I hope you will take these comments with an open mind. As someone who has had the breed for nearly fifty years I seen many highs and lows in the Dane over the years but I love them , love judging them and have their best interest at heart. I was shocked by some of the males that were shown under me. I know I had a small entry and so maybe it wasn`t representative  but  movement in many cases was appalling. This is a large working breed and needs to be able to carry itself freely and effortlessly.

Pinning in was the norm and this comes from loose elbows which again goes back to bad shoulders. The pigeon chests are also a result of bad shoulder placement and what has happened to drive, so many lack any rear propulsion. Nothing looks better than a large dog driving itself forward and the front movement reaching forward and true

The Harlequins under me presented two problems. The third eyelid was very prominent, coming half way over the actual eye ball. In one case this practically covered the eye. I was also concerned to find that several had a roach in the spine midback. This was visible when standing and showed up  when  going over the dog.


The Midland & West of England Great Dane Club Championship Show

Sunday  7th. December 2014     Dog Critique by Judge Mrs Margaret Grosvenor

Dogs;

Minor Puppy. 7(1A)

1st.  Randles  Garsak Sir Nigel;  Tall 8 month old fawn with a strong head and good depth of chest. At that stage where his muscle needs to catch up with his bone but  well  handled to bring out the best in him. 2nd. McGuinness`s Dinahtron Top Shot; Nearly 9 month old fawn  with a balanced outline and good length of foreface. Not as mature as first and needs to gain in confidence to bring out his potential. 3rd. Harrison`s Droolakis “Re” Attraction via Emaneaz; A well grown golden brindle, well off for bone and nicely balanced but throwing one front leg badly. Was told that this was due to a broken toe.

Puppy  12(7A)

1st. Armour and Hooker`s  Diplomatics Nicholas Cage JR(imp. Swe); Nearly 12 month old fawn. Very mature for age and heavily built. Good topline and depth of chest gave a balanced outline but needs to tighten in movement front and back.  2nd. Harvey`s Leamap Strongbow;  9 ½ month old black with good length of foreface and clean head. Level topline, just needs to drop in chest but used his rear end to drive on the move. 3rd. Robinson`s Preveli Be Yourself; Nearly 12 month old fawn. Another well grown fawn that looks mature for his age. Good head with correct parallel lines but low set ears detract. Another that needs to drop in chest.

Junior 3.

1st. Hurst`s Bourntwyn Greatest Day;  Heavy headed fawn that is broad in back skull. Good topline, croup and condition. 2nd;Drew`s Lindesfay Heartbreaker. Rich red fawn . Short in muzzle and more upright in shoulder. Could happily carry more weight. 3rd; Withheld

Yearling 5(2A)

1st. Searle`s Zamu Zoran Giants May Be`s Placed at Murrayvhayle (Imp NLD). Red fawn with correct head. Good neck, shoulders and topline. Angulation rib.good and moved with reach and drive. 2nd.;Jacobs Vanmore Material Boy at Kazabbie; A bigger,heavier fawn . Short in muzzle and not as balanced in outline. 3rd;  Holland`s Justinian It Must Be Magic.  A much lighter built dog, Parallel lines not correct giving a down –faced expression and lacked spring of rib.

Novice (4 1A)

1st. Price`s Leamap  Whisky Galore. 9 ½ month old black. Filled the eye. Good strong  head with correct parallel lines set on a strong clean neck.  Well proportioned body and moved well. Was pleased to award him BPD and then won BPIS with full agreement with my co-judge Mr. Arne Foss. 2nd. Robinson`s Preveli Be Yourself. 3rd. Allan`s Alsphuzazz fact or Fiction Harli puppy. Very immature,

Post Graduate. 6(2A)

1st. Roan`s Carboline Real Love.  A pale fawn with good rear angulation. Rather long cast and front movement pinning in. 2nd. Davies Vanderzar Love Me Two Times. A blue that when he had four feet on the ground looked promising but almost impossible to assess. Very well-made and had glimpse of good movement but had to penalise for behaviour. 3rd. Nunns Roshanun Zeus Summum Deum. Fairly well-marked harli that moved ok. Good shaped body except for roach in middle of topline.

Limit 7(2A)

1st.  Jacob`s Vanmore Never Say Never to Kazabbie. Big dark brindle that caught my eye. Clean balanced outline with a good croup. Moved easily with drive. In the challenge preferred the shoulder placement of my two winners. 2nd. Bishton`s Jaydania Harry Zona. Fawn . Shorter on the leg than 1st.so looked less balanced. Moving wide behind . 3rd. Gray`s Calomar Chasing Stars. An attractive fawn with a very appealing expression. (looked at you like Danes used to) Hadn`t got the topline or over-all condition of the previous two.

Veteran 6(1A)

Always an emotional class that tears  the heartstrings. 1st. Battersby`s  Internos The Heavyweight. A blue gentleman with good head, topline and angulation. Short coupled. Finished Best Veteran in Show with full agreement with my co-judge. 2nd. King`s Ch. Foaldown Secret Love with Eppwood. Fawn that moved well  with good length of stride but standing tends to gradually sinks at the back end. 3rd. Mitchell`s Tantallon Antarctic Ice at Elsimba ShCM. Heavier fawn with a lovely outline and good topline but not as good on the move as previous two.

Special Open Blue.

1st. Davies Internos Emperor From Vanderzar. Good balanced outline with good angulation.  Moved straight front and back and had drive. 2nd. Battersby`s Internos The Heavyweight. 3rd. Price`s Leamap Chivas Regal JW  A bigger dog but not settled and standing very upright making him look straight behind.

Special Open Black. 3 (1A)

1st. Pepper`s Leamap Black Sabbath with Sarawen. My find of the day. A gleaming Cherry Blossom black in excellent condition. Super head with correct parallel lines, well shaped and set eyes and well set on ears and behind the head did not disappoint. Strong neck, well laid back shoulders, correct topline , lovely croup and good angulation. Moved well, striding out from the front and driving from behind with complete co-ordination. Was pleased to award him the CC and went on to BIS at the decision of the referee, Ms. E Cook. 2nd.Harrison`s Leamap Strongbow.

Special Open Brindle 6(3A)

1st. Lawson and Stanton`s Droolakiss  Manson. My personal favourite golden brindle. A very well balanced dog, not huge but with good bone and plenty of  substance. Moved freely and with drive. A quality Dane that I liked a lot. Pushed hard in the challenge but suddenly lost his co-ordination in the run off.2nd. Gifford`s Highesteem Lochsong at Danetime(imp NOR)A bigger heavier dog. Slightly longer cast  but a well built dog that really covered the ground on the move and looked as though he could go round all day. Preferred head and expression of 1st. 3rd.Ingram`s Dainmajik The Alchemist. Standing looks impressive  with correct head and good outline but on the move he lacked the muscle tone and co-ordination of the previous two.

Special Open Fawn; 2(2A)

Special Open Halequin; 7 (3A)

1st. Shadbolt`s Alcura Final Frontier. A balanced dog. Nice to see a clean white background. Good lay of shoulder gave the correct reach in the front movement and correct angulation and croup gave good drive from behind which meant he was able to drive round the ring.  2nd. Middleton`s Leirundane Mea Fortuna for Dornoir. Another well marked Harli that was taller and rangier than 1st. Didn`t settle on the move but showed  promise. 3rd. Nunn`s Roshanun Zeus Summum Deum.

Special Open Mantle;1.

Waring`s Ravendane Equinox at Elleyenda. Heavily built well marked mantle. Was erratic front and back on the move.

Open Dog; 7(4A)

Three fawns but all completely different from each other. 1st. McGuiness`s Ch. Eddanes Rule The World Dinahtron. Well balanced outline, correct head planes with a good top line and correct angulation front and rear. Moved with drive and true in front. Res. CC winner. In the challenge the black dog moved with more length of stride. 2nd. Sneddon`s Tenaya Comanche War Lord. A heavier built dog  with a shorter neck and more prominent breast bone. Straighter in shoulder that resulted in looser front movement. 3rd. Chappell`s Ch. Semalda Koochie Ryder JW. A smaller but heavily built dog presented and shown very well but today he was`t moving well. He was pinning on the front and wide behind.