The Otterhound Club Open Show 7th April 2024
It gave me great pleasure to spend the day with the Otterhound Club and judge some lovely dogs. My thanks go to the Committee for their kind invitation and excellent hospitality.
Dogs
Judge : Tom H Johnston (Feldkirk)
Junior Dog (1,0)
- Porter’s Ottaryx Vandal .13months, strongly built with head of good depth, good skull, eye and well-placed ears of good length and nice fold. Good length, strong neck, well placed shoulder, good bone, legs and good-sized feet. Good rib, back and well-set tail. Well angled rear. In good rough coat and with good free stride and reach.
Limit Dog (2.1)
- Lerego’s Teckelgarth Jardine. A balanced masculine head with good skull, stop and muzzle. Good eye shape and colour. Well placed ears of good length . Clean strong neck. Shoulders well laid, good fore chest ,depth and rib . Straight legs, good bone and on good sized feet . Strong loin, well developed rear and good tail. Presented in rough harsh coat and moved with flowing gait holding good outline.
Open Dog (2.0)
- Lewis’ Ch Olphae Charman BD. Good sized, balanced and strong. Head of good length and depth. Good skull, stop and muzzle. Good nose, eye and well-placed folded ears. Strong neck, well built front with good quality bone and stands on very good feet. Good depth, strong loin and firm back. Well bent stifle and good muscle. Tail well set and carried. Presented in good harsh coat. Moved over ring with free stride, good reach and holds balanced outline.
- Lerego & Stringer’s Teckelgarth Ingot RBD. Masculine exhibit with very good head proportions, good eye and ears of good length . Strongly built and of good depth, straight quality bone, good firm top line and well angled rear In good rough coat of good texture. Tail well set. Good free stride just needs more time to mature fully. Lovely type.
For BOB (BIS) and RB in Show I judged along with my Co judge Mrs J Beckett Hughes. Judging her principal winners Lewis’ Olphae Orlaith and Scott & Lerego’s Teckelgarth Zsa Zsa and Puppy Tangys Olphae Faithful
Best in Show going to Lewis’ Olphae Orlaith and Reserve Best In Show going to Lewis’ Ch Olphae Charman. Best Puppy in Show was Tangye’s Olphae Faithful
Bitches
Judge: Jo Beckett-Hughes
Very many thanks to the Committee of this friendly club for inviting me to judge bitches at their open show, it was an honour and a privilege to get hands on these beautiful hounds. Many thanks also to my steward who coped admirably with the weather – we judged outside and the wind and rain made for an exciting day, and did unfortunately upset one or two of the younger dogs. The exhibitors were all very supportive of each other which made for a lovely day, thank you.
Puppy (3,0)
1st BPB & BPIS Tangye’s Olphae Faithful Black & tan 6½ month old youngster giving her handler a really hard time today but absolutely enjoying her day out. Feminine girl with a lovely head and correct length to well set ears. Nice long neck into well laid shoulders and good return of upper arm. Good for bone and nicely webbed feet. Nice depth of chest for one so young but needing more width all through which I’m sure will come with time and maturity. Moderately angulated hindquarters. Would prefer a slightly lower tail carriage. Moved straight to and fro and very nicely in profile, showing freedom in her paces when she had a mind to!
2nd Fitzherbert Stewart’s Olphae Fleur with Ottateck Another black & tan youngster built on longer lines than 1 and still very much a baby. Nicely proportioned head with good dark eyes and well set ears. She also had a good depth of chest for her age and is good for bone. Well sprung ribs carried well back into a short loin. Well set and carried tail. A lovely girl needing to fill out and muscle up all of which will come with time. She was a little weak in the hocks moving away and close back but looked very nice in profile.
3rd Porter’s Ottaryx Wicket The most mature of the 3 puppies but wasn’t happy today having apparently just come out of season, so I couldn’t really get hands on her. I hope she settles and enjoys her showing again soon.
Junior (1,0)
1st Lewis & Wheatley’s Olphae Ember Black and tan girl not entirely sure of herself today but a lovely girl with quality and type. Super, well proportioned head, with a good expression, correct length ears and correct bite. Long neck into well laid shoulders with good return of upper arm, setting her elbows well under and close to her ribcage. Excellent width to chest with good fill in and excellent bone. Well sprung ribs leading to moderately angulated hindquarters. Good tail set and carriage. Moved well away, very slightly elbows out coming but very nicely in profile.
Post Graduate (1,0)
1st Lewis’ Olphae Darby Lovely, typey 3 year old girl with excellent shoulders and upper arm. Well boned straight front with good pasterns and large feet with good webbing. Well ribbed back under a level topline and short loin. Nice rough oily coat. Moderately angulated hindquarters. Moved ok to and fro. Best shambling walk of the day springing into lovely trot in profile showing free active paces when she was ready.
Limit (2,1)
1st BB & BIS Lewis’ Olphae Orlaith (AI) Quality, feminine but strong, black and tan girl with super type. Clean, nicely domed head with wide nostrils. Dark eye with excellent pigment to eye rims and lovely expression. Well set ears of good length with lovely fold rolling inwards. Correct bite. Long neck into super lay of shoulders and good return of upper arm, setting her elbows well under and close to her well sprung, deep ribs. Straight front with good bone and spring to her pasterns and large, webbed feet. Good depth of chest with excellent fill in and well ribbed back. Nice level topline with a broad back and short, strong loin. Scored in her rough, broken coat. Moderate hindquarters used well on the move. Moved straight out and back and in profile, sprung into a superb long-striding, active trot. Very pleased to award her Best Bitch, and BIS in agreement with my co-judge, when she out moved an outstanding Champion Dog in good form.
Open (4,2)
1st & RBB Scott & Lerego’s Teckelgarth Zsa Zsa Mature, feminine and typey black & tan girl almost a veteran and still looking good. Nicely domed and proportioned head, well set eyes with good expression. Good length to ears. Well angulated front and very clean through the shoulders. Good depth to well sprung ribs and nice fill in. Large, webbed feet. Good coat. Converged out and back and moved ok in profile, would just like a little more freedom to her paces to complete the picture.
2nd Porter’s Ottaryx Quinevere Feminine black & tan bitch 5½ yrs old built on shorter lines than 1. Would just prefer a little more strength to her. Clean head with distinct occiput and nice expression. Correct bite. Good length and set to her ears. Level topline leading to moderate hindquarters and tail reaching to her hocks. A little untidy on the move to and fro today but showed some nice paces in profile.
Best Bitch: Olphae Orlaith (AI)
Reserve Best Bitch: Teckelgarth Zsa Zsa
Best Puppy Bitch: Olphae Faithful
Best In Show: Olphae Orlaith (AI)
Reserve Best In Show: Ch Olphae Charman
Best Puppy In Show: Olphae Faithful
Special Award Stakes Classes
Judge: Helen Mansfield (Shingwidsi)
Thank you to all the exhibitors who entered and braved the rain and mud to show in these later classes. The atmosphere was lovely and it was a real pleasure and honour to have the opportunity to go over such gorgeous hounds. My sincere thanks to the committee for inviting me to judge and for your welcoming hospitality. Lastly, thank you to my efficient steward who kept everything running smoothly despite the weather.
Special Yearling Dog or Bitch (3, 1)
1st Tangye’s Olpahe Faithful (AI)
This feminine 6mth old girl made me smile, she had such character. Nicely proportioned head, nice depth to muzzle with wide nostrils. Good expression with correct intelligent eye, well set ears of correct length with lovely inward folds. Strong neck of good length leading to well laid shoulders. Well boned, straight legs, with nice spring to pasterns. Stood on well knuckled feet, used to advantage on the mud. Nice depth to chest, well ribbed back and conveying strength through the loin, especially for age. Good topline, leading to nice set of stern and carriage. Nicely developing second thigh with moderate angulation, well let down hocks and standing true. Demonstrated a loose easy walk, with a true long stride, showing good drive for her age.
2nd Porter’s Ottaryx Wicket
Pretty 8mth old girl, who though a little unsettled showed some lovely attributes when she began to relax. Strong head but still feminine, nicely proportioned with good eye set and ears of good length and set with gentle inward fold. Strong neck leading to well laid shoulder. Nicely boned with straight legs, leading to well sprung pasterns and good feet. Nice depth to chest, well ribbed, with broad back. Hocks well let down and nice width to second thigh. Moved well, as she settled, maintaining her topline and changing gait smoothly showing a loose action.
Post Graduate Dog or Bitch (2)
1st Lewis’ Olphae Darby
Lovely bitch, rising three years old. Full of character and type, which showed in her overall demeanour. Presented in good jacket. Nice head with correct proportions and nice depth, bright alert eyes and well set ears with pleasing fold. Overall a lovely shape coming from a a well laid shoulder, down to straight front, good depth to brisket and nice underline with excellent topline. Super feet. Nicely ribbed, with strong loin, coming nicely off the croup to good stern carriage. Balanced rear angulation and well let down hocks. All evident in her characteristic shambling movement; at the trot she was true away and back, with good footfall confirmed by her side gait.
2nd Porter’s Ottaryx Vandal
Very much a teenage male at 13mths old and showing lots of promise. In this class his enthusiasm got the better of him but by the next class he had settled into his stride and showed himself off to demonstrate a long fluid side gait, with precise footfall and a very typical shambling walk, while maintaining a strong topline. Balanced masculine head with correct stop and well set eyes with intelligent and kind expression. Well set, long ears with good fold. Strong neck with good reach leading to nice front angulation. Good forechest for age, with nice depth and width allthrough. Good straight front, standing on correct feet. Well ribbed back and strengthening through the body with short coupling. Correct stern set and carriage. Good moderate hind angulation without exaggeration, lovely width to second thigh and well let down hocks.
Open Dog or Bitch (8, 3)
There were some beautiful hounds in this class but I felt some, in true hound style, had had enough by this point in the day and were not giving their best.
1st Lewis’ Olphae Orlaith (AI)
Very feminine but strong 3 year old, who caught my eye from the start. Balanced all through, full of type and presented in excellent condition with correct coat. Beautiful expression coming from balanced head of correct proportions and nicely domed, framed with long ears of good length and correct drape and fold. Dark eye of correct set. She flowed beautifully with super reach of neck leading cleanly to lovely lay of shoulder and strong topline, broad over the loin and coming nicely off the croup to pleasing length of stern, which was carried correctly. Strong straight front, good spring to pastern and well knuckled feet, used effectively on the mud. Nice depth and width through the body, well ribbed back. Balanced hind angulation, nicely developed second thigh with moderate turn of stifle, well let down hocks and standing four square. Moved at the slower pace with a typical shambling gait. Her construction was confirmed in her long effortless stride, true on the fore and aft with excellent foot fall and a beautiful balanced gait.
2nd Porter’s Ottaryx Vandal
As previous class.
3rd Lewis’ Ch Olphae Charman
