Champ Show - 12th August 2012

I would like to thank the Northern Bullmastiff club for allowing me the honour of judging at their show, the exhibitors for their support and entries and my two co-stewards Roy Baker and Mike Vincent who made my task so easy by ensuring the day ran smoothly. Bullmastiffs are a working breed and in being so need to be capable of doing the task they were bred for, I am also of the opinion that the head piece is a very important part of the bullmastiff as this without doubt gives you the essence of type and without type you don’t have a breed. Therefore today my priority was type and soundness. Temperaments were sound throughout.

1. Warren & Singleton's Copperfield Mallet9 months old fawn male of good type. Correct proportions in head, a good dark eye and keen expression, dentition was good. This young lad is still at that rangy stage in body but well up to size. Lovely reach of neck, a little upright in shoulder and chest needs to drop, good ribcage and wide loin. He has a firm topline, good angles to rear but a little croupy at this stage. He stands on solid bone and round tight feet. Kept a good topline on the move his side gait was excellent with good drive from behind, going away was parallel but coming on he paddled. Hopefully this will improve as he tightens and matures. Pleased to award him BPD.
2. Worthington's - Gyproc Gechi9 month red dog, from a much smaller mould than 1. Pleasing head, eye and expression, ear size and placement were spot on. Correct moderate front and hind angulations, he stood 10 to 2 in front but this should improve with development, short back with correct topline, just enough ribcage. Excellent mover if a little loose at this stage.

1. Myers' - Old Manilla’s Whiskey Mac for Optimus14 month old clear fawn dog. He had the required substance and solid round bone I was looking for. Super head with correct proportions, good width of muzzle and plenty of pigment, nice open nostrils but I would prefer better dentition. Shapely, well muscled neck leading to a moderate shoulder, excellent spring of rib and correct short wide loin. Depth of brisket was good. Strong topline falling away a little too steeply in croup. Well angulated stifle and well developed second thigh. A well muscled male, which really showed when he moved showing his athleticism and power. He had enough reach at the front and strong drive from the back giving a sound easy action that I have no doubt he could have kept up all day. It was a pleasure to go over him he pushed the BD all the way. Pleased to award him RBD.
2. Burgin’s - Jessiemai Wot A Kuffufle 13 month red male. A larger frame than 1. Great substance throughout, without any coarseness. Head was strong and very handsome but I would prefer wider nostrils. Neck was strong and thick, his outline is clean and balanced with correct moderate angles back and front, good muscle tone, tail set ok but tail could be longer, topline firm. Unfortunately he did not make the best of himself on the move making it hard work for his handler. He scored in maturity but lost out on his attitude today.

1. Crawshaw’s - Medjezelbab Noble SoulEye catching 2 and a half year old brindle male. Top sized boy with a beautiful stripey jacket and strong bone. Loved him for type. His head was so correct well proportioned and had a good dark mask and ears. Strong muscular neck leading to well placed shoulders and good depth and width of chest. Strong topline and well set stern standing on well rounded feet if a little easty- westy on the front, strong loin and textbook hindquarters. On the move he reached at the front but there was no drive from behind so didn’t give the sense of purpose I was looking for, he moved true coming on but single tracked going away.

1. Alderson’s - Aralders Elderado2 year old deep red male, he had the whole package for me. Medium height with exactly the right amount of good strong, round bone and substance that was made up of the perfect amount of muscle. His head is strong and square from all angles though I would like a little more width of muzzle just under the eyes for perfection. Excellent bite with the correct, square underjaw and wide flaring nostrils I was looking for. He was in hard physical condition! His neck was strong and arched leading to the best laid shoulders and correct length of upper arm, he stood over sufficient ground to give him the square appearance I was looking for. A ramrod topline, correct croup and tailset and parallel short hocks. To be hypercritical I would prefer a straighter front as he tends to stand with one foot turned out, but as far as I was concerned this was a minor flaw. He was as sound as a pound, covering the ground with a free and easy gait. Pleased to award him BD & BIS.
2. Brewer’s - Ardhub Under Red Sky3 year old red male, not quite the substance of 1. Square handsome head with enough pigment, good dentition, correct sized well set ears and brown eyes. His neck was strong and just long enough leading to moderately sloping shoulders and a balanced body with a firm topline. Matching moderate angles at the rear with an ok tailset. He stood four square on feet that could be a tad tighter. Well muscled throughout he moved with sure footed strides giving the correct reach and drive we look for in this breed. Unlucky to come up against 1 and pushed the reserve best dog all the way.
3. Simpson’s - Pleats Apollo Son3 years 3 months deep red male, top sized with plenty of good strong bone and substance. His head is his crowning glory he has everything I am looking for, good width to skull and correct width and depth to muzzle ratios, enough wrinkle and pigment, good eye that gave him the kindest of expressions. He was a little on the lean side today but still standing four square on solid bone and perfect cat like feet, he had the look of an athlete. His neck is long and arched and he used it to his advantage, shoulders are a tad upright but otherwise he has an excellent front. He may be a little long in loin for some but I feel he can carry it as he is a tall boy. Tail set is good, all in all a very nice package. Unfortunately today he was not sound on the move.
4. Aston & Furber's - Eternalpride Gucci Envy Carminway
5. Lynch's - Lynchspride Maximus Mateo

1. Kozel’s - Safety of Flatland Phoenix2 years 2 months fawn male. Good sized male with just enough bone and substance. Attractive male with a lot to admire. Head was correct in proportions, he had just enough width to length, excellent pigment and good dentition. He had a good neck that led to moderately laid back shoulders, I would prefer tighter elbows. His topline was strong, he was well let down in brisket and tail set was ok. When he moved away he was ok but coming on he toed in quite badly
2. MacDougal’s - Garmondsway BarocoNo age given . Red male of good size and substance. Attractive enough in head with good pigment and well set small ears, his muzzle had width and depth and was blunt to the end, cheeks were well filled but head shape was a little rounded for me, his dentition was incorrect. His neck and shoulder placement was good if a little short in upper arm. Back was short and level but tail set was a little low. Stifle angles were good and he had a good second thigh. He moved erratically at first but settled into his stride giving ok movement.

1. Down’s - Trebrad Absolutely7 month old red bitch, Pretty headed girl who was a little over whelmed in the ring. Her head proportions are good, her stop needs to develop, dentition is ok and her expression is sweet. Her body is still raw still at that ‘all legs’ stage. Enough bone, a little upright in shoulder, strong topline, hind angles were good and tail set ok. She was a little unsteady on the move but settled to give a nice gait with no looseness at all.

1. Warren & Singleton’s Optimus Alicia of Copperfield10 month old brindle bitch. Delightful puppy who shows herself like a little pro. Pretty feminine head with plenty of width and depth, dark eyes and small high set ears all adding to her beautiful expression. She has a very smart outline for one so young, only a tad bum high giving a correct sharp outline. A little upright in shoulder, well arched neck and a good straight front with well let down chest. Her back is short, her loin is wide and her tail set is ok. Rear angulations are good and she stands four square on good tight feet. She moved with a sure footed gait, and no looseness at all, I would prefer a little more drive from behind and a little less white markings on her chest but overall she is splendid puppy with loads of potential. One to watch for the future. Pleased to award her BPIS.
2. Aldcroft’s Fowlerheight Bakana 11 month old light red bitch. A mature puppy I thought she looked much older. It was a close decision between 1 and 2. A good head, well filled under the eyes, clean cut with good depth of muzzle, oodles of pigment with good dentition and a broad underjaw. Just enough reach of neck sitting on well-placed shoulders, sound front assembly but feet were 10 to 2 at this stage in her development. Strong topline but standing over slightly more ground than winner. On the move she expelled power from well-muscled hind quarters and pushed the winner hard.
3. Morgan’s - Zobulleas Feisty Adele10 month red bitch , not the size of 2. Pretty headed bitch with lots to like. Head is developing well with quite a lot of wrinkle already, proportions are correct but she falls away slightly too much in muzzle so as not to give that square appearance I was looking for. She has fantastic pigment and beautiful eyes with small dark well shaped ears that she used to her advantage. Body is developing well and she has everything in the right place, she just needs to grow on now. Movement was difficult to assess as she was very unsettled, some ringcraft for her and her handler will help a lot