Portuguese Water Dog Club Of Great Britain

Portuguese Water Dog Club of Great Britain

Open Show – 16th November 2025

My thanks to the committee of the Portuguese Water Dog Club of Great Britain for their kind invitation to judge their Open Show. A super entry both numerically and for overall quality and some super dogs made for a particularly enjoyable day.

VD (2,1)

1. Dring’s Ch Yelsek The One and Only. 8 yr old black. Solidly built lad who was good hands on and presented a well balanced outline. Correct length of neck for the breed, firm through the topline, good depth to brisket, ribbing carried well back, nice short loin, slight incline to croup and tail pleased for both set and carriage. Masculine headpiece with pleasing proportions, expressive eyes which are placed well apart, correct stop, pleasing breadth to muzzle and scissor bite. He has good angles front and rear and stands true in front on good feet. When gaiting he went well on the go around and is accurate when going away. Best Veteran in Show.

PD/B (1,0)

1. Smith’s Oldeely Swiss Etziken Rubin. Promising 7 mth old black pup. Presenting a pleasing outline with correct length of neck, super topline, ribbing extends well back and is developing as it should but still to fully develop in brisket, nice short loin, correct croup and excellent tail for set and carriage. Nicely proportioned head but skull still to break, expressive eyes of good colour, ears set on correctly and good dentition. Pleasing angulation both ends and he stands well naturally in front. Moving out well when viewed in profile and carrying himself well. Best Puppy Dog.

JD/B (2,0)

1. Williams’ Peixinho Caput Draconis. 12½ mth old black with white bib. Pleasing youngster who presented the correct ‘almost square’ outline and appealed for overall type. Neck of correct length to balance, excellent topline, good depth to chest, ribbed well back but ribbing still to fully develop, short in the couplings, good croup and medium set on of tail. Quality head with some substance, good skull to muzzle proportions, well defined stop, expressive eyes and good dentition. Pleasing angles both front and rear and he stands nice and straight in front. Moving well on the go around and using himself as he goes.

2. Thompson’s Calladano Amadeus Andante. 15 mth old black. Not quite the balance of winner but he is correct for length of neck and firm in topline, ribbing extends well back but with a touch more definition to croup. Head of good proportions but preferred breadth of skull of 1, eyes of good colour and placement and correct dentition. He stands true in front but needs to fill out in chest for which he has plenty of time to do so. When gaiting he is nice and accurate when going away but winner had the edge on the go around. Good coat.

PGD/B (1,0)

1. Rawlinson’s Zimbroport Bynack More. 2 yr old black who is almost square in outline, has the correct length of neck for the breed and a pretty good croup but appears a little higher on the leg when compared to depth of body. Pleasing skull to muzzle proportions but would like more breadth to skull, however he has expressive eyes of good colour, ears are of correct set and scissor bite. Standing a little untidy in front and would like to see more width to chest. Moderate length of stride on the go around. Pleasing coat and well handled here.

LD/B (1,0)

1. Rawlinson’s Zimbroport Bynack More

OD/B (6,2)

1. Williams & Newton’s Ch Rarjo Captain Curl Macduff JW. Quality class which was a pleasure to judge. This 2 yr old black was my winner and what a super lad he is and a delight hands on. All male and solidly built, he presented a terrific outline with the correct length of neck for the breed, firm level back, deep through the brisket, short muscular loin, slight incline to croup and tail just right for set and carriage. First class head with excellent skull, well defined stop, characteristic furrow, dark expressive eyes which are placed well apart, strong muzzle and correct dentition. Super angulation both ends, stands true in front on correct feet and so good in forechest. Purposeful action and excellent carriage and certainly cannot be overlooked. Quality curly coat which is dense and of excellent texture. Best Dog and Best in Show.

2. Smith’s Ch/Int/Ir/Swiss Ch Gemson Alfamar of Oldeely ShCEx. 6 yr old black and another of top quality. He too is solid all through and was good to go over. Correct length of neck which is well muscled, firm through the topline, good depth to chest, excellent ribbing, nice and short in the couplings, slight incline to croup and the best of tails. Super headed chap with substantial skull, well defined occiput, dark expressive eyes, ears of correct set, excellent muzzle and good dentition. Well laid shoulders, straight well-boned forelegs, correct feet and muscular hindquarters with good turn of stifle. On the move, he goes well when viewed from any angle and uses himself as he goes. Excellent coat and presentation and shown to advantage. Reserve Best Dog.

3. Thompson-Morgan & Morgan’s Ch Belleville Salva Vidas

VB (3,0)

1. Samuelson’s Ch Aquafortis Semper Fidelis at Nazare. Three brown girls competed here with my winner found in this 7 yr old. Quality girl who very much appealed for type, carries good bone and was so good to go over. Well balanced in outline with correct short neck, firm level back, good depth to chest, well sprung ribs, short muscular loin, good croup and tail pleased for set and carriage. Feminine headpiece with breadth to skull, characteristic furrow, excellent eyes, ears of correct set, super muzzle and good dentition. Pleasing angulation both ends, nice straight forelegs and round rather flat feet. Moving freely on the down and back and goes well in profile too. Best Veteran Bitch.

2. Mardle & Barton’s Ch Auldhelm Bizzy Lizzie. 9 yr old who also pleased in outline, having the correct length of neck for the breed, level topline, good depth to brisket, nice short loin, slight incline to croup and tail of medium set and pleasing carriage. Head of good proportions, well defined stop, expressive eyes of good set and scissor bite but not quite the muzzle of winner. She stands well naturally and has correct feet and when gaiting she pleased on the go around, is accurate when going away but 1 had the edge coming towards. Good quality coat.

3. Smith’s Ir Ch Auldhelm Clementina VW

PB (4,0)

1. Bongiovanni & Heard’s Casa Do Ricidio Roulette Ankors (Imp Prt). A really nice class where I particularly liked the first three, although they are quite different to one another. The nod went to this 11 mth old black/white. Quality all through, of excellent type and presenting such a lovely outline. Correct length of neck, firm level back, ribbing carried well back, short in the couplings, slight incline to croup and tail of medium set which she carries well. Super headed pup with correct proportions, breadth to skull with characteristic furrow and well defined occiput, expressive eyes which are set well apart, excellent muzzle and scissor bite. Shoulders well laid, she stands true on good feet and pleased in forechest for one so young. Moving freely all through and carries herself well. Excellent coat and presentation. Best Puppy in Show.

2. Thompson-Morgan & Morgan’s Portomel Santa Isabel at Belleville. 7 mth old black who is very much a baby but she is nicely balanced and certainly ‘almost square’ as desired. Correct short neck, firm topline, ribbing extends well back, nice and short in the couplings, correct croup and tail pleased for both set and carriage. Feminine head and expression with an excellent skull, dark eyes which are correctly placed, well defined stop, strength to muzzle which is of correct length to balance and scissor bite. She stands well naturally and has good feet and when gaiting, she moved cleanly and with good carriage. Excellent temperament.

3. Kirk’s Adventurer’s All The Nights Like This of Belezaflor (Imp Fin)

JB (3,2)

1. Holness’ Casa Do Ricidio Love Bug. 11 mth old black who carries pleasing bone, has a super temperament and was very well handled here. Muscular neck of correct length, firm topline, good depth to brisket, broad loin but with a little more length, not quite as defined in croup as she could be although tail is carried very well. Balanced headpiece with good breadth to skull, desired furrow, dark expressive eyes which are placed well apart, ears set on just right, well defined stop and good dentition. I liked her angulation both ends and she has nice straight forelegs, stands on good feet and pleased for forechest too. Moving freely all through and carries herself well.

PGB (3,2)

1. Williams’ Majesixs Flaming Hot at Peixinho. 4 yr old black/white who is nicely balanced and was well handled here. Correct neck, firm through the topline, good depth to brisket, ribbing carried well back, short muscular loin, excellent croup and tail of correct set. Feminine headpiece with a pretty good skull, well defined stop, expressive eyes of good colour, ears set on well and scissor bite. Nice layback of shoulder, straight forelegs, decent forechest, correct round feet and firm hindquarters with good turn of stifle. Moving freely on the down and back and she also pleased when viewed in profile and has good carriage.

LB (1,0)

1. Mardle & Barton’s Auldhelm Miss Marple. 3 yr old black. Balanced girl who presents the correct outline of the breed with short, muscular neck, firm level back, brisket reaching the elbows, good length to ribcage but not quite the spring of rib I was looking for, short loin, pretty good croup and tail of pleasing carriage. Feminine head with expressive dark eyes, ears of correct set and good dentition but with more length of muzzle. She stands nice and straight in front and goes pretty well on the go around but a little closer going away and could be cleaner coming towards. Good coat.

OB (6,0)

1. Slack, Newton & Williams’ Ch Rarjo Macduff Making Waves with Megulcie JW. Interesting class which gave me much to consider. This 2 yr old black came out on top and what a super girl she is and a pleasure to go over. I thought her good for type and she presented such a lovely outline with muscular neck of correct length, firm through the topline, good depth to brisket, super ribbing, nice short loin, correct incline to croup and tail of medium set which is of good carriage. Just loved her head and expression; excellent skull, well defined occiput, correct stop, super eye and ear, muzzle has breadth as desired and correct dentition. Shoulders well laid, straight forelegs, good forechest and correct round rather flat feet. Excellent profile action and carriage and so very well handled to take Best Bitch and Reserve Best in Show.

2. Kirk’s Ch Belleville Crazy In Love of Belezaflor JW. 3 yr old black who pushed the winner all the way. She too appealed for overall type, carries good bone and presented a well balanced outline. Correct length of neck for the breed, firm level back, good depth to chest, well sprung ribbing, short well-muscled loin, slight incline to croup and tail pleased for set and carriage. Quality head with breadth to skull, well defined stop, dark expressive eyes placed well apart, excellent muzzle and scissor bite. Good angles front and rear and she stands true in front on super feet. Another who was a delight to watch on the go around and carries herself well but winner just had the edge coming towards. Reserve Best Bitch.

3. Bongiovanni & Heard’s Esp/Prt Ch/Ch Ankors Encore Prt/Esp/Gib Jch

Judge: Tim Ball