King Charles Spaniel Association

The King Charles Spaniel Association Open Show

Many thanks to the committee for the kind invitation to judge at this well run show, and one at which as an exhibitor I have had many good days with my own dogs. Quality was very mixed and the depth of quality could be much greater, this is a cobby breed and whilst proportions in body can often vary, there were perhaps more finely boned and less thicker set dogs than I otherwise would prefer, right through the ages.

Minor Puppy Dog (4, 0)

1st) Bowles-Robinson’s Baldragon Golden Shot, a good start to the day and he is already well boned and quite cobby. Good overall head shape and type, well set ears although he does have a little more underjaw than ideal which slightly takes away from his expression. Fairly good in front, although a little short in upperarm and this was quite apparent on the move. Well made in body for his age, with good hindquarters and tail carriage. Very good profile mover. Useful prospect and by far the most forward of these babies. BPD and RBPIS.

2nd) Whitman and Tarabad’s Khatibi Night Howl, over a month younger than the winner and giving way in terms of forwardness & body; good head and expression but not the eye of the winner, even if he is slightly better in underjaw. Well made in front and firm in body, even if he could do with a little more covering and bone. Quite sound and accurate on the move but not quite the carriage of the winner.

3rd) Wilkins’ Khatibi Knight Fever.

Puppy Dog (1, 0)

1st) Allen’s Khatibi Ollie Day, 4th in the MPD class above & whilst he is a good general make and shape with decent head properties, he was very uncooperative on the move & refused to take more than a coupe of steps. I think with time and exposure his confidence will continue to grow & he should have some better days. Well-presented and very sympathetically handled.

Junior Dog (2, 0)

1st) Smith’s Chacombe Hendrix at Justacharma, very nice young dog with a lovely head and eye, decent ear set & he has a good expression. Well bodied throughout and he is quite cobby and has a good, balanced outline. Well presented and handled and quite good on the move, especially in profile, when he wasn’t bouncing up and down.

2nd) Maddison’s Mitapip Macallan, a smart youngster who projects a balanced outline both standing and moving, just a little leggier and longer in back than I would prefer. Handsome head with decent dome and turn up. Well made in front, good depth to his chest & with just enough body all through. Smart in profile and sound up and back.

Novice Dog (2, 0)

1st) Spall and Clark’s Khatibi Ken Ya Believe I’m At Llapsttam, very lovely young dog with a most attractive head and outline. Very expressive, good earset & turnup; and a lovely dome. Lots to admire on going over him, decent shoulders and upperarm, good chest & ribbing; and in good condition all through. Can grow a little in confidence which is not unexpected at this age & as yet still to firm up behind, but certainly a most useful prospect and one to keep an eye on as he moves through the ranks.

2nd) Tarabad and Whitman’s Khatibi Ceasar Day, Blen baby, less forward in body and bone than the winner & not quite so expressive in head; but his head properties are generally good & he has quite a good dome and earset. Well made in front, decent chest & he does need more spring of rib and body all through. Good hindquarters and he carried himself well on the move. Well presented and handled.

Post Graduate Dog (1, 0)

1st) Abbot’s Helmajon Sibelius, liked the outline and balance of this dog upon first setting eyes on him. He has a good dome and lovely eyes, and is quite expressive. Fairly well made in front, enough neck & decent ribbing. Keeps his topline both standing and moving, and his hindquarters are good. He could put a little more in on the move & he is certainly wilful! Quite sound and reasonably free moving.

Limit Dog (2, 0)

1st) Smith’s Chacombe Just Magical For Justacharma, upstanding dog and there is no doubting his sex. Enough dome and decent expression, but his ears are a little flyaway. Thick set all through with plenty of bone & in great condition, good hindquarters & he moved with accuracy in both directions and in profile.

2nd) Champion and Jackson’s Amantra Kings Oak, quite an enigmatic dog really as on the table I thought he would be the winner. He has a beautiful head and expression with a lovely dome and earset; and he was quite good to go over all through, but perhaps could carry a little more body. Not a lot to dislike on the table, but on the floor he insisted on bunching himself up and using his hindquarters rather underneath himself; and crouching thereby affecting his topline. He is a beautiful type and a really lovely dog, so perhaps a little more exposure to assist.

Open Dog (2, 0)

1st) Abbot’s Helmajon Rhapsody In Blue, I could not ignore the free movement or soundness of this dog and it would have been remiss of me not to reward it. He has a good head and expression, but I would prefer his dome to rise a little more behind his nose and thereby making him, a little fuller over the eyes. His body is well proportioned, and he has decent angles at both ends, sound and free moving and he went with ease and accuracy. In enough coat which was very well presented and very well handled. RBD.

2nd) Maddison’s Justacharma Northern Magic, quite a cobby dog with a decent outline standing. Lovely dark eyes, but not quite the expression of the winner. Well made in body and he is sound and free moving, a little mottled for my preference but well presented and handled.

Veteran Dog (1, 0)

1st) Hariman’s Tovarich Ticket To Ride, not the smallest of males but he does have a lovely head and eye, good dome and earset all lending themselves to quite a typical, and attractive expression. Very good shoulder and upperarm, some depth to his chest & keeps a firm topline and neat underline both standing and moving. Well angulated behind and used himself well on the move, particularly in profile where he went with ease and freedom, keeping his outline. Well presented and in good jacket. BD and BOS.

Minor Puppy Bitch (2, 0)

1st) Morley and Hitchcock’s Baldragon’s Shooting Star for Lizlanmor, attractive shape and outline; and she does have a very good head and expression, with a lovely dome and super eyes. Quite well made in body for her age and certainly no trace of weediness here. Perhaps can grow on a little more and come up on leg, but she is very typical both standing and on the move; where she goes with ease and freedom both ways and in profile & put up a good show today; thereby well deserving of BPIS.

2nd) Tarabad and Whitman’s Khatibi Czech Me Out, slightly rangier than the winner at this age, but she is young yet with time to drop into her frame. Pretty head and expression, but not the dome of the winner at the moment. Well made in body, and can spring and mature there as she ages, but she is very sound and free on the move, with little to dislike in that department. Another good prospect for the future I am sure.

Yearling Bitch (1, 0)

1st) Smith’s Headra’s Somebody To Love, beautiful head and expression and so typical of her breeding. Delicious! A well-made girl but needs more spring to her rib and body coverage. Accurate on the move and decent in profile. Presented in 1st class order and shown to advantage by her sympathetic handler.

Novice Bitch (1, 0)

1st) Rutherford’s Rignolla Devon Dreamer with Potbelli, beautiful blen bitch who has come on leaps and bounds, loved her head and eye, I might prefer it to be a little larger overall, but this is a minor point. Excellent forehand and topline and enough hind angulation. Lots to like on the move and should she continue on in this vein she should have a very good summer.

Postgraduate (2, 0)

1st) Hayward’s Justacharma Magic Dance Dalshareon, lovely bitch for shape and outline; very expressive in head but another who could rise more from behind the eye as opposed to falling away ever so slightly. Notwithstanding, she is very pretty & has a glint in her eye. Just enough neck and shoulder angulation, and perhaps could carry a mite more body throughout; but she has a good frame & shows a lot of promise as she matures through the ranks, being not yet two years old. Very sound and accurate on the move and lots to admire all through.

2nd) Abbot’s Helmajon Smyth’s Cadenza, cutie! Smaller than the winner and not the head properties; but she is well balanced throughout and has enough angulation front and rear. Firm topline and neat underline and she carries a good body. Not quite so tidy up and back as the winner, but keeps her outline in profile going around. Well-handled and presented in a sparkling jacket.

Limit Bich (5, 1)

1st) Jackson’s Amantra Summer Regina, probably the best of the day for head, type, outline, she just screams “Charlie”. Excellent head, super dome and eye, lovely earset and her whole facial properties are exactly as you would want them in the breed. Good forehand and chest, super ribbing and excellent hindquarters. Decided she didn’t really want to play ball on the move today which was probably my biggest disappointment of the day. She is clearly of Ch quality & typical Charlie in temperament, so when she decides she wants to do it, I have no doubt that she will gain her crown and do some very useful winning. I thought she was gorgeous – if frustrating!

2nd) Tarabad and Whitman’s Yeshalomi Day To Remember For Khatibi, a lovely blen bitch with excellent body and bone, the presence of which was somewhat lacking today. She is very attractive in head and eye, but she does not have the earset or dome of the winner. Very well made in front, good depth to chest & firm in topline. Short in body and very cobby, she is accurate, sound and free on the move.

3rd) Smith’s Chacombe Just Charming For Justacharma

Open Bitch (1, 0)

1st) Tarabad and Whitman’s Ch Baldragon Russian Around With Khatibi, lovely quality bitch with a super personality, great head and eye, lovely earset and beautiful expression. Good neck and shoulder, correct depth to her chest & lovely ribs, but I can see from the catalogue she has just had a litter, and it has certainly done her no harm. Comes to life on the move, very sound and free, most exuberant and enjoys her time in the ring. Coat in excellent condition and very well presented. I have never seen her look better. BB & BIS.

Veteran Bitch (3, 0)

1st) Bowles-Robinson’s Ch Chacombe Marana Baldragon, one I have always admired, and she is so compact and cobby. Gorgeous head and eye, good expression and turnup; super neck and shoulder; thick set throughout; topline runs up a tad now, well made behind if a mite closer there than ideal, beautiful proportions and balance, I see the dam of the BIS winner, RBB & RBIS; lovely girl.

2nd) Gurtner’s Multi Ch Oprah De Melcourt, glorious head and eye, so typical of her breeding and she is so pretty. Enough neck and shoulder, good depth to her chest & she has good ribbing. She is longer in back than the winner and her topline shows this; well made behind and used herself well on the move. A lovely toy spaniel.

Kirsty Ryan (Cavallibrook/Feorlig)