Welsh Kennel Club Championship show 2018-Great Danes by Sigurd Wilberg

My first contact with this breed was when I visited the late Ole Staunskjær at the Blaaholm Kennel 45 years ago. My understanding of the Dane is therefore coloured by the tutoring Ole gave me and all the discussion the two of us had about this breed through the years. It was no forgiveness for any weakness in the Dane in Ole’s eyes. He thought me to look for a strongly though elegantly built dog which carried his head and arched neck high. Size is important, but it is not allowed to override soundness. We want an elegant outline and a dog with an alert expression. The head is crucial. It should be like an elegant rectangular box with parallel lines where the muzzle ideally is slightly longer than the skull. The ideal Dane need to be powerful with a majestic action displaying dignity. With this in mind, I was ready for action:
BEST OF BREED : 3720 WEBB, Mr & Mrs L & MORGAN-EVANS Mr L Ch Vanmore Stop And Stare At Castleon
Dog CC : 3720 WEBB, Mr & Mrs L & MORGAN-EVANS Mr L Ch Vanmore Stop And Stare At Castleon
Res Dog CC : 3716 SEARLE Mrs S Dainmajik The Conjuror To Murrayvhayle (ai)
Bitch CC : 3717 SEARLE Mrs S Ch Droolakiss Miss Busy Body At Murrayvhayle
Res Bitch CC : 3702 HENSHALL Miss P Calchas Wincy Willis
Best Puppy : 3709 MORGAN EVANS Mr L Vanmore What A Guy
MPD
1st: 3709 MORGAN EVANS Mr L Vanmore What A Guy. Looking at this puppy was like looking into the future because this dog is going to go a long way. He has a fabulous head, great neck and front. His topline is firm for his age and he already moved with drive and presence. I wish him all the best on his way to the top. BP
PD
1st: 3710 NEWTON Mrs & Miss L & A Shlarra Smooth Mover. Another promising youngster with a good head and front. He is well developed in body for age, but could be better angulated behind. Moves quite well, but would like more drive.
JD
1st: 3695 BITHELL Mr R C & Mrs M Bourntwyn Rags To Riches. Impressive dog of high class. Lovely head, excellent front. Well developed in body with good angulation behind. Moves well around, but could be more parallel behind.
GD
1st: 3700 GRIFFIN, Mr M & GRIERSON Mrs B Griffindane Athos. A dog with good temperament which is too heavy in head and has too much flews. Good neck, but a bit overdone in front. Topline should be straighter moves quite well.
OD
1st: 3720 WEBB, Mr & Mrs L & MORGAN-EVANS Mr L Ch Vanmore Stop And Stare At Castleon. Here was the king of the day and you need a lot of superlatives to describe this stallion of a dog. He entered the ring as an aristocrat and was arrogantly looking around trying to find the one which would be second to him. He made it clear to us all that he was going to win the contest, which he of course did. This was his day and he brought all his confidence from the breed ring with him into the group where he conquered the attention of Mr Bivin who placed him first. I wish Ole could have been at the WKC to see this star in full bloom; I know he would have been impressed CC, BOB & BiG.
2nd: 3716 SEARLE Mrs S Dainmajik The Conjuror To Murrayvhayle (ai). Another good dog which was unlucky to be measured up against Stop and Stare. It was a challenge he couldn’t win, but that doesn’t take away any of his good points. He was an upstanding quality dog of excellent type and size with quite a good head. He had a great neck and front, good topline and quarters, but he couldn’t quite follow the winner on the move. RCC
3rd: 3699 CHAPPELL, Mrs L & Mr A & WILLIAMS Miss J A Ch Selmalda The Journey JW
MPB
1st: 3701 HENSHALL Miss P Calchas Yandamar Yours. Promising harlequin of excellent type. Well angulated both ends, moves very well.
2nd: 3718 SYKES Mr R P Vanmore Valentina Of Veredon. Lovely puppy which needs more training. She has a great outline, but needs to get higher on her legs. Beautiful head, well annulated both ends. Good body for age. Moved quite well when she wants to.
3rd: 3697 BLISS Mrs A Calchas Yodella Over Stagbatch
PB
1st: 3711 NEWTON Mrs & Miss L & A Shlarra Sent From Above. Nice puppy with a lot of good points. Lovely head, good front and neck. Topline could be better, good quarters. Moves quite well but would have liked to see more drive behand
2nd: 3721 WHITE Mrs J Jutlanders Are You Ready (Imp) TAF. Bitch of good type. Good head and neck. Well angulated, but she is a bit narrow. I would have liked to see more spring of ribs. Moves quite well.
JB
1st: 3714 PENDLETON-WATKINS Ms N & N Zefather’s What It Takes. I loved this bitch because she had many good pointes. She had a great head and neck. She was well developed in body even if the topline let her down. Moves and stands well.
2nd: 3696 BITHELL Mr R C & Mrs M Bourntwyn By My Side. Upstanding bitch of excellent type. Quite a nice head, well angulated both ends. Gives a lovely picture standing, but the winner scores on the move.
3rd: 3706 MIDDLETON Miss J H Rayjen Campaign
YB
1st: 3707 MIDDLETON Miss J H Taysca Must De Cartier. Bitch of very good type with good substance. Good head, but expression could be better. Moves and stands very well.
2nd: 3694 ALLISON Mrs H & Mr P Gretadane Honey Suckle. Bitch of good type with quite a good head, but to much dewlap. Well angulated and well developed in body. Topline could be better and I wanted her to move with more drive.
GB
1st: 3705 LIDDELL Mr & Mrs G & A Gretadane Honey Bee. Bitch of quite a nice type. Which unfortunately isn’t in the right show condition. To narrow and light in body. Quiet a nice head, but eyes too light and prominent. Good neck, well angulated, moves quite well.
2nd: 3706 MIDDLETON Miss J H Rayjen Campaign. Nice bitch which unfortunately is too frightened. Well-constructed, but movement is difficult to judge because of the dog’s temperament.
PGB
1st: 3707 MIDDLETON Miss J H Taysca Must De Cartier.
2nd: 3703 KINGSLEY Ms K Dainoak Agent Provocateur. Nice bitch of good type, but she is too heavy in head. Well-constructed, moves well.
3rd: 3713 NUNN Mrs S L & Mr R B Roshanun Show Business
LB
1st: 3722 WHITE Mrs J Smalltall’s Fairytale (Imp). High quality bitch of great size. Good head and neck. Well angulated both ends. Excellent outline and good substance. She pushed hard for the RCC, but she lost out because she was lacking the passion and drive of Wincy Willis.
2nd: 3693 ABBOTT Miss M Nikami The Lyrical At Tyak. Bitch of vey good type. Quite a nice head, but eyes to light and prominent. good bone and substance. Move rather well.
3rd: 3708 MORGAN Mrs C Samdice In Your Honor (ai)
OB
1st: 3717 SEARLE Mrs S Ch Droolakiss Miss Busy Body At Murrayvhayle. Here was the queen among the bitches. She is an upstanding lady of excellent type and size. She has a great outline and a beautiful head. She has a long, arched neck sett well into her shoulders. She is totally comfortable with herself and I fell in love with her. She moved with dignity and passion and was as sound as they come. You can’t ask for much more CC, BOS.
2nd: 3702 HENSHALL Miss P Calchas Wincy Willis. I was impressed with this lady even if she differed in type from my best dog and best bitch. The truth is of course that the harlequin very often is a bit square in their outline. She just couldn’t be overlooked because she was so full of energy and charm. She did for sure enjoy her day out. She was a bit heavy in head, but she had a great neck. She was very well constructed and had great substance. She moved like a first-class trotter. RCC.
3rd: 3713 NUNN Mrs S L & Mr R B Roshanun Show Business