This was my 43rd overseas appointment judging OES and my first appointment in Austria. I was impressed by the depth of quality which included several big winners in Europe. As is happening in the world over, our numbers at shows and in breeding has dropped drastically and this must be of great concern for breed clubs everywhere.
This club show was held along side the Austrian Club for British Herding Breeds. The best male was a close contest between litter brothers CH.UK.CH and UK group winner, ARYAKAS CALLIPOUS and his brother, this year's CRUFTS CC and BOB winner, CH ARYAKAS COSMO JUNIOR. How proud their breeder, NIKOLAS KANALES from Greece, must be. Both totally different in type, I preferred Callipous for size and front construction. Cosmo Junior, whose jacket has changed so much for the better since I last saw him had that extra strength behind and put in a faultless performance on this day. Cosmo Junior won Best male but I could swop them around and be just as happy. The male I would take home was the Junior winner, ROLLINGVIEW SHAGGY BLUE ZORBAS, a real cracker. The best bitch was never an issue: CH ENCHANT WISECRACKER BELL was my BIS at the German Club Show last year as a youngster. She looked even better today and she moves as this breed should. She won BOB on front construction and jacket quality. She later went BIS at the Herding Breeds Show.
A lovely show, so well organised and how friendly everyone was.

Barrie M. Croft