SVS Open Show Critiques

 

Open Show – 7th April 2024

A thoroughly enjoyable day was had at the Swedish Vallhund Society’s Open Show and my grateful thanks go to the Officers and Committee for their kind invitation to officiate. I was thrilled with the entry of 38 dogs with just 3 absentees on the day. Plenty of quality to be found as I moved through the classes and for a minority breed, it would appear that the breeders are doing a good job and for that they should be commended.

VD (3,1)

1. Stockbridge’s Ch Valladar Call of Duty. This 7 yr old tailless lad got the day off to a good start. He pleased for type and balance, is well boned and was very capably handled here. Strong muscular neck, good forechest, firm level back and well sprung ribs although could extend a little further back. Masculine headpiece with flat skull, good eye and ear and correct dentition. Good angles front and rear and he stands so well in front on correct oval-shaped feet. Moved out freely with excellent carriage.

2. Drinkwater’s Galerita Goji Berrie. 7 yr old with a full tail. This boy also pleased for overall type and carries good bone. Muscular neck of good length, level topline, well sprung ribs which are carried well back and firm loin. Attractive head with expressive oval-shaped eyes, ears good for size and set and scissor bite. He stands on good feet but front assembly could not compete with that of winner. Well handled.

MPD (2,0)

1. Jones’ Valltineya Red Redemption. These two turned out to be litter brothers. My winner was this 8 mth old tailless red and what a super prospect he is. I thought him such a good type, he was so good to go over and presented a lovely balanced outline. Nicely arched neck of good length, firm topline, ribbed well back and correct croup. Quality head and expression with good eye and ear and correct dentition. Soundly built both front and rear, standing true naturally and moved out freely and with attitude. Very well handled. Best Puppy Dog and Reserve Best Dog.

2. Horton’s Valltineya The Outlaw. This tailless pup also has much to like. Nicely balanced with long muscular neck, level back and rib developing well for age. Overall pleasing head with good skull and the required even wedge shape but eyes not quite as good as those of his brother for shape. Firm, muscular hindquarters with good turn of stifle but doesn’t stand quite as good in front as 1. Full of confidence, showing himself off at all times and very well handled.

PD (1,0)

1. Linney’s Aescwine Bottom Dollar. Showy 10 mth old pup who carries good bone. Neck of good length, a fraction longer in body and topline a little unsettled right now but has time on his side, pleasing rib development, muscular loin and natural stump tail. Masculine head with flat skull, dark oval-shaped eyes, ears a tad wider set, strong jaw and correct dentition. Moves well on the go around and is true when going away, straight when coming towards but a fraction wider.

LD (3,0)

1. Perry & Etches’ Starvon Easy On The I Edison. A varied class which saw this 2 yr old come out on top. I felt he was still to fully mature but he has plenty to like. Muscular neck, firm topline, well ribbed back and stump tail. Pleasing head and expression with flat skull, defined stop, good eye and ear and scissor bite. Good angles front and rear and stands true in front on oval-shaped feet and is well developed in forechest. Moves soundly both fore and aft.

2. Spry’s Westorps Wild Thing to Pepperthyme (Imp Swe). Tailless 3 yr old who is quite different in outline to the winner and also with a little less bone but still pleased overall. Excellent length of neck, firm topline and nice spring of rib. Good head and expression with very good eye and ear and correct dentition. Correct angles both ends and he moved freely all through. Feet not quite as knuckled as winner and a little unsettled on the table.

3. Paterson’s Eriksfjord Kairisimo

OD (4,1)

1. Perry & Etches’ Ch Starvon Cryptic Spyda. 6 yr old who scored here for overall type and outline and was good to go over. Muscular neck of good length to balance, firm level back, lovely spring of rib and nice short loin. Quality head with super expression; clean-cut blunt wedge with super eye and ear and scissor bite. Well boned and stands true in front on excellent feet. Shows himself off to advantage, does all that is asked of him and really moves out on the go around and is so good when coming towards. Best Dog.

2. Drinkwater’s Frau Fortuna Aslan (Imp Fin). 4 yr old with a full tail who I placed second on overall type and head and expression. Neck of good length, pretty good topline, well sprung ribs which extend well back and muscular loin. Masculine headpiece with a super expression; very good eye and ear, strong underjaw and good dentition. A tad wider in front but straight and stands on correct oval-shaped feet. Coat of good texture. Good markings.

3. Jones’ Ch Tanellis Bloomin William

VB (6,0)

1. Dodd’s Ch Hurstfield Renen Vixen at Tanellis. 9 yr old shown in super condition. She is a tad longer cast but what a super girl to go over and as sound as they come! Strong, well muscled neck of good length, firm level back, excellent ribbing and full tail. Feminine head with good eye and ear and scissor bite. Good angles front and rear and stands so well naturally on the best of feet and also pleased in forechest. Moves freely all through. Good coat texture. Best Veteran in Show.

2. Paterson’s Eriksfjord Celestial Charm. 8 yr old of completely different type to the winner and although not settled on the table, she was pleasing to go over. Feminine all through, she appealed in outline with nicely arched neck of good length to balance, firm back, well sprung ribs, short loin and full tail. Attractive head with very nice eye and ear. Pleasing angles both ends and stands true with good forechest. Moves out well but winner just had the edge.

3. Day’s Starvon Binit Sinit Dunit with Kirkholme

MPB (2,0)

1. Pallatina’s Valltineya Lasso Ur Dreams. Two quite different pups challenged here and they turned out to be littermates. My winner was this 8 mth red with a full tail. Full of attitude and quality all through. She excelled for type and is beautifully balanced with strong muscular neck of good length, level topline, ribcage extending well back and rib developing well for age and short muscular loin. Delightful head and expression; flat skull, defined stop, good ears for size and set, the very best of eyes and correct dentition. Well made all through and stands so well in front on excellent feet. Certainly didn’t disappoint on the move and was quite something on the go around. Very good markings. Reserve Best Bitch, Reserve Best in Show and Best Puppy in Show.

2. Bowen-Parker’s Valltineya’s Wandering Star among Parkbow. Showy youngster who was very well handled here. Neck of good length to balance, pleasing rib development, topline still to settle, muscular loin and natural stump tail. Feminine headpiece with correct even wedge-shape but eyes not quite the shape of those of her sister. Front needs to tighten but she stands on good feet and has firm, well-muscled hindquarters with good bend of stifle. Moves out well on the go around and drives well from the rear. Good colour and markings.

PB (2,0)

1. Bridgeman’s Valaller Raise The Stakes. Another class which saw two quite different puppies competing. This 10 mth old was my winner although she was not at all happy with her collar! She was good to go over and soundly constructed all through. Neck of good length, excellent topline, ribbed well back, strong loin and full tail. Feminine headpiece with flat skull, defined stop, dark oval-shaped eyes but ears set not quite that of 2. Good angles front and rear and she stands well naturally in front and has correct feet. Moves true.

2. Rorbach’s Valltineya Bella Starr. This 8 mth old pleased for overall type and made the most of herself in the ring. Good length of neck to balance, topline to settle, pleasing rib development for age, short loin and full tail. Attractive head with good skull, ears set on well, eyes of good colour and scissor bite. Good angles both ends but front could not match that of winner either standing or on the move. However, she went very well when viewed in profile. Excellent markings.

JB (2,0)

1. Pallatina’s Valltineya Plot Twist. Two more littermates challenging here and both with much to like. This 16 mth old girl is a super character and pleased for type and outline. Muscular neck of good length, level back, good length to ribcage which is well sprung, strong loin and full tail. Attractive head with feminine expression; ears good for size and set, defined stop and eyes of good colour although a touch rounder. Soundly built both ends and stands true in front on oval-shaped feet. Moves well all through.

2. McGregor & Griffin’s Valltineya Believe In Me over Chogoris. Another who appealed for type and carries nice bone. Excellent length of neck, pretty good topline, nice spring of rib, tad more length to loin and full tail. Feminine headpiece with flat skull, good ears and eyes of good colour but again, a little rounder. She stands well naturally and goes well on the down and back but 1 just had the edge on the go around.

GB (1,0)

1. Dodd’s Chipsmakers Fredrika Stenhammar of Tanellis (Imp Swe). 22 mth old who is feminine throughout, pleased for type and presented a nice outline but I would just like to see a touch more bone. Very good neck, firm level back, ribcage carried well back, slight slope to croup and full tail. Most attractive head and expression with super eye and ear and correct scissor bite. She stands on good feet and moved pretty well on the down and back but could have had a bit more drive from the rear on the go around. Good markings.

PGB (4,0)

1. Borlinghaus & McCann’s Pepperthyme Star Watching. Rather varied class for type. This 4 yr old was my winner, scoring for overall type, outline and bone. Strong neck of good length to balance, level topline, ribcage extends well back, muscular loin and full tail. Nicely proportioned head with ears of good size and set, eyes a tad rounder, strong underjaw and correct dentition. Pleasing construction and stands well in front with good forechest and oval-shaped feet. Went well when viewed in profile and was well handled here.

2. Cameron & Woods’ Bowkol Awesome Yggdrasil. Tailless 21 mth old who was not entirely settled but she is well boned and was good to go over. A little longer than the winner but she has a good length of neck, well sprung ribs and strong muscular loin. Feminine headpiece with dark expressive eyes of good shape, ears correct for size and set, strong underjaw and good dentition. Pleasing angulation both ends and moved pretty well all through.

3. Paterson & Day’s Starvon Fits The Standard at Eriksfjord

LB (2,0)

1. Amon’s Pepperthyme Wild Fire. These two bitches are really quite different to each other. This 20 mth old was my winner and she was so good to go over and well made all through. Excellent length to her strong, muscular neck, firm topline, super ribbing and full tail. Most attractive head and expression with very nice eye and ear and scissor bite. Well laid shoulders and stands well in front with pleasing forechest. Moves out so well on the go around and makes the most of herself as she goes. Well handled.

2. Linney’s Tanellis Bloomin Tigerlily at Aescwine. 6 yr old who is a little longer than the winner but a soundly constructed girl with plenty to like. Super neck, firm topline, pleasing rib, muscular loin but with a tad more length and natural stump. Feminine headpiece but overall preferred expression of 1. So very well built and she moved true on the down and back and went so well when viewed in profile too. Presented in super condition with excellent muscle-tone and was handled to advantage.

OB (6,1)

1. Dodd’s Ch Tanellis Bloomin Primrose. An interesting class with some quality girls in attendance but quite different for type and outlines and therefore, giving me much to consider! My eventual winner was this 6 yr old. Fully mature and an absolute delight to go over. She certainly is powerful and sturdily built, yet retains femininity and I thought her such a good type. Strong, muscular neck, excellent ribbing, short loin and natural stump. Quality head and expression; flat skull, ears good for size and set, dark oval-shaped eyes and strong underjaw. Well made all through and I was particularly impressed by her front assembly. When gaiting she displayed great freedom of movement and her well made forequarters gave her great ease of extension. In addition, she is such a showgirl and made the most of her time in the ring. Best Bitch and Best in Show.

2. Zbilut & Yacomen’s Ch Ohanaway Shes A Rebel. This 4 yr old is so very different to the winner but another so very well constructed and so good to go over. Nicely arched neck of good length, firm level back, good length to ribcage and ribs well sprung, strong loin and full tail. Feminine headpiece with super expression; dark oval-shaped eyes, ears good for both size and set and scissor bite. Nice layback of shoulder, stands true in front on excellent feet and firm, well-muscled hindquarters with good bend of stifle. Moves true when coming and going and carries herself so well on the go around. Well handled.

3. Barnes & King’s Ch Starvon Fame Awaits for Izlou JW

Judge: Tim Ball