Show Report – All Ireland Collie & Sheepdog Society Ch. Show
held Sunday 26th August 2007 at the rearranged
venue of St Colmcilles GAA Club Swords.
Firstly, I would like to thank the Officers and Committee of The All Ireland Collie & Sheepdog Society for inviting me to judge at this show. I was delighted and honoured to be invited and it is always a pleasure to be in the company of such wonderful people as the collie folk. The hospitality was superb and the friendly way the placings were accepted is a model for all others to follow.
Overall, on the day, I found the exhibits to be of a standard that shows how very well the collies have progressed here over the years and it was good to see no acute faults in any of the exhibits. The only minor “gripes” – some were getting fed too well! (this does affect movement), some excellent exhibits lost higher placings due to sloppy movement (and this is an environmental not hereditary problem i.e. get the dogs used to some proper exercise) and finally –
dog showing is about getting the best out of your dog in the ring – some of the younger/newer ones need to have more training for the ring – get rid of the idea that the show ring is the training ground. (it is a too expensive place to do the training!)
Please note that these comments are given as advice not criticism and notwithstanding these I feel that the quality of the Rough Collies in Ireland is going from strength to strength and I wish each and every one of you all the best with your collies for the future.
Show report … On the Rough Collies from: Alan G. Staniland –Tashadon Collies
Class 1 Baby Puppy (dog or bitch) - 4-6 months (2) entered (0) absent
1st Tierman’s VALEO BRONYE BELLE
As the name suggests, a delightful 5 month old S/W bitch, excellent conformation in good coat and condition – lovely balance shape, neat little hocks, clean head with sweet expression. Showed very well for one so young, moved soundly and handling and presentation was very good. Has a bright future
2nd Conway’s ALWAYCON HIP HOP
A S/W dog in good coat and condition that also had a good body shape. Nice clean balanced head, neatest of tight feet, moved soundly and handled well.
Another with a bright future to look forward to.
Class 2 Minor Puppy Dog (1) (0)
1st Gibson’s LYNLOU PRINCE OF GOLD (RAF)
Stood alone, - a S/W puppy in good coat and body. Clean head, good bone substance. Needs time to settle down – erratic on the move. Ringcraft training will help to show off some of his qualities better and present a better overall picture in the showring. BEST PUPPY DOG
Class 3 Puppy Dog no entries.
Class 4 Junior Dog (3) (0)
1st Collins’ JOPIUM TOUCH OF SOUL AT TRIBURLE
A very impressive looking S/W dog, in full bloom and body shape. In excellent condition and handled and presented very well. Good bone clean head with neat correctly placed ears dark eyes of correct shape, size and colour all combining to give a good masculine expression. Well balanced muscle tone, good length of back, correct bend of stifle and he moved soundly. Green Star and Res BIS
2nd O’Brien’s BELRAH HARRY’s DELIGHT
An appealing S/W despite lacking in coat (that, will grow back), good show dog. Clean balanced head correct ear carriage, pleasing expression. Sufficiently well boned, moved well but just needs to watch tail on the move as it spoils the outline even though the tail is correctly set.
3rd Heaney’s KYNAN VALHALLA AT COMMEDAGH
Another appealing quality dog with a very nice expression. In good coat and condition, sound in structure but it needs to settle down in order for judges to assess it properly.
Class 5 Intermediate Dog (3) (0)
1st Nicholson’s LOMONDVALE MORNING MIST
A nice, clean headed sable giving an appealing expression. Good body conformation, excellent bone and coat of correct texture but bordering on the very light side. Needs to lighten up on the move.
2nd Kelly’s BALLAHANNA BELFAST BOY
An upstanding male S/W with good balanced conformation, sufficient bone, clean balanced head, excellent ear carriage good dark eye, moved soundly.
3rd McNally’s COPAMAGE JACKFLASH
An impressive looking Tri with good head and body properties. Good bone and conformation. Excellent black coat. Overall a most appealing Tri with an appealing expression but today I felt he was carrying too much weight and as a consequence his movement was very sloppy at the front and far too erratic at the back.
Class 6 Open Dog (10) (4)
1st Gibson’s CASTLEMADDY INDIGO BOY
Nice headed sable – clean and well balanced, a most appealing expression which I liked a lot. Good body shape with coat that fitted the outline but it would be better with more coat – and that will come in time. Moved soundly, good presentation and handling. Overall, a very nice dog
2nd Hodges JOPIUM COOL TOUCH
Blue Merle that appeals instantly with its excellent conformation, coat, bone and neat let down hocks. Clean well balanced head – good eye correctly placed and a pleasing masculine expression. Was reluctant to show today and this spoilt his chances as he seemed to not want to bother despite all the best efforts of his handler. Even his movement appeared sluggish as he just went through the motions. Shame as he is a quality dog and on another day no doubt he will be as bright as a button and will be placed accordingly.
3rd Seale’s ROWLANDS PRINCE OF BELLVALE
Good upstanding S/W, clean head, in good coat and condition moved Ok.
Just preferred the overall shape of the first two.
Class 7 Champion Dog (4) (1)
1st Farrell’s Ch. AMALIE BACK IN BLACK
A quality dog through and through – excellent conformation, good harsh black coat of correct texture and colour, lovely clean head good dark eye, moved very soundly covering the ground with effortless drive. He was very reluctant to use his ears but when he did he showed the masculine expression that was so appealing. A most worthy champion. RESERVE GREEN STAR
2nd O’Neill’s Ch. LYNMEAD LUST AFTER ME AT CARONLEA
A sable and white that appealed instantly he came into the ring. In abundance of coat with ample featherings – good reach of neck topped with the cleanest of correctly tapered heads. Good dark eye, neat correct ear carriage all combining to produce a very appealing expression. Well balanced conformation – good length of back, good bone. A most excellent specimen stood showing but let himself down on the move. Through lack of rear thigh muscle substance he was very close at the back when moving away and this on the day probably cost him some top honours. Nevertheless a quality dog and worthy of his title.
3rd Pettit’s Ch. MYRIEHEWE STRAVNSKEY WITH JONROSE
A Soundly constructed Tri in good jet black coat. Good conformation,clean head, well handled and presented. Needs to watch weight as front movement was not correct.
Class 8 Veteran Dog (1) (0)
1st Carr’s Ch. DONOHILL OLE OLE
Stood alone – a S/W in a mass of coat and featherings – was told he was 9 years old – still with a good conformation and correctly shaped head neat ears good dark eye and an expression that appealed. I was quite impressed with him and it is a shame that his drawback is so prominent. However, he did seem to enjoy his day out and he could still move around the ring and outshine those much younger.
Class 9 Children’s Handling age 8 to 11 (1) (0)
1st Shauna Hodson with Moyhill Ruby Tuesday
Was well competent in getting the exhibit to stand and show and moved around the ring making sure the dog and handler moved in unison.
Class 10 Children’s Handling age 12 to 14 (2) (1)
1st Roberta Heaney (KYNAN VALHALLA
Was able to get the exhibit to stand, show and be examined by the judge. Moved soundly ensuring the exhibit moved at the correct gait.
Class 11 Junior Handling – age 15-18 no entries
Class 12 Minor Puppy Bitch (2) (2)
Class 13 Puppy Bitch (3) (0)
1st McNally’s COPAMAGE MAKE IT MAJIC
A truly delightful S/W very feminine looking bitch. Well balanced conformation, in good coat and condition, clean head with good dark eye and neat well placed ears all combining to give a very appealing, sweet expression. Soundly constructed with ample bone and muscle, good bend of stifle which helped to propel her around the ring – one of the best movers. Best Puppy In Show
2nd Searle’s ROWLANDS PRINCESS GEORGINA
Tri –colour with a very sweet expression, well balanced body shape covered by a correct black coloured coat. Clean balanced head, neat ears and a good show girl.
Rear movement let her down today as she was very loose but rear thigh muscle building exercise should remedy this.
3rd Mitchell’s COPAMAGE CARA MIA
Litter sister to the class winner so similar comments apply except her rear movement let her down in so far as she needs to tighten up here in order to move with the drive as collies should do.
Class 14 Junior Bitch (5) (2)
1st List’s JONROSE CALL ME MADAM AT JENSET
A beautifully compacted Blue merle in good coat,bone and condition – colour was sound with well broken merle markings. Well balanced and clean head, good stop, neat ears good dark eye giving a very sweet feminine expression. Good on the move and was very well handled and presented.
2nd O’Neill’s CARONLEA B WITCHED
A S/W with an excellent balanced body that was structurally correct, neat tight feet in good coat and condition. Cleanest of heads good stop and correct ear carriage. Liked her sweet expression. Another good mover and again handling and presentation was excellent. These two will be forever swapping places.
3rd Hodson’s MOYHILL RUBY TUESDAY
Another good body shaped S/W in good coat that showed off the outline. The head was balanced and clean, pleasant expression. Good bone, moved well and another that benefited from good handling and presentation.
Class 15 Intermediate Bitch (4) (3)
1st Pettit’s LOWERPARK RING O’ROSES
S/W that stood alone in this class. Good balanced conformation nice reach of neck clean head but lacking in stop. Moved ok at rear but was pinning very badly at the front.
Class 16 Open Bitch (12) (7)
1st Kelly’s BALLAHANNA BRITNEY
S/W with excellent confirmation – well balanced clean head with neat well placed ears and good almond shaped eyes. Very feminine expression that was most appealing. In good coat and condition, moved soundly and was very well handled and presented.
2nd Ware’s GEMESTRA PEARL OF WISDOM AT WASSAIL
B/M in good correct coat and bloom with balanced body conformation, good bone and structure. Clean head, sweet in expression, moved soundly good showgirl and was well handled and presented.
3rd Markesky’s BELLE CHIOT AVEC PEPTIDE
Very well presented S/W in good coat and condition. Good outline with nice length of back and good reach of neck. Clean headed, neat ears moved very soundly.
Good show girl in unison with her handler.
4th Conway’s ALWAYCON FIRE CRACKER
Class 17 Champion Bitch Class (5) (2)
1st Collins’ Ch.SALSINACELTIC ROSE AT TRIBURLE
Appealed to me as soon as she entered the ring. Excellent body conformation all correctly proportioned, in full bloom coat with featherings and skirts that swept the floor when she moved effortlessly around the ring. The coat was hiding no faults as she was structurally correct with bone and muscle requirements as they should be. Excellent bend of stifle, good neat feet. Cleanest of balanced heads that when combined with the dark eye and correctly set ear carriage produced the sweetest of feminine expressions. A good showgirl. A most worthy champion and one that was put down to perfection today. Green Star and Best in Show
2nd Farrell’s GB Ch. AMALIE SWEET SURPRISE
Another well balance and proportioned S/W in excellent coat and featherings.
Clean head, good dark eye and neat ear carriage which she could use to produce a lovely sweet feminine expression. Structurally sound as was her movement and credit to the handler for presenting her in immaculate condition. Another most worthy champion. Pushed very hard for the top honours Res Green Star
3rd Farrell’s Ch. GB Ch.& Int Ch. BELRAH CASUAL SURPRISE
Another most worthy champion that excelled in coat and conformation. Clean well balanced head neat well used ears, dark eye sweet expression. Well constructed with correct bone and muscle, good bend of stifle and neat powerful hocks that provided the drive as she moved effortlessly around the ring. Presentation was excellent as was the handling.
All in all there was not a lot to choose between these three and I am sure that on differing days the placings could be in any order.
Class 18 Veteran Bitch (1) (1)
Class 19 Brace (1) (1)
1st Markeskey’s PEPTIDE BUTTER DOWN BEN & PEPTIDE CHIVES
Two shaded sables that really did look as if they were from the same pod. Moved together in perfect harmony around the ring and when stood, made it look easy for the handler as both were receptive for the attention.
Class 20 Best Coloured Tricolour (3) (2)
1st Pettit’s Ch Myriehewe Stravinskey With Jonrose
Class 21 Best Coloured Blue Merle (1) (0)
1st List’s JONROSE CALL ME MADAM AT JENSET
Class 22 Best Coloured Sable & White (4) (1)
1st Markeskey’s BELLE CHIOT AVEC PEPTIDE
2nd Heaney’s KYNAN VALHALLA AT COMMEDAGH
3rd Pettit’s LOWERPARK RING O’ROSES
Thank you all for your entries and I wish you all the best with your rough collies for a peaceful, happy and successful future.
May I leave you with this conundrum to think about :-
We know that TRI-COLOURS are black, white and tan markings
We know that BLUE MERLE means “steel” blue with black marble like markings
BUT why does SABLE & WHITE vary from Dark Brown thro’ to Light Cream and White when the dictionary definition of SABLE is “a very dark or black colour”
Best regards ………..
Alan Staniland Judge : 26/8/2007
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