May 2007
Dear Committee and
members of the GSMF,
It was such an honour to
have been invited to judge at Bucks County and I thank you all so very much.
I hope most of you were happy enough with my assessments, but if you were
disappointed, please remember that on another day and under a different judge,
your particular "charge" might be placed higher. Judges have their
own interpretations of the standard, which is just as well, otherwise there
would be only one top dog and one top bitch in every country!
In my opinion those I placed deserved their particular positions. I do my level best to be fair to all and just do not see who might be at the other end of the lead. Insulting for some, I am sure.
Generalising, I found head/muzzle proportion very good. Most entries were well bodied according to age; angulation on the forefront and rear, very acceptable. Coats-most surprising to me-were not, on the whole 'Daney' , ie very short and with no 'ruff' along the neck and over the withers. Temperaments and movement super; feet round and cat-like; handling, very professional.
3 things that might be worthy of consideration, firstly, an undershot jaw is okay according to the standard (providing the teeth cannot be seen when the mouth is closed) but there were too many borderline cases. Secondly, round or pale eyes are both unpleasant faults and should be avoided when planning to breed. Thirdly, I must admit to having a particular 'penchant' for bone mass and facial expression. It was difficult to find both qualities in the same dog/bitch.
It was wonderful to see so many people with whom I had been in touch over the years but had never actually met. Others too whose kennels are well known world-wide. A particularly happy few minutes were spent talking to Tobin Jackson by phone. He helped me so much with his advice and generosity in 'the old days'.
Finally, untold thanks to Carl and Bes for their unrelenting hospitatity; to Lucie Fainsbert for her gift of the most poignant book I have ever read; to the ring steward, Wayne Hallard (who advised me, gently, when to step up a gear);- to all of you.
With best wishes and my hopes that you will continue to keep up the good work of breeding superior Mastiffs.
Sarah Windham
PUPPY DOG 6-9 months
1st - White's -Woodmarks Hot N Nasty
6 months, correct skull and muzzle. Good bone. Well constructed throughout.
Strong rear end. Movement fine.
2nd- Thomas &
Mita's Landondale's- Beyond Yankee Blu
7 months, good bone. Skull broad but muzzle too long in proportion. Nice depth
of chest. Good angulation, both ends. Moved well.
3rd- Johansen's
-Ocean Breeze Guiness on Top
8 months. Nice reach of neck, good angulation, correct head for age but lacking
expression. Movement sloppy.
4th-Peacock's-
Achates lil Brut of Illusion
6 months, well formed torso. Excellent bone. Pleasing head with dark mask
and eye. Totally inexperienced but I have no doubt he will show his worth
in the future.
12-18 MONTHS
1st- White's -Woodmarks Red Hot Rumor
15 months fawn very mature for age. Square in body with strong bone and rear
end. Typey head. Moved with drive. Very nice.
2nd- Ritonaro's-
His Majesty D'Ogi Golden Bear
14 month apricot brindle, well put together and with enormous bone. Coat slightly
on the fluffy side but this might improve if one doesn't trick around with
it. Correct head if a little lacking in expression. Movement fine.
3rd- Rosa &
Gordon's- His Majesty D'Ogi Hehir to the Throne
14 month apricot brindle. Overall not as eye catching as 1 and 2. Bone good.
Skull and muzzle in balance, pleasing expression. Moved okay.
4th- Fish's- Windfalls
Trophy Buck
17 months black brindle with a good body and angulation. Level topline. Head
would be pleasing had it not been for round eyes. Movement needs to tighten.
BRED BY EXHIBITOR
1st- Borraci, Flanagan, Shaffer & Durante's -Celestial Flintlock Beam
Me Up
Well bodied throughout. Perfectly formed head with desired expression. Very
strong in the rear and well let down hocks. Adequate bone. Moved like a trooper.
2nd- Moore's- Spicewoods
Tuck 'N' Roll
Well bodied with deep chest from front and side view. Perfect angulation and
level topline. Eyes showing haw detracted from desired expression. Moved okay.
3rd- Marschka &
Funkey's- Winsome Dream Big Dually
Good depth of chest and round ribcage. Typey head with expression. Bone just
adequate. Moved too closely behind.
4th- Johansen's-Ocean
Breeze Yeager da Bomb
This youngster shows a lot of promise and it is a pity he had to compete with
his elders. Well made, lovely 'showy' neck, super bone. Head and expression
are all as they should be. His movement however, was all over the place otherwise
he might have been a contender in this class.
AMERICAN BRED
1st-Eberhardt & Gibson's-Sherwood Ranchlands Friar Tuck- RESERVE WINNERS
DOG
Well bodied with superb depth of brisket and angulation fore & aft. Large
correctly proportioned head somewhat lacking expression. Moved with tremendous
drive.
2nd-Serdich &
Clinton's-Daydream Acres Grt Expectations
Well developed 18 months with correct skull and muzzle but round eyes. Ergo,
little true expression. Super quarters and topline. Moved soundly.
3rd-Bahlman's-Old
School Cisco Kid
Overall well balanced but somehow lacking that 'je ne sais quoi' to grab one's
attention. Topline fine, bone okay, head construction correct but as with
so many, lacking Mastiff expression. Moved soundly.
4th- S & J
Severson's-Hoosier Little Buddy
At just a year old I appreciated this fellow, not just his name! Quite mature
all round with superb bone, good angulation, shapely head and dark eyes. Moved
to a band playing but glory, that topline leaves quite a lot to be desired.
OPEN DOG
1st- Imbierowicz's Islandwest Bear Creek Mojo-WINNERS DOG
Well and evenly developed throughout with strong chest, rear and ribcage.
I have no note on his bone so I expect it was adequate. Well formed skull
but muzzle a trifle long in comparison. Level topline on the move and he did
cover the ground.
2nd- Short &
Leahy's- Messiah's Amadeus Maxwell Pigmalion
The front end of this fellow is what it is all about. Pity his rear end fell
away. He has a super square head and deep broad muzzle and the rarity, a true
Mastiff expression. He moved somewhat loose behind.
3rd- Griffin &
Puppo's-Erieside Otis James
I don't think this chap has reached his potential in that he might be a slow
developer. That is not necessarily a bad thing, in my book. Overall he is
well put together, there isn't just enough of him at the moment. Head, typey
but again these awful round eyes ruin expression. He moved fine.
4th-Saraceno &
Leahy's- Messiah Gunther's In Pig Trouble
As with #3, this fellow needs time to come to maturity. Absolutely level topline
on the move and he did step out. Bone okay, overall fine but his forte might
be his chest which is deep and wide. Head pleasing enough but where is the
Mastiff expression?
VETERANS
1st-C & T Thore's CH Diesel of Safe Haven
At 7 years or thereabouts, I feel this dog could yet continue to sire very
typey progeny. With a super body and exceptionally strong rear coupled with
a well formed head and this hard to come by expression, could one do wrong?
No problem on the move.
2nd-B & H Jackson's
CH Bedrock Gemcut Set In Stone
At 6 years from what I saw he certainly deserved his status. His movement
was to be expected from such a well 'got-together' chap. His head was in proportion
skull to muzzle but to iterate, I do not like pale eyes.
3rd-D & M Fuller's
CH Fantasy DDA Stonehenge
Tall brindle. I realise this is not necessarily what we seek but it is nice
to see some height. Large head and dark eye but little expression. Bone could
be heavier. Moved fine.
4th-Borraci &
Durante's CH Celestial James Tiberius
8 years of age with good body structure. Good angulation. Height to length
in proportion. Bone slight overall. Well constructed head but again the awful
light eyes. Movement, no problem.
PUPPY BITCH 6-9 months
1st-Spiller's-Audley
& Noblhavn Bess of Both Worlds
7 month fawn so well made for her immature age. Super body and exceptionally
strong hind quarters. Head in proportion but yet again, I see awful round
eyes. Movement very level for one of her age.
2nd-Wampler's-
Iron Hills EZ Mover V Kimmit
8 month girl with again, a very good back end. Overall typey with good body
structure. Bone okay. Skull broad with muzzle in proportion but, might I belabour
the point that this youngster also has round eyes? Movement, a little loose
behind.
3rd-Schmidt's-
Woodmark's First Noel At CL
At 6 months this puppy, this little girl show potential but is so immature
it is difficult to access her. So far, so good, in my estimation. Nice depth
of chest and forefront. Head might be better overall. Moved straight and true.
4th- Benson's-StarView's
Strawberry Fields of Sirius
6 months with well boned legs; long body, strong 'child-bearing' hips. Head
in proportion muzzle to skull. Such a pity she was slightly lame on the day.
PUPPY BITCH 9-12 months
1st-Nelson's Prairie
Buffalo Apache Spirit
At 9 months she may not be the biggest but is nicely balanced length/height.
Super rear, very acceptable bone. Pretty head and expression. Movement sound.
2nd-Raudenbush's
Gunslinger Whiskey Girl
10 months well grown for age. Deep and wide between the forelegs. A little
straight behind. Head on the plain side so far. Movement needs to tighten.
12-18 MONTHS
1st-Stiger Jane's Mae Of The Mountainous Mastiff's
Super 1 year old with the best temperament I met all day. Perfectly shaped
head with true expression. Square body and level topline. Bone adequate. Moved
soundly.
2nd-Wood's BB's
My Bosses Daughter
15 months long and deep bodied with good angulation front and rear. Broad
skull but somewhat snipey muzzle. Movement sound.
3rd-E & G Gordon
& Goggin's His Majesty D'ogi Beautiful Dreamer
Well boned 14 months brindle. Good depth of girth and rear angulation. Round
pale eyes spoiled the whole head for me. Moved better behind than in front.
4th-Cooley's Southlands Woodmark Callie
13 months with small but typical head. Good ribcage and chest. Angulation
fine. Bone average. Crossed feet when on the move.
BRED BY EXHIBITOR
1st- K & J Schramm's Moonhills Absinthe Minded
This girl deserved her place for her name alone but she didn't have to depend
on that. Her body is square with 'child-bearing' hips. A little narrow between
the front legs. Wide skull and deep muzzle – a little lacking in expression.
Moved like a trooper.
2nd-G & E Gordon's
His Majesty "My Little Margie"
Heavily built in bone and bulk. Perfect topline. Square head and deep muzzle.
Expression lacking. Didn't move with the same drive as no 1.
3rd-Spiller's Audley
Farm's Bad Betty
It was difficult to separate the first 3 in this class and one another day
placements might change. Body mass okay. Shoulders and stifles correctly angulated.
Head spoiled for me because I cannot accept pale eyes. Movement sound.
4th-Severson's
Hoosier Pride And Joy
Another great name only to be beaten by a chap I know who called his dog "comere"!
At just a year this girl was up against maturity but she is growing proportionately
and needs time to show her worth. Good bone and angulation. Skull broad, muzzle
a little long in comparison. Sound in movement.
AMERICAN BRED
1st-Mantley & Kay's Sherwood's Anticipatience-BEST OF BREED/BEST OF WINNERS
What a truly exceptional example of the breed. She has just about everything
going for her. Chest, depth and length of body all, top class. Bone in fore
quarters fine. Bone and angulation behind absolutely super. To be hypercritical,
her muzzle is a little long in relation to her skull and perhaps a trifle
too deep. Nevertheless her gorgeous expression was something to die for. She
covered the ring with absolute aplomb.
2nd-M & D Fuller's
Fantasy Brvhrt Stryke A Pose
Overall well constructed with great depth and strong hind quarters. Slight
indentation beneath the eyes spoiled an otherwise pleasing head. Bone average
but she moved well.
3rd-M & D Raudenbush's
Gunslinger's Calamity Janee
At only 10 months this girl shows promise. Good height to length ration. Perfect
topline. Bone average. Head pleasing but needs time to develop. Moved fine.
4th-Leumer &
Wicinski's Excelsior's Kiss My Grass
Well made throughout with well placed shoulders and stifles. Bone adequate.
Head kind of plain and lacking expression.
OPEN
1st-Goinkova & Deppen's Venus-Beaute Brullemail-RESERVE WINNERS BITCH
Typical Mastiff girl with strong rear, great chest when viewed from the front
and side. Average to good bone. Head proportionately constructed with desired
expression. Movement okay front and rear.
2nd-Wampler's Iron
Hills La Bella V Kimmit
Light fawn, still maturing. Very good bone and angulation. Body for her age,
fine. Head shapely but spoiled by light eyes coupled with showing haw. Moved
straight and true.
3rd-E & T Tumbleston's
Pallone's Palmetto Princess
Another, perhaps, slow developer who stands over a lot of ground. Body still
showing immaturity. Angulation fine front and rear. Typey head marred by long
ears which gave her a sort of 'down-trodden' expression. Movement uneven.
4th-Leumer's Sagi
Loyal Indian Outlaw
Good body, length to height in proportion. Bone good enough. Movement straight.
Head has little to recommend it, being overall bland.
VETERANS
1st-Gynn & Crusciel's CH Leodess' That's All Folks
Everyone should try to emulate the fitness of this 9 year old girl. Exercise
perhaps from 7 months onwards? She has a super body, wide hips and moved to
a band playing. Bone adequate. Nice skull with ears correctly placed. Muzzle
a bit long.
BEST OF BREED COMPETITION
A truly enormous class which had to be divided into dogs and bitches. My apologies
for not being able to make notes but time was of the essence. My Best Bitch
choice was Sherwood's Anticipatience (BOB) and my selected dog was Hunt's
CH Prairie Buffalo Dozer (BOS) who is well balanced throughout, has very good
bone, typical head and great depth of chest. Well angulated rear end. He moved
very well but not with as much aplomb as the bitch – not as much drive
from the rear.