"I would like to take this opportunity to thank the committee for inviting me to judge one of my favourite breeds and also to my two very able stewards Bill and Tricia for keeping the ring running so smoothly.

A few things I have noticed since judging this breed over the past ten years or more is the length of ears. On some exhibits today the ears were far too long they should be relatively small with rounded tips set level with or slightly above the brow and lying close to the head and for which I did penalise even though they may have done well under some judges. Size and substance is another worrying point as some dogs and bitches in my considered opinion lacked both. However, dentition has improved and movement."