2021 Specialty Results
July 2021 - Dogs Queensland Grounds Durack
Judge - Prof . Brian Corbitt ( NSW)
Thank you to the club for this invitation to judge your specialty show. For judges these opportunities offer us not only the opportunity to judge significant numbers of a breed but also the opportunity to add to our knowledge and also where we can to give feedback, something we don’t do at All Breeds Shows. As an educator in life and an educator of dog judges in Australia, this opportunity has given me more knowledge to pass onto new judges in the future.
I was very pleased with the overall quality of the dogs and bitches shown. What was even more pleasing were the number of dogs and bitches under 2 who were of great quality. What I must say is that you are doing a great job. To say the least I was very impressed with what you have done and the obvious quality through the breed. Bitches are such an important part of any breed and you have strength there which augers well for the future of the Bullmastiffs in Australia.
Quality overall was abundant. There were only three dogs over 12 months I would not rate as excellent. That Powerful, symmetrical, strong and not cumbersome, sound and active specimen of Bullmastiff came in the ring class after class. Heads were generally excellent with a few with a bit too much! Bodies were deep and compact but with probably only 2 exceptions, all has good leg length, were balanced and active. Size, colour and coats were all spot on.
The Bullmastiff Standard say:” Movement indicates power and sense of purpose. When moving straight neither front nor hind legs should cross or plait, right front and left rear leg rising and falling at same time. A firm backline unimpaired by powerful thrust from hindlegs denoting a balanced and harmonious movement.“ Movement was excellent. Straight fronts, angled rears and agile gaits were evident across all classes.
There are a couple of issues to watch. Toplines are always an issue in Mastiff breeds of any sort but you are doing very well on the whole. I understand that as they grow, giant breeds move up and down. There were a couple of dogs with rose ears. This is a definite no no. Be careful to understand where this is coming from. Finally please watch wrinkling. There were only a couple with too much and it was associated with Flews that were too pendulous. Remember the Standard says: Flews not pendulous, never hanging below level of lower jaw”, and about the wrinkles: ” fair wrinkle when interested, but not when in repose.”
The Bullmastiff Standard has an interesting description of the mouth. It says: “Level desired but slightly undershot allowed but not preferred. Canine teeth large and set wide apart, other teeth strong, even and well placed”. I have to admit that I have always been puzzled by this. Anatomically the Head of the Bullmastiff is divided 1:3 accentuating a differential square skull from a much shorter blunt-ended muzzle. Our understanding of canine anatomy is much better and more logical today that it was in the past. What we now know would suggest that breeding a level bite would be almost impossible without lengthening the muzzle. My expectations in Bullmastiffs in the 40+ years I have been judging them is that they are, and should be, undershot and wide. Having judged them on 4 continents, I have never seen one with a level bite!
To my mind there were many dogs which were exemplary but as always a few stood out, which I believe offer potential to better understand quality. The Bitch CC and Res CC winners were in my mind the standouts, together with some great youngsters (4,15, 20). They exude breed type, quality and presence. The Bitch CC and Best in Show winner …for any judge, anywhere in the world, finding this quality makes years of observation, judging and learning exciting. I have awarded 4 exceptional Bullmastiffs Best In Show at All Breeds shows over the past 40 years and this bitch to my mind, continues the great tradition of finding exceptional Bullmastiff quality in Australia, and she is not alone.
Thank you all again for coming out and showing. A day never to forget.
JUNIOR DOG 1/2
1st (1) Waterlea You Rock At Salieri (Imp NZ) - M& V Yates/W Mills JUNIOR IN SHOW
Substantial and compact fawn. Very good body and not yet fully mature. Super head, thick neck with strong black mask with similar eyes and ears which were well set on. Sound front and rear with the required agile gait. Excellent.
INTERMEDIATE DOG 2/2
1st (4) Anmenta Ace Kicker - A & M Smith
Super 19 month old fawn dog. Excellent balance with powerful build, compact and substantial. Excellent head, black mask, ears and eye correct. Expression was exactly what I seek in a Bullmastiff. Thick neck into well laid shoulders. Deep wide body. Well laid shoulders and great rear. Great angulation. Very sound, agile gait. Still maturing into his topline at this age. Excellent.
2nd (3) Ch Whipcracka Cowboy Casanova – S Brinkworth
22 month old fawn dog. Very good sized powerful dog with a very good square head. Excellent mask, well placed ears and correct eyes and set. He was a bit too wet in the head for me. Great body, compact and wide. Very sound agile gait. Excellent.
AUSTRALIAN BRED DOG 2/3
1st (6) Dukory Solo Rebel – T McDougall RUBIS, DOG CC, AUS BRED IN SHOW
Fawn dog 2.5yo Balanced without exaggeration, powerful build, symmetrical, showing great strength, but not cumbersome. Head large and square and deep. Correct 1:3 proportions, with very good mouth and blunt and cut off muzzle. Dark eyes, high set ears well set. Correct black mask, eyes and ears. Correct thick neck on well laid shoulders on straight front legs. Wide deep chest; compact body with good topline into strong well-developed hind quarters with correct angulation on excellent cat feet. Loin is a bit short and affects gait a little. Sound mover. Excellent.
2nd (7) Ch Blaqveil Lorenzo Saint John – N Hooper/T Szentes
3yo Fawn dog substantial dog exhibiting power and width. Has a very good head with an excellent mask eyes and ears. He has a thick neck into good shoulders over a wide front. Good angulation fore and aft. However, he was too much for me, especially in head and too much in body affected his gait. Excellent.
OPEN DOG 2/2
1st (8) Ch Gameguard Power Of One – B Turner/G Sparham RES DOG CC, OPEN IN SHOW
Fawn 5yo. Very powerful build, symmetrical, showing great strength, but not cumbersome. Head large and square and deep. Could be a little more refined. Correct 1:3 proportions, with very good mouth and blunt and cut off muzzle. Dark eyes, high set ears well set. Black mask, eyes and ears. Correct thick neck on well laid shoulders on straight front legs. Wide deep chest; body is strong, if a bit longer than one would desire, with correct topline into strong well-developed hind quarters with correct angulation on excellent cat feet. Very sound mover. Excellent reach and drive. Excellent.
2nd (9) Ch Firebull Auguste Of Power – C Fitzhenry
Almost 5 yo fawn dog, substantial and powerful with a very good head and correct mask. He was compact and substantial, well angled and muscular. However, he was not happy in the ring and lacked the typical agile gait and imposing personality of the Bullmastiff. Very Good.
BABY PUPPY BITCH 3/5
Exh # 10,11,13 There were 3 lovely baby bitches. I think it is unfair to critique them as with all giant breeds they change so much on a weekly basis. When I am judging babies, I look for breed characteristics and do compare the exhibits, accepting they do change. However, all 3 of these bitches have the key characteristics of a Bullmastiff. If they continue as they are now, they will all make the grade. Most importantly at this age they were sound and had fabulous temperaments.
1st (10) Brinkybull Just Like Lexie – S Brinkworth BABY PUPPY IN SHOW
2nd (11) Brinkybull Shes A Cracka – D Armstrong
3rd (13) Gameguard Lil Bit Luna – K Sweeney
PUPPY BITCH 1/1
1st (15) Anmenta Black Velvet – A & M Smith PUPPY IN SHOW
Super typey brindle bitch 11mo. She has power and substance, already wide and strong. Truly substantial. Balanced overall and compact. Head is very good and still developing but has the correct shape with great ear set and carriage. She is well angled and sound and agile. Colour is excellent with a spot-on brindle. Excellent.
JUNIOR BITCH 1/1
1st (16) Nighthunder Fireball – P & G Slaughter
14mo fawn. This bitch is still developing as one might expect at this age. Head type is good and skull of correct shape. Perhaps muzzle could be shorter to get a better head balance. Excellent mask and eyes and correct set ears. Body is good and wide but she needs to mature and strengthen the topline both standing and on the move. Very Good.
INTERMEDIATE BITCH 5/5
1st (18) Ch Gameguard Innuendo – B Turner/G Sparham BIS, BITCH CC, INTER IN SHOW
Fawn bitch 2yo. Balanced perfectly, powerful build, symmetrical, showing great strength, but not cumbersome; sound and active. Head large and square and deep. Correct 1:3 proportions, with very good mouth and blunt and cut off muzzle. Dark eyes, high set ears well set. Correct black mask, eyes and ears. Correct thick neck on well laid shoulders on straight front legs. Wide deep chest; compact body with correct topline into strong well-developed hindquarters with correct angulation on excellent cat feet. Very sound active mover. Excellent.
2nd (17) Ch Waterlea Stormy Weather At Salieri (Imp NZ) – M & V Yates/W Mills RES BITCH CC
Fawn bitch 2.5yo. Balanced well, powerful build, symmetrical, showing great strength, but not cumbersome. Head large and square and deep. Could have a little more defined stop. Correct 1:3 proportions, with very good mouth and blunt cut off muzzle. Dark eyes, high set ears well set. Colour of mask, eyes and ears was a bit light. Correct thick neck on well laid shoulders on straight front legs. Wide deep chest; compact body with correct topline into strong well-developed hindquarters with correct angulation on excellent cat feet. Very sound mover but she was lethargic. Excellent.
3rd (20) Dukory Roxette – T McDougall
19 mo fawn excellent typey bitch. Excellent head and mask. Ears well set on. Strong neck into well laid shoulders. Broad strong wide body with excellent bone and feet. Angulation in front is very good but rear angles could have been better. Very sound and spot on topline. I think a little more length overall would improve balance. Excellent.
4th (21) Remyk Dreams Come Tru – J Bradley
18 mo fawn. Well balanced substantial and powerful bitch. Excellent skull and head overall with correct proportions 1:3. Strong mask. Well bodied and wide. Very good topline on very good bone and correct feet. Sound and agile on the move. Rear angulation could be better. Excellent.
5th (19) Bullalryll Oh Ruby – C Jenkins
3yo red. Substantial and broad bitch with a good head and correct mask. She carried too much wrinkle and was too wet in the head for me. Broad all through the body on very good bone and feet. Would have preferred better soundness in the rear. She was ploddy and not on her game on the day. Very Good.
AUSTRALIAN BRED BITCH 2/2
1st (23) Ch Gameguard Scandal – B Turner/G Sparham
2yo fawn. Great balance, compact, substantial , broad and exhibiting power. Excellent head shape and balance. Would have preferred a darker mask. Wide and strong in body on excellent bone and feet. Well angulated fore and aft. Topline spot on and she was very sound. Excellent.
2nd (22) Ch Brinkybull Lagertha – S Brinkworth
3.5yo fawn. Very good substance and width with power. There is lots of her but overall she is balanced and broad. Head is very good in shape and depth. Very good mask. Well set ears. Bone is very good. Angulation could be better, perhaps a bit too straight in the rear. Moved in an agile way but was too close behind for me. Very Good.
OPEN BITCH 1/2
1st (25) Aftrshok Honey Apple – P & G Slaughter
Fawn 5yo. Substantial, powerful bitch. Excellent balance overall. Head was spot on, wide, square and deep with an excellent mask. Thick neck into a wide front on great bone and feet. Body wide. Topline well held. Angulation fore and aft very good. She was sound and agile in gait. Well in consideration. Excellent.
NEUTER BITCH 2/3
Both bitches were of great type. Both were substantial, muscular and strong. Both had great heads, square, broad and deep. 27 was better balanced in head. Both bitches had correct width and balance in their bodies on great bone and feet. Toplines were very good. Both sound and agile. 27 was a trifle more compact and moved a bit better. Both Excellent.
1st (27) Nightquest Atlantic Jewel – M & K Sweeney NEUTER IN SHOW
2nd (28) Ch Paradigm Lucea – T McDougall