THE WELSH KENNEL CLUB

Judges Critiques

Mrs Marion FINNEY

Judging: Hound Group, Irish Wolfhound

I always look forward to judging Irish Wolfhounds in the UK. I am aware that much less breeding is taking place, which is worrying for the breed’s future.  I understand that keeping a large breed is not always easy & getting more expensive, but we need to continue careful breeding of our beloved breed, otherwise the breed will disimprove in type, construction & movement. We need the breeders who have devoted so much of their lives to keep producing quality hounds and to take the time to be mentoring the breeders of the future. My advice to new breed enthusiasts is learn from your peers, not from what you learn on social media. Visit long established successful breeders & listen to their knowledge & any advice they give you.  The future of the breed is in your hand, so, cherish any help you are given. You all have big shoes to follow in. My entry numerically wasn’t that great but I did find some very nice quality hounds. So thanks to everyone for exhibiting under me. A special thanks to Linda Ward & husband John who were my excellent stewards.

IRISH WOLFHOUND

Judge: Mrs Marion Finney

BEST OF BREED : HEATHER, Miss W Ch Whiteorchard Ad Astra JW
Dog CC : SEVERN-KUMAR, Mrs M L Gaelmarque Russet Roman
Res Dog CC : TEBBUTT, Mrs D Caredig Mafioso
Bitch CC : HEATHER, Miss W Ch Whiteorchard Ad Astra JW
Res Bitch CC : TEBBUTT, Mrs D Caredig Medici
Best Puppy : TEBBUTT, Mrs D Caredig Medici
Best Veteran :

PD (2 Entries) Abs: 0

This puppy dog class certainly started my day off well, 2 really nice well made & reared boys, quite different in many ways but both I expect will have very promising show careers. So I will follow their futures with interest.
1st:  TEBBUTT, Mrs D Caredig Mafioso.

Very well made red/brindle boy, super coat.  Excellent outline & balance. Nice head with good dentition, eyes & ear set. He has a well filled front & very well laid shoulders, but still needs to tighten up a bit. But at 6 months he has lots of time. Good topline going into well made nicely angulated hindquarters, nice breath over the croup, strong hocks & good feet & bone..  On the move he certainly didn’t let himself down, he moved out very well, both side view & coming & going, covering our big ring with easy strides. I was happy to award him the Res CC/Res BP

2nd: SALES, Mr John Francistown Billy

A rangy tall grey/brindle puppy. So much to like about him too. He certainly has quality throughout &, although at a more gangly stage & still needs to grow into his big frame, he holds a very balanced outline.  Nice head but a touch too much stop, nice eye, & ear set & good dentition. Lovely bone & super strong forelegs, very strong muscular hindquarters. When he decided to move, he really kept his shape well & drove around the ring very impressively.

ND (2 Entries) Abs: 0
1st: PANTOJA, Miss Emily Killoughery Rockafella

Substantial, muscular dog carrying a bit too much weight, he is also slightly long cast, so he does look short on the leg. Nice head but eyes a touch light & his feet are slightly flat with straightish pasterns. He does have a very nice body with ribbing carried well back & useful strongly made hindquarters. He moves out very soundly coming, going & side view, holding his topline & shape.

2nd: HUGHES, Mrs Sylvia & HUGHES, Mr David CLUARANEDGE CARADOG
Very attractive red dog, with nice proportions, he has a pleasing head & very bright alert eyes. He has nice length of leg but is a bit straight in pastern. Unfortunately, he is not trained to move trotting around the ring, so his movement was very uncoordinated, not helped by his tail showing off how happy he was.  And he could do with better grooming & overall presentation.

PGD (2 Entries) Abs: 0
1st: DONALDSON, Mrs A E & SMALLWOOD, Mr J.  Rainster Euan at Kirkcarswell

Tall, impressive dog, nice head but too deep in stop, nice eye, ears rather flat. Very strong neck with correct crested back of skull fitting into well laid shoulders but would like more upper arm. Nice body with good width, a touch long in loin. Strong well angulated hindquarters, which he really uses well on the move. His movement coming, going & side view is very true. Well presented.

2nd: HUGHES, Mrs Sylvia & HUGHES, Mr David Sanffraidd Brenig

Old fashioned type with a lovely outgoing temperament, rather plain head, nice overall proportions, feet flat. Moves out well & is sound, but, like his kennel mate, he needs some show ring training & grooming.

LD (2 Entries) Abs: 0
1st: REEVES, Mr & Mrs Don & Wendy Whiteorchard Arcturus

This dog has really lovely type, shown in well groomed coat of excellent texture. Beautiful balanced head & eyes, ears held flat. Strong neck going into well made front, good body, ribs carried well back, very nice top & bottom lines. Strong muscular hindquarters. But he is carrying too much body weight, which is deepening his chest making his legs look short & out of balance. He moves very soundly with a lovely easy & active movement. A really nice dog of correct type but needs some dieting to reach his full potential.

2nd: RILEY, Miss Mandy King Merlin:

Nice red wheaten dog, beautiful head with super dark eyes & good nose pigmentation & good rose ears. Nicely made front fitting well into a rather long body.  He has a narrow, steep croup & would like more strength in rear and  is inclined to fly his tail on the move. This dog needs careful handling as if not moved at the right speed he bounces along, but when speed was sorted out he did show nice correct movement.

Class OD (2 Entries) Abs: 0
1st: SEVERN-KUMAR, Mrs M L Gaelmarque Russet Roman

Very nice sighthound type & with correct balance throughout, shown in good jacket. Very nice head with correct proportions. Strong neck fitting into well laid shoulder, well filled front, a little more upper arm would be nice. Good bone, feet & ribbing. He is slightly steep in croup but does have very well functional hindquarters & good second thigh. His side view movement is very true & coming & going as well. But he just lacks some commanding appearance to complete the full picture.  Very well presented & handled. Pleasure awarding him the  CC.
2nd: DAWSON, Mrs Fiona & DAWSON, Mr Graeme Hydebeck Dream Tyme of Graefyn

Substantial grey dog presented in harsh jacket. Nice type, rather too deep in brisket & I would like him in harder muscular condition. Very typical balanced head, strong neck going into very good front angulation, rather soft topline standing. Good bone, feet a bit flat.  Rather short flat croup.  Moving he is very close behind & just loses some shape on the move.

PB (3 Entries) Abs: 0

Again, I was spoilt for choice with 2 lovely young girl siblings to the puppy dogs. Both alike their brother is type & quality so I feel both owners have a lot to look forward to & exciting times ahead in the ring & for the future of their kennels.

1st: TEBBUTT, Mrs D Caredig Medici

.A real quality girl, very shapely body. Very nice head & expression, excellent jacket bone & feet. Lovely strong body with ribbing carried well back. Nice croup & nicely angulated strong hindquarters. Her movement is so good for such a young girl. She covers the ground with easy strides… Delighted to award her the Res CC/BPIB

2nd: SALES, Mr John Francistown Bonnie

This girl has a fabulous outline oozing true sighthound type, pleasing head & expression. She has a super strong arched neck fitting into a good topline, presently she can look a little straight in front but that should improve in time. Lovely broad, well muscled HQs which were really shown off well on the move.

Class NB (1 Entries) Abs: 0
1st: CATLOW, Mrs Elaine & CATLOW, Mr Philip Hydebeck Ring of Roses

Very nice typey girl, pleasing head if a little fine in foreface, nice dark expressive eyes & rose ears. She has nicely angulated shoulders & well filled front. A touch straight in pastern, correct breath & length of body for her height. Coat a bit soft. Unfortunately she let herself down moving. Would like to see her in harder muscular condition.

Class LB (4 Entries) Abs: 0
1st: SEVERN-KUMAR, Mrs M L Gaelmarque Etheldreda

This is a lovely grey/brindle girl, with a very nice overall outline & type. Pleasing correct head, nicely angulated, well filled front, her brisket is at max depth for her length of leg. She is a fraction light in bone for her body. Nicely angulated HQs which perform very well with good drive from her low hocks. So her movement is nice & & active covering the ground with easy strides. Beautifully handled & presented & so nice to see a handler using a loose lead. Just wish this girl looked more relaxed in the ring .

2nd: HEATHER, Miss W Whiteorchard Aurora JW 

Good quality grey girl, nice head but a bit deep in stop, nice eye & ear set, correct bite. Very balanced proportions overall.  Lovely harsh well groomed jacket. Can stand a bit slack in topline. She moves out very soundly with an impressive side view action but she needs to relax & enjoy her day out.

3rd: CATLOW, Mrs Elaine & CATLOW, Mr Philip Hydebeck Dream of Lorelei at Laoiseach

Class OB (5 Entries) Abs: 1
1st: HEATHER, Miss W Ch Whiteorchard Ad Astra JW

This lovely grey/brindle girl really said I have come to win today. She is so correctly balanced all over with no exaggeration. Oozes correct type, pleasing head with dark eyes & rose ears & good pigmentation, correct bite. Nicely angulated shoulders, good well filled forehand, correct breadth & depth of body for her frame. Nice broad croup & tail set & good feet.  All this put together on the move she was a real joy to see. She just glided with easy strides around our large ring. Privileged to award her the CC/BOB.

2nd: HARMER, Mr & Mrs K F & Y T Comedias it's About Liberty at Ballanroo (Swed Imp}

This is a lovely dark grey girl. So much to like & admire in her. Great type, structure, head eyes ears & dentition. Well laid shoulders & well filled front, nice rise over the loin & broad well muscled croup & nicely angulated HQs. At first moving she wasn’t settled but as time went on she started showing that she can really move with coordination using her lovely angulation & strong muscles to best advantage. But she was carrying just too much coat, so much so around her front that it gave the impression she was short in leg, a good grooming is very much needed. I did call her to challenge for the res CC, but on the day preferred the puppy bitch.
3rd:  SEVERN-KUMAR, Mrs M L Gaelmarque Caroline
Res:  SALES, mr John maneater von der Eichenkoppel

 

Marion A Finney  (Judge)