Southern Counties Canine Association

Southern Counties Championship Show ~ Sunday June Golden Retriever Bitch CRITIQUES ~ Judge: Charmaine Ennis van Maren.

Many thanks for the lovely entry, it was a total pleasure to go over your wonderful dogs at this well run show. I very much enjoyed my first appointment to award CCs and my line ups! My main notice was so many gorgeous bitches looked lovely in their shape and structure when standing but failed to hold it all together on the move. Crabbing, lack of drive, short steps, lowered heads and poor tail carriage often seen. Muscle tone, presentation, handling, performance and ring presence are all factors to work on to up your game; as they can each influence greatly the appearance of the dog on the day....

Minor Puppy (19, 1a) Super class of babies all at different growth stages and development, with lots to like about so many1. Hagger’s Fairfield Fix and Mix. Very lovely sweet , kind face and expression with lovely eyes and pigment. Noticed her immediately going around the ring for her positive movement with great head and tail carriage. Impressive 6 month old baby out at her very first show! In wonderful dense, pale wavy coat with plenty of feathering for age. Superb neck and flow into level topline with a totally level tailset. Super well laid shoulders. Plenty of forechest, very good return of upper arm to put her forelegs well under her body. Well ribbed back with a super spring of rib and strong loin. Naturally stands straight in front and behind. Fabulous bone and feet. Pleased she became BPIB ! 2. Morrissey & Tappenden’s Messano Flaming Star. Bigger girl. Pretty head , good pigment, lovely dark eyes. Strong neck of good length , set into well laid shoulders with a dead level topline. Good return of upper arm. Good spring of ribcage and depth of chest. Strong loin. Good hind angles. Well fitting elbows. Super straight legs and neat well shaped feet. Good free and easy movement. Very promising puppy with superb construction thoughout. 3. Bennett’s Nativegold Indian Spirit. Lovely neck and flow. Sweet head with great dark pigment. Super forehand angulation. Super on the move. Would like tighter feet. 

Puppy (14, 2a)1. Morrissey & Tappenden’s Messano Flaming Star 2. Jackson-Haines’ Leighsham Bombay Sapphire. Excelled in her fabulous neck and flow into dead level topline which she held on the move. Very well laid back, clean shoulders. Pretty feminine sweet head . Not always cooperating but handled very sympathetically to get the best out of her. Very good balance between front and rear to make a lovely picture standing which she held on the move. Good length of leg and depth of body. Beautifully presented in wonderful waves of gold coat with good feathering. Very nice all round with nothing overdone. 3. Wilkinson’s The Rains of Castamere de Bosque del Trasgu at Pajula(Imp Esp). Darker bitch in gleaming coat, heavier in type, strong and well made throughout. Well bodied with plenty of substance . Matured in shape. Stronger in head. Superb spring of rib. Broad powerful quarters which she used to advantage on the move.

  Junior (15, 4a) 1. Rodgers’ Rojillair Evening Magic of Ordarla. Very well made, impressive, eyecatching big strong, well muscled girl of substance and presence. Powerful on the move with an easy ground covering stride. Totally straight in front but can stand with her rear pasterns put a bit too far underneath her, so not always dead straight behind. Muscular neck of good length neck set into clean well laid shoulders. Straight Level topline and tailset. Good forechest and good depth of body with a lovely spring of rib and strong muscular loin. 2. Gayler’s Carolake Remember Me JW. Very well constructed attractive bitch . Totally balanced with everything where your hands would want it to be! Superb forehand and hind angulation. Level topline and tailset. Wonderful body and ribbing. Very good second thighs. Totally straight straight in front and behind. Level topline. Feminine head with soft, kindly expression. Moved well. 3. Hodgson’s Laurenly Phoebe at Rikita JW. Not in full coat or lustre today and lacking in pigment so not one to grab me in stance at first glance ... until she moved!! Most fabulous far reaching powerful stride maintaining good topline, head and tail carriage. Well made girl, so pleasing to go over. Plenty of forechest. Neat strong pasterns, Good bone. Dead straight legs. 

  Yearling (7, 1a) 1. Clarkson’s Drumkilty Hibernia. Strode out well. Pretty, feminine bitch with an appealing well chiselled, sweet head , kind eyes and expression. Coat not at her best today lacking tummy feathering and on the blow. Lovely outine with super neck and flow into straight level topline. Super forechest, good layback of shoulder. Good ribbing. Well fitting elbows. Strong muscular loin. Gorgeous straight legs with beautiful neat feet , and short strong pasterns. Handled to advantage . 2. Maddison’s Jaymardy Hidden Secret JW. Longer cast bitch with an elegant outline. Superb forehand construction , matured in body, with a good turn of stifle and strength at the back. Short neat hocks enabling power on the move. In pretty pale coat with good feathering. Level tail set. Easy powerful action on the move with great ring presence and good head and tail carriage, needs to strengthen in topline to be at her best. 3. Lane-Ridyard’s Kulawand Final Frontier JW. Fit, well muscled, well presented, strongly made, more compact bitch in top condition. Stands naturally foursquare. Pleasing head. Good clean neck flowing into well laid back shoulder. Would prefer more return of upperarm. Firm in topline , good ribcage, strong in loin, muscled strong quarters with good second thighs. Good strong straight legs, with good bone and tight catlike feet. Maiden (14, 0a) 1. Morissey & Tappenden’s Messano Flaming Star 2. Bennett’s Nativegold Indian Spirit 3. Seamons’ StVincent Moonlighting at Messano.

Graduate (9, 1a) 1. Jackson-Haines – Leighsham Society Spice. My star of the dsy x Fabulous girl in top form & hard condition, presented in wonderful shiney new gold coat enhanced by her paler feathering. She stood out in this class and also in the challange for her effortless , powerful, long stride with superb reach and drive as well as magnificent head carriage, holding her srong muscular topline at all times. She caught my eye again and again for her perfect balance with absolutely no exagerations and nothing overdone in any aspect! She is great stacked and even more superb on the move! Fabulous strong neck of good length and flow, set into clean well laid shoulders with good length to the blade. Well bodied, deep through the heart with a good ribcage. Well angled in front and behind. Straight parrallel strong rear pasterns. Superb in her dead level topline and tailset . Tail carried level on the move. Feminine head of good proportions. Handled to advantage. So happy to award her my first CC . 2. Gayler’s Ashybyglen the Look of Love over Carolake JW. Superb in her construction. Well angled front and back. Plenty forechest, well laid shoulders with good length of blade. Neat strong rear pasterns. Pleasing head and expression. Matured and deep in body. Coat not in its best bloom. 3. Ward’s Wheatcroft Flame Flicka at Laurenley. Balanced, ultra feminine girl. Lighter in bone. Good body, lovely made but not so positive on the move today. 

Post Graduate (16, 4a ) 1. Simms’ Poppygold Fire Opal with StVincent. Animated, balanced girl with great attitude and presence. Easy, effortless stride. Good length of neck and strong topline, good straight legs with good bone and good feet. Needs to mature more in body and ribbing. Pleasing head and expression. Level topline and tailset. Good second thighs. In beautiful dark wavy coat. Lovely freestood and stacked, when she does it right but often can elevate and go upright in front when reaching up for food or push back her head when looking up to spoil the flow of neck into her shoulders. 2. Stonebridge’s Toseland Star of Wonder. Giving her handler a hard time today and not cooperating, needing patience and more practice. Balanced and very well made throughout. Good mover with good front extenstion and drive Feminine head. Good bone and neet tight feet. 3. Cook’s Diamond in the Skye by Calarose. Softer in topline and condition. Longer cast and lower on her legs. Superb angles at both ends. In essence she is good on the move but needs to be firmer all round. Super feet!! Prefer more pigment.

Limit (17, 5a) 1. Tuck’s Tamsbrook Timotae. Loved her ultra feminine head, very sweet face with kindly expression, dark eyes , and superb dark pigment. Excels in her construction, so balanced and in total harmony .... she really made my “hands smile” on going over her from head to toe! Excellent head carriage, wonderful neck flowing into a strong level topline. Superb forehand , straight front, good forechest. Deep body, well sprung and well ribbed back. Neat well let down hocks. Not flash or fast but positive, correct movement holding her elegant outline. Very pleased to award her the RCC . 2. Johnson’s Choriand Call Me Madam. Impressive stylish girl in full bloom with a lot of ring presence. Fabulous movement with a free flowing easy poweful stride . Longer cast but still balanced with super angles fore and aft. Fabulous forehand. Superb head carriage on most lovely clean strong neck and shoulders. Good ribcage. Strong quarters. Correct level tailset. In good coat with pretty feathering. Sometimes dipping in topline and needs the tension to pull her out. 3. Cruttwell’s Ashbyglen at the Ritz. Another very lovely eye catching bitch with superb balance and presence. In top form and condition. Very lovely powerful mover with short neat well let down hocks. Most lovely kind head and expression. Superb neck and flow. Wonderful forehand angulation and well turned stifles. Well bodied, deep through the heart, matured, deep in body, strong bitch with very good bone, in good wavy coat, immaculately presented and expertly handled. For me she is slightly more rounded in her croup than my ideal. 

Open (6) 1. Sh Ch Laurenley Layla JW . So much to like about this strongly made bitch. Classic outline. Super stood free or stacked when she has tension and great attitude to look every inch a champion. Deep bodied with excellent angulation , not always moving with the firmest topline today, which lost her the top honours, maybe needs more muscling to improve. Pleasing well chiselled head. Straight legs with good bone and well knuckled catlike feet. Short neat pasterns. 2. Morss’s Xanthos Givenchy JW. Matured, muscular, feminine, quality bitch in full bloom, with a glamouros coat and abundant feathering. Immaculately presented and handled to perfection. Sweet head and expression. For me almost too impressive in her front angulation with plentiful forechest and great length and layback of shoulder. Deep body. Powerful mover. 3. Watchorn’s Straland Swan Lake . Tall girl with super straight legs. Longer cast. Balanced in her outline and super on the move. Very good neck and flow. Good head and expression. Super topline. Well bodied.

Veteran (4, 1a) 1. Pounds-Longhurst’s Sh Ch Mossburn Eva Mindfool JW. Superior movement with a far reaching effotless stride that was far better than many of the exhibits younger than her today, maintaing her level topline and tailset . She has total balance and wonderful construction. Good bone and feet. Neat short hocks enabling a strong driving action. Coat not at its best today. 2. Foster’s Summeramba Busy Lizzie for Auristela. Deep and matured outline , well made and very well angled. Carrying a bit too much weight for me which showed more in her topline on the move. Very sweet head and kind expression. 3. Kinchella’s Rosellwe Resemblance at Honeymill. Waggy happy girl. Most lovely neck and flow into good topline . Great extenstion on the move with a ground covering stride. Balanced outine. Deep body.

Good Citizens Dog Scheme (6, 1a) 1. Clarke’s Ousevale Xcuse Me. Most lovely outline standing. Not cooperating and pulling out on the move today which spoilt her action. Super neck and shoulders, good ribcage. Very correct, well constructed quality bitch, and lovely to go over. 2. Pett’s Stomerick high Hopes at Rumwood. Good coat, mid gold. Longer cast and shorter on the legs. 3. Todd’s Toddrosa Annie Power. Good mover but less in front, less in bone and less in substance than one.