English Ibizan Hound Club Championship Show Critique 2019

What a great thrill to be invited to judge this Breed Club show for the second time, I thank the members for the opportunity. This was my last judging appointment and rather apt as the first CC's I ever awarded were to Ibizan Hounds. Sadly I no longer have transport so am hanging up my Judges rosette, reflecting on the lovely days spent, with wonderful dogs to assess and all of the friends made along the way. The Ibizan Hound is a unique breed, it is unlike any other and should never resemble another breed. We are dangerously close to losing its uniqueness in this country, today I saw very short ribs and loins creating square dogs, almost resembling a Sloughi. Ibizan Hounds should always be well ribbed back because the ribcage is shallow,in depth allowing elbows free play beneath the brisket as it leaps and lands, lungs and heart need room! The loins are the engine house, they need to be strong, flexible and have the length to allow the dog to whip around both on the ground and mid-air, a short loin cannot flex enough to be efficient. It is also the reason Ibizan Hounds have a level topline, they are not a running dog, per se, the loins move sideways in their method of hunting, not up and down creating speed as in Whippets and Greyhounds. Long shoulders are also becoming see more often, which may look aesthetically pleasing to non-specialists, but to create a pivot point so close to the elbow causes too much upward lift instead of forward lift. I would like to just clarify another part of the breed standard which seems to bemuse somewhat, when we see the word 'hover' it does NOT mean any upward motion by the dogs legs, currently we seem to have a large proportion of dogs whose forehand movement verges on 'hackney' with too much rotation in the elbows and wrist, this is not a hover! An Ibizan s movement is long, close to the ground and the slight hesitation before footfall is caused by the follow through of the long legs, if the foot is more than an inch above the ground it isn't correct, the legs need to devour ground effortlessly without the handler racing around the ring, and to see legs being flung around creating rotation in every joint is not only incorrect , but it is also inefficient- our lovely breed was created to perform its task of hunting rabbits in extremely rough terrain, in bushes, over rough ground, if we lose the breed aspects that make it unique, we lose the breed we love.

 

Dogs

Junior; 1st, Knudsen's Kalo Skilo's Dum Spiro Spero, RCC, RBIS and BPIS, what a super dog puppy, good headshape , lean with correct set on of ears, amber almond shaped eyes. arched neck into short shoulders, long straight forelegs, well arched toes, good ribbing with level topline, tail set on correctly and hence carried to perfection, moved true.

2nd, Brown's Abracadabra Rjabrina de Bergerac (imp), very raw baby , clean head with good earset with a lovely downward tilt to his muzzle, a little pale in eyes, lean neck, fair forehand which needs to tighten with maturity, good ribbing, tail is set on a little high moved out loosely with a good long stride.

Limit;

1st, Sayles' Abbotsoak Music of the Night, quite a pleasing head shape, good earset and carriage, lean arched neck, short shoulders, straight forelegs, lacking in forechest, fair ribbing , level topline, well angled hindquarters, good feet with straight pasterns above.

2nd Hamilton and Rainsbury's Alanaura Ingognito Ipotane, a little heavier in build, ears a little wobbly on the day, good eyeshape, full in neck, some forechest , well ribbed with slight lope to croup, tail set-on is a little high, excellent feet.

3rd Brown's Vladimir Rjabina de Bergerac, another who is a little heavy in build, rather loose all through, deep skull , muscular neck, well ribbed but rather slack in topline, a little over angulated in hindquarters, high tailset and carriage, needs to firm up.

4th; Catchpole's Falconcrag Spanishsteps, substantial male in his golden years now, still putting in a performance for his young handler

Open;

1st Knudsen's Kalo Skilo's Bow Bells Guns and Roses, CC and BIS, best of head shapes with correct planes, excels in eyeshape and ears, lean arched neck, into best of shoulders, straight forelegs with upright pasterns, a glimmer of forechest, well ribbed back with correct depth, strong firm loins, moderately angled in hindquarters, gentle sweep of croup, excellent tailset and carriage, well arched feet , moved true, long ground devouring stride with the correct hint of suspension.

2nd, Phair and Egan's Snowlief Heart Full of Soul for Ynchreenoo, long clean head, earset is a little low, strong jaws, muscular neck into rather long shoulders, straight front, a little short in ribbing but correct in depth, good tuck up, steep croup setting his hindquarters a little to far under him, good feet, moved true and presented in superb condition.

Special Open Smoothcoat;

1st Catchpole's F. Spanishsteps

Special Open Mainly White; 1st, Knudsen's K.S. Bow Bells Guns and Roses

2nd, Catchpole's F. Spanishsteps

Veteran;

1st, Rileys' Falconcrag Galliano, generously proportioned gentleman, fair head with fine ears, long arched neck, angled shoulders, good front, long ribbing with strong loins, over angulated in hindquarters, high tailset and carriage,feet good in fore not so in hind, moved out with great drive.

2nd Catchpole's F. Spanishsteps

 

Bitches

Junior; 1st, Knudsen's Kalo Skripo's Lex Non Scripta, CC , BOSIS and RBPIS, the best roughcoat I have ever gone over, she oozes quality and breed type, and had she settled in the challenges later in the day would have beaten the dog puppy, her head is well made with expressive almond shaped amber eyes, earset is exact and uses them to full advantage, lean neck on good shoulders, straight forelegs, long ribbing with level topline, firm loins, moderately angled hindquarters, moved out so beautifully in the class and in the challenge for the CC, she could not be denied top honours, one this Judge would have gladly taken home with her!

2nd Taylor's Abotsoak Carousel, well balanced outline on this girl, clean typy headpiece with good eyeshape, long shoulders, shows good forechest, correct depth of brisket , a shade short in ribbing, good length of muscular loins, long, moderately angled hindquarters, movement was good in hind but much animated through her elbows causing far too much lift and not enough reach.

3rd Knudsen's Kalo Skrilo's Veni Vedi Vici, rather raw, long head with good eyeshape and colour, good earset , well arched lean neck, good forechest, long ribbing , good depth to brisket well above the elbows, moved very loosely but am sure will firm up with maturity.

4th, Brian's Abbotsoak Sky of Flames at Debbiejay, another raw junior, lovely head, balanced , with pleasing expression, lean neck into long shoulders, well ribbed, topline is slightly arched, moderately angled hind, moved OK but without any enthusiasm.

Post Graduate;

1st Browns' Beladona Rjabina de Bergerac, very rich chestnut and white kind expression with good earset and carriage, strong muzzle, long neck into long shoulders, little deep in brisket, long limbs, slack in pasterns, good tailset and carriage, moderately angled hind,feet need to tighten, moved true but lacking any lift.

Limit;

1st, Worrall's Alanuara Unseen Unicorn, saw her from the ringside as a pup and thought she looked nice and she doesnt disappoint under the hand, lean well shaped head with correct eyeshape and earset, slightly short in neck, short correct shoulders, straight forelegs, just enough ribbing with good length of loins, moderately angled hindquarters, her markings make her look slack in topline on the move, which she isn't, moved true.

Open;

1st, Hall's Ir.Ch. Afilador Pandemonium ShCM, RCC, refined head with an arrogant expression, good planes with fine erect ears good eyeshape, arched neck into slightly long shoulders, a shade too deep and short in ribbing, firm muscular loins, slightly steep in croup, good tuck up, long moderately angled hindquarters , good feet, moved out with clean long stride.

2nd Knudsen's Kalo Skilo's A Dozen Cymbaline Roses, another nice roughcoat from this kennel, balanced long head with that lovely tilt to the muzzle, earset is a little low, long shoulders with straight front, lean arched neck, well ribbed back with correct depth of brisket leaving daylight above the elbows, firm loins , moderately angled hindquarters, very loose on the move but has a good length of stride.

3rd, Egan and Catchpole's Ch Snowlief Red Sector A

4th, Hamilton and Rainsbury's Kalo Skilo's Rose de Immortal

Special Rough Coat;

1st Knudsen's K.S. Lex Non Scripta

Special Mainly White;

1st Knudsen's K.S. A Dozen Cymbaline Roses

Veteran; 1st, Egan and Catchpole's Ch. Snowlief Prime Mover, BVIS, very pleasing headshape with amber almond shaped eyes, earset is slightly low, lean neck set somewhat low onto good shoulders, well ribbed with firm loins, a shade over angulated in hindquarters, good tailset and carriage, excellent feet. moved tidily with precision.

2nd Taylor's Falconcrag Valenta, clean head with gentle expressive eyes, good earset, lean arched neck into long shoulders, well ribbed back, slight rise to topline from fore to hind, moved true but lacking drive.

3rd Drake -Brockman's Barnesmore Artemis, stately as a galleon! lovely to see her still out and about and made sure we all got a good view as she ambled around the ring!

Champion;

1st, Egan and Catchpole's Ch. S. Red Sector A. bit underweight and lacking in muscletone on the day, pleases in headshape and eye shape and colour, good earset, long lean neck, topline dips , short in ribbing, but is good for depth, excellent feet, long hindquarters, moved with too much upward lift and not enough drive. Junior Handling, 6-11 Jessica Woodcock, made a good effort, very kind to her charge and moved her out well 12-16, Keely Brian, handled her dog well in breed needs to learn a few extra tips to enhance her skills Judge; Sharon E. Clark