A snowy day in March

	The Northern Bulldog Club 28.3.04 – Judge Kevin Davis (MyStyle)
	It was a great pleasure to judge the Northern Bulldog Club’s Championship show, and I would like to thank all the committee for making me feel so welcome. I was very pleased with my entry and give a big thanks to all exhibitors. I found the overall quality quite good, but I must say that I was a little disappointed with the back end on some and as usual some of the best movers of the day lacked major characteristics of our breed. Although there were many with untypical movement, only a few were lame and there is a big difference as this is then only just another fault. I feel that if we start awarding dogs top honours on movement alone, we will eventually lose type. I was very pleased with my final line ups in the challenges with good straight fronts a feature on the day, starting right from Minor Puppy Dog. My first two were very typy – the winner, a well-balanced dog with outstanding movement. Both were cosmetically excellent, and the second with perhaps the stronger head with his broad, flat skull and wide foreface, had a lovely body shape and good straight bone, but the winner excelled in topline, tail set and hindquarters. My Puppy Dog class was harder to judge as there were a few of different types including my first two. The winner coming from the short, cobby mould, stronger in bone and lower set than 2, and without more obvious faults. The second more athletic with more reach of neck. I don’t like to fault judge puppies as we all know that things can change later and if 2^nd dogs pigment comes, and he bodies up a shade, he could end up being quite nice. Both he and the winner moved and handled well. Junior Dog was a far better class and the first two will exchange places many times when they meet. The winner is a real showman, especially on the move. A good white, with dark pigment is always flashy – where the 2^nd who is equally as good in head, but not so favourably marked needs more scrutiny. Slightly bigger than the winner, he has a good top line and better length of neck. However, I feel that he is a dog that will get better with age, whereas the winner was bodily more finished and showed better. Unfortunately the Novice Dog winner stood alone, as he is well capable of winning a bigger class. Lovely long flat skull, good turn of under jaw and excellent pigmentation, good reach of neck and massive ribs. He has strong straight bone to neat feet. A nice topline, and although a shade long will look better when his head is fully mature, and more road work will improve his front movement. Only 2 in Undergraduate Dog and not much between them. Both standard size and short backed. The winner being better fronted, with slightly more brisket, bone and rib, where the 2^nd was more up faced and not so course in head and had a better length of neck. I preferred the movement on the winner, which was the deciding factor. Post Graduate Dog was an interesting class won by a dog that has always caught my eye from ringside. A powerful dog with real width and depth of foreface, wide under jaw and big black nose with open nostrils. The second was a different type, higher on the leg but with enough bone to carry it, like the winner he had nice body shape and topline and moved well, but the winner, although not faultless, possesses real type. Limit Dog was a strong class and I was very happy with my first 2 – Both very well balanced with nice curves and straight fronts. The second, a dog that always catches my eye – a lovely expression and topline and he has now become a very nice mover. The winner, although not quite as animated had superior substance and bone. He is not as up faced as the second but has a great body shape with a nicer back end and moves correctly both front and rear. Open Dog was a splendid class with quality throughout, but my first 2 really stood out. The second, my RCC, now one of the most famous dogs in Europe looked in great shape, as usual, very typical to the standard with a head that just gets better with age. The winner, my dog CC, and Best in Show, an extremely well balanced dog, nothing exaggerated, yet all bulldog. A lovely head with correct length and width of skull and face, super body shape and rib. Very nice topline and light, well angulated back end. It was very close between these two, but movement just won the day. I must admit, Veteran is not my favourite class to judge as I have always been brought up to respect the elderly, and sometimes to write a critique on an old dog is hard. However, not this one ! A 7 year old bitch, shown in good firm condition, which moved very well. Nice clear eyes, and still very animated. A very big Minor Puppy Bitch class with some promising prospects. My winner caught my eye as she entered the ring. Just what I look for, plenty of curves in the right places. Not as powerful in foreface as the 2^nd, and not as heavily boned, but a better top line and reach of neck. Both were a nice size, shown in excellent condition and moved well. Puppy Bitch class provided some very nice youngsters. My 1^st and 2^nd were of good type. Both lovely fronted, especially the 2^nd with really strong straight bone to neat feet and lovely depth of brisket. The winner however, had a stronger head and a better general appearance. Both seemed a little unsettled on the day, but the quality was obvious. Junior Bitch gave me two of my ringside favourites and after judging them, I predict a very bright future for both, as they don’t disappoint. The winner pushed very hard for the reserve CC. A super width of true under jaw with the perfect pigment to promote it. She demands your attention, whereas the 2^nd relies on her super skull structure and width of foreface, which gives her a most appealing expression. Nothing between them on fronts, both strong straight bone to good feet. Both good body shape, but the winner was not as beefy on the rear, which was the deciding factor. The Novice Bitch winner had arguably the best rear action of the day, which made the difference between the two, as they were both of good type. The winner, white, with super pigment, nice head, good turn of shoulder, straight bone and moved well. The 2^nd equal in front and body, but not so good on the rear as the winner. Two interesting bitches who I like very much stood 1^st and 2^nd in Undergraduate Bitch. The first a brindle and white, very well proportioned, standard weight bitch with a correct square front and strong bone. The 2^nd, a really strong type who looks better now that she has lost a little weight, with a lovely width of under jaw and wide foreface, and big ribs. I would be happy to take both of these home for breeding, but the winner has the class to be a top show bitch. She let herself down a little on the move, but nothing a little more training wouldn’t cure. Definitely one to follow. The winner from Junior also won the Graduate Bitch class, which showed how much I thought of her. 2^nd was a very nice fawn bitch with a super sour expression, long flat skull, well placed eyes, nice width and length of face and an impressive turn of under jaw. Her square front, and shapely body finished the picture. A very cosmetic winner for Post Graduate Bitch, lovely red with white blaze and super pigment. The 2^nd not so flashy, but equally balanced. I preferred the continuity between skull and foreface on the winner and depth of brisket, although the 2^nd was better in top line. Both had nice straight bone, moved and handled very well. Standard weight and very typy is how I would describe my Limit Bitch and RCC winner. I have watched her develop from a minor puppy and have been very impressed. The flattest of skulls, broad foreface, and good turn of under jaw gives a stand off expression. The 2^nd a more heavier type and a little more course in head with a massive foreface. Moved better and was more controlled. She has a great rib, but not the curves of the winner who has a really lovely profile. In Open Bitch, I found my CC winner. A beautiful bulldog, both cosmetically and structurally, powerful head with a broad black nose and open nostrils, correct length of skull and face, and a nice turn of true under jaw. Correct shoulder placement and big bone to neat feet. My 2^nd had a tremendous head with a super turn and width and width of true under jaw, wide black nose and strong foreface. She too has very strong bone, but was not as good in profile as the winner, who has a lovely shapely body.
	Minor Puppy Dog Dellar’s Merriveen Touch of Frost - BP Gee’s Jaminic Specification Blair/Bestwick’s Taylajay Funky Monkey Puppy Dog Seal’s Sealiville He’s the Duke Bray’s Shantallah Dumbledore Little’s Chrisanee Ki’s Miracle Junior Dog Brighton’s Balfour Frank Mitchell Hurst’s Bollglade Clydeascope Tearle’s Terlingfair His Nibs Novice Dog Williamson/Wellar’s Dandant Justification for SaintGeorges Undergraduate Dog Martin’s Calibra Bucks Fizz Steel’s Pearcroft Padlock Graduate Dog As 2 Undergraduate Post Graduate Dog Gwillim’s Rohene Rick O’Shea at Mylobull Lees’ Mellowmood Original Robertson/Imrie’s Bygshot Nice Guy Eddie by Jenlaur Limit Dog Walkers’ Basilisk Sandcastle Davies’ Kismond Buttons n Bows JW SH CM Tanner’s Glyndee’s care Bear of Bexbull Open Dog Wilton/Savage’s Sobeloved Forever Noble - CC - BIS Martin’s Ch Calibra Krugerrand - RCC Booth’s Ch Hobtop First Knight	Minor Puppy Bitch Saxon’s Bagibeli Beguiling Garside’s Biddle I’m Roxanne Iceglint Elsham’s Tyme Will Tell at Admireabull Puppy Bitch Edmonson’s Shantallah Air’s n Graces Daws’ Outdoors Elsie Davies’ Kismond Arctic Sun Junior Bitch Martin’s Calibra Uptown Girl Bradshaw’s Brarabus Bubblicious Dean’s Bullmarina Angel Eyes Novice Bitch Hallat’s Trutell Total Eclipse Edmondson’s Shantallah Amaze’n Grace Davies’Kismond Arctic Sun Undergraduate Bitch Anderson/Watt/Dellar’s Oska Flameskinner for Merriveen Horner’s Streetwalker Lady Marmalade of Honclo (Imp Nor) Martin’s Calibra Classic Gem Graduate Bitch Martin’s Calibra Uptown Girl Mulvaney’s Trimbul Talulah Snazzle Williamson/Wellar’s SaintGeorges Look at Me Post Graduate Bitch Gee’s Jaminic Golden Daze Cockerham’s Rowendale Ice Cream over Yakuza Norris’ Jumano Sweet Martini Limit Bitch Booth’s Hobtop Calypso - RCC Ives’ Dandant Eleanor Ocobo Handley’s Haddaway Daydream Open Bitch Martin’s Calibra Golden Jubilee - CC Banner’s Sabany Nice on Ice (taf) Pampin’s Ch Tupeleecious Miss Toya

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