Gundog Breeds Association Of Scotland

I thoroughly enjoyed my first time awarding Challenge Certificates. I was surprised to find so few dogs with correct feet. So many are flat with no arch at all and no padding, the look of them would be improved if the nails were kept short. I found enough dogs with good qualities to win the classes and was pleased with my line up. Temperaments were excellent and I thank you for presenting your dogs to me in such a way that my hands were still clean at the end of my judging, 

Veteran (2, 1abs) 1 Gardner’s Sh Ch Riqitta Authentic I love judging veterans. Nearly 9 years old. A shame he stood alone but a quality dog and worthy Show Champion. I love his outline. Handsome head, lovely expressive eyes with raised brows. Good neck, shoulders and excellent angulations with rugged quarters. Thick wavy coat, not quite in the top class condition from his ticket winning days but still shows lots of Irish character in his sound and active movement. He has lovely bone. His owner looks so proud of him and you can see her enjoyment at showing him off. He will always stay in my mind as the first dog I judged on this important occasion for me.

I agreed to the bitch for BVIB, she is a much younger veteran, very pretty and still in her prime.

Minor Puppy (8, 0abs) 1 Chorley-Newton & Chorley’s Pawsword Priceless To Kerryfair He was an easy winner of this class. I liked him immediately I set eyes on him for his size and outline. Lovely soft expression, reachy neck into well laid shoulders and correct front angulations. Deep chest with tight elbows and straight front. Excellent topline, good over the croup into well set on tail which was carried correctly on the move. Quite a wavy puppy coat. He moved extremely well for a puppy and was handled to advantage. By the same sire as my RCC winner. I look forward to seeing his progress.

I agreed to the bitch to be BPIB as she was so together at six months old. Sired by my CC winner. Standing together they were two lovely puppies.

2 Stockton’s Riverbrue Alchemist A well grown 6 month old. Flatter coat than first. Another sound and accurate mover who never put a foot wrong. His head was long and lean but needing to break at this stage as it lacked stop and was a bit plain. Had lovely conformation showing good outline with reachy neck and everything flowing together. Well angulated hindquarters enabled him to move with drive holding a lovely outline and tail carriage on the move. Sired by my CC winner.

3 Hemmings Orlanset The Loner

Puppy (4, 1abs) 1 Repeat

2 Repeat

3 Jones Gwendariff Pink Floyd

Junior (1,0abs) 1 Russell’s Strathmead Huckleberry Another that stood alone. I liked his size and shape. Racy with substance, elegant without exaggeration. Beautiful coat colour, rich chestnut with a lovey shine and sight movement. Well balanced head with correct eye shape showing kind expression and good finish to foreface and muzzle. So much to like about his proportionate body. Is a handful on the move and carries his tail too high which I hope is only due to his age and exuberant character. When he was settled he showed very sound movement. I hope his owner can get him well under control as he is worth it. I liked him a lot at this stage in his development.

Yearling (5, 0abs) 1 Northend’s Aoibheanes Single Malt Not a big one but well proportioned. Nice head with kind expression, moderate length of neck, low ear set, enough forechest. Good bone and depth of chest with tight elbows. Strong well angulated quarters. Movement was good in profile and with a nicely carried tail although he did move a little close behind.

2 Lucas Bardonhill Eternal Flame Among Amberlight JW Another one to admire and close up to the first. A very well made youngster but out of a different mould, standing taller, more racy and elegant. Pleasant head with correct finish to foreface and well set on ears. Correct front assembly, good topline and unexaggerated in rear angulation. Moved well but preferred the head and stronger back end of my winner. Same sire as my best puppy and RCC winners.

3 Wheeldon’s Bardonhill Jealous Guy For Colemist

Novice (3, 1abs) 1 Russell’s Strathmead Huckleberry

2 Gardner’s Danwish Wizard Of Oz Reserve in Yearling. Tall elegant dog, He has a very handsome head, especially viewed in profile, long and lean with a lovely shape eye although could be darker. Lovely front angulations, deep in the chest, ribs well back and correct length of loin. Everything is there however he spoilt his outline by slightly roaching his back when stood. Stands well up on his toes and shows good feet with arched toes. He is sound and happy on the move. Is one that needs time.

Graduate (4, 0abs) 1 Hoskins Sandstream Just A Breeze A very appealing head, masculine enough without being coarse. Good in shoulder placement, forechest and depth of chest. Excels in upper arm angulation. Correct topline and loin gently sloping into a good croup onto a well set on tail. Well bent stifles showing definition at the hocks, short from hock to heel and neat feet. Holds a good topline when moving and is sound coming but hind movement is untidy which cost him a place in the next class. He is presented well and his owner/handler being relatively new to showing is still learning how to show him to advantage. Sired by my veteran winner.

2 Nicholls Romarne Under Orders JW Has a completely different outline to the winner being longer cast. His front angulations are perfect and neck, topline and tailset good. Moderately angulated stifles and stands on good feet. His dark coat is in lovely condition and his movement is free flowing precise and sound up and down and going around. He was a strong contender for first place but such a pity he flies his tail rather too high when moving which totally spoils his symmetry.

3 Ogilvie’s Loganrish Potter’s Wheel

Post Graduate (8, 1abs)A lovely class with so many good movers, sound and showing reach and drive, it made for tough decisions. Therefore it was conformation and preference for make and shape that split them. I would hope the first two will go on to gain their titles.

1 Muir’s Romarne Taittinger JW This is a dog which has not appealed to me greatly from the ringside but hands on he is so lovely to go over and feel his qualities. He is in such hard condition. I loved his head, the expression is just melting, one of few with the correct eye shape today and dark pigment. Arched neck into laid back shoulders, a forechest which is a handful and with that comes good angulation and elbows tight against his deep chest. Ribs so well sprung and carried back, correct length of loin and a back end to die for with fantastic width. The strength in his back end is used to advantage on the move. His movement is easy to assess as he flows over the ground in a relaxed and controlled manner with no interference by his handler. One of the few with tight, arched feet. His dark beautifully prepared coat is in gleaming condition but he does need more feathering to complete the finished picture however I still seriously considered him for the RCC.

2 Rowbottom’s Lanstara Spring Moon Another quality dog who pulled out all the stops to be a close contender to win the class. He has a different outline and his coat is not so dark as the winner and of a different texture but also in good condition and an abundance of feathering giving him a more finished appearance. Pleasant head but not the chiselling of the winner. Lovely over the neck and shoulders into topline without any lumps or bumps. Is deep in the chest and has a lovely underline. Has enough forechest and straight front with tight elbows. Stands well up on good feet and is an excellent mover.

3 Vallance’s Lynwood His Grace Of Corcencone

Limit (11, 3 abs) 1 Walsh and Foster’s Millcroft Chase The Moon To Shanoah By the same sire as my post graduate winner. I have liked this dog from when I first saw him as a puppy. I have seen him on many occasions disappointedly unhappy in the ring but today he was more confident with someone else running him. He moved well, soundly, covering the ground but unfortunately he did not move as well in the challenge. He has a quality masculine head, lovely viewed in profile but lacked pigmentation around the eyes. Neck into topline to tailset all pleasing, very well angulated with rugged quarters, well defined at the hocks. Good bone and feet and in good coat.

2 Lucas Shandwick Magic Moments Via Amberlight A taller more elegant dog and another I have liked from the ringside especially on the move. Pleasant head but would prefer less depth to flews. Very well constructed, loved the arch to his neck, tailset and sweep of stifle. At only three years old he is maturing along the right lines and has enough coat of good colour but still has some time to go before he looks finished. Moving accurately with reach and drive.

3 Cuddy’s Aoibheanne’s Quite The Rebel By Balbriggan JW

Open (5, 0abs) Five dogs here who were all top quality. 1 & CC Crocker and Siddle’s Sh Ch Copper’s War Of Roses

This dog just oozes quality. I don’t want to quote the standard but I think he fits it so well. His head is divine, melting expression, lovely shape to skull with chiselling and the correct finish to muzzle and flews showing the desirable amount of chin. He caught my eye immediately with his overall shape, balance and presentation. He is racy and stands right up on his toes covering a lot of ground. Of medium size, everything about his conformation is proportionate and unexaggerated and he is handled to show off each part of him to perfection. His coat is in wonderful condition and lovely colour extends down into the feathering. Has coat in abundance but carefully groomed so that it only enhances his shape. He moves soundly with enthusiasm and is full of ring presence. I have judged and given his paternal grand sire a Best In Show in Sweden, admired his sire while he was campaigned to his Sh Ch title in this country and love his dam who is bred down from the very best Lynwood bitch line so it is no wonder that I like him so much. I predicted that he would win top honours as a young dog and he won his first CC at 20 months old. Today he was the last dog I judged in the class and it was a case of saving the best ‘til last. Now at the very top of his game I was delighted to award him his 17th CC. Demonstratively affectionate? Definitely, he gave me a kiss. I love you too!

Best Of Breed on the referees decision.

2 & RCC O’Connor’s Caispern Polonius

I have always liked this dog, he is by the same sire as my best dog puppy. Not so elegant or eyecatching as the winner. Not a big one and yet masculine in head and with terrific bone without being coarse. Lovely work in his appealing head. He is very well constructed with nothing exaggerated. Neck arched of moderate length, shoulder placement good, balanced angulations fore and aft with gentle slope to his topline, well set tail carried correctly on the move. He drove off short strong hocks and covered the ground with ease. At previous shows this year I have thought he looked a little overweight but he didn’t today. It was on the final run around he looked the complete picture and impressed enough to win the RCC although he was pushed hard by the post graduate winner. I hope his third CC comes soon as he is deserving of a Sh Ch title.

3 Sturrock’s Forfarian I’m Sexy An I Know It JW