"Due to the very large entry, and mindful that I needed to finish in time for the Group, I had to judge at a faster pace than I would have wished. Only brief notes were made on class winners, and therefore I am writing some general comments about the exhibits on the day.

I was thrilled with the quality and greater uniformity than I had previously experienced. Very well bred exhibits, all with good broad and deep chests, well barrelled ribcages, width and strength in the hindquarters and strong, level toplines. Although I did find a number of short tails. Head qualities were good, nicely domed skulls with square muzzles. Eye colour has much improved. It needs truly dark eyes to give the typical benevolent Newfie expression. I found the odd crooked tooth, but no bad mouths. All the exhibits had wintered extremely well, although a couple were far too thin. Is it the feeding or the grooming, or a combination of both, but how those black and brown coats gleamed, and the whole of the Landseers almost sparkled. The coat should be oily and water-resistant, but I did have a couple of exhibits with really dirty and matted coats under the top hair.

I was very disappointed with movement in the SpP and JD classes, but most so in the equivalent bitch classes. From then on, apart from the odd one not moving well on the day, I felt that movement has greatly improved over the last few years. The exhibits moved freely. The handlers of the Veteran dogs and bitches were all told to move at whatever pace suited them - I need not have bothered! Without exception, they all stepped out soundly, like the grand troopers they are, and how they showed their enjoyment of the big occasion. I have yet to discover why some dogs are shown with the handler's thumb in the corner of the mouth, what is it meant to achieve? I only found that it gave the dogs a lop-sided leer! A number of dogs were shown in very narrow chain collars, these must cut into the neck should the dog pull. When the lead is held high under the neck, the dog's silhouette becomes giraffe-like, with the head at a right angle to a straight neck. Look at the profile of the breed and see the gentle, undulating line from the nose, over the muzzle, the gentle stop, over the occiput bone and down the neck to the withers, there is no upright neck there.

It is said that owners are like their dogs, I saw nothing but the very best of temperament from our Newfies on the day, and the owners, handlers and the audience - whether winners or losers - showed great generosity and sportsmanship, for which I want to say a very sincere thank you. I also wish to thank the Crufts committee for giving me this great honour of judging the breed, a day I will never ever forget."