Pyrenean Mountain Dog Club of GB

Judge  Colin Bowker

Championship Show: Many thanks to all those involved in the efficient running this show. It is about 35 years since I first judged the breed at this level and despite some reservations I think the overall breed type has improved a lot in this time. The square heads with too much stop, loose lower eyelids and pink noses are thankfully a distant memory. There are still a lot of loose lower lips and as always there is room for improvement in construction but the import of Pyreneans from various countries is starting to take effect and hopefully this trend will continue. Super temperaments were the order of the day. Overall pigmentation was excellent with only a couple of bitches not quite 100% but this is the worst time of the year for this, as one would expect, all the dogs were entire and all exhibits had double dewclaws. Unusually for this time of the year, and especially in view of the cold winter, a lot of dogs weren't in full coat. Nothing an exhibitor can do about that but there were a few specimens that were significantly overweight and the old saying about being cruel to be kind springs to mind, if you feed them less they will lose weight! It was pleasing to see there were only three absentees on the day as at some shows this can drastically reduce the entry.

VD (2) 1. Baverstock's Ch /Ir Ch Kalkasi in High Spirits JW Sh CM, A long time favourite of mine I gave this dog the Reserve CC at Crufts last time I awarded CC's seven years ago and apart from his lower lip being a bit loose these days he doesn't seem to have aged at all. Super expression with excellent pigmentation, correct eye shape and colour all on a head that balances well with his body. Correct type of coat that lies flat on his body. Excellent topline and true straight front. When moving around the ring with a nice easy gait he wheels his tail over his back which always helps to complete the picture. Dog CC and Reserve Best in Show. 2. Pollard's Ch Gillandant Rockafella JW Sh CM, another good head type with all the attributes of a top specimen, tight lips, excellent eye shape and colour, correctly set small ears and a nicely rounded head all help to enhance his expression. Another one in good coat but even though he has better rear angulation than 1 he wasn't putting as much into his movement today. A privilege to go over these two great champions again.
PD (1) 1 Dickson's Kalkasi Fields of Gold lightly marked youngster well presented and in good coat, carries his tail well but moves too close behind at present although difficult to assess as he was very unsettled when moving around most of the time.
JD (4) 1. Holmes Lisjovia Estevez, big strong dog male through and through, if ever I was to meet a wolf on a dark night this is the boy I would like to have with me! Front legs straight and true with correct pasterns, good shoulder angulation and super level topline which he retains on the move as he effortlessly goes round the ring with an easy stride and the desirable tail carriage, he has a pincer bite, as allowed in the breed standard, black pigmentation together with good eye shape and colour and small well set ears. One with a bright future, perhaps only lacking that "certain elegance" called for by the Breed Standard. 2. Robinson's Pennelcy Warrior Of The Gods, good skull shape with correct eye colour and pigmentation but tighter lips and eyelids would improve his expression. Could do with a stronger topline and tighter feet. Moving a little close behind but striding out well with good tail carriage. In good coat and condition. 3. Cubello's Night Owl, medium sized all white male with good pigmentation, eyes too round, another well presented youngster similar in many ways to 2 but with a better topline and tighter feet, needs stronger pasterns and lost out on height. Both 2 & 3 need more rear angulation.
YD (4) 1. Lisjovia Estevez. 2.Pennelcy Warrior of the Gods. 3. Night Owl.
ND (1) 1. Night Owl. Under Graduate Dog (3) 1. Lisjovia Estevez.2. Pennelcy Warrior of the Gods. 3. Night Owl.
GD (4,1) 1. Lisjovia Estevez. 2. Flounder's Gillandant Spirit of Christmas at Lakamoni, attractively marked blaireau dog, eye catching on the move, with a free stride and good tail carriage. Good head shape with right amount of stop and correct eye shape and colour but loose lower lips mar his expression. He is underangulated in the rear and still needs more time to mature, one with a promising future. 3. Pennelcy Warrior of the Gods.
PGD (7) 1. Baverstock's Kalkasi Expect Only the Best, good dentition and pigmentation, nice eye shape and colour, small well set ears, flews could be tighter but generally a good head type. Steady sound movement maintaining a good level topline. 2. Lisjovia Estevez. 3. Water's Zagal de Alba de Los Danzantes with Sketrick, (Imp) tallest dog here today by some way, best of heads and expression, still a bit uncollected on the move but impressive nonetheless.
LD (3) 1. Downes' Rivergroves All The Right Moves, catches the eye as he enters the ring with an attractively marked super shaped head. Desirable tight lips and superb eye shape and colour. Has all the correct angles and doesn't disappoint when asked to move with a sound easy gait and good tail carriage. A bit out of coat today but one with a bright future, presented and handled well. 2. Riley's Lisjovia Boris Bear at Darmaror JW Sh CM, another rising star with good angulation and a lot of ring presence. I know his owner has put a lot into reducing his weight from a few months ago and it has made a big difference to both his topline and his movement. Shown to his best advantage and like 1 a future champion without doubt but as a breed specialist I had to penalise him for his head type which is too heavy all through. 3. Thomas' Shiresoak Snow Patrol, good eye colour and pigmentation but not in the best of coats like the others in this class (but please lose the scissors!) stands too close in front, he is a bit straight in both shoulder and rear angulation, rather outclassed in this company today.
OD (6,1) 1. Nagrecha & Mattisson Sandstrom's Ch Vi'skaly's My Way or No Way to Chandlimore (Imp), the top winning Pyrenean in 2017 and it is not surprising, he has all the attributes of a true Pyrenean head, tight black lips, excellent eye shape and colour with small well set ears all on a head that has the correct proportions and shape. Although he has an abundance of coat I feel it would help his outline if it lay flat on his body as required by the Breed Standard as at present it makes him appear overweight in profile. Superb front and to quote the breed standard his feet are "short and compact with toes slightly arched and having strong nails", what a big step forward it would be if more of the breed had such a good front assembly. Didn't think he was putting as much energy into his movement today, a little bit of sparkle was missing but only to pleased to be able to award him the Res CC. 2.Savage's Ch & Multi Ch Vi'skaly's Harry Honda at Kington (Imp), what a great ambassador of the breed this boy has been, he seems to be improving with age and today was in the best coat I have ever seen him in. Another super head type from this famous kennel, correctly domed head with tight black lips and great eye shape and colour although I have always felt his head is just a little too large in proportion to his body. He has ideal angulation both front and rear and a topline that is ideal which he keeps on the move. Movement is 100% sound and putting more into it than he used to do in his younger days, a credit to his owner's hard work! 3. Downes' Belshanmish Orange Crush, well angulated dog with good pigmentation, a little too much stop spoils his expression a bit but he has a good head shape and has the correct coat type.With all the right angles he moves out well with much better tail carriage than 1 & 2 came up against two first class specimens today but his time will come and I would expect him to be made up. Very well handled and presented with a bright future. Sp Open Stakes (Joan Passini Birkett Memorial Stakes) (3) 1. Lisjovia Estevez. 2. Lisjovia Boris Bear at Darmaror JW Sh CM. 3. Shiresoak Nanook at Pyrekees.
VB (1) 1 Baverstock's Ch /Ir Ch Kalkasi High Expectations JW, solidly built seven year old good all round angulation moving slow and steady but still sound and keeping a strong topline when moving, in good coat but feet too large.
MPB (2) 1. Edwards' Shanlimore Raffaella, good sized lightly marked puppy, nice straight front and reasonable head shape showing a nice dark obliquely set eye, correct ear set and in good coat. Showed and presented well as one would expect from this kennel. Best puppy, easiest decision of the day. 2. Veale's Shanlimore Luciana at Jojims, litter sister to winner a little smaller and shorter in the body also with less angulation. Similar head type but very unsettled when asked to move so difficult to assess. Both puppies had good toplines.
PB (3) 1. Shanlimore Raffaella, 2. Haley's Kalkasi Lilac Wine at Mistymia, first class dentition and pigmentation, tight lips and excellent eye shape and colour, domed head and good ear placement. Not the best of fronts, big feet and straight in shoulder, rather long in the body but with a good topline nevertheless. In good coat, well presented and strode out well when asked to move. 3. Shanlimore Luciana at Jojims.
JB (5) 1. Water's Sketrick Purdita (AI), good sized bitch, best of heads, correct stop, excellent eye shape and colour, tight lips and first class pigmentation. Sufficient angulation and moved soundly but a bit more drive from the rear would complete the picture. 2.Haley's Kalkasi Blue Moon at Mistymia, very similar to litter sister from puppy bitch but better behaved when showing, better feet and front, not as long caste, sound steady movement. 3. Holme's Lisjovia Emilio, a bit too heavy in head type but otherwise an all round good specimen in good coat, showed and presented well. Good angulation and topline, sound mover with drive keeping her excellent shape and showing off her tail. Altogether a promising class of youngsters which bodes well for the future.
YB (6) 1. Sketrick Purdita. 2. Lisjovia Emilio 3.Kennedy's Shuangxi Mopsa Kai En Hui, moved soundly enough but lost out through round eyes and big feet.
MB (4) 1. Shanlimore Raffaella. 2. Shuangxi Mopsa Kai En Hui. 3. Bamford & Mc Dowell's Granchester Danse D'amour for Pafaxen, good sized bitch with excellent pigmentation but unfortunately her eyes are too light. Coat not in the best of condition.
NB (6) 1. Shanlimore Raffaella. 2. Shuanghi Mopsa Kai En Hui. 3. Granchester Danse D'amour for Pafaxen,
UGB (6) I. Kalkasi Lilac Wine at Mistymia. 2. Lisjovia Emilio.3. Granchester Danse D'amour for Pafaxen.
GB (4) 1 Kalkasi Lilac Wine at Mistymia. 2.Lisjovia Emilio. 3.Flounder's Sketrick Papagena at Lakamoni, came 4th in junior, some good head qualities with nice shaped skull, good eyes and ear placement, topline and angulation all good but lost out due too very loose lower lips. PGB (6,1) 1. Water's Hema Lux Opifex Immanis with Sketrick (Imp), good sized bitch with excellent pigmentation but a rather light eye colour, good head shape and ear placement straight topline and adequate rear angulation, not the best of fronts and needs to stride out more when moving. 2. Lisjovia Emilio. 3. Sketrick Papagena at Lakamoni.
LB (3) 1. Pollard's Gillandant Xmas Spice, yet another quality bitch from this kennel, good head shape with excellent dentition and pigmentation, correct eye shape and colour with small unobtrusive ears. Good angulation front and rear and moves with drive. Res CC 2. Baverstock's Kalkasi Expect to be a Star, nice skull shape and tight obliquely set eyes, nasal pigmentation not 100% today. Tall bitch with a level topline, moved a little close behind but a close decision between 1 & 2 and I'm sure they will often change places. 3. Savage's Vi'sakaly's Lilla My at Kington, good front and reasonable angulation front and rear, her ears are a little high set which spoils her expression somewhat, smaller than 1 & 2, and not showing at her best today.
OB (8) 1. Dunks' Ch. Bursville Summer Zizanna with Zalute, has al the attributes needed for a true champion, Good outline well balanced throughout. Correct shaped head with little stop, dark amber brown eyes and unobtrusive ears. Dentition and pigmentation excellent. All the correct angles and good topline which she keeps on the move. Correct coat type, and tail set on sloping rump. Pleased to award her the CC and Best in Show.2. Bayliss' Ch. Shirsoak She's the One JW, more lightly coloured than the winner and consequently has a more feminine expression enhanced by excellent pimentation with good eye shape and colour plus correctly set ears on a rounded skull of good width. Good front and rear angulation and moves soundly, would have seriously considered her for the CC and BIS had she not been so much overweight! 3. Thorne's Belshanmish Pretty in Pink at Pyrajay Sh CM, all white bitch that caught the eye when she moved, carrying her tail well and with a spring in her step that is usually lacking in bitches. Liked her head and she has a nice expression that is enhanced by good pigmentation and correct eyes, with tight lips and rounded skull, she well deserved her place in this strong class. Sp Open Stakes (Lorna Ireland Memorial Stakes) (3. 1 withdrawn) 1. Ch. Shirsoak She's the One JW. 2. Lisjovia Emilio.