Otley Canine Society

Otley Canine Society – 50th Anniversary Premier Open Show 04.08.26

English Setters

Firstly, I would like to thank the Otley Canine Society for their kind invitation to judge the English Setters, Handling Classes and Fun Show at their 50th Anniversary Premier Open Show. The hospitality throughout the day was excellent, and my thanks go to the hard-working committee for making me feel so welcome. I was also delighted to receive a lovely commemorative gift to mark this special anniversary occasion, which was greatly appreciated. My sincere thanks go to all of my stewards for their hard work and assistance throughout the day. It was a wonderful show, and I thoroughly enjoyed my judging and the opportunity to go over so many lovely dogs.    

Class 94 – Puppy (0)

Class 95 – Special Yearling (7,2)

1. REID, Mr I & Mrs K, Diersett Moon of the Skies  

18-month-old Orange Belton bitch of pleasing type and excellent overall balance. She has good front and rear angulation, with plenty of substance and bone for her age. Feminine head with ears set on low and a well-defined stop, without exaggeration. Lean, well-muscled neck flowing into strong, well-laid shoulders, a firm level topline and correct tail set. Good depth of chest and well-sprung ribs. Moved soundly and purposefully, reaching well in front and driving from the rear, carrying her tail correctly on the move and maintaining her topline. She is maturing well.

2. MCDOWELL, Mr A & Mrs S, Byedales Inspector Clueso JW

19-month-old Blue Belton and Tan dog with a pleasing masculine head and soft expression. Strong, well-muscled neck flowing into well-laid shoulders, with a level topline and correct tail set. Good depth of chest and well-sprung ribs, giving him a balanced outline. Presented in excellent coat and condition. Once settled, he moved well, showing good drive from the rear and maintaining his topline on the move. Still very much a youngster and needs time to develop further substance and fill his frame, but he possesses all the essentials and has a promising future ahead of him.

Class 96 – Post Graduate (5,2)

1. STEAD, Ms K & Miss R, Ravensett Illusionist of Settavista 

2 ½ year old Blue Belton Dog, I’ve had the pleasure of judging this boy before and he is maturing into a lovely dog. Shown in beautiful coat and condition. He has a lovely dark masculine head with a melting expression, good defined stop. Level topline with correct tail set which he used well on the move. Straight in front, good depth of chest and spring of rib, well-muscled throughout. Moved well and true with drive. Well-presented and handled as always.

2. COLTON, Mrs P M, Rowanmyle Box of Delights for Ennydloc 

22-month-old Blue Belton bitch of pleasing type and overall balance. Feminine head with a dark mask, kind expression and ears set on low. Arched neck flowing into well-laid shoulders. Straight front, good depth of chest and a level topline, creating an attractive and balanced outline. Soundly constructed throughout and moved satisfactorily once settled, showing sufficient reach and drive. Like a few exhibits today, she appeared somewhat distracted by the spiky grass underfoot, which affected her movement at times. 

Class 97 – Limit (4,1)

1. STEPHENSON, Mr E & Mrs K E, Miss T A, Bournehouse in Dreams at Steeplow 

2 years and 2 months old Orange Belton bitch. Another I have judged before, and wow, what a cracker. She has matured beautifully since I last saw her, developing further substance and finish while retaining her lovely breed type and elegance. Such a beautiful feminine head with a soft expression, well-defined stop and ears set on low. Level topline with a correct tail set, which she used well on the move. Straight front, good depth of chest and spring of rib. Good angulation front and rear with a good bend of stifle. Well-presented and handled, shown in full coat and immaculate condition. A worthy BOB. I was delighted to see her go on to achieve Group 4 in the Gundog Group under Jean Byrne. Many congratulations.

2. SNOOK, Mrs M A, Moorbrook Mogul of March

4½-year-old Dark Blue Belton dog. Masculine head of good proportions, complemented by a kind dark eye and ears set on low. Long, lean, well-muscled neck flowing into well-laid shoulders. Strong rounded bone and well-muscled throughout, as expected of a dog of this age and quality. Good depth of chest and well-sprung ribs, with a good bend of stifle. Moved freely and soundly around the ring, showing good drive from behind while maintaining a firm topline and correct, level tail carriage. Presented in lovely coat and condition.

Class 98 – Open (4,2)

1. SEAMAN, Mrs B K, Mariglen Indigo

5½-year-old Blue Belton bitch of pleasing type and quality. Feminine head of correct proportions, with ears set on low and a well-defined stop, without exaggeration. Lean neck flowing into well-laid shoulders, straight front with neat, tight elbows, good depth of chest and well-sprung ribs. Strong, level topline and correct tail set, contributing to a balanced outline. Moved positively around the ring with good drive, maintaining her topline and correct tail carriage throughout, with wagging tail. Although somewhat lacking in coat and overall finish today, her sound construction and quality were still evident. Presented and handled well. Pleased to award her RBoB.

2. STEPHENSON, Mrs J, Mariglen Wave Dancer for Bondgate JW

4 years and 3 month old Blue Belton bitch. Feminine head, stop not as defined as 1. Long lean neck into well laid shoulders. Straight in front with good front and rear angulation. Overall well balanced with good depth of chest and spring of rib. Level topline and correct tail set. 

Shown in super coat and condition. Lost out on movement today, moved ok but a bit erratic and unsettled. Another which didn’t appreciate the spiky grass. 

HANDLING CLASSES 

Thank you to all exhibitors for your entries today. It was a pleasing entry overall, with a good depth of quality throughout the classes. Handlers were consistently well presented and professional in their approach, ensuring their dogs were kept engaged whilst in the ring, prepared and ready for assessment.

Class: D - 6-11 Years (8,2)

1. Meadow McDonald – age 7 (Whippet)

This young lady presented her dog to a very high standard, setting her up confidently and accurately on the table for examination. She maintained her dog's attention throughout the class and, following the hands-on assessment, repositioned her correctly to maximise her outline and presentation. She listened carefully to instructions before moving and carried them out with confidence and precision. Throughout the class she consistently kept her dog on the correct side, moved at an appropriate pace to suit her dog, and demonstrated excellent ringcraft by checking her position as she turned to ensure a straight and accurate return. Her handling skills showed maturity beyond her years, and she formed an excellent partnership with her dog. I am sure she has a bright and successful future in the show ring. Well done.

2. Ava Oddie – age 8 (Pointer)

Another young lady who presented her dog to a very good standard, setting her up correctly and confidently for examination. During the hands-on assessment, she showed excellent awareness of both her dog and the judge, moving smoothly from the head to the front of the dog as I progressed through the examination, ensuring her exhibit remained correctly aligned. She was also mindful of keeping the show lead neat and out of the way, allowing an uninterrupted assessment. She listened carefully to instructions, and carried them out as requested, maintaining visual awareness of the judge at all times whilst moving her dog confidently around the ring. Just lost the attention of her dog a few times on the move which caused her line to wander slightly. Aside from this minor point, she demonstrated good handling ability and ringcraft throughout, forming a pleasing partnership with her dog. She should be proud of her performance today, and I am sure her skills will continue to develop with experience. Well done.

3. Jacob Perfitt – Jones – age 9 (Alaskan Malamute)

Class: E – 12-16 Years (3,1)

1. Poppy Phillips – age 15 (Rhodesian Ridgeback)

Presented and stood her dog well, ensuring she was correctly positioned to show her outline to best advantage for my initial assessment. She maintained her dog’s attention throughout, demonstrating a strong partnership and good handling skills. Following the hands-on examination, she carefully reassessed her dog’s stance and made subtle adjustments to optimise both presentation and outline. She listened attentively to my movement instructions, took the time to set her lead correctly and settle her dog before moving off, then followed the requested pattern accurately and confidently. Throughout the class she displayed promising handling ability and sound ringcraft, showing a thoughtful and methodical approach to presenting her exhibit. She should be very pleased with her performance today, and I am sure she has a bright future ahead of her in the show ring. Keep up the good work.

2. Erin Holgate – age 13 (Whippet)

Not much between these two exhibitors, could of changed positions on another day. 

Again, this young handler presented and stood her dog well, ensuring the outline was correctly established for my initial assessment. She maintained her dog’s attention as I approached for the hands-on examination, giving me sufficient space to assess the exhibit while remaining in control and keeping her dog focused. Following the examination, she checked her dog’s stance and made sure everything was correctly positioned. She listened carefully to my movement instructions and moved off confidently, maintaining an appropriate pace for her dog and producing a straight, accurate line. She executed her turn well; however, on the return she momentarily lost focus, allowing her dog to cross in front of her. To her credit, this did not unsettle her. She reacted quickly and calmly, correcting the situation without fuss and continuing her pattern smoothly, demonstrating good ringcraft and composure under pressure. A capable young handler who should be proud of her efforts today. The minor hiccup should not detract from the many positive aspects of her presentation and handling. I wish her every success as she continues her showing career.

Class: F – 17+ Years (13, 8) 

1. Mary Court (Cocker Spaniel)

This handler set her dog up extremely well on the table, positioning the front feet accurately and making effective use of the straight table edge to achieve a correct and balanced stance. Throughout the hands-on assessment, she maintained her dog’s attention and repositioned herself appropriately as required, ensuring the exhibit remained settled and correctly presented at all times. She lifted her dog from the table correctly and safely before setting her show lead in preparation for movement, ensuring it was properly positioned. She listened carefully to my instructions and moved off confidently with her dog on the correct side. Her pace was ideally suited to her dog, allowing it to move freely and stride out naturally. By maintaining a light, consistent contact on the lead, she encouraged correct head carriage in a manner that appeared effortless and enabled her dog to show to its best advantage. Her lines were straight and accurate throughout, and she maintained awareness of the judge at all times, demonstrating excellent ringcraft and confidence. A polished and accomplished performance from a handler who showed a good understanding of presentation and movement. She handled her dog exceptionally well throughout and was a deserving winner of the class.

2. Jennifer Daniels (Cocker Spaniel)

This handler presented her dog well on the table, ensuring the exhibit was correctly positioned maintaining good presentation throughout, her show lead was kept out of the way during the hands-on examination, allowing me to assess the dog without distraction. Following the examination, she made minor adjustments to her dog's stance to ensure the best possible outline was presented before movement. She lifted her dog from the table correctly and safely, then set her show lead appropriately while listening attentively to my movement instructions. Moving off confidently with her dog on the correct side, she maintained straight and accurate lines throughout. Her pace was well matched to her dog's movement, allowing the exhibit to perform naturally and to best advantage. When her dog briefly lost focus and dropped its head, she responded calmly with a subtle correction on the lead, quickly regaining attention without disrupting the dog's rhythm. On the return, after I had changed position, she remained aware of the judge's location and adjusted her line accordingly, ensuring her dog was presented correctly throughout. Overall, this was a very competent performance, demonstrating good ringcraft, awareness and handling ability. She showed confidence in managing her dog and knew exactly how to respond when her dog's attention momentarily wandered. Well done.

3. Linda McFarlane (Lowchen)

Judge: Lindsey Arkley