Irish Water Spaniel Association

Thank you to the Association for the opportunity to judge at this show, a big thanks to the exhibitors, it was a pleasure to be able to go over so many lovely Irish Water Spaniels and to Kirsty my steward for keeping things moving. It was a lovely venue with a large grass area to move the dogs; such a shame it was the victim of our unpredictable English weather!

Junior D/B (6)

1. Stanegate Sweet Dreams at Zakby, very promising young bitch of good size, loved her head and dark eye giving her a feminine expression, she has good bone and large feet, well laid shoulders, good length of rib and strong hindquarters, still needs to develop in body and topline but at 10mths she has plenty of time, she excelled on the move, straight and true up and down the mat with reach and drive in profile, finished with a low tail carriage.

2. Bogbairns Sweet Afton, another very smart young bitch, more mature in body with good spring of rib and finished with a dense coat. Stronger in head with squarely built muzzle, but retained her femininity, she is compact and well balanced throughout, with strong bone and good angulation, she had a tendency to crab and was let down by her movement.

3.Nyllaup Oregon Sunstone

Limit D/B (7)

1. Cambridgcurl Aileen Fox, this young bitch was testing her handler today, lucky for her she managed to hold it together enough to take the class. She has a feminine head and expression, good spring of rib, strong boned with a good coat, she still needs to strengthen in her topline but has time on her side, moved soundly with good reach and drive.

2. Cambridgcurl Calypso at Eldarrah, half sister to my winner and more mature in body, strong boned with good feet, nice head but preferred the eye of my winner, well sprung ribs with a good coat, dense ringlets covering the body, moved out well but a little unsettled.

3. Cuboglach Tufted Skipper

Open D/B (10)

1. SH CH Stanegate Stage Debut (AI) Sh CEx, this mature bitch topped a lovely class, strongly built, compact bitch that oozes quality, she has a beautiful head, domed skull, strong muzzle with dark almond shaped eyes, finished in body with good spring of rib, strong bone, good feet, with correct angulation fore and aft, shown in good hard condition which showed in her positive ground covering movement, her coat was the icing on the cake, rich dense coat, full of crisp ringlets.

2. CH Riverforest Irish Eider at Cuvana SGWC, another mature, top-quality bitch, shown in excellent hard condition, strong square muzzle, dark almond shaped eye, compact body with well sprung ribs, well boned with large round feet, coat dense, covering her body in tight ringlets. She moved with purpose covering the ground with good reach and drive, what a pleasure to judge such a lovely class, it was hair splitting, but I just preferred the overall finish of my winner.

3. Daffydown Dilly