Four Counties Beagle Club

Judge's Critique​

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My thanks go the Committee for the smooth running of this Show. A minutes silence was held at the start in memory of Pat Norman who should have been the Judge on the day. I gather she was really looking forward to the occasion but unfortunately it was not to be.

After an initial hitch of not being able to get into the hall at the time planned, judging did get underway with only a few minutes delay. My overall impressions since judging a few years ago are that although the Bitches continue to go from strength to strength, and there were some lovely hounds there today, what, oh what has happened to the Dogs? So many have lost that 'mild appealing expression' as requested in the Standard. Coarse heads with hard expressions seem to the norm, though I was pleased with my winners. On a more positive note, I think the movement overall has improved, so all is not gloom and doom. Most hounds were presented in clean condition though there were a few with long nails and some with dirty teeth. Muscle tone was also absent in many. The beagle is a hound, who should be able to be on the move all day and certainly some lacked that hard condition. Unfortunately I had one hound who definitely decided I was not the flavour of the month; the Standard requests of the temperament, 'Amiable and alert, no "aggression" or timidity.
 

DOGS
V (4) 1 Walkers Ch. Whitewillow Rosper at Barughgreen, 8 year old tan/white, masculine but not coarse, well off for bone, super neck and overall shape and balance, good feet and sound on the move. 2 Goldberg & Nicholsons Sabinhay Sporran, 7 yr old mottled boy carrying a little extra weight and straighter in stifle than winner but nevertheless moved positively and correctly, lovely soft expression, so missing in the majority of the males today, balanced and showed happily. 3 Ambridges Deer Hunterhound.

MP (7) 1 Kingslands Redcap Cardinal Punch, a compact merry little hound, with good feet, bone and substance, excellent topline and tailcarriage, good neck and shoulder and straight front. Liked this puppy's attitude to the ring - full of self-importance but not overdone in any way, smart boy.BPD. 2 Waldens Nedlaw Salamander, tan/white, more houndy than winner with a lovely head, good neck, shoulder and level topline, well turned stifle and moved soundly. 3 Closes Sparrowgill Strider.

P (5) 1 Findlays Rhiconich Bachelor, solid tri, well balanced with good bone, kind head and expression, well bent stifle, moved positively. 2 Firths Nictoney Woodpecker, although unplaced in MP he was beginning to get his act together here, a nice type, just needs more confidence. Adequate bone, good head and neck and excellent shoulders, very houndy, a balanced puppy. 3 Parkins Flurries Brigand.

J (9) 1 Halls Cliffmere Tackler, open-marked tri youngster of good size, just the type I like, well boned, with level topline and excellent tail carriage. Masculine but with gentle expression, in a good head, superb neck and shoulder and moved soundly with good rear drive. RCC. 2 Haslams Rossgay Rigsby, try in a larger mould, heavier head on good neck, plenty of bone and substance, balanced throughout and moved with drive. 3 Calikes & Bradleys Newlin Nightjar.

M (4) 1 Kingslands Redcap Cardinal Punch. Parker & Stevens Serenaker What's It All About, Much larger all through than winner, extraordinarily long neck, well boned, good feet, moved OK.

N (6) 1 Kingslands Redcap Cardinal Punch. 2 Parker & Stevens What's It All About. 3. Firths Nictoney Woodpecker.

PG (9) 1 Halls Macall Back to Zac Sh.CM, Upstanding stallion hound, stylish, sound mover, good head and leathers, balanced hound with good front, moved out well. 2 Haslams Rossgay Rigsby. 3 Browns Raimex Theo.

L (12) 1 Haslam's Rossgay Ruffian, open-marked tri, balanced hound, well built with good bone and feet, not overdone in head and moved soundly. 2 Kingslands Redcap Renaissance, sparkling open tri, well schooled, slightly stronger in head than I like but a balanced hound, free-standing and moved well with drive. 3 Henningsson-Dundass's Julemark Crusader.

O (10) 1 Ardens Madika Nutcase, Tri hound with free-flowing movement his strong point, freestanding, balanced over the body and in hard muscled condition. A dog that I have not done well in the past, but on the day I could see nothing that could deny him this class, and in the line up for the CC, felt he could not be overlooked. It gave me great pleasure to award him the CC & BOS. 2 Hargraves Kenzed Weaver of Bondlea, a hound in a smaller mould, kind expression in a good head, nicely balanced, also a free stander. (I wish more beagles could be freestanding, they look so much more natural than when stacked.) 3 Walden's Ch. Nedlaw Troubador.

Sp Beg (2) 1 Halls Macall Back to Zac Sh.Cm. 2 Walton's Weiambea Eccentric Echo at Vigor, Well shown hound with strong head, good overall shape, placed 4th in Novice.

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BITCHES
V (3) 1 Dean's Gempeni Mistletoe, open marked tri, 11 year old happy little shower and moving out well. Compact and balanced throughout. 2 Firths Ch. Nictoney Hoodwink, tan/white 9 year old, a worthy champion and could have won this class but was sluggish on the move and didn't put all in. 3. Arden's Newlin Almond at Madika.

MP (9) 1 Craigs Davricard Dido, Compact tri, lovely head with good expression, super neck, level topline and excellent tailset and carriage, balanced throughout and movement spot-on. very nice puppy BPIS. 2 Henningsson-Dundas's Julemark Gersemi, tan/white little lady, thought was going to be my winner but her movement was untidy, probably go better on grass. Nice size, very feminine with pleasing head proportions, well boned, good front, feet and tailset, level topline, well-developed quarters, one to watch for the future as she develops. 3 Lees Nictoney Solitaire by Janlees.

P (14) 1 Waldens Nedlaw Amber, lovely lemon baby, so feminine, such clean lines, super neck, straight front, adequate quarters, balanced, could obviously move correctly if she would just behave. Ringcraft classes might be on the agenda, and not necessarily for the puppy!! She is lovely, worth working on. 2 Craigs Davricard Desdemona, blanketed tri, smaller compact little lady, lovely shape, in tip-top condition, with better quarters than my winner, moved positively. 3 Hargraves Valsacre Chit Chat. Three very promising puppies.

J (16) 1 Binks Tannahill Lexi, small tri, compact and balanced, shown in gleaming condition, good neck, shouders and quarters,good front, neat feet, moved ok. 2 Lewiss's Fallowfield Duchess, a larger hound with a good head with soft feminine expression, well-boned, good neck and shoulder with straight front, level topline, a little straight in stifle but overall a pleasing hound. 3 Players Lyndex Charlies Angel.

M (11) 1 Kingslands Redcap Honey Opal, small compact tan/white, pleasing neck and shoulder, good topline and good quarters, neat feet and moved ok. 2 Hunt & Norris's Valsacre Concerto at Shercroft, broken tri, larger mould, nice straight front, good quarters, good feet, terrible fidget, moved ok. 3 Browns Raimex Kiara.

N (15) 1 Walden's Nedlaw Amber. 2 Hargraves Valsacre Chit Chat, lemon puppy, pretty head, with good leathers, level topline with correct tail set and carriage, moved well. 3 Kingslands Redcap Honey Opal.

PG (14) 1 Firths Nictoney Symphony JW, Solid tri of lovely shape, an honest hound, so balanced, good movement to complete the picture, I can see why she gained her Junior Warrant and hope she continues in her winning ways. 2 Browns Raimex Tansy, tan/white, well boned, good head and neck with correct shoulder and straight front and good feet, let down by a weak topline, moved adequately. 3 Waldens Nedlaw Violet.

L (19) What a lovely class and hard to limit myself to only 5 placings. 1 Lewiss's Fallowfield Delilah, Lovely lemon, so feminine, super shape, everything just right, so like her dam, who was beautiful, unfortunate to meet the open winner in such cracking form, RCC & RBIS. 2 Haddys Rivenlea Nutmeg, longer cast lemon bitch, she was my best puppy last time I judged, and although she is still worthy of being there or thereabouts I felt she hadn't matured enough for higher honours today. A quality bitch. 3 Craig & Williams Davricard Dulcie.

O (14) 1 Calikes & Bradleys Ch. Newlin Kelsey. This tan/white bitch really pulled out all the stops today. I have seen her carry too much weight and a heavy coat which have detracted from her overall shape, but not today. She looked absolutely super, her outline was so cleancut, lovely feminine head on the best of necks leading into perfectly set shoulders, level topline and spot on tail-set, well developed quarters and she went round the ring with a real spring in her step, movement true both ways, she was the real star of the show and just shouted for the CC and later BIS. 2 Peaks Ch. Bayard Truthful, tri of a larger mould, but so sound, lovely soft expression, a really balanced hound with well developed quarters, steady and true on the move. 3 Deans Ch. & Ir. Ch. Gempeni Wildflower. Three very different hounds but all super champions.

Sp Beg: (4) 1 Clarks Newlin Nectarine of Geclanjo, 4th in a good Junior class, tan/white, sound bitch of good make and shape, moved ok. 2 Waltons All the Way to Vigor, small tri, stronger in head than winner, good front and bone, level topline, very well schooled. 3 Reeves Redcap Rum Truffle at Anjeveer.

Kathleen Cooper