Scottish Breeds Canine Club

Scottish Breeds Canine Club. 28th March 2026. Golden Retriever (Bitches)

BCC Sh Ch Quakerhall Flare by Pandora JW (Mrs D S & Mrs R J Crookes & Jenkinson)

RBCC Lamancha Tango JW (Miss M McDonald)

BOB Sh Ch Quakerhall Flare by Pandora JW (Mrs D S & Mrs R J Crookes & Jenkinson)

I would like to thank the club for the invitation and hospitality, my co-judge Lynn Kipps – both for her excellent company and the most beautiful photograph that she gifted me, my steward Mary Neil for keeping me organised, and the exhibitors for what was one of my most enjoyable breed judging assignments. I cant tell you all how much of an honour I consider this – the opportunity to judge a lovely entry of quality bitches, in the breed country of origin, isn’t something that happens everyday, and I will long cherish this. I was in agreement with my co-judge for the various class awards that are offered by  the club. 

Thanks to the KC rules from yesteryear where a judge had to keep accurate records of hands-on dogs, I noticed, as I started to write this report, that it has been over 28 years since I first judged the breed in the UK, (Nuneaton – 13th April 1998). I have had the pleasure of judging this breed in many countries and it is still one of my favourite breeds to judge.

I was pleased with the entry both in numbers and in quality and there were hard decisions to be made in most classes. I have no doubt that there will be many times these lovely girls will change places as the grow and continue to show.

The youngsters were all very promising and I think it shows the breed to continue to have a great future under the hands of the caring breeders and exhibitors.

Whilst the youngsters are definitely for the future, the classes from Graduate onwards were where the serious contenders for todays honours resided and I don’t apologise for working the handlers and their beautiful bitches a little harder. The competition was great and a pleasure to have to work my way through the lovely quality.

I don’t think anyone would disagree that the UK title is the most difficult to obtain, and with champions competing for the CC, there are going to be many worthy animals who may not get a title that they could easily carry. I though this as I was writing this report and I do hope that many of the truly deserving girls, that I had the pleasure of judging today, get the chance to wear their crowns. The would not look out of place

Overall – the entry was presented to me in lovely and clean condition, and I was impressed with the hard muscle tone you all managed to get on your animals, given the time of year and weather.

I thought that mouths were all good teeth were lovely and clean too. I feel that front assemblies are better than I have seen in a lot of other countries, and I felt all the dogs generally presented a good outline.

Whilst the indoor ring was of a fair size, I still believe that the breed shows itself to advantage when outside. That said the ring was the same for all exhibitors and there was no evidence of dogs struggling with their footing. Profile movement was generally good on most exhibitors, and it was the out and back movement which was often the separator within the class.

Once again, thanks you for showing me your lovely animals, and the sporting way you accepted my decisions on the day. It’s always a pleasure when you judge, to hear the applause from the ringside.

Minor Puppy Bitch Entries: 5 Absentees: 0
1ST Bluebraes Voyager (Mrs W & Miss K McFarlane)
7m/o who is nicely put together. Lovely balance front and rear and has a strong topline. She moved very tidily and I think she has a promising future

2ND Strathlon Angel Eyes (Mrs L O'Neill)
8m/o pale gold, and another who is well put together. Not as positive when moving out and back as my winner but another with much promise

3RD Pevrilpoint Dont Stop Me Now (Mr M & Miss M McNeish)

Puppy Bitch Entries: 5 Absentees: 0
1ST Dantassie Summer Solstice (Mrs C Haxton)
9m/o pale gold girls with a most pleasing expression. She shows a correct flow through the neck and shoulders into a good topline, which she held on the move. I liked her a lot. BPB.

2ND Bluebraes Voyager (Mrs W & Miss K McFarlane)
1st in Minor Puppy

 3RD Shelbreagha Hollandaise (Mrs C McShane)

Junior Bitch Entries: 9 Absentees: 2
1ST Alibren Firecracker of Lebuinus (Mrs K P Wood)
12m/o mid gold bitch who has correct balance and particularly scores in front. Beautiful head and expression and she moved best in the class to take the top spot. In the challenge for best junior in show (not an award that happens often) the owner had already returned this girl to the car for the journey home. When she brought her back, she didn’t settle and lost out to a very lovely boy. I mention this as both my fellow judge and I thought her to be a lovely girl.

 2ND Megarvey Cocomelon JW (Miss P & Mr D Hill & Smith)
14m/o mid gold and another nice girl. Much of the remarks of the winner apply here to. Close up in this class, but I preferred the slightly tidier out and back movement of the winner today. I think they will change places a lot and will both be deserving of their wins.

3RD Glenrioch Toorie Bunnet (Miss S Calder)

Yearling Bitch Entries: 10 Absentees: 0
1ST Cadwst Song of Spring JW (Mrs V J Nelson)
Almost 2y/o pale gold girl of quality. Has a very nice head and expression. Presented a lovely outline and held it together on the move. One for the future.

2ND Strathlon Morning Breeze (Mrs L O'Neill)
Another almost 2y/o girl, mid gold colour and presents a very nice outline. Flows well through the neck and shoulder into a good topline. Moved steadily.

3RD Alibren Firecracker of Lebuinus (Mrs K P Wood)

Novice Bitch Entries: 4 Absentees: 1
1ST Shelbrèagha Macallan (Miss R Ferguson)
4y/o very pretty girl of good type. Well balanced, correct body proportions for length and depth and moved out nicely.

2ND Alibren Fire Star (Miss H Turnbull)
Another nice pale gold girl. Unplaced in the very strong junior class but has much to like. Still very young and developing but starting to come into her own and I don’t see her being in this class for long.

 3RD 108 - Bluebraes Voyager (Mrs W & Miss K McFarlane)

Graduate Bitch Entries: 9 Absentees: 1
1ST Kadaka Koral (Mrs I Sneddon)

4y/o light gold girl. Was not immediately eye catching but once I got my hands on her she impresses. Has everything in the right place and I suspect will win in stronger competition in the future. As I mentioned in the preamble, the classes from here on in were full of quality contenders for today’s honours. She was in the mix.

 2ND Drumkilty Rebel Song for Crobeag (Miss R Saunderson)
2y/o pale gold with a good head and expression, correct outline and a steady mover. 2nd in a class of this quality is no disappointment and another with a bright future

3RD Thornywait Bring Me Luck (Mrs G Purdie)

Post Graduate Bitch Entries: 9 Absentees: 1
Lamancha Tango JW (Miss M McDonald)
3y/o darker gold girl with a very pretty head and expression. Presented a strong outline showing good properties front and rear. Has a lovely outline standing and moving she had very good reach and drive and was very clean out and back. As mentioned in the preamble, the out and back movement today was often a deciding factor and it decided the RCC in her favour over some extremely lovely girls. Congratulations and I hope higher houmous are in her future.

2ND Tullochmohr Ray of Sunshine at Glynerva JW (Miss L A Harper)
3y/o lighter shaded gold, who was close up to the winner. Another who scored in out and back movement and another that should go on to bigger things. I just preferred the head and expression of my winner.

3RD Alibren Majestic Dawn JW (Mr D & Mrs S Towers)

Mid Limit Bitch Entries: 9 Absentees: 2 This was a very strong class with all the placed girls in contention.
1ST Tweedspey Toppsecret avec Ponfeigh (Imp Fra) JW (Mrs J Neilson)

Mid gold girl and another who has to be handled to fully appreciate. Not in her best coat but her quality cannot be denied. Everything fits together nicely and she was in the running today. I would like to see this girl wear her crown in future too.

 2ND Sandti Tiki Taka JW (Mr S & Mrs T Williamson)
4y/o very pretty lighter gold girl, who again has all the essentials. Presented a lovely outline and whilst she moved steadily, was not as positive on the out and back as my winner today. Again, I have no doubt she has a bright future.

3RD Grassyards Field of Gold JW (Mrs J Russell)
Limit Bitch Entries: 9 Absentees: 2

1ST Linirgor Lady of Cairnglen (Mrs S, Mr J & Mrs E Palmer & White) Another strong class where I had to work these beautiful girls hard to find my winner.
4y/o mid gold girl and another in contention today. Lovely head and expression, strong both front and rear and moved out nicely. Was very close up to the RCC and I will not be surprised to hear that she gains a title in the future.

2ND Drumkilty Nollaig Shona JW (Mrs F M Clarkson)
Another very close decision and much of the same remarks apply to her as to the winner. Very balnced in the picture which presents a super outline. Moved steadily but again I felt the movement of the winner was shade tidier out and back.

3RD Trystinthorn Miss Eliza (Miss M Paterson)

Open Bitch Entries: 6 Absentees: 1

1ST Sh Ch Quakerhall Flare by Pandora JW (Mrs D S & Mrs R J Crookes & Jenkinson)
As mentioned in some of the above text, I was very impressed with the girls from many of the classes and would have been happy for several of them to win the CC, but this girl stole my heart. She was everything I had hoped to get in a CC winner, and I subsequently found out that today was her 11th CC. From the tip of her nose to the tip of her tail I thought she had it all, and in addition, was shown to great advantage. All of that said, as I looked at my catalogue later, I noticed that the first 3 in this class are all title holders and again this speaks to both the depth of quality in the breed and just how hard it is to gain a UK title. I would expect that her many virtues have been extolled in other critiques and I don’t think I could add much, other than to say it was my pleasure to award her the CC and to see her as the BOB, over a very smart dog.

2ND Sh Ch Cadwst Eternal Flame (Mrs V J Nelson)
4y/o light gold girl of excellent type and it does not surprise me that she has her crown. Another out of the top drawer. Whilst it is clear that I loved my CC winner, this girl was very pleasing to get my hands on and I can see why she has her title. Lovely outline, balance and body properties. In the run-off for the RCC, she was not quite as positive out and back, but another beautiful girl of quality and my pleasure to judge.

3RD Sh Ch Kulawand Sky with Diamonds (Mr & Mrs R S & Mrs P Lane & Lane-Ridyard)

Veteran Bitch Entries: 10 Absentees: 0 The vetran classes at breed shows are often my favourite and it was a lovely sight to see 10 trull beautiful ladies as I walked round the class for the first time. I cant thank the exhibitors enough for this pleasure. They were all in lovely condition and are a credit to you.
1ST Sh Ch Goldmarker Luminara (Mr T B & Mrs L G Smith)
At almost 9y/o this mid gold girl hides her age. Again, not surprised to see she has a title. Everything you would expect of a champion in this breed and moved out very steadily. In the runoff for best veteran, my co-judge and I both agreed she was a lovely girl, but the veteran dog, who had taken the Dog CC today just had the edge.

2ND Clannorach Dreams Come True (Mr H & Mrs L Thomson)
7y/o pale gold and I am surprised that she isn’t a title holder. Has a beautiful head and expression, good front and rear, and moved steadily holding a correct topline. It just confirms the depth of quality in the breed.

3RD Sh Ch Drumkilty Lisdoonvarna JW (Mrs F M Clarkson)

Special Beginners Bitch Entries: 6 Absentees: 4
1ST Vera's Mystery at Evenmint (Mr I & Mrs ND Lowther)
At just 12 months, the girl was unplaced in the very strong Junior class, but is slowly growing into herself. Still needs to fill a little in front, which I am sure she will. She has a pleasing head and expression and I think she just needs time.

2ND Dilworthey Princess Lottie VW (Ms J Burrows)
A lovely veteran who was starting to slow down after the workout in the veteran class, and didn’t move well in this class, but again is well put together and was a pleasure for me to get to look into her beautiful and kind eyes. It was a nice way to finish the class judging.

 Gordon Hayburn [Judge]