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SA Major Trophy Show 2008
07.02.2009

Judge : Mr Gary Evangelides [Rhinestone Bull Terriers]

I was honoured to judge this prestigious show for a second time - the first being in 2001 - eight years ago.  I expected that our breed had progressed during the past eight years, but unfortunately in my opinion we have regressed and not progressed. The breed is plagued by upright shoulders, long backs and straight stifles. I have written many articles over the years on the shoulder problem, but unfortunately breeders have ignored my advice simply because I believe many of them do not know what an upright shoulder is.  Secondly, the hindquarters have also become a major problem with straight stifles and poor hind movement.  The greatest breeder of the 20^th Century Raymond Oppenheimer “Ormandy” made the following statement: “Any fool can breed good heads, but it is the outstanding breeder/s that can breed both - good heads and good movement.” One without the other is pointless.

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Imported dog class: Rita Alberts & Gary Evangelides.

There was only one entry, no. 1, a brindle and white dog, Ch Bullyview Leading Role at Navada.  He is a powerful middle of the road type.  He has a long, strong, well filled, deep head, with a good profile and a very broad muzzle with perfect scissors bite. His strength of head and broadness of muzzle earned him the Best Head award and later he won the Best Coloured Dog Class and the Best Coloured Bull Terrier as well as Dog of the Year titles.

He has very good substance and bone with a broad chest, well rounded body and very deep brisket which extends well past his elbow. He has a long neck flowing into a longish back with a correct roach over the loins and low set tail. He has a very good bend of stifle, and short hocks. His movement is parallel front and back with good drive behind. He could have a shorter back and a bit more length of leg nevertheless he has many positive virtues.

The next class was the Ormandy Dog Vase for under 2 year old dogs.  Jannie Lubbe and Gary Evangelides were the judges.

Five dogs were present and we agreed on the winner, no. 5, Ch Brilows Bonnz Boy.   He has outstanding conformation and movement. His head lacks in profile and he could have a stronger muzzle but it is adequate. His eye placement and expression is superb and he has a perfect scissors bite. His make and shape is perfect with plenty of substance, very good lay back of shoulder, short back, level top line and a very good bend of stifle.

Moving he is a perfect picture - parallel front and back with very good drive from behind and very good reach in front.

Another dog that I liked in this class was Ice Man of Bukavi, no. 7, that has a beautiful head but unfortunately he has a very straight stifle and his front is not good either.

Ormandy Dog Jug for over two years old competitors, judged by Rita Alberts and Jannie Lubbe, with me as referee.

The result was a split decision between Ch Navada Eye Bandit, no. 19, and Ch Ipon the Rock, no: 16.

From the ringside I would have liked to have seen Ch Carradice Free Spirit in the selection.

Nevertheless, Ch Ipon the Rock is a tall, upstanding black brindle that looks very impressive from the ringside. He has a long, strong, deep and filled head, with a gentle curve from the top of his skull to the tip of his nose. His bite is off level (a reverse scissors). He has very good body substance but his bone is rather on the light side for his size. His shoulder placement is upright and his back rather long cast.

His hind movement is not his forte as he is knitting when viewed from behind (feet almost touching each other) and he lacks drive. Up until this point he was still my winner until I saw his front movement. His handler moved him at a very slow walking pace and coming towards me his front legs were toeing in slightly which is something one would only expect a dog to do at a much faster pace. Moving, it appears that the front legs are doing all the work as there is just no drive from the hind legs.  He has very good head size and body substance, but his movement, length of back and not enough bone for his size, let him down.

Later I was shocked to see this dog in for the movement class!

Ch Navada Eye Bandit is a smaller dog, leaning more to the terrier type.  He has a very good, long, strong and filled head with excellent eye placement, giving him a typical Bull Terrier expression and perfect scissors bite.  He has the maximum substance and bone for his size, with a long neck flowing into a short back with good roach and tail set. Standing in profile he is very well balanced with long neck flowing into a very short back.

His stifles are well bent, and moving he is parallel from behind with very good drive. He could be wider behind. Nevertheless he is parallel.  Moving when viewed from the front, he does toe in slightly and his feet tend to face a little east/west. 

He was my winner on his perfect bite, short back, better balance and far superior hind movement.

Coloured Dogs judged by Rita Alberts & Gary Evangelides.

Unanimous decision: Ch Bullyview Leading Role To Navada.  His main rival was Ch Ipon the Rock, who was beaten by Leading Role’s better front and hind movement, correct scissors bite, stronger bone and his broader muzzle.

Imported Bitch Class: One entry Ch Stamic High Ambition of Kunjury (Imp) UK, no. 23. Judged by Jannie Lubbe & Gary Evangelides.

She has a long, well filled head with a gentle curve and correct scissors bite. I would have liked a little more curve to her head.  She is upstanding with good substance and bone for her size.  Her neck flows into a slightly long back with a good tail set. Her stifles are well bent and moving from behind she is close but has good drive and her front is parallel and she held her backline on the move. She has the stamp of a good brood bitch written all over her.

Ormandy Vase for Bitches: Judged by Rita Alberts and Jannie Lubbe: 5 entries.

I was called in as referee as there was a split decision between Elru Lara Croft of Narciano, no. 25; and  Niroux Spirits Pride of Carradice, no. 29.

Lara Croft has a long head with a gentle curve, nice fill, and good eye and ear placement. Her bite is level (pincer).  She has a well-balanced body, very good substance and bone, with a good fore-chest.  Her neck is long, flowing into a shortish back.  Her tail set could be better, and her stifles are well bent with short hocks. Movement from the front is parallel but her hind movement is not her forte as she is knitting behind. Her front feet are splayed and not catlike as called for in the breed standard. Nevertheless she is a good bitch.

Spirits Pride has a well curved head with good fill and correct scissors bite, but I would have liked a deeper under-jaw. This bitch needs more time to mature as she is only 17 months old and her body needs to harden a little more.  She has a very good bend of stifle and moving from behind she has very good drive and is parallel. She is a little loose in elbow and toed in slightly when viewed from the front.  Also, she was not keen on showing herself to her full advantage.

Lara Croft won on her better make and shape, substance and harder condition.

Ormandy Bitch Jug for over two year olds, judged by Rita Alberts & Gary Evangelides.

A unanimous decision that went to no. 40, Ch Piketberg Harrys Snoozy of Niroux.

A medium sized bitch with very good substance and bone. She has a long head with gentle curve. I would have liked more fill in the muzzle when viewed from the front. She has a scissors bite. Her neck is a little on the short side, flowing into a longish back and her tail set is on the high side. Her chest is deep and she has a good bend of stifle.

Her movement both ends is not great as she toes in in front and her hind movement is close, lacking drive. Nevertheless she won this class with ease.

Coloured Bitch Class: Judged by: Rita Alberts and Gary Evangelides.

The decision was unanimous in favour of the red and white bitch, no. 34, Ch Ipon Electra, that has a long head with gentle curve, good depth and good roman finish.  Her bite is pincer and she has good substance and bone. Her back is rather long cast and stifles on the straight side. Moving she is parallel in front but close behind.

Dog of the Year was judged by Rita Alberts and Gary Evangelides.

Three dogs qualified.

Number 1, the import, Ch Bullyview Leading Role to Navada, was the winner with his very good head, substance and good movement. The Vase winner, no 5, Ch Brilows Bronz Boy, was the movement winner, but could not compete with his rivals in the head department.  The Jug winner, no. 19, Ch Navada Eye Bandit, was beaten by Leading Role because of the imports better head and front movement.

Supreme Bull Terrier judged by all three judges.

A split decision as Rita Alberts preferred no. 1, Ch Bullyview Leading Role to Navada, the dog; and the other two of us put up the bitch, no. 25, Elru Lara Croft of Narciano.  I preferred her as she is a quality bitch with a much shorter back and overall better balance than the dog.

Balance is a very important virtue in a Bull Terrier. I can forgive an exhibit if it is not a perfect mover, but if a Bull Terrier is unbalanced (short neck, long back, etc) plus moves badly, this I cannot forgive, because it is very difficult to breed out these faults.

This was definitely not a good year, especially as the dogs, of which some had qualified for this show for the third time, are almost past their prime. The bitches were also not that outstanding, I am sad to say.  We should be very careful and make sure that when using some of the popular stud dogs, our bitches are very well constructed.  If not, we will only compound the conformation problems that we already have in abundance.

Nevertheless, congratulations all the winners.

Note: All the dogs judged by me were entire.