It was an honour to be invited to judge at this prestige Association’s Championship Show where I judged the dogs alongside specialist Hilary Baker who judged the bitches. We were in agreement on all of the final decisions.  Best in Show and Reserve Best in Show went to the two top males of the day who had been in a close decision for the CC – Ch Vanmore Stop and Stare at Castleon and Jaydania Bjorn Borg – still a yearling.Best   Opposite Sex and Best Puppy went to the elegant fawn Bourntwyn By My Side.  Best Veteran the lovely bitch I liked a lot Dainmajik the Sorceress.
I was disappointed in the entry, both numerically and in the depth of quality. I am very aware of the difficulties in rearing giant breeds and the awkward stages of growth which take the youngsters into the ‘ugly duckling’ stage out of which a beautiful Dane may develop. However, some of the post adolescent dogs had serious shortcomings in basic anatomy which are serious drawbacks which I can’t overlook; poor rears with lack of second thighs, cow hocks and really poor rear action. Straight shoulders and lack of chest was also prevalent faults. There were plenty of quality heads. Temperaments were lacking in too many adults – again I can forgive youngsters in need of experience, but I like some style in the adults – the final four all had type, quality and style and I also liked very much the harlequin Yearling winner, the 2nd in Open Dog and the highly promising mantle male from Junior – these were the dogs of the day for me.
A very good atmosphere prevailed at the show and I was made to feel very welcome by Mrs Duckworth and her team. It was lovely to have time to chat with Jean Lanning the President – a mine of experience and good sense. And finally, my excellent stewards Ann Merwick, the most powerfully voiced steward ever, she could fill the Royal Opera house with power like that and Marion Hogarth. They were super-efficient and good company.

MPD (8, 3)
1 Morgan-Evans Vanmore Nosey Parker 6 months need some schooling and confidence but a good winner here – well grown, well angulated and sound – the best mover in the class. Square, leggy – head needs time but he has quality. Best Dog Puppy.
2 Lemon Oldcharm Ronan 6 months needs to grow on but I liked his shape and soundness. I liked his head and sys. Like the winner needs some schooling but has a strong rear which he uses well and is straight in his front action Nice puppy.
3 Simpson Renescent Reyt Good

PD (5, 0)
1 Seddon Zefather’s Freedom Fighter at Tenaya well grown 10 months fawn of good proportions. Scored in head and rear angulation to tin this class. Well angulated at both ends. A lot of substance on his good rib cage. Can firm up in rear action. Needs more confidence in his carriage.
2 Rose Rayjen Scrabble 10 months blue, excellent ribcage, bone and fee and has plenty of dash and dare. A little heavy in head and can let down a little more in the rear, but he has a lot to like and shown in lovely condition.
3 Bithell Bourntwyn Rags to Riches

JD (7, 2) Top two here in close contention and I considered them both two class youngsters both with good futures ahead.
1 Young Gretadane I’m in Bother with Iluvadane 17 months squarely made and balanced and an excellent mover at both ends. I’s prefer his ribcage carried further back but he carries his topline well. Masculine head free from coarseness. Had the pull in chest and finish of body here and made the last 4 in the challenge should go on to a very good future.
2 Burton Ravendane Deal Me in with Elbarevol 17 months mantle, great carriage and style and a very good stride. Quality head and eye. He is a little narrow through chest and body yet but I think he will have a very good future when he develops more substance and chest. Charismatic presence and style. Best Mantle Male.
3 Bishton & Marriott Griffindane Tigris from Jaydania

YD (7, 2)
1 Draysey Jaemluk Jaque of Clunton 19 months heavily marked harlequin who needs to fill out through the body but a good winner here for quality and movement and carriage. Clean head, eye could be a little tighter but he is a teenager and has promise. I liked his proportions and movement. He can go on to have a good career.
2 Thurlby Justinian Lord Bradley 18 months fawn – good proportions but at the moment slack in topline and not the reach or drive of the winner. A good head type rather marred by a large eye.
3 McGowan Kinnegams Twisted Fire Starter
PGD (3, 0) Disappointing class
1 Bollons Bandwar for Aces High 20 months black, he has good proportions but needs to develop in chest and this shows in his loose action in front. Just a little strong in backskull on an otherwise good head and expression. Needs more confidence.
2 Robinson Preveli Be Yourself 4 years fawn, tall dog who had a lovely head and expression. He is a little straight in front action and narrow on the move but better topline and stronger rear on the day than.
3 Dyson Samdice My Hero

LD (4, 1)
1 Bishton Jaydania Bjorn Borg the dog I would have taken home on the day and he should have a good future, balanced, squarely built fawn of 22 months lovely type and sound easy action very good head, expression and neck. Can firms a little in topline but he is ultra sound at both ends. Just needs a little more style in his carriage and will be hard to get past. RDCC and RBIS
2 Bollons Day Sue Born Ready 4 years harlequin, has good proportions and has quality in the head. A little wide in the rear. Good temperament.

SVD (5, 3)
1 Flanagan Dainmajik Dante for Soupury 8 years mantle – a little heavy in body but carries a very good outline and has powerful quarters and good front action. Excellent topline. He needs more leg and is a touch over angulated but his soundness of action won him this class.
2 Robinson Preveli Manos elegant fawn of 7 years, standing made a lovely picture with a beautiful head and good topline. Rather narrow in front and just shows his age in front action.

SOBD (2, 0)
1 Bishton & Marriott Griffindane Tigris from Jaydania teenager of 13 months who was 3rd in Junior class. Good proportions. Can fill out over the croup. Quality in head. Can settle in front action Needs a little more second thigh. Easy winner here for type and quality and maturity will help him a lot.
2 Flanagan Dainmajik The Enchanter for Soupury 7 years very tall brindle who is over angulated at the rear and now rather uncoordinated in front. Very happy temperament.

SOFD (4, 1)
1 Robinson Preveli Be Yourself 4 years good headed dog of pleasing proportions tall and balance. Can be cleaner in front action but scored in topline.
2 Ingram Dainmajik The Wizard came late into the ring and never really settled to the job. 3 years old tall dog with good leg length. Standing could have won it but on the move uncoordinated and loosing his topline. Scores in substance and has quality but not seen at his best here.
3 Cranfield Nl Ch Zefather’s Heartbreaker

SOBD (3, 0)
1 Bollons Bandwar for Aces High
2 Pepper Danemoor Black Watche for Sarawen 2 years old, more developed in chest than the winner but not as clean moving at both ends. Lovely proportions, short coupled. Good head planes, rather spoiled by his eye set which could be more frontally placed.
3 Maciejko Rayjen Backgammon

SOBD (3, 1)
1 Pepper Sarawen Arch Deacon 3 years has a degree of elegance but needs to fill out in body and firm up in topline. Excellent head planes. Can fill out over the croup.
2 Southgate Bombadier Boy Via Leamap 22 months tall heavily built dog with massive bone and a wonderful temperament and he is sound. He is just a little too heavy in type for my interpretation. Shown in lovely condition.

SOHD (5, 1)
1 Pocock Tamzdane Oh My Apple Pie 2 years rather long in the body for his length of leg, accentuated by needing more body on him. Scored in head and topline to win this class. Good profile stride. A little lose in the rear.
2 Shadbolt Akura Final Frontier almost 6 years, good proportions but rather heavy in head. I preferred his balance to the winner but his rear action is close and needs more confidence in his carriage.
3 Bollons Day Sue Born Ready

SOMD (3, 2)
1 Burton Ravendane Deal Me in with Elbarevol

OD (4, 1)
1 Webb & Morgan-Evans Ch Vanmore Stop and Stare at Castleon 4 years, has a beautiful outline with crested neck and a lovely head. A touch short in his ribcage but holds his topline well and is accurate and scopey on the move. Could carry a little more body to advantage but a classy dog.
2 Seddon Tenaya Cherokee Lone Wolf 3 years very good proportions with good ribbing but carrying too much weight making him look a little stuffy in neck on the day. Sound mover. Needs a little more confidence in his carriage.
3 Ryan & George Keirkane’s King of the Throne

CD (1, 0)
1 Chappell & Williams Ch Selmalda The Journey 3 years fawn with excellent head. Squarely built but could be ribbed further back. Good front action but could be cleaner through the hocks on the move. In excellent condition. Good bone and feet. Made the last four where his topline could not match those above him.