2014 Open Show Critiques

2014 Open Show Critiques by Chris Lewis
I would like to thank the Officers and committee for inviting me to judge and for their warm hospitality. I very much appreciated Chairman David Hartley’s tribute to Rosie.
I was pleased to have such a large entry which made most classes really competitive. The presence of only a single puppy was surprising and could be worrying for the future. My main concern is the generally poor front movement, not always helped by the handler. I was concerned with a movement I have not seen before. On going away from the judge the hound appears to “rock and roll” This was in some case associated with gross crossing of the fore feet, in others they single tracked at the front, some but not all had very upright forearms. I am intrigued to know why this should be. Rear movement was generally good with only a few too close. Bitch movement was slightly better than in the dogs  With it being so easy to film/video these days it would pay dividends for exhibitors to use these as an aid to seeing just how their hounds move or how they move them. It was clear that the more experienced handlers had found the correct pace with which to move. Several hounds carried far too much weight and few were fit. In some cases, although all the mouths were correct dirty teeth were present in some younger hounds. On the plus side very few short tails and those that were, were only marginally so. Feet were good with a virtual absence of cat feet. Slope of shoulders have improved, so necessary for a flowing outline. Bone was correct and hock to ground was within the standard.
Dogs
I was saddened that the minor puppy was absent and there were no entries in Puppy dog.
Junior Dog
1st Mr K. Carter’s cream/fawn Charrioak Regulus good outline with a deep chest and good cut up, one of the fitter dogs and moved well ,although slightly loose at the pastern but this should correct with age.
2nd Mr. D. F. and Mrs. E.J. Lever’s cream/fawn Charrioak Alshemail litter brother to 1st. Less deep chest and bottom line did not flow. Fit and moved well close up to winner.
3rd Mrs. K Constantine’s  Charrioak Adhafera another litter  brother, less well developed than the 1st and 2nd moved less well too close in front.
Yearling Dog
Only two entries. 1st Mr K. Carter’s Charrioak Regulus. 2nd Ms. C. Harrison’s Charrioak Algieba cream rather short coupled for me but fit with good bone lost out on movement.
Novice Dog.
1st Carter’s Charrioak Regulus.2nd Lever’s Charrioak Alshemail. 3rd Harrison’s Charrioak Algieba
Graduate Dog
Only two entries. My poorest class. 1st Mr. D Haworth and Miss A.J. Cornock. Muntaz Perseus red large but with good top line and was fit but outline failed to flow, movement left much to be desired, case of filming and correcting handling.
2nd Miss J. Hodge’s Khalfani grizzle smaller, somewhat nervous needs more exercise to body up
which in turn should assist is movement both front and rear. Front construction was good so should improve.
Post Graduate Dog
Only a single entry which was absent.
Limit Dog
A good strong entry of 6 hounds. 1st and Reserve best dog    Ms C. Harrison’s Charrioak Sagittarius red good top line and deep chest with plenty of heart room with correct bone and excellent feet. The only one in the class to move correctly. Shown and moved with precision. .
2nd Mr. R.M. & Mrs. C Pickering’s Kasaque Newark black fringed fawn. Good outline with a deep chest and cut up, good bone and feet, nothing exaggerated, but failed to move as well as 1st.
3rd  Mrs. S Edge’s Fernlark Elswavo, red, rather short coupled for me but good deep chest and cut up, nice doggy expression. Sadly moved poorly but with practice and determining his best speed could improve.
Open Dog
Poor movement by all three entries made this a difficult class to judge.1st  Mrs S Edge’s Fernlark Rum “n”Black at Dawnchase black and silver good outline with deep chest and correct cut up, well placed shoulder and both bone and feet were ideal.Moved best of a poor class.
2nd Mr J.C. & Mrs C. Owen’s. Caryna Curetes Black silver and tan good top line but lack of depth of chest spoilt lower outline. Well laid shoulder and correct forearm, one of the few with a marginally short tail. Moved poorly but feel taken at a different pace this could be corrected.
3rd Mr A & Mrs J.A. Bloomfield’s. Glenoak Jabari not in best condition being over fat and unfit. Wide over the loins but good bottom line, bone and feet. Another with a marginal tai.l Let himself down by moving badly on the day and I am sure if fitter this could be improved.
Special Beginners
Mrs. K Constantine’s Charrioak Adhafera
Veteran Dog
A good class of five hounds.1st and Best Dog and Reserve best in Show and Best Veteran in Show Mrs. V. A. Tompkins Sivendra Abishai black and silver, the youngest and therefore at an advantage, had real ring presence, well balanced with good top line and deep chest and cut up. Excellent shoulder and forearm, hocks perhaps a little short but in no way compromised rear movement. Probably the best mover of all the dogs
2nd Mr A & Mrs J.A. Bloomfield’s Safaniyah Kulak black fringed red, top line poor but offset by deep chest and good cut up good feet and bone. Moved better than most.
3rd Mrs J.M. White’s Muntaz Khamsin of Timellie rather showed his nine years. Excellent top line and well placed shoulder and forearm. Spoiled his chance of higher placing by poor movement.
Bitches
Puppy Bitch
Only a single entry Mrs. M.E. Sanders Parker,s Noushzad Claudia- Classicus Best Puppy in Show Well developed for her age with a outline fulfilling the standard with an excellent top line and good cut up for one so young. Moved well slightly loose at the elbow but will improve with maturity.
Junior Bitch
A good class of seven. 1st Mrs. H Davies& Ms C Harrison’s Cherrioak Sheerzam. Striking white bitch with good top line, deep chest and good bone and feet. Moved well with good drive.
2nd Mrs. K. Constantine’s red and white one of the fitter hounds, excellent deep chest with correct cut up, well balanced but could carry a little more weight. Moved well and close behind winner.
3rd Mrs M.E. Sanders ParkerKhallis Cressida-Classicus good outline with good top line and reachy neck. Good bone but feet less saluki like than the two above her. Moved less well than the other two and was loose at the elbow which again should improve with time and exercise.
Yearling Bitch
Mr.B Mansell, Mrs J Duddell & Mr. L Johnston’s Fernlark Schussboomer Reserve Best Bitch beautifully balanced grizzle with real presence looked the judge in the eye. Excellent top line correct shoulder and forearm with classic saluki feet.
2nd Mrs S Edge’s Dawn Queen another grizzle slightly shorted coupled than 1st,  less a show lady on the day but good top line and deep chest. Beautifully laid shoulder. Moved correctly.
3rd Ms.Sanders parker’s Khallis Cressida-Classicus.
Novice Bitch
1st Mr.G Lydon’s Sirtanome Saskia striking black and tan with presence, well balanced with a good top line complimented by a deep chest and cut up. Excellent lay of shoulder and balanced forearm. moved well.
2nd Mrs S. Edge’s Badi Biadiah similar type to winner with balance and like most of the bitches good hock to ground distance and good flat bone. Moved slightly less impressively than winner.
3rd   Mr.K Carter’s Charrioak Zeta Leonis cream with nice outline, good deep chest but top line
less good than two ahead. Well laid shoulder and fore arm so was puzzled when she let herself down when moving.
Graduate Bitch
This looked to be the strongest class but 3 absentees reduced my choice.
1st Mr. G Stone’s Sirtanome Saskia
2nd Mrs. S.Edge’s Fernlark Tahiti Typhoon cream good top line and reachy neck good second thigh well set shoulders. Moved far better at second attempt
3rd Mr.& Mrs Parnham’s Rhumli Khahesh  Sahab of Amirah lovely well balanced bitch with good top line and deep chest  typical saluki expression would have been higher except she let herself down with loose front movement.
Post Graduate Bitch
1st Mr & MRs Parnham’s RhumliKhahesh Sahab of Amirah moved far better in this class
2nd Ms Smithson’s Chisobee Sahraa U Aasifah red excellent outline with well placed shoulder and strong second thigh with good bone, moved well close up to 1st.
3rd Mrs l & Miss M Shaw’s Anisah’s Say What You See top line spoilt by over fat but good shoulder and well placed hocks and good feet, moved better than some.
Limit Bitch
1st Mr I L & Mrs D A Rogers’Labakan Chiffonier Best Bitch and Best of Breed.  Beauitiful well balanced bitch with huge ring presence. Has all the attributes of excellent top line set off by deep chest and cut up. Well laid shoulder and fore arm. Well developed second thigh and good feet. Move positively and well.
2nd Mrs C. Harrison’s Charrioak Meridionalis good outline and fit with deep chest and cutup, slightly less balanced than winner although competed in all departments including a good second thigh.
3rd. Mrs L & Miss M Shaw’s Anisah’s Desert Stalker suffered  by comparison with those above her in outline but had good lay of shoulder and well constructed hind quarters. Moved poorly but taken more slowly could improve.
Open Bitch
1st Mrs H Davies’ Charrioak Nunki red with some presence. Good outline deep chest and well placed shoulder and fore arm, well developed second thigh and good hocks. Moved adequately but needs to drive off the hind legs more.
2nd Mr A Burtenshaws & Mrs G Cook’s Fernlark Nardini at Daandazi. Black Fringed Red good
outline deep chest shoulder well laid but forearm a little upright lacked second thigh and hocks a little high. Let herself down badly in front movement as did so many others but good drive behind.
Special Beginners
1st Mrs K Constantine’s Charrioak Asta Leonis 2nd Mr G. Lydon’s Sirtanome Saskia
3rd Mr G Lydon’s Sirtanome Sefiriot  Good outline less mature than 2nd well laid shoulder and good fore arm balanced hind construction. Moved well.
Veteran Bitch
Only two in the class but difficult to decide the placings.
1st Ms M Smithson’s Chisobee Serenarian Well constructed bitch with excellent outline. Well placed
shoulder and forearm with good bone and feet Slightly overweight and could have been fitter but moved as soundly as any on the day.
2nd Mrs D Garratt & Miss S Oakey’s beautiful bitch excellent outline and balanced well placed shoulder but slightly upright forearm Good hindquarters. Lost it on poor front movement like so many others a degree of crossing.
Progeny
Single entry from Ms C Harrison with the off spring of Charrioak Meridionalis