| LKA 2023 | Date : 7th December 2023 | ||||||||||||||
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I would like to thank the Officers & Committee of L.K.A. for this invitation to judge our lovely breed even though it was three years late. My original invitation was for 2020 but held over owing to COVID that year. First & foremost, I would like to thank the exhibitors for giving me a lovely entry only five days after B.U.B.A. Championship Show and in the winter as well. Also, to Bill & Trish Gray my two super stewards who worked so hard to keep the ring in order. I found a slight improvement from the last time I judged especially in mouths and dentation. We still have a long way to go to reach the quality we had many, many years ago. Size worries me enormously many exhibits too large in size and is still to this day very varied, I say every time I judge hind movement needs checking, so many moving close behind so lacking the rear drive so typical of our breed. Lastly where is our broad & deep chest gone, I place my hand between the front legs and it disappears looking for the depth of chest!! It is not all doom & gloom I found many really beautiful heads, dark expressive eyes that is a good start when viewing a Shih Tzu. There are still some small eyes, wrong shape & showing white of eye which is a no no in our standard. It is nice to have a good well textured length of coat but not to the detriment of good muscle tone, this will be due to lack of exercise, running free and good roadwork. Our breed asks for small short legged, well coupled constructed dog with good spring of rib, good lay of shoulder, with free flowing movement and many of the exhibits had all of the above. |
