English Springer Spaniel Club Of Scotland

The English Springer Spaniel Club of Scotland

Single Breed Open Show

Sunday 14th June 2026

Springwood Park, Kelso, Roxburghshire, TD5 8LS

Mrs Victoria Pattison (Forgespring)

Critique

Thank you to the Officers and Committee of The English Springer Spaniel Club of Scotland for their incredibly kind invitation to judge their Open Show held at the beautiful Springwood Park, Kelso. I was delighted with my entry, and it was both a privilege and a pleasure to have the opportunity to go over some super springers. A special thank you to my wonderful steward Nicola Dobbin who kept the ring (and me) running smoothly and to the weather gods who ensured the sun shone on us all.

Class 1 Veteran Dog/Bitch

(2,1) 

Two super examples of the breed to start my day!

1 Wilson & Connor’s SH CH POTRAIL TURNS ON THE SWAG FOR PINEREOCH

This almost 9-year-old liver and white bitch belies her age. She has a lovely balance to her outline on the stack. Hands on she is clearly fit and strong and well-muscled throughout, with super depth and spring to her chest. I liked that nothing about her was exaggerated and she was presented in super condition and coat. She has a wonderfully feminine head with excellent fluting and chiselling. All of that work is completed by a mellow and gentle, almost ‘knowing’ expression. Her movement away and back was steady and sound, but it was her effortless free-flowing profile movement with a beautifully held top line and perfect tail carriage that really captured me today and was a joy to watch. She shows with style and is a credit to her owner. Delighted to award her Best Veteran Bitch and BVIS.

2 Graham’s PEASBLOSSOM VALENTINO

This 8 ½ year-old liver and white male was unlucky to meet (1) today but is yet another who, like fine wine, has aged well! Slightly higher on the leg than I would usually like, he was nonetheless symmetrically and strongly built and pleasingly moderate in rear angulation. I found his head most appealing. He has a kind dark eye with just about the right amount of moulding and good ear set to finish off a handsome masculine picture. He is a very smart gentleman and was presented today in super dark liver coat. He moved soundly but did not have quite the panache of 1. Best Veteran Dog.

Class 2 Minor Puppy Dog

(0,0)

Class 3 Puppy Dog

(0,0)

Class 4 Junior Dog

(1,0)

1 Jenkinson’s EASTRIDING DEVOTION

This 17-month-old black and white dog was determined to give his accomplished young handler a hard time today! His naughtiness aside, he presented with a balanced racy outline with good depth of chest and decent spring of rib for one still developing. He is perhaps a little more angulated in his rear assembly than I would like but I anticipate that this will look less obvious as he settles into his body and matures. He stood on lovely straight front legs with ample bone and nice tight feet. His head is coming with good breadth to the back of his skull. I would perhaps like to see a little more breadth and depth in the foreface and muzzle, but he has time and his lovely dark hazel eyes certainly made me instantly forgive his desire to be a pickle in the ring! When he settled on the move he showed good forward reach with his forelegs swinging straight and easily from the shoulder. I would have liked to have seen more of that! Best Black and White in Show today.  

Class 5 Special Yearling Dog

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Class 6 Novice Dog

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Class 7 Graduate Dog

(1,0)

1 Jenkinson’s EASTRIDING ROYAL GOLD

This 22-month-old liver and white dog presented with a pleasingly symmetrical and compact outline. He has a masculine head showing good balance of length and depth and already showing good chiselling around his eyes which are darkening nicely to the required hazel. He has an excellent reach of neck that arches down into to well-laid shoulders with good return of upper arm. He has a well-developed chest to the elbows and well sprung ribs and an impressively strong loin leading to well let down hindlegs with a good breadth to his thigh and a moderate bend of stifle. On the move he impressed; my notes say, “strong, powerful and stylish mover” and he was just that! Beautifully handled and presented today and pushed hard in my final line-up of boys.     

Class 8 Post Graduate Dog

(0,0)

Class 9 Limit Dog

(1,0)

1 Topliss’s BERESFORD STAND N’STARE

I really liked this just two-year old liver, white and tan male. Whilst he is up to size, he is perfectly balanced in outline and hands on has a strong and well-muscled body throughout with an impressively deep chest and ample spring of rib. He exudes a certain elegant masculinity characteristic of this Kennel and has the most wonderful head with well-developed chiselling and fluting, correct eye shape and colour and an oozing melting expression topped off with some ‘come hither’ tan eyebrows. He is a little more angulated in the rear than I would generally like but today for me at least his movement was clean and sound and he showed excellent power and drive holding his top line well. In my final line up of boys, he proved irresistible and I was delighted to award him Best Dog and then Reserve Best in Show.   

Class 10 Open Dog

(2,1)

This was a tough class as there was much I liked in both dogs.

1 Wilson & Connor’s SH CH PINEREOCH NO STUNTS LARRIE

I was really looking forward to the opportunity to go over this now 4 ½ year old liver and white male and I wasn’t disappointed. There is nothing overdone about this dog and on the stack he displays excellent balance and symmetry. He epitomises moderation and particularly appeals to me for his overall size and shape and that is what won him this class today. He has a wonderfully masculine head with excellent work to his skull and dark expressive eyes. His chest was deep and well developed and he has a strong and muscular loin. His hindlegs are well set down and he has nice short hocks which he used to good effect on the move. He is stylish mover and showed excellent drive around the ring holding his topline well. I was pleased to award him Reserve Best Dog today. It was a very close decision, but I felt the younger limit dog just had the edge today.  

2 Topliss’s SH CH SANDYLANDS STAND N DELIVER 

A fully mature and up to size 5-year-old liver and white male and a treat to get to go over him. On the stack he catches your eye immediately with his outline which is balanced and in proportion. He is incredibly handsome with an elegant and regal headpiece with plenty of work around and between the eyes all of which is accompanied by a lovely almond-shaped eye and the softest of expressions. He has good length of neck leading down into well-laid shoulders and an excellent depth of chest into brisket. His thighs are broad and muscular. He showed drive and purpose on the move but was a little untidy at the rear which unsettled his topline. Sire of my Best Dog and I know a top winner, but I just preferred the overall size and topline on the move of (1) today.

Class 11 Special Beginners Dog

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Class 12 Minor Puppy Bitch

(0,1)

Class 13 Puppy Bitch

(1,0)

1 Calvert’s CALVDALE INFINITY

I was very taken by this 10-month-old puppy bitch. She has a lovely compact and symmetrical outline and her body is developing nicely consistent with her age and she is already displaying some good depth of chest with appropriate spring of rib and an excellent middle piece that is such of feature of this breeding. She has a very appealing feminine head and the sweetest of expressions (a bit naughty but nice!). Her eye colour is darkening nicely and whilst undoubtedly her head will develop more, I already found her quite captivating. She has a good length of neck leading into strong well-laid shoulders. She impressed for bone and had lovely tight feet. She thoroughly enjoyed herself on the move and did so soundly and freely after what I know had already been a long show day. I was glad to award her Best Puppy Bitch and Best Puppy in Show, just pipping her litter sister in the challenge on her movement.

Class 14 Junior Bitch

(1,0)

1 Calvert’s CALVDALE LIZZIE STARK

 Litter sister to the puppy bitch with many of the same characteristics. She has a lovely balanced outline, perhaps slightly racier than her sister, but no less moderate in style and appearance. She was beautifully presented with a gleaming liver and white jacket. She has a correctly proportioned slightly rounded skull with good fluting and chiselling and correct eye-shape. Her eyes just need to darken more but she is still young and her expression was no less soft for it. She too had excellent bone and particularly impressed for forechest and the breadth of her rear quarters. She fancied a little pace on the move today but once she settled, she showed lovely movement particularly in her profile movement with good front reach. In the challenge for best puppy she was a little close behind going away but she is a very promising youngster and I shall look forward to watching her show journey which I know has already brought considerable success for this kennel.

Class 15 Special Yearling Bitch

(0,0)

Class 16 Novice Bitch

(0,0)

Class 17 Graduate Bitch

(1,0)

1 Jenkinson’s EASTRIDING ROYAL STYLE

This 22-month-old liver and white bitch epitomises racy and shares many of the same qualities as her litter brother (Class 7). On the stack she has beautiful balance and symmetry to her outline. She has an exquisitely feminine head that is all in proportion showing an excellent stop and already lovely moulding under her eyes which are the correct shape and are darkening nicely. Despite her femininity she has excellent bone throughout and strength to her compact frame. She has a good reach of neck which is slightly arched leading down into well-laid shoulders. She has a deep well-developed chest with good ribbing which leads to a strong muscular loin. Her movement was powerful yet graceful demonstrating good forward reach particularly in profile. In a quality line up at the end I kept coming back to her and I was delighted to award her Reserve Best Bitch today.

Class 18 Post Graduate Bitch

(1,0)

1 Unwin’s ALLENIES LADY MARMALADE

This 4-year-old liver and white bitch stood a little taller on her legs and was longer cast in body than others but is nevertheless balanced in outline and soundly constructed. She has excellent bone and is well-muscled throughout her frame. She has a feminine head with a soft and kind expression framed with an excellent ear set. Whilst I would prefer a slightly cleaner neck it has good length and flows down well into her shoulders which are well laid. She has depth and spring to her rib cage with good flow through to her loin which is also strong. She moved honestly and freely around the ring, happy showing but not quite the drive of some of the other bitches today in the bitch challenge.  

Class 19 Limit Bitch

(5,2)

What a super class and truly the highlight of my day. Five very different springers of different ages and styles but a real treat to get my hands on each of them so thank you for that opportunity and for taking my placings so gracefully.

1 Topliss’s BERESFORD STAND ON CEREMONY

This 2-year-old liver and white bitch is the litter sister to my Best Dog (Class 9); similarly elegant but supremely feminine with a strong and balanced outline. She has an attractive head with well-developed chiselling and moulding and a dark hazel eye that gives her a soft melting expression. She has a good length of neck that flows down nicely into well-placed shoulders. I was impressed with her spring of rib and she has a lovely strong loin. Her movement today was effortless and free-flowing and she maintained her top line beautifully. She was really rather lovely and her movement got her the class today in quality company.

2 Joyce’s PEASBLOSSOM AURA AT FELLTOPS

You have to get your hands on this 4-year-old liver and white bitch to really appreciate her overall quality. Whilst she might not stand out immediately in a line-up, she is soundly and symmetrically built and, for want of a better phrase, as fit as a fiddle. She has strength and muscle throughout her balanced frame without compromising on femininity. She has a pretty well-proportioned head and lovely almond-shaped dark hazel eye. If I’m being picky I’d like to see slightly more reach of neck which would augment her elegance, but what she has flows down well into her shoulders and through into a lovely level top line. On the move she impressed but the smells on the ground proved far too tempting and I’d love her to get her head up more and show herself off!

3 Ternent’s HUNTERHECK CARIANNA

A little note about this 4-year-old liver and white bitch who I have always admired and it was lovely to see her back in the showring. She is a pretty feminine bitch of the correct size with a super outline. She has a captivating head with a kind eye but I have seen her more sparkling than she was today which was a shame because she is beautiful.

4 Calvert’s ELAZLAN ELLE FOR LEATHER

5 Rose’s PINEROCH AMETHYST OF ROSANNOCH

Class 20 Open Bitch

(1,0)

1 Smith’s SH CH MELVERLEY IRIDESCENT

It was a pleasure to finally get my hands on this three-year-old liver, white and tan bitch. She has a beautiful symmetry to her frame which is strong and compact and the correct size. She exudes elegance and grace without sacrificing bone, body or substance and in that regard she simply stood out today, especially in the final bitch line up. Her head was more feminine than I was expecting with lovely moulding and a dark hazel eye giving life to her soft, kind expression. She has good length and reach of neck without being overdone leading down into an impressive front assembly with excellent upper arm length. Her construction remains sound from front to back and I particularly liked her breadth of thigh with a correct moderate bend of stifle leading to short powerful hocks which she used to good effect on the move, the latter of which she did with a steady ease and freedom that we can all hope to emulate in our own dogs. A cracking show dog. I was delighted to award her Best Bitch today and then Best in Show.   

Class 21 Special Beginners Bitch

(0,0)

VICTORIA PATTISON