Photos of Loru at Crufts 2009 courtesy ofTamara Kristo:

We are so proud of Anitta and Loru

Following is the review of great dane judging by the judge at Crufts:

CRUFTS 2009

Great Danes

Many thanks to everybody for the very good numerical entry.

However I was less than happy in the quality of many of the Danes present. On the plus side the harlequins have improved in colour & conformation immensely over the last few years.

On the minus side the fawns should look to their laurels, bone in some of the bitches has become very fine, some of the Danes are too long in body, & in many the front end appears not to belong to the backend.

Movement is still on the whole not very good & conformation appears to be going out of the window.

I wont go on about what I think should be done except to say many Danes could have had a bath before they came & a good grooming.

VD 1 Dornoir Taking A Chance for Doquest, movement acceptable, good conformation, markings acceptable; 2 Dainmakik Vita Merlini, good for her age, markings not as good as 1; 3 Cantsfield Albarino. PD 1 Roucandane The Clansman, well marked brindle, sound with good movement & conformation, decent angulation; 2 Foaldown Sorcerer, black, good conformation & angulation. However his movement was not as good as 1; 3 Devarro Ramsey The Rebel at Kazabbie, well put together, good head, plenty of substance. Not the height as 1 & 2. JD 1 Cheney Justice Has Been Done for Bellouste, harle, strong head with good length of neck, good withers into level topline, adequate depth of chest, good angulation. One of the few dogs who pointed all four feet in the same direction straight ahead. Would have liked markings to have been a bit cleaner; 2 Glentarn Harvi Moon, fawn, well shaped head, good conformation & size, acceptable movement; 3 Ebenory Clansman, good head & conformation with plenty of body. Movement in front not as good as 2. YD 1 Arondyke Absent Minded, fawn, big strong with clean cut lines, well shaped head with correct planes, good depth of jaw bone, well laid withers into correct topline, good angulation which enabled him to cover the ground with ease when he moved, good depth of chest with well filled front, good bone. One of the few dogs whose feet all pointed in the same direction, frontwards; 2 Falkeira Spirit Of Fire, dog with a lot of quality, well put together. Movement not as good as 1; 3 Devarro World Cup Will, tall fawn dog, liked his shape but feel he still has a lot of maturing to do, when he does I think we will see a completely different dog. PGD 1 Stagebatch Soulmate For Life, best mover in this class which earned him his place, good head with well set ears, good well filled front with good depth. Would have preferred better neck & better markings. Another dog whose feet all pointed the same way; 2 Ravendane Red Rum, well put together blue, nice size. Movement not as good as 1’s; 3 Alvenor The Forester, another well put together dog. Movement let him down. MLD 1 Preveli The Brotherhood, fawn, good head with correct planes & earset, good body with plenty of substance, bit straight in upper arm. Chest of good depth with well filled front, correct rear angulation, moved freely; 2 Vanmore Fletcher at Acuna, harle with excellent markings. Preferred head of 1. Good body with plenty of substance, chest of good depth, movement acceptable; 3 Stegill Just Perfect for Nikami, not as much substance as 1 & 2. Good head, front & topline. Rearquarters & movement not up to 1 & 2. LD 1 Muschamps Chico at Lindeefay, fawn with plenty of substance, head with correct planes & good earset, good depth of chest with well filled front, good angulation, pleasing outline; 2 Jaydania Suntan; 3 Foaldown Secret Love with Eppwood, both 2 & 3 equally as good as 1. Both didn’t perform on the day & I preferred outline of 2 over 3. OD 1 Ch Ravendane American Pie, in this harle dog I found what I wanted, size & substance which I think is lacking in the males today. I think his markings are excellent the correct markings, torn black patches on a perfect white background. To his detractors it’s not until you go over him you realise that he is in perfect condition. When I went over him no loose hair came out & he was clean not dirty like some of the exhibits. Head was in keeping with his size, good depth of muzzle, correct planes, adequate length of neck for his size into good withers & good topline, good depth of chest with well filled front, good backend & movement, covered the ground with ease for such a big dog. My only criticism, & it is very minor is I would have preferred a slightly stronger stop. To his owner, many thanks for presenting him to me in absolute perfect condition. CC; 2 Mohos Tigers Eye, another dog who has size & substance. Would like to think he would get made up but at 5 years it’s pressing it a bit. Well put together, lovely front. Not the topline of 1 but a dog I wouldn’t mind in my kennels. RCC; 3 Auldmoors Ask Me Another at Talyot, a dog who viewed from the ringside didn’t impress me. It’s not until you go over him you realise how well put together he is. Not the size & substance of 1 & 2 but well worthy of 3 place. GCD 1 Dornoir Tostig, fawn, moved well, nice outline; 2 Internos Challenger, nice outline, movement not as good as 1; 3 Internos Arizona, good outline, not substance of 1 & 2.

VB 1 Yacanto Lailani of Alardyn, well put together, good head with correct planes, adequate depth of chest with well filled front, good topline & angulation, moved freely round the ring; 2 Dornoir Erin, well put together. Movement not as good as 1; 3 Ch Aquasulis Necessitas, movement not up to 1 & 2. PB 1 Beizjan Fonda, good head with correct planes, correct length of neck, well laid withers & topline, good depth of chest with well filled front, good angulation, covered the ring with ease; 2 Foaldown Black Magic Zefather, black with plenty of substance & in good condition, covered the ring with ease. Preferred the outline of 1; 3 Elvistar Devil In Disguise at Rycerdanes, harle with excellent markings, good body & bone. Turns her feet out which cost her a higher placing. JB 1 Vanmore Inspiration, harle with excellent markings, must have an excellent future, good head & neck into well laid withers & topline, good angulation, adequate depth of chest, excellent conformation with plenty of substance, moved round the ring with ease; 2 Beizjan Binoche, another bitch who I predict will have an excellent future. Fawn, the same remarks apply as 1, 4 months behind the 1 in development. Very little to chose between her & 1 & I went for the slightly larger harle. BP; 3 Merribox Love Affair with Janriche, another bitch who has a lot going for her. Felt she didn’t put in the performance I know she is capable of. YB 1 Ch Merribox Love Struck, good solid bitch with plenty of substance & bone, correct head with level planes, adequate neck into well laid withers & topline, correct depth of chest with well filled front, adequate angulation which carried her round the ring with ease. Pity she was a little out of coat, this cost her the CC. RCC; 2 Darlou Lords Lady of Ladymere, another well put together bitch, moved around the ring with ease. Slightly longer in body than 1, out of coat as so many seem to be; 3 Axeford Mystify for Hecklehaze, not as good make & shape as 1 & 2 but moved around the ring with ease. PGB 1 Lomondane Coorie in Tae Hazedan, very elegant with good make & shape, correct head on neck of adequate length into good withers, well filled front, good depth of chest, good angulation, free & easy mover; 2 Madjax Graceful; 3 Danisha Vanilla Ice, not a lot separates these two harles, both have good make & shape, colour & substance, both moved round the ring with ease. Neither had the ring presence of 1. Preferred the standing outline of 2 to 3. MLB 1 Tenya Apache Brave Star, elegant & well put together fawn, good head with correct planes on neck of correct length into well laid withers, good depth of chest, well filled front, good angulation which helped her move round the ring with ease; 2 Veedam Bohemian Beauty to Carbarline, heavier & not as elegant as 1, slightly out of coat. Moved with ease round the ring. Preferred overall make & shape of 1; 3 Roucandane Total Flame for Zefather, much bigger & heavier bitch than 1 & 2. Well put together but didn’t perform as I know she can. LB 1 Jaydania Diana Ross, excellent head, neck & withers, good depth of chest with well filled front, good angulation. Would have preferred a slightly shorter length of body. Moved round the ring with ease; 2 Kazabbie Ash Blonde, same remarks apply with the exception she has a more square outline. It was unfortunate that she was spooked by a what appeared to be a manhole underneath the matting. I did move her 3 times but made no difference otherwise 1 & 2 could have been reversed; 3 Selmalda She Looks To Me through Samdice, well put together fawn but preferred make & shape of 1 & 2. OB 1 Fin Ch Hoppingham’s Rhythm’n Rhyme, this bitch took my eye as soon as she entered the ring & she didn’t disappoint me on going over her. Harle of excellent conformation, all the pieces fitted together like a well made jigsaw puzzle. If I was being hyper critical I would have liked a stronger stop, she already has her detractors who say she is dished faced. Having been in the breed for over 40 years I’m not going to give a CC to a Dane with a dish face let alone send it through to the group at Crufts. Her head is in proportion to her body, excellent neck which flows into well made withers & topline. When standing her hocks are upright & all four feet point forward, sadly lacking in many of the dogs here. When she moved, she moved around the ring with effortless grace, her movement was correct coming & going & in profile, good angulation, adequate spring of rib with good depth & well filled front, her colour was correct, pure white background with torn black patches & one or two bluish patches, which although not desirable are acceptable. A bitch with bags of quality, again sadly lacking in many of our breed & a word not in the Standard. CC & BOB; 2 Vanmore Perfect Match, another well marked harle, nicely put together, plenty of substance & bone. Giving away a year to 1, didn’t move as well as 1. Excellent colour & conformation. Should have an excellent future; 3 Kantalar Sweet And Innocent, a bitch I have liked from the ringside, well put together, plenty of substance & a good mover. Unfortunate to meet 1 & 2. GCB 1 Opal Palmarium, good make & shape, moved true; 2 Danisha Christmas Cracker, moved OK, preferred make & shape of 1; 3 Alistudou Grace And Beauty, liked the shape but movement not so good.