The Midland & West of England Great Dane Championship Show 8th December 2019

Dog  Critiques  by Mickey Ramsay

My thanks to the committee of The M&W GDC for the invitation to judge Dogs at their popular Xmas themed Championship Show & for their hospitality before & at the show. Delighted to have  Tony & Julie Shaanning- Ling as stewards they are so experienced & efficient but cool enough to wear Santa hats on the day.  Thanks to the exhibitors for the wonderful entry & helping to create a happy atmosphere throughout the day. The competition for best Xmas costume, dogs & owners was great fun & very impressive! Their was also a raffle held of memorabilia belonging to the late Sue Bishton donated by her husband Cyril with all proceeds going to Liz & Gordon’s Great Dane Care. A thoughtful & meaningful gesture greatly appreciated by the club. I was pleased with class winners but having recently judged bitches l didn’t feel there was the depth of quality in the dogs. Gone are the days when a handful of dominant stud dogs were used & you could look round a class of 20 & recognise the breeding of most of them! Today there is a bigger pool of stud dogs available to breeders many are imports or off imported stock. Of course if used wisely these dogs can benefit the breed but also means there is more variation of ‘type’. Heads in particular having too much drop of lip, short in fore face & tooo much backskull so we lose that lovely chiselled look & alert confident expression. Temperaments were excellent just one unhappy  youngster who will settle with more experience l am sure. Lovely dark eyes but still some slack eyelids. Two level bites & one slight reverse scissor bite but quite a few ‘untidy’ mouths eg teeth out of line.

MPD(7.3) 1  McGuiness,Nelson-McGuiness & Burns Garsak Sir Brodick Dinahtron. At 6mths this quality fawn baby was surprisingly together & showed to advantage. Shown in lovely condition with excellent bone, super front & rear angulation. Head of good length, dark eye, ears well set but still to grow into them. Kind expression. Tight feet. He trotted off down the mat with a steady.  sound gait. On this showing must have a bright future. 2 Booth & Sneddon’s Roucandane Sent From Hell. Another quality puppy of 6mths but not so together as 1. Big boned with broad well angulation quarters. Up at the bum at the moment. Good male head developing, eye a little slack but as head grows sure this will tighten. Loved his waggy tail & the way he looked at his handler with a ‘ am l doing this right mum’ expression. Yes you were & under other circumstances l would have given you a hug! Certainly did not live up to his name! Another promising puppy. 3 King, Dolby & Beall’s Eppwood Montgomery. PD (7.3) 1 White’s Jutlanders Beam Me Up (lmp DNK) Tall elegant fawn shown in lovely condition. Super front with good length of upper arm, well placed shoulders, topline a little soft at this stage, rounded shapely quarters. Head not overdone & typical of his breeding, of good length, neat drop of lip, dark eye , well set & held ears. Good bone, tight feet & short nails. Holds himself well with a super head carriage. Moved freely with the odd skip to remind us he was still a puppy! BPD 2 Baker’s Sensidane All In With Preveli (Al) lovely fawn going through a growth stage. A little up at bum making him look a little steep In croup & straight behind all to In improve with maturity. Good reach of neck, good head, dark eye good ear set & lovely expression. Moved well. 3 Morgan-Evans & Webb’s Vanmore Dig For Gold (Al). JD (7.1) 1 Cooke’s Kinnegans Mission To Mars With Tantallon (Al) Impressive mature rich fawn. Excellent depth of chest, short strong loin, firm top line & powerful well angulation quarters. Strong male head in proportion to body. Well held neat ears, dark eye & good expression. Showed to advantage. Moved out well just toed in a little coming towards. 2 Thurlby’s Santanna Special Legacy at Justinian. Quality fawn. A tall boy & not as mature as 1 He has a big frame to fill & looks rangy at the moment. Good depth of chest & good front & shoulder placement. Clean neck of good length topped by a lovely headpiece with dark tight eye. With time & maturity should finish an exciting prospect. Moved well. 3 Chappell’s Selmalda Ricochet (Al) YD (9.4) 1 McLellan’s Tayhamblue Show Must Go On With Anadain. Very eye catching youngster presenting a beautiful clean balanced outline. Good lay of shoulder, firm top line & well shaped & angulated hindquarters. Super reach of clean neck. Balanced head of good length with neat drop of lip. Dark tight eye well held neat ears all helping to give a kind expression. He held himself well & showed with a look at me attitude. Moved out with super reach & drive.RCC. 2 McGuiness’s Dinahtron Rag N Bone Man. Heavier build than winner. Full front, good depth of chest, firm top line & powerful well angulated backend. Strong crested neck, masculine head, dark eye, ears could be a tad neater. A little distracted by activity in adjoining ring but when settled he moved out well. 3 Donnelly & Toohey’s Primus Breakin Rules. ND (5.1) 1 White’s Jutlander’s Beam Me Up (lmp DNK). 2 Ingram’s Allours Majik Of Dainmajik. Upstanding fairly heavily marked Harlequin. Good depth throughout, firm topline, good tailset & well developed quarters. Strong male head but would prefer less drop of lip & tighter eye. 3 Piper’s Danemoor Black Velvet. PGD (4.1) 1 Pepper’s Starlight Cronos Avec Foaldown. 18mths Blue. Maturing well & presents good overall picture. Topline a tad soft at this stage. Strong male head. Tight feet & short nails. Super happy disposition. Moved well. 2 Robinson’s Preveli Be Yourself. This 6 yrs old fawn didn’t make the most of himself. He is well angulated both ends with strong firm topline, deep through the body. A little plain in head but of good length with neat drop of lip. Grey muzzle. Could have been encouraged to show himself more as he just didn’t appear to be interested. Pity. Moved OK. 3 Rose’s Rayjen Scrabble. LD (7.3) 1 Searle’s Droolakiss Midas Murrayvhayle. Lightly marked brindle. Balanced clean outline  super front & shown in great condition. Firm topline & good strength of loin. Masculine in head & outlook, dark eye & lovely head carriage & temperament. Moved well. 2 Bithell’s Bourntwyn Rags To Riches. This young fawn holds himself well with an excellent head carriage & presents a super flowing outline & although a tad long he keeps a firm topline at all times. Very full front. Clean reachy neck topped by lovely headpiece, dark tight eye, well set & held neat ears helping to give him a look of dash & dare. Moved out well but a little untidy coming towards. 3 McGowan’s Kinnegans Twisted Fire Starter. VD (5.2) 1 Mosvold’s CH Ganteus Alfa Americano ll Decimo (lmp DNK). 6yrs old fawn in excellent condition firm body inside tight jacket. Deep through body, strong topline, good tailset & quarters. Well filled front, a touch more upper arm would complete the over all impressive picture. Masculine head not overdone with good drop of lip & neat ears held by clean arched neck. Excellent tight feet with short nails moved out well. 2 Flanagan’s Dainmajik Dante for Soupury. This 9yrs old  mantle with an endearing white face still knows his job & showed with style. Firm in body with good topline but couldn’t match the movement of winner. 3 Tempest’s Sharandanes Tempest Pride For Adoreadane. SOB(6.3) 1 Pepper’s Starlight Cronos Avec Foaldown. 2 Sneddon’s Culseandanes Blue Poseidon. Good overall balance, strong arched neck, masculine in head but a tad strong in backscull. Moved out well. 3 Barnet’s Dainoak Dreams Of Blue. SO Black 1 Pepper’s CH Danemoor Black Watche For Sarawen. Upstanding exhibit shown in beautiful condition. Clean outline & super front & good shoulder placement. Good head planes with dark tight eye. 2 Bollon’s Bandwar For Aces High. Good depth of chest ,but preferred the angulation both ends of winner. Moved Well. 3 Piper’s Danemoor Black Velvet. Well done to this exhibitor for persevering with his 12months old youngster who persisted in pacing & acting up. His performance improved with ever class & your patient & calm handling are to be applauded. Keep going. SOF (5.2) 1 Ingram’s Dainmajik The Wizard. This boy is so like his beautiful dam. Shows with the same dignified presence. Super balanced outline, deep through the body, firm topline & good angulation both ends. Well filled front. Lovely head carriage, good male head with dark eye. Moved well. 2 Dyson’s Samdice My Hero JW (AI). Well filled front &  angulated quarters. A quality exhibit but could not match the poise & balance of winner. Covered the ground well on the move. 3 Robinson’s Preveli Be Yourself. SOH (3.2) 1 Henshall’s Catchas Zipper De Doda. Well marked youngster 4th in puppy. Good angulation both ends, firm topline a little steep in croup this should improve as he matures & fills out. Head a tad strong in skull, good pigmentation. Moved OK just a little close behind at the moment. SOM (4.2) 1 Kelleway’s Damarkann Marquisite. Well marked solid boy who is deep through the body, good angulation both ends & firm topline. Strong crested neck, head in proportion to body, eye rims a tad slack, good pigmentation & dark eye. Stood on tight feet & covered the ground easily on the move. 2 Burton’s Ravendane Deal Me In With Elbarevol. Another well marked boy with super balanced out line a touch more elegant than 1 but his movement let him down. OD (8.3) The most difficult class of the day.. 1 Bailey’s Primus Great Gatsby JW. Masculine well built fawn. He is a picture of power & strength & showed with a confident attitude & outlook. Great depth of chest, well filled front, strong topline & broad strong loin and good tailset. Good lay of shoulder & well angulated powerful quarters. Strong neck & lovely male head with dark eye, well held ears & correct bite. His movement matched the overall picture, it was powerful, sound & of good reach & drive. DCC 2 Sneddon’s & Booth’s Ch Culseandanes Tyrion The Imp. Another powerful fawn shown in excellent condition. Super clean, balanced outline. Good angles both ends. Good depth & spring of rib. Strong neck  & head of good length, dark eye & lovely expression. Moved out well. 3 CH Van ore What A Guy


Mickey Ramsay