 1)

1 Caldwell’s Ch Ir Ch Int Ch Medal Venus ShCM A lovely, truly feminine example of the breed – a long time favourite of mine. At nine years old she is in excellent condition and oozes quality in all departments. Most feminine head with dark eyes and pretty expression. Good ear carriage. Correct length of neck into good shoulders. Good deep chest with correct tuckup. Good round bone, correct feet and nice turn of stifle enabled her to move out well. Was in contention in the challenge. BVIS
2 Beaumont & Croft’s Konavlje Carpe Diem via Koroyza. At 10 ¾ years another most feminine black spotted girl displaying many of the great qualities of the Konavlje line. Lovely silhouette, good shoulder placement and front, excellent rear angulation – she kept a level topline on the move. Sweet expression with nice dark eye. Unlucky to have met 1on the day.
3 Pearson Medala Calamity Kate from Cannabee

MPB (5 - 1)

Very promising class
1 Chance & Dodds Dvojica Vivid Vocation At 6 months old, one of three siblings entered on the day, all of very good quality and exhibiting the beginning of the type produced by this line. Good bone and substance, good feet and well set tail. Level topline standing. Pretty head and expression, moved well and showed happily. BPIS
2 Dunnachie’s Dvojica Vote For Me. Very similar to 1, extremely attractive but marginally shorter in the loin at this stage of development. I am sure they will change places on a regular basis as they mature.
3 Goodswen’s Tamilanda Pink Asterism from Alphadal

PB (5 - 1)

1 Clarke’s Klarkeson Royal Lace Very attractive, substantial youngster with a quality head and very dark eyes. Clear spotting with good depth of pigment – she has good reach of neck leading into a level topline with a well set tail. She moved well around the ring and was beautifully presented. One to watch.
2 Dunnachie’s Dvojica Vote for Me
3 Goodswen’s Tamilanda Pink Angel from Alphadal

JB (1)

1Sansom’s Camargue Centrepage Stood alone, but nonetheless a very nicely marked youngster with very pleasing overall confirmation and good bone who deserved her placing. Pretty head. Well balanced and moved well with correct drive but tended to want to play with her handler when standing. A very promising future in store for this one.

SYB(3)

Two very nice liver bitches
1 Smallwood’s Lascelles Lady Marmalade. Good colour liver spotting with dark eye. Good shoulders and well assembled front. Sound rear construction which enabled good movement around the ring.
2 Chance & Dodds Tynevale Take A Chance Very attractive head and well decorated liver spotted bitch. Slightly taller than 1 and just preferred 1’s movement today.
3 O'Connoll’s Lady of Otterstown

MB(2)

1 Goodswen’s Pressma Gold Dust Woman from Alphadal Somewhat elegant bitch, pretty head with dark eye and spotting but didn’t move to full advantage
2 Welch’s Kisses By Hershey Liver spotted girl, heavily marked, sweet temperament, but generally too fine overall, not as well presented as she could have been as she had been playing in the mud!

NB (2)

1 Clarke’s Klarkeson Royal Lace
2 Welch Kisses by Hershey

PGB(5)

1 Cheetam’s Koroyza Cute as Candy for Dollywood A good quality bitch. Nice head and expression with dark eye. Good length of neck merging into well laid shoulders. Good turn of stifle and well let down hocks. Compact build but balanced at the rear and consequently moves well and with enough drive to do the job.
2 Whincup’s Tamilanda Lily the Pink JW, ShCM Another nice quality bitch, longer in the loin than 1, moves well and is expertly handled. Feminine head, attractive spotting, just preferred 1 on this occasion.
3 Smallwood’s Lascelles Lady Marmalade

LB (6 - 1)

1 Whincup’s Tamilanda Hot Pink Very nice quality bitch with lovely correct coloured liver decoration. Good size and feminine type. Well proportioned throughout, with good rear angulation producing powerful rear drive. Beautifully presented and handled - pushing hard for top honours.
2 Fort’s Shulune Fantazy on Ice Jw ShCM Substantial bitch with good bone but retaining elegance. Sound on the move coming from her good front and rear action. Lovely head and leading into good neck and shoulders. Marginally longer than one - preferred 1 on the day.
3 Page’s Winflash Magic Mystery JW

OB (12 - 1)

A very strong class with many superb examples of the breed and loved the quality of my final cut.
1 Smallwood’s Mapplewell Dancing Queen at Lascelles On this occasion this bitch demanded my attention and got it - a lovely liver spotted bitch who is well constructed and balanced overall, drove powerfully and could do the road going work required of a Dalmatian. When moving around the ring she maintained a level top line and moved correctly front and aft. Her rich liver decoration on a sleek and glossy coat with her attractive, appealing head and kind expression with well set ears made filled my eye. Her title cannot be far way BCC, BOS.
2 Dunnachie’s Ch Dvojica Voulez Vouz A very nice quality feminine bitch who has the capacity to do the job of a moving breed. Feminine head, dark eye and lovely decoration. She moved well and can cover the ground with ease due to her good front and rear action leading to a well balanced outline. Beautifully presented and handled. Like her immensely - unlucky on the day as preferred 1.
3 Christie’s Ch Sophtspot Snap Crackle N Pop JW

Brace (1)

1. Gamble's Brace – Lovely brace – well handled,

Best Breeder in Breed

1. Whincup

Christina C Pickup