Second Place in Limit - Dog, Judge: Mr Peter Armstrong (Atron)
I would first like to thank the Officers and Committee of Leeds City & District Canine Association Championship Show for inviting me to judge at their show, and for the hospitality shown to me on the day. However, most of all, thank you to all the exhibitors for providing me with such a quality entry to assess on this, my first appointment in the breed at this level. I had the privilege of going over so many quality dogs that difficult decisions often had to be made. As always, coats were at different stages, sometimes reflected in the placings, but coats come and go, construction does not. I did not discern any kinked tails and no bad temperaments were apparent. The adequately sized ring however was quite difficult for the exhibitors to circumnavigate, with varying gradients, going uphill away from the judge, coming back downhill but with another gradient across the ring to cope with as well. There were several bumps and hollows in the ring as well, in places which made standing your exhibit to best effect not quite so easy. Many astute exhibitors realising this changed their handling technique to cater for this, some did not
Grizzle and Tan. Looked eye catching on first appraisal and going over him did not disappoint. Owns a typical otter shaped head, dark eye, short muzzle and ample length of neck fitting into well placed shoulder. Lovely straight front standing on small neat feet. Spanned easily with ribs carried well back, a lovely level topline and correctly set on tail. Moved well around the ring with good forward reach and well-muscled hindquarters which gave him real strength in hind movement. Today perhaps shown a little short of coat.