The Great Dane Club Members Limited Show
Saturday 05th August 2023
Holiday Inn, Crick, Northamptonshire
Judge: Mr Jonathan Daltrey (Bananadance)

Judge Mr Jonathan Daltrey – Critique

THE GREAT DANE CLUB MEMBERS’ LIMITED SHOW 5TH AUGUST 2023.

A huge thanks to Helen Laidlaw, Anna Ellis-Khanna and their Committee and team for the opportunity to judge this excellently organised & well-run show in a super location. Many thanks also to the superb, welcoming, friendly and ultra-efficient stewards Tracey Rowe and Tess Concannon.  I must also thank all the exhibitors not only for a wonderful strong entry of 58 dogs but for the very sporting atmosphere and lovely attitude of everybody at the show. Set in a very spacious ring with a super large marquee we were able to stay dry but also use a huge outdoor ring to maximum advantage, giving every exhibit a chance to shine. This is exactly how a dog show should be run and it reminded me of the superb well-supported and well-organised ‘Breed Club shows’ of yesteryear. I can truthfully say that I thoroughly enjoyed my day judging your lovely breed.

Best in Show was the 2-and-a-half-year-old BLUE male: BLESSED BES FIRE FROM THE GODS AT RENESCENT (Imp USA). I thought that this dog presented a picture of total honesty. He has style with substance, is elegant with strength and has no exaggerations at all. All-male, his shapely head fits the standard well with chiselling and real work plus he has a keen, expressive & appealing eye. He holds an excellent outline, and he simply flows from his lovely dark nose to his well-carried tail. His long neck is set into well-laid shoulders, matched with good angles fore and aft and he has an excellent depth of brisket and a firm hard loin. He maintains his top-line both stood and in profile action too. He has hard muscle-tone with good definition to second thigh and has excellent tight feet. On the move he is faultless in all directions & I thought that his long easy stride was quite something to behold. For me, he was a good winner, I will follow his career with keen interest.

Reserve Best in Show & Best Puppy in Show was the BRINDLE youngster: PRIMUS DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER SAMDICE. I had the pleasure of judging this youngster recently at Border Union and my opinion remains the same…. that she is an excellent future prospect. Today she out moved and outshone her litter mates to take the top-spot. She’s totally feminine with a well-balanced head and pretty eye. She excels in front with good depth for age and she always holds her outline. Her movement is a joy coming and going and in profile she simply glides. I like her a lot and wish her well for what I hope will be an exciting adult career.

Best Veteran in Show was the 9-year-old beauty, CLANNALBA ELIE BRAIGH MHARR AT KARNDUKE. I only wish that I could have seen this one in her prime as I am sure that she would have been quite something to behold. She is a true credit to her owner, she put on an excellent display showing some of the youngsters how it should be done.  Despite her age, she fits the standard well and I felt privileged to be able to judge her.

PUPPY D/B (9,2) A very good class to start the day!
1. PRIMUS DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER SAMDICE.
2. TAMSDANE APPLEY EVER AFTER. A raw Harlequin at just 7 months but I felt that she is brimming full of potential. I loved her proportions and her head. She has a flowing outline and presents a picture of real grace and elegance. On the move, her side-gait is electric, she simply eats up the ground with ease. She is foot perfect coming and going and just needs that bit of extra confidence which I forgave in today’s weather conditions for one so young. I liked her a lot.
3. NIKAMI PAPA SMURF ATELIB

JUNIOR D/B (8,4)
1. PRIMUS BOND GIRL WITH SAMDICE. Litter sister to the previous class winner and similar remarks apply, I just preferred the head and expression and front action of the Puppy Class winner. This one has great depth and a super flowing outline with excellent shoulders. She is a good side-gaiter and covers the ground with ease.
2. TYAK GOLDEN JUBILEE. A very typey and classically feminine youngster, she moved well enough but just needs to mature and fill her frame and she has time on her side to do so. She shows potential and is a good future prospect.
3. DINODNAES ROSE QUARTZ.

NOVICE D/B (7,3)
1. DANEMOOR PENNY LANE. A very sound blue 2-year-old with a strong head. She presents a good outline with flow, good angles both ends and with total balance. I liked her tight feet and her stylish side-gait, she was a good winner of this class.
2. DINODNAES ROSE QUARTZ. Third in the previous class, this harlequin has something very appealing about her but is much finer in frame at this moment in time. I liked her expression, but she just needs to tighten a touch in front action, and I preferred the tighter feet of the winner.
3. BELAROSEDANE LADY BAYLEIGH.

POST GRADUATE D/B (9.2)
1. RIOCO MY ONE AND ONLY TO JANSETTDANES JW. I really loved the true breed type & superb feminine head and expression of this elegant fawn juvenile. She excels in outline with a lovely long neck flowing into superb, well-laid shoulders with a long upper arm and correct bone. I am not surprised to see that she is a Junior Warrant holder, her side-gait is faultless, she easily glides around the ring and covers the ground with precision and style. I would just prefer slightly better front feet positioning and this was the deciding factor for top honours as pushed the ultimate winners hard.
2. RIMOR BOADIXIYA, consummately handled, this brindle youngster looked an absolute picture both stacked and on the move. She pushed the winner very hard, but I felt her just a little less mature in body covering with just not quite the lay-back of shoulder yet of the one above. She was good enough on the move and must have a rosy future too. I liked her a lot.
3. CULSEANDANES JANET WEISS. Completing a trio of very promising Danes.

LIMIT D/B (5,1)
1. NOZIARO ALULA. This 4-year-old presents a perfect outline of elegance, balance and flow. She has great depth to her brisket, is well-muscled with good definition to second thigh and good tight feet. Sound coming and going with good reach and drive in profile, I would just prefer slightly less pendulous lips to complete the picture fully. I liked her for breed type and considered her for top honours.
2. NOVAVIDA HELLBOY BY RAVENDANE. This harlequin male was so impressive in side-gait using his well-laid shoulders and long well-angulated upper arm to maximum advantage. He is all-male, and I wouldn’t want his head any stronger, but he presents a very well-balanced outline although is just a touch straighter in stifle than ideal at this moment in time and needs to drop a touch and tighten up behind to complete the picture. He must be one for the future.
3. NORDIC GIANT’S LEOPALD AT TAMZDANE (IMP NOR).

OPEN D/B (4,3)
1. LOMONDANE CHUFFED TAE BITS. Alone but a good one, he excels in head make and shape and he presents a good outline with good depth and body covering. A sound easy mover, using his long upper arm to advantage, he covers the ground with precision and style. To be critical, I would, however, just prefer a little more control and firmness in his front feet positioning.

SPECIAL OPEN HARLEQUIN (7,1)
1. NOVAVIDA HELLBOY BY RAVENDANE.
2. DINODNAES ROSE QUARTZ.
3. DAINOK TEMPUS VINCIT AT CHAMITH.

SPECIAL OPEN BLUE (5)
1. BLESSED BES FIRE FROM THE GODS AT RENESCENT (Imp USA).
2. CARSAN AUGUSTINA. Classically made, full of breed type and very stylish with a lovely feminine head and expressive eye, she presents a picture of real quality and total balance. Today, however, she was determined that it was not to be her day and subsequently had to pay the price.
3. DANEMOOR PENNY LANE.

SPECIAL OPEN BLACK (3,2)
1. CARSAN LUCIANA. I really liked the feminine head and good, keen expression of this one. She excels in overall balance and is very true coming but was totally un-coordinated today going away. If she gets her act together, she could do well.

SPECIAL OPEN FAW D/B (4,2)
1. LOMONDANE ANITHER BLETHER AT SMOOIKEN. A good moving fawn, very feminine and with good depth and overall balance. She holds a good top-line and is a sound and steady mover with excellent tight feet. 
2. LOMONDANE CA CANNY AT EILDANE. Litter sister to the winner, I liked her head and expression, but her lack of confidence showed in her action, and she made my decision easy as she was determined not to behave and paid the price which was a pity.

SPECIAL VETERAN D/B (2,1)
1. CLANNALBA ELIE BRAIGH MHARR AT KARNDUKE.

JONATHAN B DALTREY (JUDGE)