Champ Show - 18th November 2018

A big thank you to all the exhibitors and of course Bullmastiffs, who took the time and effort to give me the privilege of their entries. A massive well done to the officers and committee of the Northern Bullmastiff Club for managing such a seamless and beautifully well-run show and making me feel so welcome.
It is a while since I last judged, and although I am a frequent exhibitor and familiar with some of the dogs present, nothing replicates or prepares you for the actual “hands on“ where you encounter the good and the bad, which is not always visible from the ringside.
Temperament as usual was superb and I congratulate all our breeders for maintaining such high standards, especially in these anti “big dog” times. Movement was generally good and quite exceptional in a few cases. Overall construction varied quite a lot but there was no specific area of major concern. The variance in size of our breed has not changed and we still see dogs from both ends of the spectrum, displaying everything from fine boned animals to large heavy, cobby types.
Fortunately my fear regarding the upsurge in oversized, over exaggerated freaks which appear all too regularly abroad does not seem to have manifested itself here just yet. However, it is evident that depth in quality is just not there at the moment and the UK Bullmastiffs declining registrations does give rise to concern.

Veteran Dog (4, 3 abs)

1. Myers & Morgan's - Ch Old Manila's Whisky Mac For Optimus JW (IMP-NOR)A truly great dog in the twilight of his career but still exhibiting the qualities that demanded so many accolades. A dog whom I have already awarded a CC, but now moving perhaps better than ever. Excellent conformation, a superb head and a well-muscled and beautifully constructed body. This dog despite his age shows no signs of decline and it was a very close thing for top honours today. As I said on the day this is a dog who is a credit to the breed. Best Veteran, Res CC and Res BIS

Minor Puppy Dog (1, 0 abs)

1. Humphries & Lowton's - Nodarobulls Marsellus Wallace (IMP-ITA)A really promising pup of 8 months who is of good size and substance. A good level topline which he retained on the move. Lovely width of chest with good depth. Head is of correct shape, still lacking maturity but with plenty of promise. Movement was fine but did seem a little restricted on the day, however I am sure this is a reflection of age and growth.

Puppy Dog (7, 2 abs)

1. Murphy’s - Valhalla Hunter Ride The Lightning At Nanahboozoo (IMP-HUN)A really attractive dog of excellent size and substance. A lovely clean outline with a good shaped head, strong well arched neck and fit athletic body, Correct angulation and lovely free flowing movement. The mouth however is very undershot causing the tongue to be a little too visible
2. Dyke & McGroarty's - Ardhub KobaA good sized well-constructed dog, Very attractive colour and pigment, with very nice bone and substance. Good angulation with a good topline well retained on the move. Head shape is good albeit immature, nice depth of chest.
3. Cox's - Colom Orlaf
4. Ogden's - Ready To Rumble Of The Bumblebarns
5. Terry & McGroarty's - Ardhub Outta The Black

Junior Dog (4, 2 abs)

1. Slater's - Endlessacres Morning Glory At Chalfs NAF TAFA dog with personality and a look at me attitude. A beautiful head with a superb mouth. Strong neck with good reach, Lovely angulation front and rear. Excellent depth of chest with well sprung ribs. Not the biggest but clearly within the standard and of course young and clearly not fully mature. Was probably one of the best moving dogs on the day. Handled beautifully. Definitely one for the future
2. Dyke & McGroarty's - Alonzobar Black In The Game ArdhubA very honest dog well-built and with good bone and substance. A very strong head with a good mouth, nice reach of neck and a level topline. This is a young dog who has a lot of potential and many of the attributes we want in a bullmastiff. Will watch his development with interest.
3. Abs

Yearling Dog (2, 0 abs)

1. Myers & Morgan's - Optimus Jack Daniels (AI)A powerful and well-constructed dog, powerful bone, good muscle definition and with nice angulation. Excellent level topline carried well on the move and with a short compact back. Good deep chest with well sprung ribs. A good expression on a powerful and correct shaped head.
2. Todd & Smith's - Pleats Surprise Attack For DelarhiaA big powerful red dog of good size and construction. Nice level topline, deep wide chest, good angulation front and rear. Head of good shape with fantastic wide nostrils. Ear placement could be slightly better.

Post Graduate Dog (7, 2 abs)

1. Porter & Bowser's - Jessiemai Front Page News At AraucariaA really strong and powerful dog, well angulated and with very good overall construction. Strong head, powerful neck and a good deep well sprung chest. Nice level topline with attractive balanced movement
2. Cucchi's - Nodarobulls James Tiberius Kirk At Stoneglad [ATC-ITA]A really nice dog well made with a nice powerful head, a good mouth with nice underjaw. Perfect level topline retained on the move. Good width of chest and lovely angulation.
3. Wallace's - Jessiemai Armed NDangerous At Braylah
4. Ogden's - Ready To Rumble Of The Bumblebarns
5. Nutley & Wilson's - Cairnmount Rebel Rouser

Limit Dog (9, 1 abs)

1. Forsythe & McGroarty's - Ardhub Black Bomb At FindhornA very powerful and well-made dog with excellent bone and substance. Extremely well-muscled and athletic in excellent overall condition, Strong head attached to a powerful neck, very good level topline nice deep well sprung chest. Very good angulation. Moved and handled well. Best Brindle in Show
2. Marshall & Tankard's - Stoneglad Jumpin Jack Flash At Verosa JW ShCMThis is a powerful and well-made dog with good bone and substance. A good shaped head with good dentition and well-placed ears. Strong powerful neck and level topline carried well on the move. Good overall angulation. Moved and handled well. This is a very honest and well-constructed dog who has the potential to keep improving.
3. Latter's - Stoneglad Sheeran
4. Taylor & McNaught's - Moorbull Back to The Future At Dreadnot JW
5. Banner's - Priambulls At Touch Of Magic

Open Dog (8, 1 abs)

1. Davies' - Ch Hyerdunscar On A Mission With Coulbymoor JWA truly fine example of our breed. Balanced, well-constructed and with a refined symmetrical appearance. A text book head with a nicely arched neck. A correct length of back carried straight and true. This is a good size dog without coarseness exhibiting good bone and the correct angulation front and rear. Moved freely with panache and power. This dog has attained the highest honours and it is easy to see why. A pleasure to award the Dog CC and BOB
2. Myers & Morgan's - Ch Optimus Daffyd JWA superbly constructed dog, big but with no coarseness well balanced and with superb angulation front and rear. A lovely level topline and a powerful rear end. Until I went over this dog, I was unaware of just how well made he is. Another worthy champion unlucky to come up against todays 2 top dogs.
3. Bown & Wilfort's - Ch Sundabish Mr Majeika
4. Williams & Pratt's - Safety Of Flatland Hellguard (IMP-HUN)
5. McGroarty's - Nashbank Magnificent Ardhub

Special Brindle Dog (4, 2 abs)

1. Forsythe & McGroarty's - Ardhub Black Bomb At FindhornSee 1st in Limit Dog
2. Martin's - Jessiemai Can't Stop Me Now At AribaxA nice honest dog with a good expression, good mouth and correct ear placement. Nice level topline moved well.

Veteran Bitch (4, 2 abs)

1. Bown & Wilfort's - Ch Sundabish Suzi Wong JWA really lovely well-deserved champion bitch, feminine yet still strong, with a classic outline demonstrating good angulation, excellent reach of neck and a classic head. Moved and showed herself with style and despite her veteran status was one of the better movers on the day. Unlucky to be up against such an outstanding veteran dog.
2. Davies' - Hyerdunscar Summer At CoulbymoorA very honest and well-made bitch, excellent depth of chest with good spring of ribs. Very nice muscle definition throughout body and well angulated front and rear. Head good with nice neck and good level topline. A fine bitch and of course the mother of Champions
3. Abs

Minor Puppy Bitch (3, 1 abs)

1. Latter's - Stoneglad She's Kinda HotA really attractive and feminine bitch puppy. Very nice bone and substance for her age and with excellent well-balanced conformation. A very nice un-exaggerated head with plenty of potential, no real faults and despite her young age she was totally at home in the ring. Very young, very raw but very nice. Deserved her Best Puppy in show
2. Gee's - Saturnsrings Galaxy At Jaminic (AI)A really well constructed and well-balanced puppy, with a very strong head, mature for age and with plenty of promise. Excellent overall angulation and good depth of chest. Nice reach of neck and level topline. Moved well, but carrying too much weight which unfortunately ruined overall symmetry.
3. Abs

Puppy Bitch (4, 2 abs)

1. Taylor's - Cairnmount GabriellaA very strong powerful bitch with nice bone and substance. Nice shaped head, good mouth and well-placed ears. Good reach of neck and a nice level topline. Moved well. Front a little immature with feet turned outwards but this may rectify with maturity
2. Cox's - Colom OctaviaA lightweight bitch lacking maturity. A good expression with a superb temperament. Level topline and good angulation. Moved well. Needs to mature
3. Abs

Junior Bitch (8, 3 abs)

1. Abbott's - Alonzobar Blac ChynaA Balanced and well-constructed bitch who has a lot of quality. A strong feminine head with an excellent bite, nice dark eye and good width of muzzle, strong powerful neck and a compact powerful body. Good depth and nice even angulation. Moved with drive and handled extremely well.
2. Reader's - Sundabish Belle of the BallA very pretty fawn of quality, with a nice clean outline. A good shaped head but still immature. Body is compact with good depth and a nice spring of rib. Moved and handled well. This is an immature bitch with a lot of potential.
3. Roberts' - The Nightshift's Style Icon At Joybull (IMP-NED)
4. Burgin's - Jessiemai Elektra
5. Jeffrey's - Sundabish Toffolo

Yearling Bitch (6, 2 abs)

1. Myers & Morgan's - Ch Optimus Pandora (AI) JWA really beautifully made bitch, not the biggest, but in standard and of the highest quality. A very attractive and correct head attached to an elegant yet strong neck, a deep chest with good width and a firm level topline. A powerful and well angulated rear which contributed to a strong powerful movement. A worthy Champion. Res CC
2. Spencer's - B-Izzy Lusitanas Da Casa Da Pedra Bela At Islekeeper (IMP-PORT)So much to like about this well constructed bitch, A lovely well-made body with excellent depth of chest, very good angulation throughout and a firm level topline. Must be up there as one of the best movers on the day. However, at the moment head is immature and lacks width but hopefully this will change and then I could see top honours for this bitch.
3. Baldwin's - Alonzobar Penny Lane For Nightstorm
4. Bailey's - Fowlerheight Just Jacks At Ironstance

Post Grad Bitch (13, 6 abs)

1. Trim's - Pleats Osha The Wildling At RoyceprideA well-made and well-presented bitch. Good overall head shape with a nice mouth and good Ear placement, Good reach of neck and a nice deep chest with good width, Strong level topline and a well-muscled rear end, moved with drive and reach
2. Turner, Myers & Morgan's - Optimus DivaA very smart and well-presented fawn bitch of good size and substance, an attractive and correct head with a really lovely expression, good reach of neck and a firm level topline. Good deep chest and nicely angulated front and rear. Moved and handled with really well.
3. Bryan's - Islekeepers Roxanne At Tonicbull
4. Warren's - Allwatcha Indian Summer
5. Garratt's - Marchmanor Hunny Trap

Limit Bitch (9, 2 abs)

1. McGroarty's - Rysid Viva La Vida ArdhubA powerful and well-constructed bitch of high quality who surely has all the qualities to attain her title. Excellent bone, and good angulation. A nice unexaggerated head with a good mouth and correct expression attached to a strong well arched neck. A lovely powerful body with good depth and well sprung ribs. Topline was good and accompanied by beautiful free flowing movement, Handled with style. A powerhouse but retaining essential femininity. A pleasure to award the Bitch CC and BOS
2. Spencer's - Islekeepers Mischief MakerA really honest well-made bitch, with lots to like. An impressive well-made body deep wide chest and excellent angulation throughout, a nice firm topline and a well-muscled rear end. A nice head with a good stop, correct muzzle length. Moved and handled well
3. Murphy's - Angel's Phoenix Cherry Sauna Chocolate At Nanahboozoo (IMP-ITA)
4. Thomas, Bull, Myers & Morgan's - Optimus Euphoria
5. McNaught's - Millkeeper Hidden Treasure At Dreadnot

Open Bitch (7, 0 abs)

1. Myers & Morgan's - Ch/IT Ch Optimus Rhondda JW WW15A staggeringly good class! My first was a bitch of the highest quality. A lovely balanced body displaying strength without coarseness, lovely depth and a firm topline and textbook angulation. Head is strong and correct but still feminine. Neck is powerful with good length, moved with excellent reach and drive. The overall picture of this bitch is one of class. 5 years old and the mother to my Res CC winner. A pleasure to go over her.
2. Lindley's - Ch Hyerdunscar The Big Tease JW IJCh CJW16 BW18Another high quality bitch that is currently at the top of her game. Beautiful square head, excellent mouth good width of muzzle and a strong well arched neck. A firm level topline and a well-muscled rear. Good straight limbs and good bone with no hint of coarseness. Cat like feet and good pigmentation. Not a lot to choose between 1 and 2 on the day.
3. McGroarty's - Ardhub Black Don't Crack
4. Abbott's - Ardhub Black Encounter For Alonzobar
5. Trim's - Royceprides Juno

Special Brindle Bitch (1, 1 abs)

1. Abs