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Conformation Evaluations

Judge: Mr. Yves Dambrain

Placement - Dog Name - Owner - Comments

Open Males

1 Griffen     E. Johnson   Very Good

Scissor bite, eyes more or less round and clear, narrow skull, prominent zygomatic arch, cheeks not harsh enough, too much coat on head, neck more or less short, back and ribs okay, inclined croup, ribs well distanced, lacking in stomach, good body proportions, more or less okay front, camped in rear, slightly cow-hocked, very soft coat, remains cow-hocked in movement, proper gait.

2 Crestwood's Undaunted Danton   Leslie E. Klewin   Very Good

Scissor bite, overall too flat, light internal pigmentation, nice dark eye, narrow head, muzzle too fine, slender neck, excellent top line, well dropped chest but too flat, slightly camped in rear, correct coat texture, legs slightly short, correct gait, missing mass.

3 Crestwood's UnCommon Valor   Charles Price   Very Good

Scissor bite, nice dark eye, head not massive enough and rather short, slightly arched topline, croup more or less inclined, ribs not spaced out enough, abdomen too high, sufficient front, too pronounced in rear, correct gait, front left pastern pointing inwards, coat sufficiently harsh, missing mass.

Working Males

1 Iron Xandra v Caya's Home SchH 3, IPO 3   Jim Engel   Very Good

 Worn scissor bite, body more or less long, hazel eyes, head a little small for the body, muzzle a little long, uncropped ears, hanging frontwards and insufficiently flat, tight topline, good ribs, underline too high, chest slightly open, weak left wrist, correct front, right rear limb slightly cow-hocked, good coat texture, too much undercoat, irregular volume of hair on head, correct gait, elbows out on left.

2 Centauri's Quinn SchH 1   James & Kathleen Engel    Very Good

Fearful, worn scissor bite, signs of de-pigmentation, dark eyes, well proportioned, good chest, open front, body too long, back should be firmer, tailset too high, good bottom-line, shoulder more or less straight, straight limbs, front and rear feet fairly flat, coat fairly soft, too much hair on head, correct gait, tight in rear movement, elbows out in front, too much white on front chest.

N/A Centauri's Tyrus  Brett Pritchett & Jim Engel   Eliminated

Large size, scissor bite, dark eye, long muzzle, very large skull, occipital protuberance, short body moderate croup, back not very tight, high underline, ribs not sufficiently arched in the superior part, weak wrists, stifle joints too high, limbs too long, too much coat, lacks density in the undercoat, poor rear movement, loose in front.

Open Females

1 Centauri's Unsinkable Molly B   John Courter   Very Good

Scissor bite, eyes round and pale, good head overall good structure, topline could be firmer, good chest, good underline, good forearm, slightly cow-hocked, good coat texture, correct gait, opens in front, presents itself lazily, a lot of white on chest.

2 Thunder's Anabel v Crestwood BH   Charles Price   Very Good

Presents itself lazily, scissor bite, dark eye, head lacks volume, sloped forehead, skull not flat enough, powerful body without being heavy but more or less long, topline should be firmer, good underline, wrists more or less inclined, straight legs, slightly cow-hocked right rear, coat too curly, undercoat too long, nice gait, tightens in rear, opens in front.

3 Centauri's Utra  K. Heilenman & K. Engel   Good

Scissor bite but dentition is fine-small, head and overall body lack in power and volume, muzzle more or less long, zygomatic arches quite pronounced, stop pronounced, croup rather inclined, good underline, correct angle, limbs lightly boned, leans on front, rump and leg narrow, nice gait, right hock spread out, excellent coat.

Working Female

1 Centauri's  Shasta SchH 2   Bari Pritchett    Very Good

Scissor bite, head lacks volume, stop pronounced, too much coat gives a global rounded outlook, neck quite short, short body, good back and ribs, inclined croup, wrists rather weak, correct front angle a little straight in rear raising the croup, coat quite soft too curly, correct gait, tightens rear and front.

Puppy Male

N/A Quiche's Xalted Knight Carol & William Walker   Promising

Scissor bite, eye, pigmentation, head proportions okay. Zygomatics arched, neck more or less slim, back ribs okay, croup more or less inclined, ribs could be more spaced out, front limbs okay, tight elbows in rear, too much coat on head, coat too woolly, tightens in rear, throws out in front, gait too extended, lack of harmony between rear and front.

Puppy Female

N/A Quiche's  Westminster Gabriel    Carol & William Walker   Eliminated

Lacks type, scissor bite-PM 2 right inferior, overall too light in structure and muscle, narrow head, lacks volume, muzzle too long, body too slim, ribs too flat, underline not tight enough, chest not low enough, shoulder more or less straight, ample gait, opens in front and throws out the back, coat much too soft, fine grey color too bleached.

NOTE

Once again this year we were unable to attribute the Best of Breed. No dog was able to make it to Select as none of the dogs were rated excellent. Hence there was no winner of the Perpetual Conformation Trophy.

The Last Day — Conformation

It is the "blacksheep" of the events. First of all by its attendance and second of all by the mediocre quality of dogs. I tried to stay objective and not deceive the owners. In summary: no sophisticated dogs, some too flat and coats too soft without being too long. I put aside 2 dogs, one for being too tall, another for being too light in weight, abnormal coat colour and missing teeth. A certain number of the dogs had participated in Schutzhund the previous day

I question myself as to the type and would like that the clubs responsible for the standard give it some thought. Class or group and work do not necessarily go together. We know of many breeds that in the beginning were of great utility and which today struggle with the simple task of moving because the 20th century has brought about heavy specimens that are inapt for any work. May we not have committed the same error with our Bouviers? Have we not gone off course?

It is interesting to note that these working bouviers have Dutch blood lines, not the ones we see in European conformation shows but rather from Dutch working dogs.

The pragmatic North American went to look for the tools they needed where they could find them. It is a way of acting independently. Is it not also a lesson for Europe?

I returned happy from the way I had been received and grateful to the people who dedicated their time without skimping on their efforts to be so kind to me. Happy also to know that "over there" there are other fanciers seeking the truth and enriched by their experience which permit me to interpolate.

Yves Dambrain

NAWBA Journal, Volume XII, Fall 1998