2018 National Specialty

Kissimmee, FL: National and Regional Specialties September 13, 14

2018 National Results in PDF format.

Critique of the Conformation Classes
PCA National Specialty 9-14-18
Submitted by: Patty Metzger

First, thank you from the bottom of my heart for allowing me the honor of judging at this most special of specialties. Thank you to everyone involved who helped to make this such a beautiful and smoothly run National. My ring stewards were so efficient that I was able to focus almost solely on the beautiful exhibits that were presented one after another after another. Judging is a wonderful experience when you have the depth of quality I was blessed to have in so many classes.

WINNERS DOG/BOW/BEST BBE: Katsa Beverly Leslie – lovely boy. Heavy for his size, beautiful head and eye. All of one piece and well-balanced. Moving well and enjoying himself today.
RESERVE: from the Puppy Dog 9-12 mos. Class. Déjà vu Dreaming of Dragons – very nice puppy. Low on leg, big ribs, and a nice head.
WINNERS BITCH/BEST IN PUPPY CLASSES: Prima Jolene – lovely clear blonde bitch with a beautiful head. She moved well and was a treat to go over. Lovely wide and deep chest, and her front action was most proper when viewed as she moved toward me.
RESERVE: Lionking Glory Days - another really lovely bitch, but not happy about showing today. Had she shown well, the final results might have been different.
BOB: Ch Dreamville Jersey Boy – I loved him. He was a joy to watch on the move, and equally proper to go over. Loved his head (Shallow brow, great width between his eyes and nothing overdone or “underdone”). Slight effortless roll when moving, and he was really “on” from the moment he entered the ring.
BOS: Ch Pequest Primrose – a really beautiful bitch, and she pressed the BOB winner hard today. All of one piece, a beautiful head and a happy mover. I was told later that she was a litter sister to GCH Pequest Feel The Burn. One has to applaud her breeder for producing these two in the same litter!
SELECT DOG: Ch Sunrise Dragon Nikola – A larger boy, but very nice indeed. He moved well with a slight effortless roll, was correct on physical exam, and had a lovely wide and shallow head of proper size for his size.
SELECT BITCH: Ch Déjà vu Kiss Me Like You Mean It. Still a puppy, and she has much to look forward to in the ring AND in the whelping box when she’s ready for that! Beautiful expressive face and she holds her outline while moving.
AOM: Michaelmas Yue Yue Fen – very thickset and sound. Nice big head. Selecting between the Select Dog and the one Award of Merit recipient was like splitting hairs today.
BEST VETERAN: Ch Déjà vu Reckless Abandon. Twelve years young, she was enjoying herself. I have a weakness for the seniors, and she definitely tugged at my heartstrings!

As to the things we need to be “working on”, today the only things I noticed in enough of my entry to make a mental note of them were several with rather narrow fronts and several who weren’t sufficiently strong in the hock and stifle joints. The fronts can improve in youngsters as they mature, but rears usually need to be strong and proper at a fairly young age in order to stay that way as the puppies mature. Problems at either end usually ruin or remove the slight effortless roll we require.

On the plus side, toplines were, almost without exception, good to excellent, so we have made good progress on what used to be an annoyingly common fault.