Just a few notes on the breed to explain what I was looking for in my entry of 89. The Chin is such an elegant aristocratic breed, they look as if they belonged to the noblest families in Japan, and I was greatly honoured a few years ago, to judge a Chin specialty in the country of origin, and see the breed in its homeland. The Japanese breeders set great store by beauty of markings, and the correct shape of head. The head should be a series of crescents, the nose set between the eyes, the broad skull rounded in front and between the ears, but not a domed head like the King Charles Spaniel. The muzzle short, wide and nicely cushioned, with level jaws. Eyes are perhaps the most distinctive feature of the whole toy group. Moderately large, dark, set wide apart, and showing some white in the inner corners, which gives the characteristic look of astonishment to the breed. Not all show this most important point, which is a great pity. Not too long a neck, but carried proudly. Fine slender legs, nicely feathered down to hare feet, untrimmed of course. A good square, compact body, fairly wide in chest, with a good turn of stifle. No mention of forequarter angulation, but it should obviously nearly match the rear. The movement of the Chin is special too. Stylish, straight & lifting the feet high when in motion, and no weakness behind. A Chin in full coat shows the beauty of the breed. Long, straight and very silky in texture, showing a frill at the neck. Markings evenly distributed on cheeks, ears and as patches on the body. The Japanese judges place well marked dogs highly, and prefer a saddle of colour in the middle of the back, a spot over the base of the tail, and very even head and ear markings. Flecking and too much black on the body are definite no no's. Colours are B/W or R/W, the red including all shades of red down to lemon and orange. No height mentioned in the standard just the daintier the better, and an ideal weight of 4-7 lbs. 

VD (2) 1 Pearce & Hann's Bih/Slo Ch Choya Kanji Na With Rakuchin. Smart and gassy 7 yr old, full of his own importance, pleasing head and nose set well in. I liked his nicely marked head too. Good broad front, super topline and he is a good moving dog. His back coat a little too heavily marked for me. 

MPD (6) 1 Blow & Allen's Sheardream Costa. An interesting class. Winners coat at the "frizzy" stage. Lovely proportions, nicely marked coat. Moved well all round for his age. And he has some elevation in front. A very promising puppy as was second. 2 Forth's Sharlana Touch Of Magic Omegaville. Beautifully marked too. I liked his head and well spaced eyes. Good conformation and has a really good body for age. Not quite so forward as winner, but a future star I'm sure. 3 Farrugia's Yama Ghost Rider With Cholas. 

PD (3) 1 Farrugia's Auralea Made In Wales For Amronchi. Well forward in development, quite assured and moved with aplomb. Lovely head & muzzle, full of the curves and crescents desired. Can still widen a little between the forelegs. Correct bone and hare feet. Excellent topline and his quarters are very strong. 2 Speight's Bonniroy Yoshiki Aka. Pleasing expressive face, with ears set high and wide apart. Good in topline and croup. He too moved extremely well for a puppy. His chest is still shallow, and needs to drop somewhat more. Very rich coloured R/W. Coat coming on beautifully. 

JD (7) 1 Tarabad's Tillashby's Nick Is In A Twist At Frondil. Winner of correct size and type, fine bone, good width across the chest. Pleasing face, well marked too. A smart dog moving well all round. 2 Martin's Lizamela Marchello. I did like his super expression with the whites showing at the corners of his lovely eyes. OK in body proportions and depth, but he is very weak in rear, and both hocks touching moving away from me. 3 Thomas' Javalcy The Great Mikado. 

YD 1 Cushing's Ennistars Katsero Akio At Spiritisle. Really nice quality R/W sable, well marked too! Good conformation, well set ears. Enough neck of moderate length. He has a wonderful body in great condition. Stylish moving, straight and has some elevation in front. Fine bone and hare feet. One for the future. 2 Westwick & Davidson's Hin Satorie Almazniy Vihr At Sharlarna. Slightly rangy boy, a little longer than above. He does have a beautiful head and expressive eyes. Nicely marked coat, with deep pigment. He does have "brakes" moving, and only does what he wants! 

PGD (5) 1 Mahony, Leatherwood & Hamersly's Haiku Hattori Hanzo Murraylake. Really top class exhibit, lovely head beautiful crescents from all angles. Alert and showing well on the floor but difficult to stand on the table. Immaculate front and rear mover. Great temperament, in good coat too. 2 Westwick & Davidson's Sharlarna Tyson. Dainty B/W who felt typy to go over, and has such super rear movement where so many failed. He could do with a trifle more rear angulation around the hocks though. Liked his evenly marked head, firm topline and general outline. 3 Day's Aleemia Starstruck At Dorcharday. 

LD (10) 1 Schemel's Chinart Yuunagi. CC. Sound as they come, and he actually had some muscle which was great to feel. Super mover and outclassed the opposition in movement today. Correct width across the chest, pleasing head, moderately large eyes, nicely feathered ears. Has rather too large a black patch over rump for me, super topline, tail set and carriage. An attractive Chin all through. 2 Doran's Shardlow Mikado With Osakazuki. Neat and dainty, nicely marked, liked his head especially in profile. Moved out with lift in front. A compact male with some quality. A good class right down the line. 3 Young's Sharlarna's Magician. 

OD (9) 1 Pearce & Hann's Ch Rakuchin Kenji Na. Res CC. Another lovely class with some super dogs. I liked the winners head, general conformation, and markings which were not too heavy. He moved well for the breed, and has a delightful head, eyes and expression. 2 Allcock's Ch Littletigers Damage Case At Sleepyhollow JW. Younger dog of good make and shape. Nice width across the front, excellent topline and tail carriage. Super mover in rear. Needs a little more time for coat to develop. 3 Rhodes & Vincent's Ch Javalcy Bit Of Razzle Dazzle. 

SpB (1) 1 Cushing & Speight's Bonniroy Yuzu Aka At Spiritisle. Dainty and fine, needs practice to be gone over on the table, but at 9 mths she has time to correct this. Rich colour R/W, very immature as yet of course, but promising. 

VB (2) 1 Pearce & Hann's Choya Takara Of Rakuchin. Compact and well put together. Doesn't look her age at all, and she is in fine fettle and coat. Good bone, hare feet, pleasing head and expressive eyes. Very much a madam I imagine to live with, or should I say Diva! 2 Speight's Bonniroy Yasafii. Younger but appearing older than winner. A little too heavily marked. Sweet expression, well set tail, with good carriage. Coat I would prefer flatter. 

MPB (6) 1 Farrugia's Cholas Lucy Locket. A nice class of future stars. Winner full of herself, pleasing to go over, well marked, good muzzle and correct in skull shape. Really excellent topline and tail set, body coming on well. She moved well considering her youthful age. 2 Brown-Percival's Littletigers Grace By Sandiman. Preferred her expression to third, who was also very nice indeed. She looks full of promise, and is of good make and shape. Would prefer hare feet to her more cat like toes, but close up to winner. 3 Quinn's Harlouville Uptown Girl. 

PB (10) 1 Schemel's Hin Satori Raissa. Best Puppy Res CC. A really superior quality puppy, I had no hesitation making Best Puppy and Reserve CC. I loved her head, although she does have a wide blaze up her skull, so you have to look carefully at nose position, and muzzle width. Excellent front and forechest, which was sadly lacking in many, good body coming, well set and carried tail. She is furnishing up nicely too. Great mover. 2 Davidson's Hin Satori Runa At Sharlarna. Also a cutie, not quite the development in body as winner, but she is compact, with a beautiful head, and expression & cheeky personality. A lovely pair of Chins. 3 Quinn's Harlouville Funny Girl. 

JB (7) 1 George's Ossidcla Shina At Amronchi. Good to go over, lacks full furnishings of course, cobby but still fine and dainty. Liked her head and determined little chin. Excellent topline and strong rear. 2 Pearce & Hann's Rakuchin Well Hello. Quality girl I liked a lot, but topline running up at the moment, and looked to be between stages. Smashing head, nicely marked, and sound on the move. 3 Banks' Choya Tomomi. 

YB (3) 1 Cushing's Glendyke Magical Pixie Girl At Spiritisle. Good for size, fine bone giving slender appearance. Correct feet. She does tend to swing her front legs coming towards and is close behind going away. Keeps a steady topline well, and has a really cheeky face, full of mischief by the look of her. Eyes set wide, and ears set high on head. 

PGB (5) 1 White's Palteemoor Princess Zumie At Nihonqin. Liked her head properties, and lovely eyes with typical expression. She is neat, and moves very well. Can drop her tail standing, but keeps it up moving. Well marked coat with good ear fringes. 2 Oatridge's Dalehouse Kimono. Rather short in neck, even for a breed that desires only a moderate length of neck. & she is straight in stifles when going over her. Standing on the floor in good coat she looks a picture. Another bitch with a pleasing head and expression. 3 White's Palteemoor Princess Kasumi At Nihonqin. 

LB (6) 1 Forth's Yama Miss Saigon Omegaville. Close decision between these two. Winner showing off a good outline, holds herself proudly, moved well in front, and has a fair rear end. I didn't care for the black ticking in her coat. Lovely head and eyes. 2 Blow & Allen's Yama Misty Morning. Smaller, and very dainty which I admired. She was moving extremely close in rear on the day, and dropping her tail occasionally. Also a very feminine bitch and she is nicely compact. 

OB (6) 1 Allcock's Ch Sleepyhollow La La Land, CC, BOB + Group 4. A real showgirl who has a sense of her own importance! She has just about all the breed attributes, pleasing in head and eyes, ears set on high, and she uses them well. Good front and width of chest, deep enough and level in backline. Moving true in rear, with elevation in front and profile movement. In good coat and body condition, fine bone and correct feet. 2 Oatridge's Dalehouse Iponema. Another very pleasing exhibit, she is just a mite longer in back for a cobby breed. She certainly is a good bitch in lovely condition, well marked and with a superb attitude to life. 3 Rooney & Green's Swifthocks Paws For Thought.