IWAGS – VETERAN SWEEPSTAKES CRITIQUE

and

CONFORMATION SWEEPSTAKE CRITIQUE

October 26, 2008 – by Bambi Madsen Rabe

I want to thank you all for the invitation and opportunity to look at your youngsters, and those veteran hounds which were exhibited to me. It is a rare opportunity to be able to really get your hands on the future, and gaze into the eyes of the past.

I would like to begin this critique with a sincere remark about the temperaments of the dogs which were shown to me. With few exceptions the hounds all demonstrated reliable and steadfast temperaments. There was a soundness of mind and spirit and that reliability we have come to expect from our hounds. The exhibited dogs ease in movement, further epitomized that these hounds were secure and trusting of their owners, and that the format of the dog show was merely something within the expected routine. With few exceptions the dogs showed an emotional condition, and predisposition to a state of calm and balance. Wonderful!

*It is easy to add comments of what you would like to change or add to any particular dog, but that is self defeating in a judging arena, and is more for the breeders eye, so I will not comment on what I would have liked to have seen, but of what I saw.*

My assignment was very enjoyable and I hope that I fulfilled the two hours of effort on my part, in a positive manner, easy to follow in understanding where I hold value and that the hounds and exhibitors enjoyed their experience as much as I did.

VETERAN SWEEPSTAKES

Let’s begin with the Veterans as that is how I saw them this day.

Veteran Bronze, 6 Years and Under 8 Years Dogs

There was little doubt that the dog, # 111, Am. Can. Ch. Curiann’s Celtic Rune, would take my eyes. He came into the ring owning it and did not falter from that assignment until just at the very end. But this was not enough to detract from what he is. He is a big, powerful, curvy hound who clearly could do his job and was in excellent condition to accomplish what was asked of him. He stood without any concerns and had that regal presence about him. I find the sweep of his silhouette curves in all the right places and in proportion. Beautiful. The length of his back and the smoothness from head to tail continued as he moved, and it agreed with his standing presentation. He is balanced, standing, and while he moves and that made it an obvious choice for me. (Best in Veteran Sweepstakes)

Second in the class was # 107, Ch. Carrickaneena Templebreedy. Here is where the challenges lay for the nuances of the remaining dogs needed to be closely examined. He is a strong dog who moved effortlessly. A very pretty picture in motion.

Third in the class was a well presented dog with exceptional height. #101, Ch.Skyes Comet. He is obviously of “commanding size”, something for which we all continuously strive.

And then fourth in the Bronze class, #103, Ch. Carrickaneena Ultach. A dog worthy of his ribbon.

I do need to mention here, that it is important to me that each part contributes to the functionality of the whole. Therefore rear ends need to be underneath and strong, able to hold up their end and initiate and maintain power; bites need to be able to function for sustainability, etc. Some dogs presented were not able to bring that all together and this fit into my placements.


Veteran Silver, 8 Years & Under 9 Years Dogs

Veteran silver class, 1 entry, #115, Ch. Carrickaneena Dearg Mac Logan. Here is an example of what is the most difficult thing about judging the Veteran classes. As the dogs age, body parts obviously loose their strength. I am suspect that usually those parts were the ones that were challenged to begin with. That was the case with this dog, as he was not using his rear-end well. He is a good representative of the breed, however, in that he clearly is an IW.


Veteran Bronze, 6 Years & Under 8 Years Bitches
 
#160, Ch. Giggles Aerie of Eagle, first in this class is a beautiful, elegant and feminine bitch. She is a curvy and well angulated bitch standing, and uses them to produce drive and strength of movement. It was a real pleasure to see her moving effortlessly around the ring. (BOS in Veteran Sweepstakes)

Second was #158, Ch Starkeeper Glennamadda Realtan who is a very together bitch. Each part leads you to the next part logically, and all work together in a total fluid package. Lovely, though I did feel she moved somewhat wide in the rear at times.

#164, Ch. Sherwood’s Abracadabra is a together bitch as well. Her topline is somewhat weak and this took away from her overall appearance.

Fourth in the class was # 162, Ch. Knocknarea Tamsin. A quality bitch, however she does have a wide front.


Veteran Silver, 8 Years and Under 9 Years Bitches

In the Veteran Silver class, # 172 was first. Ch Ballincu Kellair Ashleigh is a classical type-y and elegant bitch, clearly feminine. Her underline in silhouette is lovely. Time has taken some strength from her rear.


Veteran Gold, 9 Years & Over Bitches

Now, The Golden Girls:
Ist place going to #180, Ch Kellcastle Starkeeper Vanilla, and 2nd to #174, Maura O’Lass of Nutstown. This is a credit to hound and owner alike to see these old girls out. However, it was a bit of judging the ghosts of what was. 1st in the class held up the best but both clearly were having difficulties in their rears. Still, we would rather see them this way, than not at all.

ABOUT THE WINNERS:

It is easy to nitpick…could have had, maybe needed…but it is the overall dog that you must assess, and #111 AM. CAN. CH. CURIANN'S CELTIC RUNE had it all for me! He is the picture of a gracefully aging, quality IW.

#160, BOS Veteran CH. GIGGLES AERIE OF EAGLE Absolutely a complement to BOB, every bit the hound on the feminine side.

CONFORMATION SWEEPSTAKES

Puppy, 6 - 9  Dogs

1st, # 9, Desert Dune at Curiann: A beautiful silhouette on this young dog, balanced and with appropriate angulation for his age. This pup has potential.
2nd, # 11, Carrickaneena Croppy Boy: On this day, this boy who has clear potential had some balance issues with the length of his leg too long to be in proportion to his length of back, and his rear has better curves than his front has angulation.
3rd, # 5, Carrickaneena Cruscin Lan, demonstrated too much width in his front
4th, # 7, Carrickaneena Roddy McCorley, seemed to be wide in front and quite close in the rear.


Puppy, 9 - 12  Dogs.

1st, # 25, Carnasserie Chord: This is an athlete! Balanced and tall and long. He is an all around beautiful pup and moved so smoothly, and strongly, demonstrating his togetherness (Best in Sweepstakes)
2nd, #19 Aotearoa Oldline Tumanako: Missing out in the length of his back, and is shallow in his chest
3rd, # 15, Redtops Cullen: his light eye and steep croup were distracting to the whole picture
4th, #21, Paula’s Mighty Quinn: moved very close in the rear


2 - 15 Months Dogs

1st, # 39, Taliesin’s Wheaten Wyncher; definitely could have held his own with the competition.


15-18 Months Dogs

1st, # 29, R Noble for Pete’s Sake of Eagle: despite being small in the class he demonstrated drive and reach, indicating good proportion and was powerful despite his size
2nd, # 47, Carrickaneeena An Firic Aris: This was a reasonable dog, each part in sync to the next. Well muscled.
3rd, #57 Castlemaine Infinity: A big dog with clear potential, but he appeared to me to be limping off of his left hip.
4th, #35, Erinwood Concerto


6-9 Months Bitches

1st, # 22, Ballyhara Chevonne: an overall nice bitch.
2nd, #16, Ballyhara Cinneide: lovely and with more bone than she appeared to have.
3rd, #18, Starkeeper Karontara Carolina: just eligible for the class, she appeared small which I assumed was her age. Moved deliberately.
4th, # 8, Lismore Koi: not a lot to this girl at this point, but moved well

Note: it was in this class that I met my first hound whose temperament I would need to question. She was very jumpy and showed a “wild” eye


Puppy, 9-12 Months Bitches

1st, #34, January of Aerie: Clearly a beautiful girl. Owned the ring and the class, with excellent length to her leg, pronounced curves, and a lovely head (BOS in Sweepstakes)
2nd, #24, Riversong’s Long May You Run
3rd, # 30, Oldline’s Lee Ridge Roslin: disappointing upward sweep of the tail
4th, # 28, Carnasserie Duet of Eagle: wide in the front, and in the back


12-15 Months Bitches

1st, #52, Starkeeper California Ierne: Lovely, balanced, strong puppy bitch, needing more angles in the front.

15-18 Months Bitches

1st, #40, Glenreagh R Noble of Eagle: this is a precise pup with a chiseled head with lovely planes and ears, but I do have some concerns about the neck set to the shoulder. Maybe a little “U” necked. Beautiful fluidity and length of back. Maybe lacking in stifle curve at this time.
2nd, #58, Karontara Devil May Care: nice, not quite the mover as the 1st puppy
3rd, # 80, Aotearoa Whakamaru: wide front, but strong and relatively balanced
4th, # 68, Sherwoods Red Branch Fionnouala

Note: several pups in this class were pacing and could not get out of it which made it difficult to consider them, and in this class there was one bitch I absolutely could not get my hands on.


Best in Sweeps: #25 CARNASSERIE CHORD This was a clear choice. This pup moved with such purpose and used all of his anatomical togetherness, moving like a hunting hound.

Best of Opposite Sex: #34 JANUARY OF AERIE Feminine and strong, demonstrating all that is necessary to help carry on the breed.

Thank you to all for supporting this show and allowing me to see and touch your hounds.

Bambi