CREWE & NORTH STAFFS - Judge: John Ward - OPEN DOG
OPEN DOG - 2nd  Payne's ICE VOM STEINHAUERBERG 2.5 years of age a top size, quality strong male of excellent type and v good proportions. Black & Gold, v good expressive head and general outlook and good ring presence. High withers, v good over line, well laid croup which could be a little longer. Good shoulder placement, good length of upper arm a little steep. Excellent hindquarters, stands straight front and behind, moves soundly both ways. Walks well with good purpose and maintains his high withers, free roomy gait balanced and v convincing in his performance. First time shown in the UK and just needs to be firmer in the forehand which I am sure will come when he gets in top condition over the coming months. A male I look forward to seeing in the large grass rings in the summer months when I think he will take some beating. I had no hesitation in calling him back in the challenge to take the RCC
 

BOLTON GSD - Judge: Brigid Fahy-Newlands - OPEN DOG
OPEN DOG - 1st  Payne’s Ice v Steinhauerberg (Yasko v Farbenspiel x Karin v Wildsteiger Land)
3 yrs rich black and gold with good coat and shown in excellent condition. A very impressive male of top size. Exudes quality. Excellent head and expression with good dark eye. Very good reach of neck into high wither. The over and underline are excellent. The proportions of this dog are perfect. Very good hind angulation and strong broad thighs. The right pastern could be a shade tighter, otherwise this dog walks well, gaits showing strength from the hindquarters, which transmits perfectly through his strong back and finishes with the dog able to produce the follow through in a long forward reach, all in all he shows perfect balance and co-ordination on the move. I was delighted to award him his first Challenge Certificate, well deserved.
 

PRESTON & FYLDE - Judge: Danny Wilson - OPEN DOG
OPEN DOG - 1st Payne's ICE VOM STEINHAUERBERG. 3 years, black and red gold. Very good pigmentation. Top size, strong frame, very good head and expressive at all times. Correct withers and topline to a croup of good length and lay. The upper arm is of good length but should be slightly more angled. Very good rear angulation, powerful drive and reach. Shown in excellent condition. CC. Well done!
 

WEST YORKSHIRE -Judge: Tony Howson - OPEN DOG
The CC was won by my Open Dog winner, and when the full line up of class winners were in the ring, I had seen enough in all of my classes to know that there was not another dog who could compete with him on this day, especially in overall type, and certainly not in movement. I had no hesitation in immediately awarding him the CC.

Critique
OPEN DOG - 1st Payne’s CH. ICE VOM STEINHAUERBERG (Yasko vom Farbenspiel x Karin vom Wildsteiger Land)
3.5 years Black & rich gold. A most impressive male of excellent type. Top size with excellent strength. A beautiful head and expression with dark eyes. Excellent overall proportions, with excellent overline and underline. This dog, on the move, was outstanding, maintaining balance and co-ordination with a most harmonious and effective long stride in the walk and the trot. When asked to extend he is awesome, class over. The combination of power from his hindquarters through to his wonderful front reach kills his opposition. In saying that, do not make the mistake in thinking this dog is just running fast, like the norm today. It is his superb length of stride which allows him to cover the ground so effectively and at speed. His movement is so exceptional that it is some 20 years since I have seen a male with similar outstanding movement here in the UK. People new to our breed would be well advised to watch this male and learn. The perfect dog has yet to be born, he could be tighter in his right pastern, but this is a very minor negative against the many major positives this male possesses. Today shown somewhat out of coat, but such is the quality of this dog that he still carries enough. CC – and with my co-judge’s approval, and his acknowledgement, that a male such as this needs to be promoted for the good of our breed, Best of Breed. I hope he can have a big influence in producing his qualities, which we so badly need in our males today, yes a truly outstanding male. The owners, and particularly his trainers should be very proud of how this dog is presented in the ring, there can be no doubt their efforts are well worthwhile.
 

BRITISH SIEGER 2007 - Judge: Herr Helmut Buss SV - ADULT MALE

V3  Payne Mr & Mrs D. CH. ICE v STEINHAUERBERG 05.01.04 Br. G. Thanhoffer. Yasko v Farbenspiel x Karin Wildsteiger Land. Big, medium strength, good substance, firm & dry, Good proportions & pigmentation. Good masculinity. High wither. Firm back. Normal length & angle of croup. Good fore & very good rear angulation. Good brisket development. Normal front. Correct coming & going. Out-reaching gait. 

Then Herr Buss wrote in his summing up: regarding CH. Ice: 

The next dog I think I have seen for the first time. I like him very much. He is a large dog, very good pigmentation & masculinity. Very strong and for his weight he is very firm. Very good mover with very good angulation in front and behind. Correct in front and correct coming and going with good transmission in all parts of the gaiting. Congratulations.

MIDLAND COUNTIES GSD ASSOCIATION CH. SHOW 2007 - Judge: Judith Knox OPEN DOG
1st & CC & B.O.B.  Mr & Mrs Payne's CH. ICE v STEINHAUERBERG 05.01.04 Br. G. Thanhoffer. Yasko v Farbenspiel x Karin Wildsteiger Land. Large strongly masculine powerful male, solid pigment, powerful head, dark eye. Pronounced long wither. Firm strong back with short croup. Very correct fore angulation with well laid back shoulder blade. Sound coming, goes away a little wide. This adult male stood out especially because of his dynamic movement in every phase of the gaiting, he presents himself superbly with outstanding ring charisma. He is a calm dog wit a self confident, energetic character. He was presented in the best coat condition and handled to perfection. (by Andrew Connolly) I was pleased to award this outstanding dog the CC. Along with my co judge Carol Eastwood he was later crowned BEST IN SHOW.
 

LEICESTER GSD CLUB CH. SHOW 2007 - Judge: Brian Wootton OPEN DOG (10)
1st & CC – Payne’s Ch. ICE V STEINHAUERBERG, a demonstrably masculine, substantial dog with
strikingly rich pigmentation and a particularly beautiful Shepherd head, exuding quality & character.  Very good forehand with good reach of neck into pronounced wither & correct front angulation.  Deep, roomy body with very good length of rib-cage & firm loin.  Good clean top-line just vitiated slightly by a rather short, steep croup and occasionally obvious tail-set.  Very good hind-angulation.  Moved soundly away but rather closely in front where the pasterns could be slightly more direct.  He walked very well, extending into a fluent, co-ordinated, roomy stride with pleasing deportment.  He gaited purposefully and well.  Using a good upper-arm to produce a lengthened stride combined with effective hind-thrust & follow through.  Must not get any heavier.  An impressive male whom I was pleased to award the C.C. today.
 

BOLTON GSD CLUB CH. SHOW 2009 - Judge: Bill Patterson OPEN DOG
1st & CC: Payne's CH. ICE VOM STEINHAUERBERG: Large dog, correctly proportioned with very good pigmentation. Strong masculine head, high wither, firm overline and correct croup. Correct fore and hind angulation. Moving soundly in front and behind, this dog demonstrated correctly with effortless energy a striking spectacular gait, showing how it should be done without stress or strain. It was my very great pleasure to award him the CC.

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Champion Ice is handled by Andrew Connolly