Cocker Spaniel Club Of Scotland

I would like to thank the officers and committee of the Cocker Spaniel Club of Scotland for inviting me up to Scotland to judge and, of course, for making me feel so welcome.

A big thank you also to my steward and show manager for keeping everything flowing so smoothly, and to everyone who entered under me. Finally, a very special thank you to Pamela for giving up her day to be my observer.

The day started a little damp, but Scotland was still beautiful, and thankfully the sun came out for me before I flew home.

Dogs

Veteran Dog – Any Colour (5/1)

In this class, I was very sorry to learn that the one absent dog had sadly passed away. My thoughts are with the owner at this very sad time.

1st – Torbett SH CH Kirlinjis Taylor Made - Best Veteran in Show


A lovely blue dog, square in type with a pleasing front assembly, good tight feet and good proportions from nose to tail. Nice ear set and in good coat condition. He moved really well with lots of drive, using his good rear angulation to power around the ring.

2nd – Smith SH CH Pearkim Pokemon At Luanshya JW, VW


A nine-year-old, lovely orange roan, very close to first. I found one slightly stronger on the move today. Beautifully presented and retaining his lovely colour. A very handsome boy with a soft expression, slightly lighter in bone but in fabulous condition for his age. Another very nicely balanced dog. This was a hard class as they were very close.

Minor Puppy Dog – Any Colour (2)

1st – Smith Lynwater Star Spangle At Luanshya – Reserve Best Dog & Reserve Best Puppy In Show


A blue roan, short and compact, slightly more mature than number two at eight months. Good feet and good angulation. What a lovely bum he has — just how it should be! I look forward to watching this handsome boy develop in the future.

2nd – Clelland Lochellan Tide Of Times


A very handsome six-month-old blue dog, beaten on maturity. Slightly less bone than first, but lots to like about this puppy. Lovely clean neck, nice shoulders and going into a nice cobby body. He moved well at times, but is still a very raw baby and has plenty of time to bloom.

Puppy Dog – Any Colour (3)

1st – Flowers Totenkopf Duty Free


Black dog who won on maturity. Good depth of brisket and well-sprung ribs. Nice, gentle, kind head with a good upper arm and held his top line well on the move. This puppy is very much a ‘what you see is what you get’ type — not overdone and in good coat condition.

2nd – Low Haradwater Godspeed IMP PT (NAF)


Nice blue, although up to size. It was a close call between numbers two and three; both lovely puppies with good feet. He was being a bit of a pickle to handle today and, at 11 months, is more mature in head. Excellent backend, although carrying his tail a little higher today.

3rd – Grey Bat Sapphire St Tourhouse BD1

Junior Dog (1)

1st – Wark Aryafalls Pride Of Summer


Dark blue and tan who made his handler work hard. Nice kind expression, good head and ear set into clean shoulders. He eventually settled on the move. Slightly higher tail today, but I think this was just being a cheeky junior Cocker! Handled well.

Yearling Dog (1)

1st – Williams Sensqui Double Rainbows


A nice gold dog, lovely and rich in colour — I have one in a similar shade. Nice kind, deep brown, endearing eyes and good ear set. Nice front with well-padded feet. Coming up to two years old, with good angulation. Slightly lacking in coat thickness, as golds often can be. Slightly longer in type than some of my other winners today, but moved well and there was lots to like.

Maiden Dog – Any Colour (2)

1st – Grey Bat Sapphire St Tourhouse BD


A really nice orange roan dog puppy. I really liked him in his first class, but he was being a bugger to handle and you couldn't see his movement as well. He has a good front and holds his topline well on the move. Much more settled in this class. Still needs to mature and is quite raw, but has a nice, kind, soft expression, lovely cat-like feet and was in excellent coat condition.

2nd – Smillie Totenkopf Don’t You Dare


A 13-month-old orange dog, less in coat than number one and also a little pickle to handle. Bigger cast than first and longer in loin, with slightly less bone, but holding good coat colour.

Novice Dog (4)

1st – Lawrie Inverella Hugo Boss


Nice black dog with clean stop and a strong, well-balanced head. Good ear set, nice front and good rear angulation, with a clean neck into good shoulders. Massive drive around the ring and the best mover in this class. In good coat condition and lots to like.

2nd – Grey Bat Sapphire St Tourhouse BD

3rd – Wark Aryafalls Pride Of Summer

Graduate Dog – Black/Red/Gold/Black & Tan/Liver/Liver & Tan (1)

1st – Bodzak Whinburn Dearg Aurora


A gold dog with a lovely head and beautiful melting expression. Gorgeous tight cat feet. Nice front, strong behind and well-sprung ribs. Very nicely muscled but not overdone. Sadly, he carried his tail slightly high today on the move.

Graduate Dog – Any Colour (1)

1st – Hynd Ryallcourt Way Above Over Scomar


Blue Roan and tan. Nicely padded cat feet and a well-balanced head into good shoulders. When he settled, he seemed to really enjoy his day out and moved well, although slightly rolly due to being a little overweight. Definitely one who likes his food — we all have one!

Postgraduate Dog – Any Colour (4/1)

1st – Scotland Lynwater Moonwalk 


Blue dog, slightly bigger than number two, but I preferred his movement behind. Nice kind eyes, very good coat condition and good backend. He could power around the ring with a merry tail.

2nd – Lawrie Whinburn Formula One


Such a handsome red dog with a beautiful soft expression. Nice front, although let down slightly by close rear movement. He wasn't settled on the move today but was in good coat condition throughout.

3rd – Hynd Ryallcourt Way Above Over Scomar

Limit Dog – Any Colour (3)

1st – Ewan Craigdean Sloppy Joe – Best In Show


I just love this boy. I believe I gave him Best Puppy the last time I was in Scotland. Lovely steel blue and he has matured like a fine wine. Beautiful head, lovely front with good angulation and he really moves around the ring owning it. Beautifully muscled and uses this to his full advantage.

2nd – Davidson Annilann Mister Boo 


Nice light blue roan dog in good coat condition. Not as strong in front as number one, but has good rear angulation. I didn't find him as balanced overall as first. He moves nicely with a merry bustle and has a nicely balanced head, lovely ear set and is a handsome dog. I did like him, but sadly he was in the ring against the wrong dog today.

3rd – Hyde Ryallcourt Way Above Over Scomar

Open Dog – Any Colour (3/2)

1st – Furzer Durham Blue


Nice blue dog, very well presented. A bit of a pickle on the table but moved well. Nice head with a melting expression into a moderate neck. Nice big, powerful shoulders with good upper arm and a strong topline. Good rear angulation and moved well with drive, bustling around the ring.

Baby Puppy Dog (1)

1st – Scotland Lynwater Forever In Blue - Reserve Baby Puppy


Promising blue puppy loved his head very balanced for age, well sprung ribs, deep chest nice angulation at just 5 months old, but still very raw.  

Bitches

Baby Puppy Bitch (5/1)

This was my favourite class of the day — a real ‘melt me’ moment. Some beautiful up-and-coming puppies, just as in the previous baby puppy class.

1st – Scotland Lynwater Song Sung Blue - Best Baby Puppy


Litter sister to the winner of the previous class and I think they could be doubles! Again, lovely front, amazing ribs and deep chest with good angulation throughout. Five months old and a little wriggly, but still very raw. Nice puppy and I preferred her head to her brother's, although there really wasn't much between them.

2nd – Lawrie Inverella Tiny Tip Toes 


Beautiful black bitch puppy, slightly less mature than number one. Nice front assembly and slightly higher tail, but I think that was just excitement. Beautiful melting eyes and a nicely balanced, not overdone head. Lovely feet, nice and tight for her age. It will be lovely to see how she matures.

3rd – Smillie Totenkopf Icicle

Veteran Bitch (4/3)

1st – Torbett SH CH Kirlinjis Custom Made - Best Veteran Bitch


Nice seven-year-old blue bitch. Good front with nice rear angulation, good short body and well-sprung ribs. In good coat and moved very nicely while holding her topline.

Minor Puppy Bitch – Any Colour (2/1)

1st – Maclean Lynwater Stars And Stripes - Best Puppy In Show


Eight-month-old orange roan, full of herself but with a lot to like — something special. Lovely deep chest and brisket with such a sweet, feminine head. Good colour and coat, short square puppy with balanced angulation at both ends. Held her topline and had nicely neat, well-padded cat feet. She really had that little bit of sparkle about her.

Puppy Bitch – Any Colour (3)

1st – Torbett Kirlinjis White Russian


Nice black-and-white puppy bitch, very raw and very babyish, with a pleasing head that wasn't overdone. Excellent firm body with enough weight without being too much. Good chest and nicely sprung ribs for her age. Nice, short and cobby with a moderate neck and clean shoulders. Everything looks to be going in the right direction. Good angulation throughout. Nicely presented and in good coat — not easy to keep a black-and-white white, so well done! It can be painful at times.

2nd – Blazejczak Regranate Amber Diamond


Nice golden bitch. I preferred the head on number one, but this bitch moved beautifully and reminded me of one of my girls that I lost last year. I think her head will come on nicely; some are simply slower than others to develop. I think it will come with time. Beautiful shade of gold and well balanced throughout. A nice old-fashioned type. Very merry, although she carried her tail higher at times.

3rd – Flowers Totenkopf Duty Bound

Junior Bitch – Any Colour (5/1)

1st – Torbett Kirlinjis Chocolatini 


Short, compact chocolate roan. Very raw, but moved with drive once settled. Nice tight feet and good rear assembly. Short, compact and square, with a nice, proportionate head, good neck and not overdone.

2nd – Scotland Lynwater Bramble Blossom


Orange roan bitch with a beautiful, really kind head and melting eyes. Everything to like. Slightly longer than number one and didn't move quite as settled. Feet aren't as tight as number one, but still a very nice bitch with good angulation and good coat.

3rd – Macfarlane Lochranza Angel Eyes

Yearling Bitch – Any Colour (2)

1st – Furzer Lochellan Dunn’s River Blue - Reserve Best Bitch


Nice dark blue bitch, a little out of coat today but with a pleasing head, nice tight feet, good body, well-sprung ribs and short loin. Really proved this on the move.

2nd – Lawrie Inverella Bella Ragazza Nera


Nice black bitch, not as well ribbed as number one. Beautiful expression, although number one's feet were better. Good front assembly and sadly wasn't as settled on the move.

Maiden Bitch – Any Colour (5/2)

1st – Duncan Bartonholm Bellecouer


Nice blue bitch who gave Mum the runaround — literally! She did make me giggle. Short blue, nice front assembly and good tight feet. Pleasing head when settled in the ring. Moved with drive, possibly not as much as her break for freedom, but she was definitely a Cocker on a mission today and thoroughly enjoying herself.

2nd – Hall Chataway Oti Mabuse


Nice black bitch with a better head on number one. Nice front, but wasn't happy on the move today. Also made Mum work, but was very, very nicely presented.

3rd – McGowan Aylesmead Peaches ’N’ Cream

Novice Bitch – Any Colour (3)

1st – Lawrie Inverella Bella Ragazza Nera

2nd – Hall Chataway Oti Mabuse

3rd – McGowan Aylesmead Under A Spell

Graduate Bitch – Black/Red/Gold/Black & Tan/Liver/Liver & Tan (2/2)

Graduate Bitch – Any Colour (3/2)

1st – McGowan Aylesmead Under A Spell


Small blue bitch with nice rear angulation and a kind expression. A little on the narrow side for me, but moved nicely.

Postgraduate Bitch – Any Colour (4/1)

1st – Torbett Kirlinjis Moonlight (JW)


A blue bitch, short and cobby. One and two both weren't brilliant on the move — we had a bit of a party in the ring today! One moved better in the end. Good deep chest and brisket, tight feet, good angulation and such a kind expression.

2nd – Duncan Royal’s Friend Ecs Zaida’s Serenity In Bartonholm (IMP HUN)


The other half of the party! Beautiful expression, good deep brisket, well ribbed, nice chest and short. It was splitting hairs between one and two and finally the movement was the deciding factor.

3rd – McGowan Aylesmead Peaches ’N’ Cream

Limit Bitch – Any Colour (9/5)

1st – Maclean Lynwater Snow Moon - Best Bitch & Reserve Best In Show


A nice orange roan with good front and rear assembly. Flew around the ring owning it, with a melting, adoring expression. Good balance throughout. Slightly longer than number two but still in proportion and moved with drive.

2nd – Lawrie Inverella Tiny Toes


Nice black bitch with a sweet, melting expression. Short type but didn't move with quite as much drive as number one. Good padded feet, although not as cat-like as number one's. Held her topline throughout.

3rd – Ewan Craigdean Cindy Oh Cindy

Open Bitch – Any Colour (5/3)

1st – Torbett Kirlinjis Muddy Puddle (JW) 


An eight-year-old bitch and you couldn't tell! Lovely chocolate roan with a beautiful old-fashioned jacket. Pleasing head, enjoyed talking to me and powered around the ring. Nice short, compact type. She's lovely.

2nd – McGowan Aylesmead Under A Spell

Finally, thank you once again to everyone who entered under me. It was a real pleasure to go through your dogs and I hope you enjoyed the day as much as I did. Thank you to the committee, officers, my steward, show manager and Pamela for making the day so enjoyable.

Scotland, you were a pleasure — even if you did start me off with a little rain! Thankfully, the sun came out before I flew home.