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MASTIFF ASSOCIATION CHAMP SHOW

SATURDAY 19th FEBRUARY 2000

Judge: Mrs Betty Baxter

I consider that to be asked to judge the M.A.'s Millennium Show was a very great honour, and I had been looking forward to the day for months. I was certainly not disappointed - with 132 mastiffs for competition making 142 entries, plus about 20 more entered 'not for competition' so that they were not left at home.

Although I was kepy very busy, the whole show seemed to run like clockwork, and there was such a nice atmosphere. I always feel very guilty at all the people who, of necessity, have to go away unplaced but hope that, even so, the day was enjoyed by all.

I was disappointed in the quality of many of the males, especially the younger dogs; and the bitches were, on the whole, far superior. The main faults were splay feet coupled with weak pasterns; untypical heads; and most of all, straight stifles. Very often, these were not apparent when you were standing by the dog and examining it, but when you went to the other side of the ring to have an overall look, these straight stifles were so very obvious. Even so, they did not appear to affect movement which was, on the whole, very good. There were one or two that limped occasionally, but even these seemed to be limping through a specific leg or foot, and not because they were wrongly constructed. Temperaments were nearly all excellent with only about 3 or 4 out of the entire entry objecting to be handled. I did not see any heavy coats; and mouths were almost uniformly good - only a very few being drastically undershot.

Best in Show was the lovely fawn bitch Ch. Brookview Bo-Filette belonging to Topsy Seager and Jackie Lewis. The last time she came under me she played up and had to pay the penalty but this time she was on top form and well deserved her win. Beautifully made, with lovely proportions and a classic head coupled today with good movement. Best Opposite Sex, a brindle dog, was Rob & Annette Kett's Solocroft Agar of Ketts at Maskett. This dog is not flashy, but is solid, well-made and honest. I am always surprised that he has not done more winning. I awarded Reserve Dog CC to Louis & Mary McDonald's Fitsam Floyd of Longendale. It was a close call between these two, but I feel that Floyd would look so much better if he lost a little more weight. He is a big, substantial, well-boned dog who will surely get his title, but the excess weight that I feel he is carrying does spoil his outline a little. Reserve Bitch CC was Ken Knight's Luvalump Luscious Lady at Klanzmun, a medium-sized but very feminine fawn bitch who showed and moved well. Best Puppy in show was Kim Dodd's huge fawn, Chevelu Land of Dreams at Heffalump who, at just under 12 months old, was a real eye catcher and shows great promise.

And now for the actual critique:-

BIS - Ch. Brookview Bo-Filette (Seager & Lewis)
RBIS - Solocroft Agar Of Ketts at Maskett (Kett)
Dog CC - Solocroft Agar Of Ketts at Maskett (Kett)
Bitch CC - Brookview Bo-Filette (Seager & Lewis)
Res. Dog CC - Fitsam Floyd of Longendale (McDonald)
Res. Bitch CC - Luvalump Luscious Lady at Klanzmun (Knight)
Best Puppy - Chevelu Land Of Dreams for Heffalump (Dodd)
Best Veteran - Pryrica Winston of Delbeech (Beech)

Veteran Dog (4)

1st - Pryrica Winston of Delbeech (Beech)
At nearly 9 years of age, this dog could show some of the younger ones how to move. I liked his head and he had nice strong hindquarters and a good bend of stifle.
- Best Veteran in Show -
2nd - Merrowlea Mr Bradley (Sarjeant)
Almost 10 years old but still kept his good topline on the move. Again, good bend of stifle, very good bone, and a strong head.
3rd - Dawnstar Defiance (Mason & Holt)
I would have liked a slightly stronger head and he was rather down on his pasterns. Good size, he moved quite well.
Res. - Byron Lord of Dreams of Luvalump (Knight)
This dear old man was 10 years old and he was showing his age. Nice size but could do with a lot more weight, and he wasn't very keen on moving.

Minor Puppy Dog: (12)

1st - Saltcountry freddy Mercury (Wright)
Very promising baby. Good head with strong muzzle, nice black mask, good tight feet, good bone and good second thigh. Should do well in the future.
2nd - Kumormai Coconut Ice (Shaw & Chambers)
A big puppy, well boned, very pleasing strong head, another good black muzzle, nice bend of stifle, moved well for his age.
3rd - Bredwardine Bylchylion (Mills)
Another big baby, older than the others in the class. He had good front legs and feet but I would like a broader second thigh.
Res. - Kumormai Black Magic (Calder)
Just over 6 months old, very immature of course, but I liked him and the way he was constructed and proportioned.

Puppy Dog (7)

1st - Chevelu Land of Dreams for Heffalump (Dodd)
This is the huge fawn puppy that went Best Puppy in Show. He really is huge with enormous bone and feet, good body, very strong hindquarters with good second thigh. Showing a little too much haw at the moment, I just hope that he doesn't do too much too soon. He needs time and then he will trouble the best.
- Best Puppy in Show -
2nd - Domas Calthorpe from Delbeech (Beech)
Much smaller than 1st and much younger being only just out of MP. Very well made, very pleasing head and expression, good strong muzzle, well laid shoulders and good broad chest. Moved well.
3rd - Oastmoor Inspector Cluseau (Denton)
Well sized brindle, good head, nice broad second thigh. Again, another promising baby.
Res. - Oastmoor Inspector Morse (Denton)
Litter brother to 3rd but I felt not quite the substance.

Junior Dog (9)

1st - Bredwardine Bryncilay (Spary)
I thought he was well made but carrying a little too much weight. He had a good string head, good topline and excellent hindquarters. Moved well.
2nd - Jengren Mr Milligan (Green)
This is an eye-catching puppy with heavy bone and a very lovely head and expression. He moved well but I thought he was a little straight in the stifles.
3rd - Penrichlar Lad of Bredwardine (Tugwell & Thomas)
A good looking apricot. I liked his head, body and overall outline. He also had very good hindquarters but unfortunately was limping slightly on one front leg. Even so, I felt that he desrved his place.
Res. - Fearnought The Barbarian (Payne)
Very promising, very well made, but appeared immature in this class.

Novice Dog (5)

1st - Tregembo Trevine at Beezaville (Attfield & Taylor)
A young brindle that I feel shows a lot of promise. Very good topline, legs and feet. Broad chest; head needs to develop a little more but he moved well and I felt he is well made and well proportioned.
2nd - Temuka Trouble for Appolon (Richardson)
Big fawn, very heavy bone and good hindquarters but I felt was rather weak in head.
3rd - Thunderfoot Nemean Lion of Terheath (Johnson)
This dog has, I think, been far from well and his movement today let him down. I hope he continues to make progress.

Post Graduate Dog (15)
The biggest class of the day with a lot of good mastiffs entered.

1st - Fragilis Hills Robur Acorn (Hill)
A good, big brindle with a strong head, broad deep muzzle, well filled in under the eyes, lovely topline and gorgeous legs and feet. Moved very well.
2nd - Kumormai Bitter Rival (Pountney-Clarke)
Another good one, excellent masculine head, good body and topline, preferred the bend of stifle of 1st.
3rd - Jengren Jim Bean (Williams & Hutchins)
I liked this young dog very much, he is well made. I lik his head and he has good bone and well laid shoulders. Today he just seemed uninterested and lacked vivacity.
Res. - Ankerston Yew Tree Yeti (Anderson)
Quite a good size and nicely made. He moved well and to get placed in this class must have been of a good type.

Limit Dog (10)

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