National Gundog Association

National Gundog Association 3rd August 2025.

My sincere thanks to the officers and committee of National Gundog Association for their kind invitation to judge Labrador dogs. It was a super day judging some real quality exhibits despite a heavy shower timed badly! We all soon dried out. It’s always enjoyable to judge alongside another breed specialist and my co-judge Alex Douglas and I were in complete agreement on all our joint decisions. Good to see Janet Cole at the ringside as she was originally my co-judge having to step down due to ill health. The quality of the males was mixed however we have some promising youngsters coming through and the open class was of excellent quality, one of the best I have judged. I did find some level bites in otherwise quality dogs so they could not be rewarded. Thank you to the exhibitors for each and every entry and for being accepting of my decisions. Whether you went away with a prize card or not, I hope you had an enjoyable day as I did. To my stewards Sean Jenner and Ken Francis, thank you for keeping the ring running along well and for your expertise.

Veteran dog (10,2)

1 Dodd’s Sh Ch Carriegame Moonshine. A lovely black of 8 years, he was in excellent coat which was of correct texture. Good head with kind eye and expression, would like a little more angulation in shoulder. Strong through the body, he stands well on well boned legs and feet. A steady mover to and fro with that typical Labrador demeanour.

2 Percival’s Ch Wynfaul The Wizard JW. A true gentleman not showing his 11 years one bit. Again, another with a classic head with kind eye and expression. Good length of muzzle. Holding his topline well on the move he was steady and true in movement. Good angulation in shoulder. Good tail set.

3 Walton’s Gallybob Marmalade.

Minor Puppy dog (11,4)

Lovely to see minor puppies looking as they should, just like minor puppies.

1 Shirton’s WOOLMAN FREE AND EASY. What a smashing young puppy he is, clearly a natural and loving his day out. He presents a great outline especially for his age. His head is well proportioned with a good expression. Neck flows to the shoulders which are well angulated, his front legs under his body. Correct in body length, wide over the loin and off set with good hindquarters and tail set. He was steady on the move also. Pleased to award him BDP & BPIB. Later on I watched him be awarded BPIS. Many congratulations.

2 Mills’ JAYBEC WINTER YULE. Just a youngster at 6 and a half month but well put together. Not quite the front angulation of the winner. Again he has a lovely head, kind eye and expression, good pigment. He’s of correct size for his age, has a good topline held well on the move, sufficient bone. Would like his tail to be better wrapped. Sympathetically handled getting the best out of him.

3 Peggs’ STREAMANDA WINTER FELL WITH JANCET.

Puppy dog (6,2)

1 Hodge’s NAIKEN ISLAND HOPPING (AI). Attractive chocolate puppy of 11 months, liked his profile with an excellent reach of neck. Head proportions ok and has plenty of growing to do, would have liked darker eye colour. Presented in fit condition. Good through the body of correct length. Steady on the move, handler presenting him to full advantage.

2 Wilmshurst’s DOLWEN WISH UPON A STAR OF MANDAMAY. 10 mth old yellow puppy full of exuberance but settled as class progressed. Liked his head for shape, eye and expression. Good from neck through to forequarters, balanced. Would prefer more compact feet. Good mover.

3 Bold’s LAKEMEADOW GILBERT’S GIFT.

Junior dog (6,0)

1 Tulloch’s BINNAIG SEA THE STARS OVER TULLOCHMOHR JW. There were some good youngsters in this class. Liked my winner for his overall balance, he’s full of breed type. Lovely head for his age, correct eye shape and colour, good reach of neck into well angulated shoulders, longer cast than 2, excellent bone, he stands well on strong legs and tidy feet. Moved around the ring with drive powered by strong hindquarters.

2 Baron’s LANDEBEC VENTURA JW. Yellow of 16 mths, a more compact type of male, pleasant head just preferred the head of 1, he has dark pigment, a well-balanced young dog, clean in outline with good spring of rib.

3 Harvey-Major’s STATE PARK IN LINJOR JW.

Yearling dog (4,0)

1 McLellan’s SARANDEN I’M ON FIRE JW. Well-presented young dog with good overall conformation. Appealing head with kind expression, he has a good length of muzzle to skull ratio. Good angulation in forequarters and reach of neck, longer cast in body, strong bone and legs with neat feet. Plenty of coat which was a little soft to the touch and rather open. Moved well.

2 Ayres’ MUSUBI WHO DARES WINS. Black youngster of a different type. Stronger in head than 1 but liked him for his balanced outline. He is deep in the chest. Could see he has correct coat texture just rather out of coat at present. Good mover.

3 Findjan’s ROSSACRE THE DUKE.

Maiden dog (8,2)

1 Mills’ JAYBEC WINTER YULE. 2nd MP

2 Peggs’ STREAMANDA WINERFELL WITH JANCET. This chocolate puppy was third in MP. Attractive youngster giving his handler a tricky time. Lovely head with good length of muzzle, would like a little darker eye colour. He’s well grown for his age, and when settled stands well on good boned legs and tidy feet. Correct in front angulation. Moved ok.

3 Bold’s LAKEMEADOW GILBERT’S GIFT.

Novice dog(10,4)

1 Hopkinson’s ROCHEVALE HERCULES TO ROCHEBY. Attractive yellow puppy of 8 mths. Lovely classic outline showing a kind head, excellent reach of neck leading to good proportions through the body. Level topline on this youngster, well grown with good bone and tidy feet. Particularly like his head with everything just in the right proportion to grown on.

2 Mills’ JAYBEC WINTER YULE. 2nd MP & 1st MD.

3 Young’s POTTERSPINNEY MY SOVEREIGN.

Undergraduate dog (1,0)

1 Edwards’ FREWLINGS GARY PLAYER AT BEARSTONE. Black dog standing alone in this class. He has a good overall shape and make. Liked his head for its proportions, found him to have good angulation in his shoulders along with barrel ribs. His coat is of the correct texture too. Could benefit from a little more leg length.

Graduate dog (5,1)

1 Atkins’ REYNBANK ROYAL ANTHEM. Unexaggerated, classic black male. Loved his head for the kind eye and expression he has. Good to see correct muzzle length. Good in outline, flows well from neck to shoulders through to hindquarters. One of the few in good coat which was of correct texture. Level topline with tail set true. Steady mover.

2 Young’s POTTERSPINEY OPTIMIST VISION. Yellow dog of a different type. He has a smaller frame than 1 but a slightly better reach of neck. Good all through the body, he is deep chested with barrel ribs. Moved well.

3 Barker’s DEERBROOK I’M THE BOSS.

Post Graduate dog (11,1)

A class of different shapes and makes.

1 Wiles’ RICHBOURNE LION KING. Two and a half year old yellow, his outline and body proportions are excellent. Stands well showing off a good profile. Loved his head for its masculine yet kind appeal, good reach of neck into well angulated shoulders. Barrel ribs with plenty of heart room. Good angulation in hindquarters with good turn of stifle. Stands well on tidy and neat feet. Moved well. Promising young dog. Delighted to award him the RCC.

2 Bambrook’s WINSLEYWOOD WAGHORN AT RAVOAKAR JW. A dog that I have done well before, he has matured and developed nicely. Liked his head as a youngster and still do however he could be a little more masculine, expect will develop with time. Excellent pigmentation. He is built on a smaller frame to 1, has good shoulder angulation with his front legs sitting under his body. Correct in width and length of loin. Well-presented and handled showing him to best advantage. Good mover.

3 Miles’ LLANSTINAN ROMAN REIGNS.

Mid Limit dog (9,2)

1 Hopkinson’s ROCHEBY HAVANA. Yellow dog who presents himself well. So typical of this kennel, he flows from a well-proportioned head into a good reach of neck and well angulated forequarters. He is deep in chest with barrel ribs and strong and wide over the loin. By far the best mover of the class. Shame he was not carrying enough coat today as I considered him for top honours.

2 Johnson’s CREMINO CELEBRITY JW. Black of a different type to the winner. Kind head and expression but would like more stop. Has a lovely topline with tail coming straight off but carried rather high on the move unfortunately. Good through the body and has correct texture of coat although on the blow, but so many were today. Moved with drive.

3 Gannaway-Jones’ SCARISBRICK SALT MARSH.

Limit dog (5,1)

1 Finney’s CARPENNY KIPLING. Two blacks heading up this class. My winner was the best mover of the class. He’s a steady type, with typical Labrador disposition. Standing well to give a good profile he’s unexaggerated and needs to be judged to be appreciated. Pleasant head, good angulation in his shoulders with legs sitting under his body. Strong through his body with good bone. Well-muscled quarters propelling him on the move.

2 McLellan’s SARANDEN SHADEAUXPLAY. Black of a different type. He wasn’t in good coat today which was a shame but you can tell it has the right texture. Liked his head as it has a good length of muzzle to skull ratio, with a kind eye. Lovely flow from head to tail over a super topline. Strong hindquarters.

3 Chapman’s DAISYPATCH ANNIE’S BOY.

Open dog (11,2)

A quality class and I felt privileged to be judging these exhibits. Often judges will write they wish they had more prize cards and this was true for this particular class. I had dogs of different types but all were worthy of their wins.

1 Tulloch’s SH CH BINNAIG BONNACH FOR TULLOCHMOHR. He presented quite the picture. Still a young dog of two and a half years but he could not be denied the top spot here. He just stands so well, making the most of himself without being too much. Loved his head, it has good proportions with a good shape and colour eye. Flows well from head to tail, his shoulders are correctly placed, with a balanced body and complimented by strong hindquarters. He powered around the ring driving from his hocks. He was in good coat of the correct texture today. Delighted to award him the CC and in agreement with my co-judge, BOB. Congratulations.

2 Bell’s SH CH WESTERULSTON JOHN. Different type to the winner, more moderate but all Labrador. Lovely head, not overdone in any way, giving a kind and gentle expression. Another with good forequarters, shorter in body than 1 and enough strength in hindquarters to ensure sound and steady movement. Another with a lovely topline which he held well on the move. He doesn’t carry volumes of coat but has sufficient and is of the right texture.

3 Johnson’s SH CH CREMINO CALABRESE.

Special Beginners dog (3,0)

1 Newman’s CREAMWOOD SILVER HAWTHORN. Yellow dog unplaced in PG. Good overall shape and make for this dog. He had a good head, enough length of muzzle and good coloured eye. Clean through the neck with well-placed shoulders, he has good bone and was in good coat. Would prefer tail to be better wrapped. He had had an unsettling experience a few days prior but took his show day in his stride.

2 Sweeney’s ROSLIEVE I AM MAXIMUS. Nicely balanced dog with enough coat and good depth of chest. Good in forequarters and enough hindquarters to give an overall good picture. For me, he is rather heavy in head and his eyes a little round which affects his expression making it too harsh. However he had sufficient breed points to offset this.

3 Edwards’ FREWLINGS FORDSON MAJOR AT BEARSTONE.

Lucy Kent.