WEST MIDLANDS & WALES REGION SHOW Napton Village Hall 27 October 2002
Judges Report: Richard Crutchley

It was my pleasure to judge the West Midlands show on the 27 October. Unfortunately the weather had schemed against us and terrific winds made everyone's journey quite eventful. A slight delay at the start to allow all those who got diverted around fallen trees and road works to prepare animals was provided and judging commenced at around 11.30. Eighty-four animals faced me, split roughly 5:4 in favour of the standards. Due to the weather preceding the show, many of the animals presented were priming either across the shoulders, or slightly more progressed, having the usual 'horse-shoe' priming lines around the centre of the back. I made the comment that animals at the show will benefit from six to eight weeks prime on numerous occasions. All the same thanks must go to those who brought along their animals and who helped make the show the success it was.

Class A - Young Standard Females
Fourteen young females were split into three colour phases, with the first ribbons awarded in the Medium and Dark colour phases. Sue Nelson's medium gaining first, being of good fur type, in reasonable condition, clear and bright, beating Mr Gesikowski's female, which was well furred and clear, but not in such good condition and not as bright an animal. The Dark colour phase contained the eventual group winners, with first ribbon going to Joyce Garvey for a clear, blue, well furred animal in good condition, edging out Dick and Heather green's bright, blue, clear animal, which was not in such good condition. Joyce Garvey's young female eventually became Reserve Best Young Standard.

Class B - Young Standard Males
Twenty young males were again split into three colour phases. In the Medium colour phase, no first ribbon, but a second for Joyce Garvey's good sized, blocky, well furred animal that unfortunately showed a tinge in the fur on the day. The Medium Dark colour phase produced five ribbons, with the first going to Joyce Garvey with a clear blue bright animal that had silky, strong, stand up fur and was well presented on the day. This animal went on to become Best Young Standard and eventually Reserve Best Standard Animal. Paul Spooner's second ribbon male was of exceptional confirmation and top quality fur type, but was a little dull and also slightly out of condition on the day. The Dark colour phase produced a first ribbon for Paul Spooner's dark, clear, bright animal and a second for Joyce Garvey's bright, blue, clear animal of good size.

Class C - Adult Standard Females
Six adult females were split into two colour phases, Medium Dark and Dark. Due to poor show condition on the day, only one high award was made, a second ribbon to Paul Spooner's animal which was excellent in most respects, but unfortunately had to be denied it's first ribbon due to a tinge on the tips of it's fur.

Class D - Adult Standard Males
Seven animal were split into two colour phases. First in the Medium Darks was Paul Spooner's male, which was clear and bright, of good fur type and with good coverage. The best was yet to come however, in the last standard class of the day. Paul Spooner's clear, blue, blocky animal being beaten into second ribbon position by Mr Gesikowski's extremely large, blocky well furred, clear, blue animal, which although wasn't in the best of condition, was clearly the star of the standards. This animal went onto become Best Standard and eventually Best In Show - Well done! Paul Spooner's dark male also progressed to become Reserve Best Adult Standard.

Class E - Young Mutations
In all, twenty two young mutations were split into five colour phases and judged from light to dark.
Wilson Whites: - A first ribbon for Liz Benson for her Persil white, clear, animal which possessed silky, strong, stand up fur and was in good condition. This animal became Best Young Mutation, Best Mutation and eventually Reserve Best In Show - excellent!

Beige - First ribbon for Lyn and Ron Gardner's clear, blocky animal which has good fur type and second ribbon for Joyce Garvey's similarly good animal. Both of these were suffering slightly the effects of prime however, but nonetheless will improve with time.

Any Other Colour - First ribbons for Paul Spooner's Pink White, which was well furred, blocky and clear and also to Lyn and Ron Gardner's Ultra Violet, which was of excellent fur quality was clear and blue and showed great attractiveness. This animal went on to become Reserve Best Young Mutation and Reserve Best Mutation and is one of the best Ultra Violets I've seen for some time.

Self Black - Three animals producing a single second ribbon for Lyn and Ron Gardner. All these animals were out of condition, with the priming lines not quite reaching over the flanks and hips leaving a salt and pepper appearance. The second ribbon however possessed good fur type, was clear and in time will prime out to become a nice animal.

Class F - Adult Mutations
Only two colour phases in the adult mutations, but a large AOC class!
Any Other Colour - Of particular note was a Wilson White exhibited by Pat Masters, which was of good size, possessed silky, strong, stand up fur and was clear in colour (eventual Best Adult Mutation) and also a Beige exhibited by Joyce Garvey which was clear, had excellent fur type, but was slightly out of condition.

Black Velvet - Five ribbons for the seven animals, with first going to Sue Nelson's large, blocky, well furred animal with reasonable mutation veiling (Reserve Best Adult Mutation). Second ribbon went to Joyce Garvey's similar animal, which was perhaps slightly over the top in condition on the day.