National Gundog Association

National Gundog Association
2nd August 2026

It was 10 years ago in 2016 that I judged just the 3rd Club Show to be held in the UK so I was honoured to be able to judge them again in only their 3rd year with CC’s. Thank you to those who entered, and thank you to my stewards for keeping the ring flowing and making the day enjoyable for everyone.

I have watched the breed develop over the years and I was pleased to see a level of consistency of type that is better than in some other breeds. I do hope that it stays that way as numbers increase.

The update to the breed standard in 2025 was a refreshing one with some very important inclusions that will help aspiring judges with their decisions. 

Type, proportions, angulation & movement are important in all breeds and the Lagotto is no exception but it is important for judges to remember that the Lagotto is not your ‘normal’ breed when making their decisions.

Mouths were interesting, I have not called out any in particular in my critiques but I found an array of bites today.

Puppy Dog (5,0)

An interesting class to start off. Some were of good type and proportions but did not move well on the day.

1st Phillips's Arcticbreeze City Light. 11 month brown and white, pleasing head with correct proportions. Good overall shape, narrow front and well shaped ribs to a short loin. Developing a nice coat with good curls. Best mover in the class and showed his maturity in the challenge to win over the young bitch for Best Puppy in Breed.
2nd Cooper's Gameglow Double Dare. 9 month brown. Another with pleasing head proportions and good forequarters. Correct depth of chest but longer cast than 1 through the body. Good rear angles and another who moved well.
3rd Bishop & Norbury's Bedeslea Fifth of November
Res Randall’s Luxipuk Pukkasmagictouch
VHC Smethurst's Luxipuk Perfectmatchatee

Junior Dog (2,0)

1st Whittick's Allsong Jelly Bean. 16 month brown. Good head with breadth to skull. I preferred his overall shape and outline. Slightly long through the back but with a gentle slope to the topline, correct width to his straight front and correct angulation fore and aft. He moved well with correct reach and drive.
2nd Blunden & Gilder's Mikette On A Promise. 17 month white. Pleasing head, longer cast in body than the winner but correct front leg proportions. Narrow front and good angles fore and aft. He moved well.

Novice Dog (2,0)

1st Cooper's Gameglow Double Dare. 2nd Puppy
2nd Sharp's Bedeslea Prada Milano. 2 year light brown, nice shape and pleasing head of good proportions. Correct forequarters and proportions, chest reaching to elbow and good ribbing. Lacking in rear angulation. He moved OK. 

Post Graduate Dog (2,0)

1st Mangham's Foogel Candeloro at Onyxro. 2 year grey and white, a more substantial dog but with a good shape and broad head of good proportions. Correctly angled forequarters, deep chest and short loin. Carrying a short tightly curled coat. Enough rear angulation and he moved out well.
2nd James's Clamerkin Brown Onyx. 3 year brown. Pleasing head and I liked his overall shape and proportions. Straight front of correct width and angles. Correct depth of chest and spring of rib through to a correctly angled rear. Unfortunately, his movement let him down on the day.

Limit Dog (5,0)

1st Cuddy & Cuddy & Norbury's Bedeslea Prada Paradoxe. 2 year brown. I loved his outline and proportions. Head of correct breadth and proportions, good length of neck to correct front angulation and lovely proportions. Gently sloping topline through to a correctly angulated rear. Coat of good curl and texture. Nothing was exaggerated on the move, correct fore and aft. Considered for the RCC.
2nd Thomas's Arcticbreeze On The Double (ai). 2 year light brown. Another good dog, slightly longer through the body than 1st but correctly made and of good proportions. Masculine head of good proportions, good forequarters, narrow straight front and correct spring of rib. Correct rear angles and he moved true fore and aft but would have benefited from being moved a little slower.
3rd Pragg & Willott's Arcticbreeze On Vacation
Res Webb & Ferguson's Tigre Di Casa Ghini
VHC Lightfoot's Rajo del Carpino Nero

Open Dog (11,3)

1st Pagliaroli's Tamberì Mezza Barba WW25/26. This 4 year old brown (shaded) dog just commanded attention. So typey and well made, super head of good breadth and proportions, straight front of correct angulation and proportions, gently sloping topline to lovely rear angles. Hands on, he felt so fit and in super condition. Coat of good texture with tight curls. On the move he was a joy to watch when moved at the correct pace. True all round. An easy winner of the class plus CC and Best of Breed. Lovely to see him shortlisted in the group. I was sure he will soon gain his UK title to add to his many others.
2nd Bond & Rawlinson's Pharises Spencer Tracy. 2 year brown and another who presented a lovely outline on the stand, very similar to my winner. Broad well furnished head, correct front angles and proportions and a lovely very gentle slope to the topline. Correct rear angles and he impressed on the move, true all round. Pushed hard by the limit winner in the challenge but had the presence to win the RCC.
3rd Marchitto's Mambo Century Olmo Euw24 
Res Mangham's Foogel Roberto at Onyxro
VHC Whitworth's Mad Max Madiba of Freworth (Imp Ita) JW

Special Beginners (2,0)

1st Smethurst's Luxipuk Perfectmatchatee. Just 6 month white and orange dog. A sweet youngster, head of good shape, straight front and correct angles fore and aft. A little longer cast in body but still had growing to do. He moved much better here than he did in the puppy dog class.
2nd Pieta's Gameglow Trick or Treat. A sweet 9 month white and brown bitch. A pretty youngster with a lovely expression. She had a nice square outline but was a little broad with a big spring of rib. Short loin and good rear angles. Very unsettled on the move.

Veteran Bitch (1,0)

1st Whittick's Moonreed Warbler at Allsong. 8 year white with quite a lot to like. Pleasing feminine head, good forequarters with correct angles and proportions, straight front. A little longer through the body to a correct rear. She moved true fore and aft with correct reach and drive. Best Veteran.

Puppy Bitch (5,1)

A nice class of promising puppies.

1st Norbury & Bishop's Bedeslea Remember Bedelia. Lovely 8 month brown baby. Lovely shape and proportions, feminine head, lovely straight front, correctly angulated forequarters, correct spring and depth of rib and gentle slope to her topline. Good rear angles and very nice on the move.
2nd Heller's Arcticbreeze Highlight of Floreydown. 11 month white. Slightly longer in body but super forequarters with correct proportions. Good rear angles. Standing with a level topline at the moment but her true movement won her 2nd.
3rd Lillicrap's Bedeslea Firecracker at Princhetts
Res Pieta's Gameglow Trick or Treat

Junior Bitch (3,0)

1st John's Curlycruz Wild Flower at Frommesbeck. 15 month white and brown. I preferred her overall shape. Feminine head of good proportions, straight front with correct front angulation and proportions. Coat developing with good curls. Correct rear and a super mover.
2nd Skeggs's Allsong Jelly Baby. 16 month brown. Slightly longer cast than 1 but still lots to like. Feminine, well proportioned head, correct forequarters, spring of rib and rear angulation. Nice curls of good texture. She was moving a little close behind on the day.
3rd Cox's Amadar Wake Up Little Susie

Graduate Bitch (1,0)

1st Bell's Il Granaio Dei Malatesta Valeria Velez of Pendlebrier (Imp Ita) JW. 3 year brown. Pleasing head, correct front angles, good proportions and a straight front but I would have liked slightly less spring of rib and less length through the body. Good rear angles, moved OK.

Post Graduate Bitch (5,2)

A close class where they all contrived to throw it away.

1st Lillicrap's Mizani Sebio Iola at Princhetts. 6 year brown who, when she behaved and stood correctly, presented a good overall shape which for some reason was more evident on the table than on the floor. Correct angles fore and aft, correct spring of rib and a nice coat. Best mover in the class, true fore and aft plus correct reach and drive in profile.
2nd Cassin's Clamerkin Meadow Brown. 3 year brown. Well put together with pleasing head and well made forequarters. Correct width and spring of rib with chest just reaching elbow. She tended to present a level topline on the day; I preferred the rear of my winner on the move.
3rd Maclennan's Bedeslea Prada Luisa

Limit Bitch (2,1)

1st Bishop's Bedeslea Prada Linea Rossa. 2 year brown (shaded) and my notes simply started with the word ‘Gorgeous’. Just what I was looking for. She oozed breed type, super head, correct front angulation with correct proportions, straight front, correct spring of rib, gentle slope to topline to a correct rear, and carried a lovely coat. Standing, she presented herself and focused on her handler; on the move she shone, proud with correct reach and drive for the breed. Beautifully handled. No hesitation in awarding her CC and Best Opposite Sex. Her first CC and I was sure others will follow soon.

Open Bitch (5,0)

1st Norbury's Bedeslea Pradasphere JW. 2 year light brown and litter sister to my limit winner and possessed many of the same qualities, typey with a feminine head and correct angles fore and aft. Lovely shape, woolly coat with good curls and she moved out beautifully. Just outshone by her sister in the challenge. RCC.
2nd Schmidt's Comes Cordis Angie WW26. 2 year brown (shaded), another quality bitch of super shape with lots of correct breed points. Lovely head, correct conformation and outline. She flowed round the ring with correct movement. I just preferred the front movement of my winner.
3rd Mort's Arcticbreeze Outbraker
Res Whittick's Allsong Nuova Luna

VHC Blunden's Mikette Autumnal Equinox

Ray McDonald (Roanjora)