Critique - 22 Jul 12
CAIRN TERRIER CLUB OF NEW SOUTH WALES INC.
Critique of the Breed Classes at the 49th ANNUAL CHAMPIONSHIP SHOW 22 July 2012
Judge Derek Hyde
Firstly I would like say thank you for allowing me the privilege of judging your show. It is a shame that my benefit was at the cost of Mrs Fiona Cameron's ill health.
Before I proceed into my individual comments I would like to make a few general comments. I find the judging process a challenging and taxing exercise which at the same time is stimulating. To perhaps misquote a past Chairman of the Kennel Club, Mr McCandlish "there is nothing better than assessing an beautiful dog - except assessing two beautiful dogs and deciding which is the better." When it comes to a point where two exhibits are of similar high quality, the final decision has to be not on how good the elements are but on how the entity of one measures up against the other. In other words how much better one "fills the eye" than the other.
When judging I approach each specimen in the same way and consider: proportions of height to whither to length of back to length of neck; head and expression - which encompasses ears, eyes and all other components of the head; basic construction (Forequarters, ribbing, loin and angle of croup and hindquarters); coat, the one item, in the Cairn standard, labelled as very important; and attitude - all within the parameters set by the written standard.
On the day I found an overall consistency of type and quality that doesn't occur in many breeds. From the perspective of proportions only a few did not fit the proportion descriptions in your standard - medium length of leg and back, neck not short. This does allow a degree of interpretation but does exclude exaggeration. Heads did vary quite considerably with only a few fitting the way I see the standard requirements - not many broad skulls and stops that were not deep enough, eyes and mouths were good and only a few ears not to my liking. In the main shoulders and bodies were good or acceptable; top-lines good - on occasion marred by croups not flat enough to permit a proper set and carriage of tail. Coats varied a great deal but mainly due to the stage of preparation where some were a bit tight and others profuse to the point of appearing open. The standard starts with the words agile and alert and, later, active, game, fearless and gay; unfortunately I found many seemed a be rather flat in this regard. Could this be by being overly disciplined to behave in what, by some, is considered to be a proper manner and not being allowed to be themselves?
Dogs
Class 3. First Ex. No 1 LOCHRIN BLAIR ATHOL. This puppy was of good proportions, skull could be a little wider but this may improve with age. His coat is on the youthful side but of good texture. Slight slope on croup.
Class 4. First Ex. No 3 KOTERANA HADLEE Body proportions good, nice head with fair breadth of skull, expression very good, ears perhaps a little high but certainly looks alert and this helps the expression. Flat croup, movement good. Coat felt of good texture but seemed somehow overly bulky.
Second, Ex. No 4 KALAN GINGER TEA Proportions good. Pleasing expression, with nice eyes, I would have preferred slightly higher ear but if properly alert this could change. Good body but croup not as good as first dog but moved well enough. Coat of excellent quality.
Class 5. First and Reserve Challenge, Ex, No 5 NZ CH UNIQUECOTTAGE HARRIS TWEED (Imp UK) Beautifully proportioned dog. Head with broad skull and deep stop combined with excellent eyes and ear placement resulting in a pleasing expression. Good coat. Nicely bodied with a flat croup moved really well.
Second, Ex No 6 GLENCHESS GINGER (Imp UK) Looked a bit short in leg but this could be due to being misled by the coat . Ears let this dog down but head otherwise good. Not a s good in croup as the first dog. Moved well enough.
Class 10. First, Ex No 10 CH CRAIGEND CHILIARCH Proportion very good . Nice dog perhaps stop could be more pronounced, strong muzzle and ear placement good, all adding up to a nice expression. A little proud of his tail but this could be contributed to by his croup which couldn't have been any flatter this enabled him drive well behind and he reached out well in front and got round the ring in proper fashion. Well coated.
Second, Ex No 7 COLLESSIE WILD EDRIC Good proportion. Expression not as good as first. Ears a bit high, skull broad enough but I would prefer a deeper stop. Slight slope on croup. Good coat. Moved well enough but didn't reach and drive as well as the previous dog.
Class 11. First and Challenge Dog, Ex No 11 CH COLLESSIE ARCHIDUC JOSEF This dogs coat was perplexing as it was very tight, this made the dog look a little long in the leg, making allowance for this his proportions were good. I liked his head with a broad skull, deep stop and defined indentation; all this with good ear placement and a decent eye making for an excellent expression. Strong top-line with a flat croup, well carried tail and went round the ring well showing proper movement and temperament. He was well up to size but not to the extent of looking untypical.
Class 12. First, Ex No 13 CH CRAIGEND WICKERSLACK Very good proportions. Fairly dark brindle. Broad skull perhaps not enough stop. Good ears. Proper flat croup with associated correct carriage of tail. Moved well for an old chap.
Bitches
Class 2A. First, Ex No 14 KOTERANA TURIPA Nice little bitch with a fantastic coat. A bit of a handful on the table but once she had settled down on the ground she looked the part. Of course she has a lot of development to do but should have a promising future. It's interesting to see note that she was sired by the Reserve Challenge Dog.
Class 3A. This was the closest contested class that I had, really. I had to judge these two very thoroughly and it was hard work..
First, Ex No 15 CRAIGEND GINGER N LIME Good head and expression which is enhanced by the furnishings on her head. Ears could be placed ever so slightly to the side. Coat very good. Croup flat and she moved very well with good tail carriage.
Second, Ex No 16 CRAIGEND WINTERS SONG By no means inferior to the first placegetter. Proportions possibly showing a little short in leg at this stage but not something of real concern. Very attentive and alert as required in the standard. Sometimes ear placement appears too high but given the alertness, acceptable. Expression good. Croup flat and she moved very well with good tail carriage.
Class 4A. First, Ex No 19 COLLESSIE KATHRYN MORLEY Bodily proportions good. Very nice head, she had a relation of breadth of skull and depth of stop which was just about right; all this with good ear placement made for a proper expression. With a flat croup she was able to get around the ring well. A good coat not quite as tight as I would like but certainly good enough.
Second Ex No 22 KALAN MIXED SPICE Smaller bitch with a really nice coat. Proportions good. Sadly didn't use her ears well enough to give a good expression when compared with the first placegetter. Flat croup and carried tail well and got round the ring well enough.
Third Ex No 18 LOCHRIN GOLDEN PEACH As far as proportions go I felt she was a bit short in back. Head proportions satisfactory. Ear placement not so good so expression was spoilt. Didn't get round the ring as well as the other two. Good coat.
Class 5A. First Ex No 25 CH CRAIGEND WICKED GAME Good proportions. I loved her head skull broad, deep stop, ear placement good. Good expression and that bit of furnishing around the head made it just right. Good top-line, flat croup moved well. A smashing coat. A clear winner.
Second Ex No23 CRAIGEND CANDELARIO Looked a bit short on leg. Very nice head and expression provided by broadish skull, good stop and ear placement. Croup could be a little flatter. Moved well from the side. Good coat.
Third Ex No 24 COLLESSIE WICKED DUCHESS Not a great deal of coat but of good texture makes her look a bit long in the back but proportions are, in fact, good. I would prefer a bit broader skull. Ears nice and alert. A bit of slope on croup but moved well.
Class 10A. A difficult class to judge as all three had different qualities and deficiencies making them difficult to compare.
First Ex No 31 KALAN KUSMI Proportions good could have a better top-line.. Head good with broad skull and deep stop, good ear placement and dark eye all made for an excellent expression. Croup flat and carried her tail well. Moved well enough.
Second Ex No 30 COLLESSIE MAGGIE LAUDER Good proportions. Fair head and expression.. Broad skull and depth of stop OK..Nice coat Moved well.
Third Ex No 27 LOCHRIN SOMEWHERE IN TIME Perhaps could be a bit longer in back, some judges may prefer this. Head and expression good. She is a well practiced show bitch and moved well.
Class 11A. First and Challenge Bitch and Best in Show Ex No 34 CH KALAN LUZIANNE I liked this bitch's proportions. Very nice head with good breadth of skull and deep stop. Ear placement just right She had a level top-line and a flat croup. Plenty of coat of quality with a good undercoat. Moved well from the side and going and coming.
Second Ex No 32 CRAIGEND CLANDASTINE May appear short in the leg but this is probably associated with the coat distribution. Head and expression were good but I couldn't look at her ear placement until later in the class. Flat croup and moved well.
Third Ex No 33 CELTWAY SAVANNAH ROSE Proportions spoiled by lack of coat on her underline making her look a bit tubular and long but really I think her proportions are good. Her head was good enough but needed more breadth to her skull. She had a slight slope on her croup but she moved well.
Class 12A. First and Reserve Bitch, Ex No 35 ENG CH & AUST CH UNIQUECOTTAGE GLENGETTIE (Imp UK) Proportions very good. Very appealing head with broad skull with deep stop and strong foreface and great ear placement. Level top-line and flat croup not showing her age at all, got round the ring well. Nice coat. I observed to myself that she would be a contender for the Challenge
CHALLENGE BITCH ………34…….
RESERVE CHALLENGE BITCH ………35…….
Best of in Show ............34.........
Class 18. First Ex No 36 EMERALDCITY THE WILD ONE Carrying good coat, head and expression fine and moved well for an oldy.
NEUTER DOG CERTIFICATE …………36………
Class 18A. First Ex No 37 CH EMERALDCITY BRIETTA She is still a show dog in spite of her age. Similar in head and coat to the dog but with a flatter croup. She moved and showed well
NEUTER BITCH CERTIFICATE ...............37.................