Czech Mates
To get an invitation to judge abroad is always a thrill especially when it involves a country that is new to you and is on your ‘must visit’ list.
The Euro Show was held in the Czech Republic a few years ago but our daughter, Emma, decided she was getting married on the same day, so we went to the church instead. This Club Show was to be held in the same area in a sister Castle only 8 kms away so we booked our flights to Prague and looked forward to the big event.
Prague is an artist’s delight, photo opportunities on every corner, street painters and musicians offering concerts at every turn and the ‘life’ on the Charles Bridge puts most cities in the dark.
We were given a night tour by Brian and Karolina Morrison, Karolina was a tour guide in an earlier life so we got a super insight of this old city and a lovely restaurant, and we returned the next morning to see the magnificent views in the early sunshine and grab some photos.
It was soon time to leave for the show venue and Jan Petak picked us up from the wonderful hotel in the diplomatic embassy part of town and drove us across the country for 4 hours to the border, almost reaching Vienna. Why we asked ourselves did we not fly to Austria, but we would have missed out on this gem of a city.
The Valtice Castle is a UNESCO world heritage site and set in an English style park and gardens with romantic sculptures from the 18th and 19th centuries. The Castle also houses the Hubertus Hotel and the show ring was on the lawns behind. Under the castle, next door, is a huge wine cellar, stocking wines from 1640 onwards in over 600,000 bottles and huge vats.
An entry of 45 dogs was very pleasing for all, so at 10 o’clock on a sunny Saturday morning we were ready to judge the males with Miki acting as ring steward and my long suffering wife, Angela, writing the critiques. Glorious weather always helps and I prefer to judge outside on grass and the parkland setting with the coloured tents surrounding the ring provided a garden party atmosphere. The usual tented village had sprung up and the dogs were running free on the vast expanse of grass that stretched for miles, apparently all the way to the next castle, some 8 kms distant.
Baby Males were the first in the ring, two well-grown litter brothers at five months old. The judge has to grade them promising or very promising.
1st Clint Eastwood Czech it Out, VP
2nd Cuba Gooding Czech it Out, Promising
Both brothers need darker eyes and longer necks, their bone was excellent. Ring training for members’ dogs and their owners is a priority for the Club. Even 3 year olds in later classes were not always under control or presenting themselves to advantage.
Puppy Males saw 2 more litter brothers both very promising at 7 months with good heads, needing more neck, strong bodies and well presented.
1st Arthur JD Ilija
2nd Aneirin JD Ilija
Young class produced 5 excellent males, topping them was
1st Zottels My Name is Bond, at 10 months has a great future. My critique was full of praise and the overuse of the word “excellent”. CAJC awarded.
2nd Rollingview Cosmic Diamond, 15 months, so much to like under the over trimmed coat. A smaller size but boy can he move. A strong rear end, which powers him around the ring, well balanced and very showy. Just wait for the coat to clear of that soft brown puppy jacket.
3rd J Ch Belmondo of Mary People. 4th Barry White Czech it Out. 5th Agent 007 Kabrimo
Middle Class Males
1st Bryan Adams Czech it Out – 17 months another fine dog, from this Kennel. I awarded him the CAC and his all round quality filled my eyes.
2nd Aryakas Dimitrios – just needs a little more neck and to settle down on the move.
3rd Silvery Bear God up Front
Open Class – 6 males entered
1st Zottels Gi’me Five, My Best in Show & CAC, worth the long journey to judge him, an upstanding square male – very impressive – the best reach of neck, heavy bone, strong rear end which powers him round. Good coat could be harsher. Well handled and presented.
2nd Polar Star of Roseville – good all round just lost out on eye colour and a soft coat. Strong mover, excellent bone, good body, well balanced. Another one in top condition.
3rd Dulcet Fellow of Castle County
4th Alexander Dumas Czech it Out
Winner Class
Where the Champions parade themselves and two came out.
1st and CAC was Ich Aryakas Callipous, a good all round male who moves with drive around the ring – the coat is of a good colour, plenty of undercoat, but soft. I loved his strong rear end and angulation.
2nd Ch Pepperhouse Amicelli – needs more body and to settle on the move. Eyes could be darker, strong bone, good rise, and powerful rear end.
A short lunch break on the Hotel Restaurant verandah in the hot sunshine, then back to judge the Young Female class of 4. The only excellent was
1st Amidala Queen Kabrimo. I liked her old fashioned look, good mover, novice owner needs to get more out of her.
2nd Barking Bobby’s Tootsy
3rd Rozalia Kudlaty Tramp
4th Barking Bobby’s T’aimee
Middle Class Female
3 excellent girls
1st and CAC, J Ch Undine Von den Blue Zottels, and my Best Bitch at 20 months a superstar in the making. Could not really fault her, so much to like. Perhaps she could lose weight from the shoulders, but when her coat fully clears watch her go.
2nd Rollingview Clean Cut Diamond
3rd Bottom Shaker Fascinating Girl
Open Class – 9 females
1st and CAC Egor Dego Caracalla – another star, so hard to fault, just needs more maturity and a slight more rise to loin – a little close behind and could drive more. So well handled and presented, the best of female heads and a sound body.
2nd Pixie of Roseville Res.CAC Just needs to relax and gain in confidence. A lovely old fashioned bitch – harsh coat, good colour and so well balanced.
3rd Amie Stewart Czech it Out
4th Greystokes Conspiracy Theory
Winner Class – 3 lovely female champions, all given excellent.
1 Ch.Antonie Od Prosecke Skaly CAC a lovely feminine head, good body, just needs to settle on the move, a little skittish
2 Ch Arizona aus dem Rotmaintal Res.CAC another lovely girl, good neck and shoulders, moving a little close behind but good in front
3 Ch Alexandra Od Prosecke Skaly
Veteran Class
1st Ich Alison Od Chumbarku one of the best movers on the day, at 8 ½ could show them all. Strong rear end, coat of good colour and texture
2nd Ch Altesse U Stareho Hradiste, another good one, so well presented and handled – a little stiff behind, but going well at almost 9 years.
Honour Class
1st Ch Agata Z Udoli Stesti An old fashioned high quality bitch. Short coat but good texture and colour, moving strongly both ways.
General overview
I was happy to see the chaos of many Bobtails or should I say, mainly tailed OES, running free around the park which surrounded the outside ring. Temperament was so good in all but two. One disliked his fellow dogs, and one took a bite at the judge. Both were marked down. A few are skittish and lack confidence. Ringcraft classes are a great way to socialise your dog. As always with a Club show there were many novices, and I did my best to pass on tips via the steward for the newcomer to get the best out of their charges. When moving your dog let the judge see the dog, not your legs, although they may be shapely. Two exhibits were not groomed correctly and matted. All were clean and well presented, perhaps the ears could be bathed a bit more. I was surprised at how many dewclaws were left on. Perhaps this is due to the docking ban, when tails and dewclaws were removed together. Eye colour needs to be watched over. Several had yellow eyes and were penalised, too many had light brown and the pigmentation was incomplete. I prefer a really dark brown eye for that warm Bobtail expression. Walleyes were found and the blue was good. My biggest complaint, wherever I judge, is the lack of neck. A Bobtail needs a reach to do his job, and a show dog needs it to look balanced and upstanding. Too many are “stuffy” in neck, which destroys the overall picture. My second “must have” is a good rise to loin, a few were level in topline and were penalised. This is a unique characteristic of our breed so preserve it, and breed for it. Another major point that breeders and exhibitors seem to struggle to bring into the ring is an OES with a correct coat. Let me quote the English Breed Standard to give some guidance………
‘The natural outline should not be artificially changed by scissoring or clipping.
Coat Profuse, of good harsh texture, not straight, but shaggy and free from curl. Undercoat of waterproof pile. Head and skull well covered with hair, ears moderately coated, neck well coated, forelegs well coated all round, hindquarters more heavily coated than rest of body. Quality, texture, and profusion to be considered above mere length.
Colour Any shade of grey, grizzle or blue. Body and hindquarters of solid colour with or without white socks. White patches in the solid area to be discouraged. Head, neck, forequarters and under belly to be white with or without markings. Any shade of brown undesirable.’
Please note this as far too many are soft in texture and a few were wearing shades of brown but one was very soft and brown to a worrying degree. Thank God he had a lot of excellent redeeming features that saved his day.
Excess trimming and scissoring was kept to a minimum, only one was overdone and I know why! Brown ends.
Movement was very good, rear ends were mainly strong and sound.
Generally the breed is in good condition, and certainly in good hands. The people were fun and enthusiastic. The hospitality was excellent and the venue first class. I shall return very quickly to the Czech Republic. Prague is a great city and not just for stag parties and hen nights. Thank you all, especially Club President Jaroslav Zelinger and his wife and the committee, and thank you dogs for accepting my critiques and decisions so sportingly.
Ray Owen (Amblegait)
ZOTTELS GI´ME FIVE JCH.UNDINE VON DEN BLUE ZOTTEL´S
CAC, Best dog, BOB CAC, Best bitch, Club winner
