Full Critique for South Wales 2024
Judge : Miss Jackie Kitchener
This critique reflects the judge's opinion
based on what they saw on the day of the show.
| Minor Puppy Dog | ||
| 1st | Ch. Ta Maria Beyond Unique | 8 months, Quality puppy who handles well and fills the standard for balance, carriage and attitude. Very nice head proportions and typical expression, skull is broad and rounded, tip tilted nose, excellent mouth, good neck and front, well ribbed and wide in loin. Good lift to his tail and all in all presents a good outline. Moving out well with drive and reach, showing full pad and holding himself together well. Clearly enjoys the ring and I’m sure he will enjoy a successful future. |
| 2nd | Zeeva Love And Pride | 7 months, smaller baby who will never be a large exhibit, he too has lovely balance and typical outline and attitude. Very good in head with well placed dark eyes, a tip tilted open nose and perfect mouth. Well angulated hindquarters and well set and carried tail. In good coat for his age. Stylish mover but just needs to muscle up behind to straighten himself on the up and back, he is just a baby and has lots of promise. |
| Puppy Dog | ||
| 1st | Ch. Unstoppable Alpiu Slenis To Jaxtzu JW OSW(ImpLTU) | Stylish 11 months who has little you would want to change on the table with a broad rounded skull, perfect mouth, short muzzle and open nostrils nicely placed just above the line of his large dark eyes. He has a good front and shoulder, sturdy bone which is nicely wrapped around ribcage which can perhaps still develop, for me he would benefit by carrying more bodyweight. Level topline and presenting a good outline both stacked and in action. Tail set and carriage are good. Sound with lovely drive, excellent reach and proud carriage on the move, showing full pad. Carries sufficient coat but does need more abundance and fullness in coat as he does appear a shade leggy at this stage. A simple case of maturity in coat and body will complete the picture in the fullness of time but his quality shines through already. Best Puppy. |
| 2nd | Matsonic Bright Spirit At Quingshui | Pleasing exhibit with a good head and mouth, well ribbed up and sturdy in body and loin. Could not match 1 in front and needs more neck to balance his outline both stacked and in profile movement. Very nice lift in tail and moving out well. |
| Junior Dog | ||
| 1st | Matsonic Midnight Storm Over Bishbow | Quality solid black of ideal size and proportions, has a charming personality which shines out of him. Good head with rounded skull, well set ears, correct muzzle, dark eyes and a super expression, mouth is wide with correct bite. Good neckline, a decent front and super depth and spring in ribcage, level in topline, well angulated strong hindquarters and tail set and carried well. At an in between age in coat I would say. A shade erratic behind today going away but very straight coming towards, has good profile action and shows full pad. |
| Post Graduate Dog | ||
| 1st | Debeaux Mackeson | Very showy 3 year old b/w, really powers round the ring with lovely carriage. Lovely head with rounded skull, dark large eyes and soft expression, tip tilted nose, correct bite, very good in shoulder which accentuates his neck into a sturdy well muscled and well ribbed body. Balanced fore to hindquarters, moves well up and back and excels in profile. |
| 2nd | Middletune Blazzin Saddles JW | Pleasing large head on this one, dark round eyes and a perfect mouth, next to 1 he appears lacking in neck and carriage, but he actually just is not so good in layback of shoulder. Sturdily built all through with good width in loin, well muscled and good turn in stifle. Showing and moving well. |
| Limit Dog | ||
| 1st | Keola Driving Force JW | Another very showy b/w who has good balance and a lovely head with large rounded skull, correct stop, short muzzle, correct bite, tip tilted nose, dark round eyes and arrogant expression. Very nice front with good width and well boned legs wrapped neatly around his ribcage which is deep and well sprung. Level topline. Very well presented and shown in good coat and body condition. Moves out well in front and has decent carriage but I would like to see more drive and power from his hindquarters for higher awards. |
| 2nd | How To Rewrite The Stars For Juhua | Very masculine in outlook, large rounded head with correct bite and a very typical haughty expression from large dark eyes. Good front assembly, deep wide chest, level topline. Would benefit from more length in neck for balance and carriage and not carrying his tail in action high today. |
| Open Dog | ||
| 1st | Ch. Miracey Zero Hour | These two super dogs was just what I was waiting for, both very much my ideal of the male Shih Tzu, the winner having a totally correct mouth and bite and just being a shade better in front, although I did prefer the eye of 2. Loved them both on the move for their super drive, reach and carriage, superior attitude and super shape, both have great balance, gorgeous large heads, dark expressive eyes, clean arched necklines and strong level toplines. Also, strong bone, wide loins and great tea pot tails, both well muscled, sturdy and superb movers in all directions. Carrying mature coats, beautifully put down, I had to nit pick to separate them, two superb examples of the breed. So pleased to see BOB go on to Group 3 in good competition. Congratulations. |
| 2nd | Ch. Warathwaite The Kingslayer (Bel,Lux, UK) | These two super dogs was just what I was waiting for, both very much my ideal of the male Shih Tzu, the winner having a totally correct mouth and bite and just being a shade better in front, although I did prefer the eye of 2. Loved them both on the move for their super drive, reach and carriage, superior attitude and super shape, both have great balance, gorgeous large heads, dark expressive eyes, clean arched necklines and strong level toplines. Also, strong bone, wide loins and great tea pot tails, both well muscled, sturdy and superb movers in all directions. Carrying mature coats, beautifully put down, I had to nit pick to separate them, two superb examples of the breed. So pleased to see BOB go on to Group 3 in good competition. Congratulations. |
| Puppy Bitch | ||
| 1st | Minfaa Christmas Cracker At Miracey | This was the exhibit today that I wanted to take home. Just loved her, she has it all in breed type and felt so good to handle. The most gorgeous feminine head, broad rounded skull, tip tilted nose and large dark eyes beautifully set, super sturdy body and level topline with good front and hind angulations. Nicely set and carried tail. Well coated and a free flowing mover for most of the time, she is going through an argumentative stage when it comes to the showring which cost her Best Puppy, a shame really, but this one I will watch with great interest into the future. |
| Junior Bitch | ||
| 1st | Wharfeview Laced with Candy | Almost a liver in colour, nice shape and balance to her and very feminine all through. Broad rounded skull, good muzzle and lovely bite with good width to the jaw. Good front, good width and depth to her ribcage, strong in loin, tail a shade low set which affects it’s carriage and she could have more angulation in hindquarters. Comes alive on the move where she carries herself very proudly with a typical attitude. |
| Post Graduate Bitch | ||
| 1st | Keola Absolutely Flawless At Debeaux | Feminine in head with a correct broad skull, wide set large dark eyes, very good mouth with wide jaw and good expression. Nostrils could be larger. Good front assembly, clean neckline, good width and depth in ribcage, carried well back, giving her a strong level topline and width in loin. Well coated and angulated. Excels on the move where she has lovely carriage, drive and (something I particularly noted of this exhibitor’s dogs) the correct forward reach and freedom in front on them, this being something I saw less frequently today than on previous judging engagements. |
| 2nd | Gladmin Cape Diamond | Not enjoying proceedings today but did enough to take the card. Sturdily built and of decent proportions, does need to gain more confidence. |
| Limit Bitch | ||
| 1st | Minfaa Cool Factor Kaffdan | Liked this one for size and balance, she just oozes femininity. Lovely broad round skull, correct stop and muzzle with good width between her large dark eyes. Lovely front assembly, broad chest which is well let down, strong loin and well muscled hindquarters which have good angulation. Shown in lovely coat and body condition. In action she carries herself so well, feel her handler could do more for her on the stack to accentuate her virtues and make the most of her. |
| 2nd | Valkiria Sweet Addict For Maili (Imp Pol) JW | B/w and very appealing to the eye, having what I can only describe as a mandarin look about her. So expressive and balanced in head properties, wide jaw, dark well set eyes and tip tilted nose which perhaps could be larger. Well ribbed with a broad chest, sturdily built and good width to her loin. Lovely high tea pot tail which gives her a super outline on the stack and in action. Well coated she presents a lovely picture. |
| Open Bitch | ||
| 1st | Ch. Coursani Sand Queen (UK/JSY) | What a wonderful class to judge, to say I was spoilt for choice is an understatement. I would happily have signed CCs for those who left the ring unplaced. In the end it came down to detail and personal priorities and preferences and I had a very hard job separating 1st and 2nd. 1 De La Cour’s CH COURSANI SAND QUEEN (CC) 2 Crossley’s CH SANTOSHA SILHOUETTE (RCC) Two absolute beauties in my opinion, a little different in type to my eyes but both so correct to the standard, supreme movers and stunning showgirls both in immaculate condition, they gave me a lot to ponder. On the table there is nothing I would want to change on 1 so, having moved them again and still found nothing to split them I had to take just one point into consideration. On the other hand, 2, with a fine and more mature undercoat than 1 presented the more typical and finished picture. Needless to say, I loved them both and would feel churlish to say what it is that made my decision, as even now I wonder if I got it right. |
| 2nd | Ch. Santosha Silhouette (UK, Fin) | What a wonderful class to judge, to say I was spoilt for choice is an understatement. I would happily have signed CCs for those who left the ring unplaced. In the end it came down to detail and personal priorities and preferences and I had a very hard job separating 1st and 2nd. 1 De La Cour’s CH COURSANI SAND QUEEN (CC) 2 Crossley’s CH SANTOSHA SILHOUETTE (RCC) Two absolute beauties in my opinion, a little different in type to my eyes but both so correct to the standard, supreme movers and stunning showgirls both in immaculate condition, they gave me a lot to ponder. On the table there is nothing I would want to change on 1 so, having moved them again and still found nothing to split them I had to take just one point into consideration. On the other hand, 2, with a fine and more mature undercoat than 1 presented the more typical and finished picture. Needless to say, I loved them both and would feel churlish to say what it is that made my decision, as even now I wonder if I got it right. |
| Veteran Bitch | ||
| 1st | Ch. Bishbow Summer Breeze | Such attitude and style on this 8 ½ year old black/white, she made me smile so broadly at her sheer presence and showmanship. Beautifully balanced, totally feminine in outlook and has a gorgeous outline with excellent height to her tail to balance with her high head carriage. Nice rounded skull, good muzzle and dark expressive eyes. Good front and neck, very well ribbed and showing for all she is worth, sound, elegant and with good drive and reach and carrying a coat of good quality. Loved her. |
| 2nd | Ch. Gladmin Inala | Quality all through, good skull, dark eyes and carrying herself well with a good neckline and level topline. Sturdily built and a wide deep chest carried well back, good lift to her tail and could not match 1 in front or carriage, but she certainly is worthy of her title and shown in lovely coat, body and muscular condition. |