Midland Counties Canine Society

MIDLAND COUNTIES

OCTOBER 2010

IRISH SETTERS

As always I am deeply grateful to all exhibitors for entering under me.

Minor Puppy - Dog

Entries: 9 Absentees: 0

1st Naylor & Morrison’s Anlory Mataro. A clear winner here. He was very well balanced with good reach of neck and super return of upper arm. Well boned and deep in brisket he carried a typical topline and stood on very neat feet. Best mover in the class. BPD

2nd Wilder’s Riverman My Will At the stage where his head needs to break but a good example of the breed all through. Covered the ground well

3rd Armstrong-Rodgers & Cooper’s Wickenberry Sirius

Puppy - Dog

Entries: 8 Absentees: 2

1st Flint’s Papplesett Inish Sheer. Strongly made boy of good type. Well off for bone and with a sturdy back end. I managed to see past the profusion of coat down his throat which made him appear short in neck

2nd Naylor & Morrison’s Anlory Barossa. On the stack he was my winner but when he moved it all fell apart.

3rd Booth’s Kirwilldale Snow Patrol.

Junior - Dog

Entries: 11 Absentees: 2

1st Rance’s Mayfred Mr Magnifico. Lovely headed young dog, not a big one but presented a very well balanced picture. In good coat and condition. Moved well, particularly in profile

2nd Drinkwater’s Brabrook Shanavas. One I have judged before and liked very much but today he was not wearing his best jacket and is at a bit of a teenage stage.

3rd Poppleton’s Brinara Hanson..

Yearling - Dog

Entries: 14 Absentees: 0

The best class so far with the first three all presenting a balanced picture

1st Stubbs’ Riverbrue Zeus. Reminds me very much of his sire (my BOB) at this age. Racy, balanced and full of quality. Masculine head with soft, kind expression, strong neck into well laid shoulders and well ribbed up. Moved with reach and drive.

2nd Ciechonska’s Coppers Champagne On Ice At Aoibheanne JW (Imp Swe). I liked his overall appearance, sound dog with positive, efficient movement. Good through head, neck and shoulders, covered the ground well.

3rd M. Mr Magnifico

Post Graduate - Dog

Entries: 18 Absentees: 3

This was a hard fought class.

1st Harvey’s Jubliana Murphy Midnight Star. Whilst I preferred the more refined head of 2, this boy presented a picture of quality and balance. Good length to his strong neck into well laid shoulders. Well ribbed up with good depth. Has a lush coat and was very well presented. Moved on a free, easy stride.

2nd Quinn & Mcnamara’s Cataluna Peter Pan. Exceptional movement as always from this kennel. He is an appealing dog but couldn’t match the overall eye catching performance of 1.

3rd Tully’s Highclare Knights Tail.

Limit - Dog

Entries: 16 Absentees: 2

1st Crocker & Hammick’s Riverbrue Dionysus JW. No surprise that I like this dog. I last judged him at Bath in 2008 when he took the Graduate class and was a strong contender for the Res CC. I said about him then that his time would come and I could not have been more delighted than to bestow him with his crowning glory today. He combines substance with elegance, is a quality exhibit and has great breed type. He presents an imposing picture of masculine elegance, is refined and correctly made all through. In outline he has the gently sloping topline that distinguishes the Irish Setter from the other setter breeds. Many of today’s exhibits carried a level topline, which totally detracts from the racy thoroughbred appearance of the Irish Setter, and were penalised for this. Some were more akin to English or Gordon Setters and had a more heavyweight appearance. Even though in some instances they were well made they were not of correct breed type. I was surprised by the number of dogs that were badly out of coat but not this boy. His lustrous body coat was enhanced by the luxurious feathering that he carries in just the right quantity. Match all of this with his precise footfall and combine it with quiet handling and you have yourself a champion. CC, his 3rd, and BOB.

2nd Rose-Hay’s Cataluna Wayward Wind. Fighting his owner all the way he did his best to throw it away by standing with a level topline. However he comes alive on the move and strode round the ring to show off his qualities. He had a very different shape once he relaxed.

3rd Buchan’s Loskeran Dream Maker.

Open - Dog

Entries: 5 Absentees: 0

1st Rose-Hay, Quinn & Mcnamara’s Cataluna Regency Rake. Lovely type, full of quality and so typical of this kennel. Excels in bone and substance and has a good layback of shoulder matched by well developed hindquarters. To be hypercritical his eye was a little too round for me and he could have carried tidier feathering but he moved like a stallion on a long easy stride to take the Res CC. Preferred his topline and croup to that of 2.

2nd Edwards’ Gwendariff Rockin Robin JW. I judged him last as a puppy and would have taken him home so I was disappointed that today I could only give him second. He was presented in gleaming coat with a wealth of feathering and immaculately handled however he could not match 1 on the move and his croup was just too round and he appeared over-angulated.

3rd Kennedy’s Ir Sh Ch Glennara Coer De Lion Jw Cw10.

There was far greater depth of quality in the bitches and this class pleased me greatly. I could have found 5 or 6 winners.

Minor Puppy - Bitch

Entries: 16 Absentees: 5

1st Howatson’s Riverman Royal Rosa At Vanders. It was an absolute delight to find something as promising as this in the first bitch class. She totally filled my eye and really has the wow factor. She is so correctly made, balanced and beautiful. As if her stunning confirmation was not enough she then moved round the ring like she owned it and with such precise footfall and lashing tail. I can only find one thing wrong with her – she’s not mine! BPIB.

2nd Mccleave’s Kirkavagh Wheel Of Fortune. Good type, lovely shape, strong behind , low set hocks used well to cover ground. Preferred overall type of 1.

3rd Reed’s Tatterslee Athena.

Puppy - Bitch

Entries: 5 Absentees: 0

1st K. Wheel Of Fortune

2nd T. Athena

3rd Mcneil’s Gwendariff In With A Bang.

Junior - Bitch

Entries: 10 Absentees: 2

1st Catling’s Shandwick Star Shine At Teleri. I loved everything about her. So racy and elegant, typifying the breed standard. Classic head with soft, kind eyes under raised brows, ample reach of neck flowing into well laid shoulders, plenty of lung room and well ribbed up, strong hindquarters and stands on neat feet. Moved like a dream covering the ground easily and with that wonderful settery tail action. Once I’d judged her I could not get her out of my mind and found myself comparing all who came after to her standard. There was going to have to be something special to beat her and, depending upon your point of view of awarding CC’s to youngsters, fortunately or unfortunately for her, there was. She is very special. Res CC.

2nd Jarvis’ Carnbargus Confession. Quality bitch in fine coat and condition. Moved well.

3rd Stevens’ Brabrook Wild Rose At Follybrook

Yearling - Bitch

Entries: 9 Absentees: 0

Both 1 & 2 were by my BOB.

1st Heppell’s Deevonville Santa Lucia JW. Plenty of bone & substance to this elegant, racy youngster. Stands on neat feet and has the lovely big bum that I like to see. Used her quarters well on the move.

2nd Harvey’s Riverbrue Enyo At Jubliana. Divine head, reachy neck flows into well laid shoulders. Loved her well muscled back end. Effortless and animated on the move.

3rd Hyslop & Stewart-RitchieisGwendariff Whata Showgirl.

Post Graduate - Bitch

Entries: 16 Absentees: 1

1st Meadows’ Gwendariff Miss Whiplash JW. As I took my first look at this class I was stopped in my tracks as I thought I was experiencing déjà vu. And sure enough upon close examination of this beautiful girl I was whisked back to SKC 2001 when I awarded the Res CC to Clonageera Klassique Gwendariff. Looking at the breeding this is no surprise as she is both a grand-daughter and great-granddaughter of hers. I had found Annie once more. Her head is quite exquisite, the chiselling under her eyes adding to its quality and she has that thoroughbred arch to her neck which then flows so correctly into well laid shoulders. Her front and rear angulation are in total balance thus resulting in smooth effortless movement. She has substance in abundance and carries the right amount of weight which is something I found sadly lacking in many exhibits today. Skinniness does not equate to raciness. She also carries just the right amount of coat; enough to compliment her many virtues without an abundance to hide any faults. She went one better than her stunning great/grandmother today to take the CC in an entry of quality bitches.

2nd Price’s Severnvale High Class Babe JW. Quality all through, lovely feminine head, moved with style and enthusiasm. Didn’t carry the coat of 1.

3rd Stevenson’s Lochlorien Prime Suspect For Andley JW.

Limit - Bitch

Entries: 17 Absentees: 2

1st Evans’ Brabrook Titanias Dream At Neathamill. Glorious type, combines all the essentials with effortless movement. Carries a gleaming coat with the just the right amount of furnishings.

2nd Richardson’s Tatterslee Bon Affectueux Avec Montgreenan. So much type and quality here, I found her very pleasing indeed. She’d just left her coat at home.

3rd Wilder’s Clonageera Evening Star By Cataluna.

Open - Bitch

Entries: 10 Absentees: 0

Real depth of quality in this class and some tough decisions.

1st Crocker & Hammick’s Brabrook Fantasy Believer With Riverbrue. Stunning outline, beautiful head and melting expression. Strong, arched neck, good lay back of shoulder and return of upper arm. Moved and handled very well. I know only too well how disappointing it is to win a class of this calibre and not get top awards but it is a beauty contest and whilst her body coat was in exceptional condition she carried no feathering. I couldn’t take her any further.

2nd Loughlin’s Ir Sh Ch/Int Sh Ch Rohanmor My Blue Heaven Shcm AN Ch '08 '09 Cw '09 EW '09. One that I have always liked the look of and indeed, she is fabulous to go over. She carried a very good coat and was well finished but she didn’t have the rear extension of 1.

3rd Rose-Hay’s Applegrove Stella By Starlight By Cataluna (Imp).

Christine Morgan