Yorkshire Collie Club Open Show 2026 - BIS & SAC Critiques
- Feb 22
- 5 min read
Yorkshire Collie Club Open Show February 15th 2026
Best In show awards
I thank the committee for inviting me to judge BIS at this lovely show, and I thank the two breed judges for giving me the opportunity to go over some very beautiful dogs.
The two BOB winners were a picture of elegance. Both blue merles and both female!
From the two I chose the Smooth Collie for Best in Show. Benton's Ch.Blamorder Double or Quits of Oakestelle JW Still only 21 months of age but oozes class. Beautiful clear silvery blue coat, standing on wonderful legs and feet showing elegance combined with strength. She has a good chest demonstrated by her straight front legs and forward facing feet all followed through to the rear where her strong parallel hocks had width between them,(suggesting a good width of pelvis) Arched neck into good shoulders and firm back, well sprung ribbing and muscled thighs. It is over fifty years since I collected by foundation bitch who was chosen for me by my first mentor Barbara Blake. There were two tricolour girls in that litter and Barbara told me she had chosen Leila because of her width of pelvis, my very first verbal lesson in the breed and I have never forgotten it. Lovely one piece head is clean through the cheeks with well filled muzzle and tight lip line. Eye is a tiny bit full but it doesn't detract from her expression which is alert, curious and full of confidence. A fully paid up member of the tail wagging club! Moving she is very easy on the eye, nothing exaggerated and everything effortless, and the correct width between her hind feet as she moved away, lovely stride and firm top line. Congratulations.
RBIS Mrs L Newman's Rough Collie Ingledene Crystal Vision of Phreelancer. Standing this lovely
merle lady was a picture of elegance with her super neck and beautiful long skirts and feathers. Ultra feminine. Clean head without flare, pretty eyes correctly placed. Profile movement free and easy. Unlucky to meet my winner.
Best Puppy In Show. Russell's Koczkodan In My Heart. She certainly stepped into my heart and surely one for the future. Feminine flowing lines throughout from her classically refined head to the tip of her ever wagging tail. Such refinement and yet showing a wonderful strength of limb, the smooths today enchanted me. I absolutely love her clean head and eye placement with good underjaw and tight lip line. Super neck, ribbing and top line. Strong hocks and feet. Such a fun character and on the move she didn't disappoint. Congratulations.
RBPIS the rough William's Majola Endeavour. Love the name! Upstanding and masculine sable male with a lovely outline. Long arched neck, well off for bone. He has a very attractive head eye and expression. Being a big boy he needs time to strengthen in the rear.
Best Veteran in Show. Benton's smooth Ch Oakestelle Artemis Shcex Vw Another blue merle bitch with lovely clear colour. Belying her age she moved like a youngster. Clean head of good length, nice expression, alert and on her toes. Another fully paid up member of the tail wagging club!
RBVIS Edwards Corisian French Tease from Shulune. I loved her rich bright sable fitted jacket and her easy free movement. Happy Girl with dark expressive eyes. I just preferred the head qualities of the winner. RBVIS
Judge: Angela Harvey
Yorkshire Collie Club – Open Show 15 February 2026
SAC classes
I would once again like to thank the committee for inviting me to judge the SAC classes for Rough Collies and to the stewards who helped me keep the ring moving like clockwork. I would especially like to thank everyone who entered the SAC classes as it was great to have such great numbers and giving me the chance to go over your lovely Rough Collies. These collies were of nice quality and the decisions on the day were very hard.
Collie (Rough) - Special Award Puppy Dog or Bitch
1. Williams’s MEJOLA EDGE OF GLORY 10 month old sable and white girl who has a sweet feminine expression. She has a clean wedge shaped head with dark almond obliquely set eyes. Her head has lovely parallel lines, a tight mouth and good ear set. She has a good length of neck and slope of shoulder leading to her back which is slightly longer that height with a slight rise over loin. She had a nice harsh coat and was well turned out. She was a little unsure of the flooring at first but once she got used to it, she moved well.
Collie (Rough) - Special Award Post Graduate Dog or Bitch
1. Collino’s IMAGINIST A GRIFFIN’S MARK 2.5 year old tricolour male who is all man. He has very clean cheeks, tight lips with good scissor bite and slight stop on his nicely balanced head. His dark almond eyes and well placed, 1/3 tipped ears complete his masculine look. He has a nicely arched muscular neck and has lovely slope of shoulder and well sprung ribs. His topline is nice and level with a slight rise over his loin. This boy is well-muscled with straight front legs and good rear angulation which enabled him to move around the ring with purpose. He had a lovely harsh fitted coat which was deep black with rich tan markings.
2. Blake’s CORYDON CHRISTIANA 20 month old sable and white female who I have in my notes down as sweet, sweet, sweet!. This girl has the sweetest expression with a lovely wedge shaped, clean head with well set ears and gorgeous dark oblique set almond eyes. She has a well arched long neck with lovely flowing lines over her back, loin and down to tail. Her coat was harsh and dense. She had sloping shoulders leading down to straight front legs. She had well bent stifles and well let down hocks. Unfortunately she was a little put off by the flooring but recovered and moved well. This was an extremely close call with my number 1.
3. Stillwell’s WICANI THAT’S AMORE WITH BELLAWAVE
Collie (Rough) - Special Award Open Dog or Bitch
1. Newman’s INGLEDENE CRYSTAL VISION OF PHREELANCER 3.5 year old blue merle female who definitely has the wow factor. This lady is to me, everything a rough collie should be! Nothing on this lady is out of proportion, she has an extremely sweet expression with a lovely wedge shaped head, lovely parallel lines with a slight stop and a strong under jaw. Her perfectly placed tipped ears complete her very elegant look. Everything on this lovely lady flows beautifully with the sweeping line starting from her well arched neck, over her back down to her tail. She has nice slope of shoulder leading down to straight legs and oval feet. She has a deep chest with well sprung ribs. She is very well angulated throughout and this helped her to glide elegantly and effortlessly around the ring. This was only exaggerated by her lovely silvery blue harsh coat swishing as she moved. Overall a very lovely Lady.
2. Williams’s CH MEJOLA TOP GUN JW 2.5 YEAR old sable and white male who was very unfortunate to meet my number 1 today. He has a lovely clean head that is a well blunted wedge. He has beautiful dark almond shaped eyes set obliquely and good earset. A well arched neck with body length slightly longer than height with nice rise over the loin. He had well sloped shoulders a deep chest and well sprung ribs. Completing his look was a lovely harsh, dense fitted coat. He moved well with good angulation and nice ground coverage.
3. Gallagher’s GEMHEID REBEKAH
Rachel Tilley (DeTillio)