Rottweiler Show Results

I would like to thank all exhibitors for their support & behaviour on the day. My main compliment would go to all exhibits, whose temperament & ring behaviour was exemplarily.
  The type & quality varied greatly, it sometimes seemed to be a breed in two, if not more, varieties. Little & large was one of my first impressions for most classes. Coats were very much a mixed bag, many being out of coat, no doubt, a situation not helped by the vast contrasts of weather conditions we have experienced in the last few months. Correct length coarse coats lent themselves to waviness, which varied in degrees. But many had softer texture, some also short. Dogs carrying these, were often exhibits with a general softness in body condition.
  Dentition was good, with two poor bites & few missing teeth. However, many could do with a good hygienist regime, I include some of my winners in this comment too. Flew & eye pigmentation were correct to dark, with just a few veering to the lighter & darker extremes in tan colouration.
  Although types varied, in general the breed is a tidier version, with only one slight sign of throatiness all day. Size variations were obvious in most classes & quite a few tendencies to longer proportions in length of back. Tails again vary in type, with further type variations both stationery & in movement, with the tendency to ‘spitz’ in some.
  The ring size was generous & aided full circle movement which was useful as exhibitors still appear to concentrate on movement in profile. I found myself having to look at more & more in profile, as the straight line techniques were such a disappointment. Toplines held very well for most when viewed in profile, although some did show a tendency, although straight, not to be horizontally level.
  Very few handlers seem able to move in straight lines themselves, hence giving their dogs no chance to move correctly & all but a few exhibits can move hind legs, driving forward to follow that true line of the front legs. Far too many favour a half pass movement & although a pleasure to watch a horse in this action, not what I want to see at a dog show.
  I did find it a couple of times during the day & it was such a delight to watch a dog moving straight towards me in that fashion, hind feet in footsteps of the front. The inability of fore & aft made the assessment of movement on the day quite restrictive.
  The roll-mop & general overloaded shoulders are not so prevalent, but I think that is more in the change of general body proportions. In profile most would appear fine, although same as in movement, straight topline, but not horizontal, but from front & rear not so cleanly defined.
  At first I could not quite put my finger on the reason, putting it down to youngsters, until in one of the adult classes, while viewing a male, again fine in profile, but from the front, above & looking downwards, front legs appeared to disappear under the body. At this point the connection came, I was looking at the body of a swimmer, excessive upper body size strength & muscle, tapering to lean, trim lower body. Is this because more are turning to hydrotherapy, treadmill, lunge rein exercise, rather than several miles a day with handler to the right?
  This could also explain the apparent inability many have to move in a straight line, with handler quietly at their side. Many of the softer conditioned exhibits would greatly benefit from a structured exercise regime. The body type & size variations followed through from move into presentation. Taller, longer in back males, smaller, short coupled, lean, athletic & heavier Mastiff types. The bitches again had body type & size variations, but not such a variety, but there are some large ladies with head expressions of puppy males, in contrast to some frail pinched in faced girls.
  The head type variations were extreme & varied, mirroring those of the body types, from some more resembling F/c Retrievers to the other extreme of Mastiff type heads, although not too many of this type.
  Plain flat heads, small, sharp features. I have always been a lover of head type, but yet again here I found the only way I could get through the day was to view predominately in profile. There were also some bizarre facial expressions, verging on dopey, some even Scooby-do like. The plain, flat heads, lent themselves more to view in profile. There were again many deep set, drooping eyes than I feel comfortable seeing.
  As with body types, the heads varied greatly & it was hard to find many complete dogs. I found I was far too often weighing up the pros & cons of head, body & movement, hence my option to view in profile for head, stance & movement.
  Many if presented in a harder, fitter condition would improve. The ones with good muscletone stood out, but not always with the quality I would hope for. Bitches overall were more consistent in type than the males. Having said all this I was overall pleased with my winners & thoroughly enjoyed my day.

MPD (4,2a) 1 Jones & Woods’ Poncheens Ucandoit, 7 months, most pleasing head, clean & dry with dark eye, rich tan in short harsh textured coat, nice shoulder lay & forechest, straight topline, good hind angulations, good tailset. Little playful on move, but better on return; 2 Evan’s Maddiecass Rhett Butler, 8½ months, longer in body type than 1 & not as pleasing body proportions, nor tailset. Head not as dry & very loose movement.

PD (6) 1 Horton’s Rostock Ring Of Fire, 10½ months, good head type, rich tan markings, body short & compact with strong forechest, neck sloped effortlessly to topline & rear angulations. Tail carriage a little high, especially on move. Handled & presented well; 2 Bensteads’ Carsal Gringo, still in puppy, really lovely head, rich tan markings. Better tail than 1, but body slightly lighter at rear, giving not as good rear angulations or drive on move; 3 Osbornes’ Tianko Run What You Bring.

JD (4,1) I marked this class as little & large, but it was the start of more to follow, plus where I realized the dopey expressions were also to become the norm. 1 Richman & Gatehouse’s Shamrotts Busta Rymes, top end of height, body type good with good reach of neck, level topline & hind angulations, tidy head type, especially in profile; 2 Perks’ Dromnagus All Systems Go, just popped into junior, very active, living up to his name, earset & expression hindered by busy nature, tendency to slope off to hindquarters, giving slight impression of shoulders heavy in proportion to rearend. Movement not helped by fidgety attitude; 3 Watkins’ Ninegens Cream Crackered.

YD (1) 1 Cockerill’s Alkido’s Blaine, very dark, hard, masculine boy, typical head, dark eye. Slightly loose in neck. Moved with drive & purpose, tight well arched feet.

PGD (13,2) Wow what a step back in time. 1 Hunter & Finlayson’s Varenka The Maestro, shorter coupled type, good neck, straight topline, hind angulations strong, moved with such drive & show, very pleasing, typical, alert head, coat shone with condition, as too did muscletone. Although very busy, not sure how much handler or dog, it was all in good humour & such a showman. CC; 2 Warders’ Schutzer Fedosi, very similar to 1, but character far more laid back, so lost edge. Tailset & carriage perfect; 3 Fuller’s Wolfbass Akino at Kylamie.

LD (9) 1 Loughman & Wilson’s Gracezheim Yogi Bear, last time I judged I placed him second to BOB of the day, large, took class on move, hard condition, good reach of neck flowing straight into strong topline & hind angulations, typical head. Prefer slightly darker tan. Again second to CC of the day. RCC; 2 Steel’s Rougeau Benno to Upend, smaller in size than 1, not in as hard condition & so topline let down. Good hind angulations, really handsome head, such a happy, relaxed guy; 3 Longden’s Thunderhead Wig Wam Bam.

OD (5,2) 1 Drabble & Monks’ Olearia Golden Touch, well balanced with rich dark tan, masculine head, good earset, harsh coat, good reach of neck, firm straight topline, good rear angulations, top class condition, handled to perfection. Movement let him down in challenge; 2 Hatfield’s Millbone Casanova, lighter in body type & tan than 1, slightly heavier in shoulders. Not in as hard a condition as I like; 3 Hubble’s Sarkay Smooth Operator.

VD (2) 1 Ellis’ Abuklea Catch Us If You Can at Falkor, nearly 7½ years, slightly on heavy side. Stood to show really well & in movement, stronger front than 2 Huntings’ Drumajor Tomahawk by Chapmeek, just turned 7 years, sleeker than 1, giving impression of longer reach of neck. Front movement let him down.

MPB (6,2) 1 Fuller’s Kylamie Perdita, 7½ months, pretty face, especially in outline. Prefer broader head, but gave benefit to age. Very clean body outline impression, good rear angulations; 2 Hammett’s Poncheens Mona Lisa, 7 months, more typical head, shorter in back. Not as tidy in body outline, or movement; 3 Evan’s Maddiecass Scarlet Ohara.

PB (4,1) Soft coats & condition evident in this class. 1 Smart, Hillier & Dean’s Varenka Triple Trouble, 10 months, strong, yet pretty head, longer in body type, good topline. Tail tended to be erratic, especially on move. Prefer slighter darker tan. Handled & presented well. BP; 2 Davies’ Juffther Song And Dance, 10 months, really lovely, slightly tall in proportion. Pretty head type, not handled to benefit or show quality. Very happy; 3 Purchase’s Pretohawk Let It Shine.

JB (13,1) 1 Cockerill’s Alkido’s Bellissa Mason, sound, tidy & typical with alert expression, well contoured head & body, lovely rich tan, drove well from good hind angulations, challenged hard for RCC. Lost out on slight coat wave; 2 Flowers & Tucker’s Scanian Zsa Zsa Gabor, slightly stronger in head & lighter in tan, lovely stance & movement, enhanced by excellent handling; 3 Handley’s Beiderbecks Artemis.

YB (6) 1 Owen & Marshalls’ Patragarth Fantasy Girl, sleek, clean body type, head chiselled features, very tidy & compact, good reach of neck, strong hind angulations, strong drive on move; 2 Windows’ Hanbar Ismay, just out of junior, heavier type, not as good reach from behind. Preferred headset to neck into shoulders of 1; 3 Hopgood’s Saint Lythans Louise.

PGB (18,2) 1 Moran-Potters’ Sundrifters Maskerade, honest tidy, all round bitch, body clean cut in outline, dry well defined head, good reach of neck, well laid shoulders, strong topline, very good hind angulations, good set of tail, carried well on move & in stance, showed to perfection. RCC; 2 Jones’ Dortmund Rock’N’Roll for Westfalen, nice tidy bitch, hard condition, moved up in line, up purely on movement, good reach of neck, firm topline, good hind angulation, good depth of chest, rich tan, alert expression & really pretty; 3 Davison’s Riviere De Diamant avec Firemoon.

LB (11,2) The one class where there were no vast variations of type & size. 1 Osborne’s Gracezheim Stroller at Tianko, typical, well proportioned cobbier type, dry, clean, tidy head & body, strong topline, excellent hind angulation helping to drive well on move, showed & handled expertly. Just did not raise game in challenge; 2 Baillie’s Jacraila Elastagirl, slightly smaller, leaner than 1, very super square body type & rich tan, body strong & firm on move, really nice pretty head; 3 Brown & Carosin’s Bamabel Flair at Roseryn.

OB (5,1) 1 Flowers’ Scanian Halle Berry, tidy, well proportioned in construction, lovely head type, pleasing feminine expression & temperament, well balanced with firm straight topline, good rear angulation, well placed hocks, good driving movement, handled expertly. CC & BOB; 2 Jones’ Ch Rostock Vanity Fair, much chunkier than 1, with deeper chest. Very pretty head. Not quite as complete a picture as 1; 3 Thomas’ Juffther She Got Soul at Escora.

VB (1) 1 Purchase’s Pretohawk Eternal Faith, just turned 7, by a few months, very out of coat, but correct length & texture was still evident. Tidy sleek bitch, stood & showed to perfection, A little erratic on move.

JANNETTE BLUNDEN