WORKING AND PASTORAL BREEDS OF WALES
APRIL 2022

First, I want to thank the Working & Pastoral Breeds Association of Wales for inviting me to judge at their very impressive show. I also want to thank the exhibitors for trusting me with their precious dogs and for the sporty way in which they received my decisions.

The Standard describes the Collie as a dog of great beauty, standing with an impassive dignity with no part out of proportion. So that is what I was seeking but not what I found! For me, the head proportions, eyes, and ears are of the utmost importance with this regal breed. I was, however, struggling to find exhibits which pleased me in these points. The clean, blunt wedge head outlines with a flat skull, a moderate stop then parallel muzzle of equal length was hard to find. Some heads had excessive stop definition so in profile they resembled a ski jump and often were accompanied by an over short snipy foreface. Also, lots of oversized and/or wide set ears which were over tipped. As a result, the bright, intelligent and engaging expression the breed can have, was not as visible as often as I would have liked.

My other problem was that so many exhibits were short in leg length for their body depth, so the desired elegance was missing. As far as coats were concerned, I felt some were over coated and lacking the harsh outer coat which is so important in herding dogs. When moving, some exhibits found the floor surface not to their liking whilst others, perhaps more outgoing in temperament moved easily as though born to it.
In conclusion, my winners were very pleasing and were good representatives of this noble breed

Veteran
This was a very strong class and overall I think it was the strongest class on the day.
1st Place, Triforce Dragon Heart ShCM (Mrs R S & Mr J R Thorne), I just loved this 9.5 years old stallion. He had a quality head with the right proportions. He had a typical expression with obliquely set almond-shaped eyes and he carried his ears well. Dragon Heart had a typical outline and he was well constructed. He impressed me on the move, and I considered him for the CC, but in the final minute Phactor pulled out all the stop and won the match. RCC
2nd Place, Essanjay Dark Moon Rising (Mr S G & Mrs J Williams). Another dog which I really liked and he pushed very hard. This dog did also have a first-class head with a very nice expression. Standing I preferred him to Dragon Heart, but the later won because he was more alert and kept the hight over the withers better on the move.
3rd Place Imaginist Waxing Lyrical (Miss D M Collino)

Minor Puppy Dog
1st Place, Luminous Moon (Mrs D & Miss S Vogan) Very promising puppy which I think will go a long way. I loved his head, and he had a great neck and outline. He is I loved his head and he had a nice arched neck which he carries proudly. Luminous Moon is well developed for age and standing he gives a true picture. He moved around the ring as a little prince. It was interesting to see that he’s a son of my BOB winner. BP
2nd Place, Rannaleroch Perfect Storm (Mr J & Ms C Barron & Jenkins). Smallish dog which would rather not have been at the show. His head planes could have been more parallel, but he was quite well-constructed. On the day he didn’t want to move roperly.

Puppy Dog
1st Place, Takhisis Lysander (Mrs M L Chaplin). Nice dog of excellent type. Quite a nice head, neck and outline. Lysander has strong quarters and he moved very well.
2nd Place, Wicani Obsidian Dagger at Rossavon (Mrs R Macdonald), It’s a lot to like about this youngster, but his front lets him down. He has a very good head, even if his eyes are a bit round. He has a superb outline and moves well around the ring, but he needs to improve in front coming towards you. If Obsidian Dagger improves in front with age, he will end up a superb Collie.
3rd Place Phreelancer Phederal Agent at Mejola (Mrs J White)

Junior Dog
1st Place, Gemheid Troubleshooter (Miss A Hainie), Another dog which please me. He could have gone a long way if it hadn’t been for his tail carriage. Troubleshooter had e very nice head even if it’s a bit heavy in back skull. He has an excellent neck, and he is well constructed. He moved very well, but the tail carriage disturbed the outline.
2nd Place, Wicani Obsidian Dagger at Rossavon (Mrs R Macdonald)
3rd Place, Phreelancer Phinal Salute (Ms Mclarty)

Novice Dog
1st Place, Wicani Obsidian Dagger at Rossavon (Mrs R Macdonald).
2nd Place, Phreelancer Phederal Agent at Mejola (Mrs J White), Nice dog of good type. Quite a nice head, He is well-constructed, but front feet are too flat. I preferred the presence of the winner.
3rd Place, Rannaleroch Perfect Storm (Mr J & Ms C Barron & Jenkins)

Graduate Dog
1st Place, Afterglow Invocation (Mrs & Mr Harvey), Attractive, quality dog of excellent type with a very nice head. Invocation is well angulated and moved well with a great tail carriage.
2nd Place, Starlenga Elijah Blue at Gataj (Mrs M A Lockyer), Nice dog which is well constructed. but I would like a better head. I would have liked his planes to be more parallel and I would like more length. He moved well.
3rd Place, Chelborn That'll Do (Mrs V Cronk)

Post Graduate Dog
1st Place, Phreelancer Phortunes Leap (Ms Mclarty), Dog of very good type. He has quite a nice head, but his planes would have been more parallel. He is well constructed, and he moved well.
2nd Place, Essanjay Against All Odds (Mrs K Phillips), Big dog of good type. Quite a nice head, but a bit heavy in back skull. Ears could have been lighter. Well angulated, moved well.
3rd Place, Lynmack Starman (Miss A M Mills)

Limit Dog
1st Place, Phreelancer Chill Phactor for Elshajo (Miss E Bluck), Here he was, the King of the day. This dog’s expression projected a perfect balance between skull and foreface and his head resembles a well-blunted clean wedge with a flat skull. His ears are well arried with a third tipping forward. Phactor was upstanding and he looked active and full of life. I could envisage this gentleman doing a day’s work. He had the right outline with a firm back and a slight rise over the loin which is so typical in a Collie. It was a pleasure to see him move effortlessly around the ring with plenty of drive. He carried his tail with a slight upward swirl at the tip, which was an extra plus. Last, but not least I was impressed by his rich tan markings which is so difficult to get in Blue Merle. I was delighted to see him being shortlisted in the group. CC & BOB
2nd Place, Brooklynson Black Diamond with Dancol (Mr C L, Mrs E A & Mr D G Jones). This was another top quality dog of high class. He had many of the same qualities as the winner, but I preferred the topline of Phactor on the move.
3rd Place, Aqualita Its A Miracle (Mr D, Mrs H & Miss I Allsopp)

Open Dog
1st Place, Int Ch Skabona The Gambler at Chelborn (Imp Swe) (Mrs V Cronk), This was a top-quality dog, which gave and excellent picture of a Collie. He is excellently put together and he moved very
well. When I gave him the class, I thought he would be my CC winner. In the final line up I did, however, feel that though his head was excellent looking at it from the front: I would have preferred a smoother side profile.
2nd Place, Ch Mejola Fate and Fortune ShCEx (Mrs J White). I really liked this excellent male. I was taken by all his positive points because Fate and Fortune ticked most of the right boxes. He has an excellent outline, he was well angulated both end and he was impressive on the move. He had a very nice head, but for me his expression was spoiled by his left ear which on the day he never managed to get to stand right. I tried hard, but every time I looked his ear was heavily tipped to the left. If that hadn’t been the case, he would have won the class and maybe gone even further.
3rd Place Ingledene Fantasy of Blu (Mr J N & Mrs V Geddes)
Minor Puppy Bitch
1st Place Shining Star Du Clos De Seawind at Gataj (Imp Fra) NAF TAF (Mrs M A Lockyer), Promising youngster of good type. She was well developed for age, and she moved very well.

Puppy Bitch
1st Place, Takhisis Midsummer Dawn (Mrs S L Wray-Ramsden), Another promising puppy of excellent type. She is well constructed, and she moved well.
2nd Place, Mejola Main Event (Mrs J White). Very similar to the winner in type and quality. I just thought the winner had the edge on the move. 3rd Place Starlenga Nina Simone (Mr G & Mrs M & Mrs L Walker & Walker & Ritchie)

Junior Bitch
1st Place Mejola Main Event (Mrs J White)

Novice Bitch
1st Place, Takhisis Summer Solstice at Rannaleroch (Mr J & Ms C Barron & Jenkins), Bitch od good type with a nice head. Good quarters, but front could be better. Moves quite well
2nd Place, Riverside Song Narayana at Uffspring (Imp Rom) (Mrs J Spendelow), Another attractive bitch with quite a nice head, but the planes should be more parallel. Well developed in body moved quite well.

Graduate Bitch
1st Place, Thistlewing Spell On You (Mrs B P Welsh), Nice bitch of excellent type. Good head and neck, but topline could be stronger. She moves very well.
2nd Place, Starlenga All About Me (Mr G & Mrs M & Mrs L Walker & Walker & Ritchie), Another nice bitch which moved and stood well. I did. However, prefer the head carriage on the winner.

Post Graduate Bitch
1st Place, Ingledene Nite N'chanting (Mr J N & Mrs V Geddes), What I first and foremost liked about this quality bitch was her beautiful head with a very attractive expression. This was the head I had been looking for all a day. It had perfect relations between a flat skull and a well developed muzzle with a good under jaw. The head had parallel planes and the sides tapered gradually and smoothly from the ears to her black nose. For me Nite N'chanting had the best head on the day and I gave her credit for that. The bitch is well developed in body and she has the right angulations. When this is said I must admit that I would have preferred her to be slightly higher on her legs and her croup fell off a bit too much. RCC
2nd Place, Ingledene Midnite Skye with Fivejays (Mrs M J Radford-House), Here we go again. This very nice bitch which was similar to the winner in quality, but the winner carried herself better on the
move.
3rd Place, Aldreen Illusion in Blue for Didek (Mr D & Mrs D Farthing)

Limit Bitch
1st Place, Serenlas Heaven in Blu (Mrs S Flower), This was a fist class collie bitch of excellent type. She had a nice head, was well constructed and moved very well.
2nd Place, Aaronwell Azena for Lexcol (Mrs A F & Miss J A Swain & Hopper), Another quality bitch which pushed hard, but I preferred the winner on the move.
3rd Place, Jemspark Maid in Secret (Mrs S Beare)

Open Bitch
1st Place, Phreelancer Phaith Hill (Mrs L Newman), Here she was the lady, who captured my heart. She is an upstanding girl, and she has the right body proportion. She was alert and she has a nice head with parallel planes. She has strength, but she was feminine all through with no trace of clodiness. Phaith had a great outline. She had the right hight over the withers and was fairly broad behind the shoulders. She has well sprung ribs and a deep chest. All this plus the fact that she moved like a professional athlete made me give her the CC without any hesitation. It was interesting to hear that she was the mother of my CC winning dog. CC & BOS
2nd Place, Karafaye Black Beauty (Mrs L Quince), This was a quality bitch of good type. She had a lot of plusses, but I preferred the topline of the winner on the move.
3rd Place Call Me Dreamer in Blue for Ileyda Della Verde Scozia JW (Imp It) (Mrs D Iley)