Bull Terrier Judges Critiques

UMFOLOZI BULL TERRIER CLUB
Championship Show - 5th August 2006
33 Entries

Judge : Mr Jannie Lubbe (Lubjan Bull Terriers, RSA)

My sincere thanks to the Committee for the invitation to officiate at your Championship Show and particularly to Johan and Martina Jacobs for their hospitality.

Thirty-three Bull Terriers were entered: 17 dogs and 16 bitches and only one of each sex were absent. Only three Champions were entered: 2 dogs and one bitch. As the Best of Breed was awarded to a dog that was not a Champion on the day of the Show - no ROM points were awarded.

I am willing to discuss my judging-decisions with anyone. Please feel free to call me at my all- hours cell number: 0825519806

DOGS -
PUPPY CLASS:

1st : No 14 -
   Bukavi Diesel n Dust
   ( Ch Bukavi Big Billy X Ch Idwala Radiant Ruby of Bukavi)
   Owned & bred by - Mrs MS Mattheys

It is not very often that the first dog to be judged, turn out to be the winner of a two point Challenge Certificate as well as Best of Breed, Best Puppy, Best Mover and Best Head in Show.

One day short of turning ten months of age and with a lot of maturing still to be done, he set the benchmark. As it tuned out he was just too good for the other competitors on the day.

He owns a quality head with a lovely unbroken curve: long, smooth and typical- with correctly placed eyes (pitch black) and with small, thin ears-bang on top. The muzzle could be wider but the under jaw is deep and powerful with a correct scissors bite. One blemish stains the picture: he has one very tight canine.

The body is deep and even at his young age he has a barrel chest and a broad chest. The back is short with a correct roach and low-set tail. The hindquarters are powerful with great angulation. He has a gun barrel- straight front and a lovely tapering neck flowing into the body at the correct angle- confirming a well laid shoulder. Tight elbows, adequate bone and tight feet complete the picture.

His movement is parallel going away with good drive from behind. He keeps his top line perfectly and coming towards me only slightly off parallel-but still moving with good reach.

He showed well and was handled expertly. I congratulate the owner on a very promising and superbly bred dog. May he fulfill his outstanding promise.

2nd: No 25 -
   Rhinestone Ready to Rumba of Malycwa
   (Ch Brum Home of the Breed of Navada X Navada Rave Dancer)
   Owner   : A van der Merwe
   Breeder : G Evangelides

Another good mover (read ‘good construction’) just lacking drive behind. A quality specimen - smallish but sound enough. Not the head or substance of the winner but could achieve much with maturity.

JUNIOR CLASS:
This was a very competitive class and on another day the three placed dogs could change places in any given order. I was not particularly impressed by anyone of them and that made this a difficult class to judge.

1st : No 11 -
   Carradice Free Spirit
   (Ch Carradice Flying Bullet X Carradice Lavender Mist of Neol)
   Owned & Bred by - Mr WJ Lourens

Long, filled head with perfect mouth, strong under jaw and well placed ears, but lacking a cracking profile. Would have loved better turn of stifle but he moved with great drive and retaining a level top line. He has tight feet and adequate bone.

He was presented in soft condition and I did not like his front as he turns out the feet and is still down on the pasterns a bit. It could get better in time - I will readily admit - which was the reason he won the class on this particular occasion.

2nd : No 29 -
   Nexcon Son Of A Gun
   (Trick or Treat Usher the Raven at Calub X Nexcon Let’s Go Girl)
   Owned & Bred by - Mr CJ Vermeulen

Much better head than the winner of the Class in terms of shape and profile: great turn in profile, smooth and with better finish. Unfortunately the mouth is not correct - misplaced incisors spoil the picture.

His front was the nail in the coffin on the day - I could easily forgive his mouth because of the quality of his head. The angulation of his front is so upright that even his short back cannot save him and also impair the freedom of his front movement.

3rd : No 8 -
   Aniro On The Rocks of Bacalaureus
   (Int Ch Lubjan Rock and Stone X Aniro Maureens Moment)
   Owner : Dr WA Hamming
   Breeder: Mr OI Prinsloo

Very strong, long, filled head with darkest of eyes and perfectly placed ears. Unfortunately a reverse scissors bite which is not acceptable and had to be penalized.

Short back with good well laid shoulders. Front movement is parallel. His cross was his back movement. He was close behind and moved without great drive, due in my opinion to not the best turn of stifle.

As you can deduct from the above: these three could easily on any other occasion be placed in another order.

GRADUATE CLASS:

1st : No 16 -
    Bukavi Titan
    (Ch Bukavi Billy X Alchasun Spanish Echo of Jococla)
    Owners    : Mr JD Van der Vyfer & Mr ST Mattheys
    Breeders : Mr JD Van der Vyfer & Mr ST Mattheys

A very worthy winner of the Reserve Challenge Certificate, this is a dog which is extremely difficult to fault. He is beautifully balanced with an excellent head from the tip of the nose to the ears and has a perfect mouth: no fault with his dentition but also a deep and wide under jaw, tight lips and a deep and wide muzzle.

His back is short and his hindquarters are powerful. He is a good mover and was presented in hard condition.

The only reason why he didn’t win the CC is that Bukavi Diesel N Dust (who won the ticket) matched him in every department and was at 10 months of age more substantial that his 19 months old half- brother.

To own two stud dogs of this quality - that are home bred - is a great achievement.

2nd : No 23 -
    Navada Whats Hot
    (Bullyview Many Moons X Bullyview Ballroom Blitz of Navada)
    Owner   : A Schutte
    Breeder : DE & A Jones

This dog has acceptable hindquarters, but lacks any other virtue. Please do not use him at stud.

SA BRED CLASS:

1st : No 31 -
Einstein’s Joke at Nexcon
(Trick or Treat Usher the Raven at Calub X Centuria Pretty Penny)

A powerful white with wonderful round bone, an absolutely perfect mouth and great drive on the move.

Unfortunately he lacks finish. His head is powerful but lacks the smoothness that is asked for in the Standard. His body lacks shape and the elegance and quality of a correctly made Bull Terrier.

2nd -
    Sandawana Maximus Brutus
    (Ch Dajan Skies the Limit at Sandawana X Ch Dajan Jewel in the Crown at Sandawana)
    Bred & Owned by - DH Harrison

A good mover behind but close coming towards. In rock hard condition. Unfortunately very lightly boned and is smaller than most bitches. A dog must look masculine. He had no chance of winning; he was just too light and without substance.

OPEN CLASS:

1st : No 18 -
    Ruff N Reddy at Nexcon
    (Trick or Treat Usher The Raven at Calub X Riska)
    Owner    : Mr HA Naude
    Breeder : Mrs M Rossouw

This dog is very difficult to fault if he is compared to the Standard. For that reason he will always stand a chance under All Breed Judges. He is smooth on the move. He has an absolutely perfect mouth like his half brother who won the previous class. He shows like a dream.

In my opinion there is just not enough of him and he lacks an outstanding virtue to promote him from the bundle. He has an adequate head- but not a great head. He lacks a bit of turn in the stifle and when one examine his hind movement careful it shows in a lack of real positive drive.

He won his class easily, but I could not award him top honors in the company he had today. The CC and RCC just outgunned him with their greater substance.

2nd -
    Bretho Diesel Power
    (Lynspruit Barney Boy X Bridget of Bretho)
    Bred & Owned by - Mr TJS Breen

This dog carries a very good head on a deep body. His cross is his shoulder angulation which is upright. I would also have loved to see thicker bone to match the powerful body. It was impossible to judge his movement as he was giving his handler a hard time pulling sideways.

3rd : No 4 -
Chukkakhan Foley ( Ch Centuria Red Adair of Tyabra X Chukkakhan Ice Cube)
Bred & Owned by - J Caldwell

Powerful dog with strong bone but lacks shape. He displayed wonderful temperament and I am sure he is a lovely pet but I will not use this dog at stud. His head is coarse and a-typical and should not be bred from.

CHAMPION CLASS:

1st : No 17 -
    Ch Bukavi Makin Waves
    (Ch Kingstonia Advokat n Trouble X Ch Lubjan Fly Baby Fly of Bukavi)
    Bred & Owned by - ST Mattheys

Rich-red brindle with good conformation - reflecting in superior movement which is smooth and parallel.

His cross is his head: it is long but lacks power and has round, yellow eyes and even his perfect bite could not save the day for him against tough competition.

It is strange that a head like this could appear in a dog with so many cracking heads in front of him. It is also very difficult to understand how a dog carrying almost perfect brindle doesn’t have dark eyes – if brindle is an agent that is suppose to enhance pigment, that is?!

2nd : No 33 -
    Ch Glengowan Sublime Trouble of Kingstonia
    (Ch Bonaparte of the Frensch Border at Kingstonia X Ch Kingstonia Without Trouble of Glengowan)
    Bred & Owned by - Mrs LV Walker

Unfortunately this Champion limped his way through the ring. He does have a strong under-jaw but he is undershot (reverse scissors) and has one inboard canine and his head is not long enough and the profile not pronounced enough to off-set the faulty mouth.

I suspect that he earned his championship by virtue of his movement, but as he was limping- he did not have a chance today.

BITCHES -
MINOR PUPPY CLASS:

1st : No 5 -
    Bretho Wolverine
    (Seamagic Master Binnacle X Bretho Budding Beauty)
    Owner     : Mr & Mrs TD Chislett
    Breeder   : TJ Breen

Good feminine head: long, smooth and turned. Unfortunately the mouth is completely undershot. She had a still very immature but shapely body with excellent hindquarters which reflected in very good, wide movement behind.

PUPPY CLASS:

1st : No 15 -
    Bukavi Sonic
    (Ch Dajan Skies the Limit at Sandawana X Ch Bukavi Gummy)
    Bred & Owned by - ST Mattheys

This is a classy bitch with wonderful virtues: Lovely profile and a perfect bite with great finish but unfortunate lacks under-jaw and that cost her in the final line-up.

She has a long, tapering neck, correct tail-set and the stifles are well bent and is elegant and up-standing. She is an above-average mover who keeps her top line on the move and is parallel coming and going.

On the day of the show her tuck-up was spoilt by an under-carriage that made me suspect a phantom pregnancy. Still she was a worthy winner of the Reserve Challenge Certificate for bitches.

2nd : No 6 -
    Dajamani Fire and Ice
    (Int Ch Lubjan Rock and Stone X Ch Joche Alicia)
    Bred & Owned by - Mr DJ Coetzee

Compactly built bitch of medium size and nice balance. Bite level and a good mover both sides. She just lacked a real positive virtue to pull here from the pack. It might come with maturity.

   3rd : No 1 -
   Sugar and Spice
   (Inkunzi Merlin Rouge X Goodtimes Jetstream)
   Owner    : Mr MN Beagle
   Breeder : B Martens

Head is filled and turned and she is sporting a perfect bite but lacked under jaw - which of course spoilt the picture. Not the best top line due to upright shoulders and being down on the pasterns (which may improve in time).

A good mover: wide and with drive. This bitch may be getting better as she matures.

JUNIOR CLASS:
Anyone of the bitches in this class could have won. I did not particularly like anyone of them and showmanship and less glaring faults eventually determined the outcome.

1st : No 32 -
    Ascheron Blazing Cosmos of Glengowan
    (Ch Inkunzi Merlin Rouge X Ch Glengowan Hot Abi-J-Zoeie of Ascheron)
    Owner   : Mrs LV Walker
    Breeder : Mr SL Sadler

She was impeccably shown and is a lovely rich-red brindle and is well marked. But she is long in the back and doesn’t have outstanding turn of stifle while she also moved closely in front. Her eyes were brownish and are not placed up high enough in the scull. Two incisors are misplaced in an otherwise correct mouth.

2nd : No 30 -
    Waaiplaas Misty Magic at Nexcon
    (Ruff n Reddy at Nexcon X Waaiplaas Dusty Zola)
    Owner   : Mr CJ Vermealen
    Breeder : Mr H Du Plassis

Equally well-marked black- brindle and white with a lovely, typical feminine head with great expression, the darkest of eyes, and a perfect mouth. She has a long neck and good layback of shoulder but unfortunately has a huge dip behind the withers that spoilt the picture to such a degree that she could not win despite the virtue of a quality head.

What made the difference here between 1st and 2^nd in this class was superior handling- no effort was made to stack this bitch to hide her fault.

3rd : No 24 -
    Limeberg Hotspur Abigail
    (Ch Glengowan HotstrikeXPicketberg Harry’s Sarah)
    Owner   : Mr R Torlage
    Breeder : Miss CL Meadows

A stylish bitch in profile : upstanding with a good head. But she is flat sided at the moment: of course that could improve with maturity and that could change the picture in time.

Unfortunately she wasn’t a good mover-close coming and going. Otherwise she could easily have taken top-honors in this class.

GRADUATE CLASS:

1st : No 10 -
    Bukavi Christy Merly
   (Ch Bukavi Big Billy X Bukavi Charcoal)
    Owner    : Mrs AM Henning
    Breeder : MS Mattheys

A quality bitch that could easily have gone all the way and will at another opportunity do exactly that.

She has got beautiful balance and is extremely difficult to fault. Her bite is correct with one tight canine. She has a beautiful head and lovely elegant lines- but she lacked the oomph of the CC and RCC winners.

I truly believe that she will get better with maturity or might even be more competitive after a litter.

2nd : No 20 -
    Sunduza Chelsea
    (Ch Booksale Harry Hotspur X Sunduza Zinnia)
    Owners   : Mr Part and Mrs Dohne
    Breeders : Mr AT and Mrs DC Strydom

A striking, elegant bitch of good conformation: upstanding and substantial. She moves well even though she is a big girl and will be invaluable as a foundation bitch.

Unfortunately she has a very ordinary head with 2 instanding canines and lacks profile, but with a father like that the right stud dog will put this kennel on the map-that is for sure.

SA BRED CLASS:

1st : No 17 -
    Bacalaureus Poison Ivy of Bilbod
    (Trick or Treat Usher the Raven at Calub X Bonisio Gucci of Bacalaureus)
    Owner    : Mr IJ de Bod
    Breeder : Dr WA Hamming

Another classy bitch : well–balanced and substantial. She has a nice enough head with an absolutely perfect mouth, good spring of rib and good, round bone.

She moves with drive but is a bit close in front. She doesn’t have the darkest of eyes and had a skin-problem on the day.

2nd : No 13 -
    Goodtimes Hitman’s Mol
    (Bretho Diesel Power X Goodtimes Starturn)
    Bred & Owned by - Mr B Martens

Nice bitch but too many faults to be competitive: not the best profile, level bite, a bit straight behind. But she did move well, which says something about her conformation and with wise breeding could produce something.

OPEN CLASS -

1st : No 21 -
    Aniro Blowing Kisses
    (Ch Booksale Harry Hotspur X Aniro Claudi o’ Gradi)
    Bred & Owned by - Mr OI & Mrs CM Prinsloo

What a gem of a bitch this is: real substance, beautiful conformation and quality blended into one and on the day she was in perfect condition too. Unfortunately she is not happy in the ring and she shows only flashes of brilliance, but when she does she really is magnificent.

She lacks curve in head profile but viewed from the front the head is beautifully filled, the ears are bang-on-top and she has got a fantastic eye: small and mean and placed perfectly-making for outstanding expression. She has a level bite with a very powerful under jaw, tight lips and two out of line incisors - canines correct.

She moved away with drive and width-reminiscent of the great movement of her father. She holds her top line and she reached out in front. For a bitch this size, I thought she moved exceptionally well. The power of her hindquarters- the thickness and muscle tone is outstanding.

She won the Challenge Certificate with ease and was only piped at the post by Bukavi Diesel N Dust for Best of Breed because he showed much better. But her quality forced me to also award her the Reserve Best of Breed. She is world class.

CHAMPION CLASS -

1st :
    Ch Natuli Madison Blush
    (Ch & Ch (Zim) Sandawana Hoodwink Harry X Ch Imibongo)
    Owned & Bred by - Mr WG Nicholson

At 6 years of age quality is still written all over this mature, feminine bitch . Her head is filled and turned and she has a good barrel chest and a plenty of width and depth of body.

She still moves with drive behind but age has caught up with her front movement. She was easily the best Champion on show today but could not seriously challenge the up and coming youngsters anymore.