United Retriever Club

UNITED RETRIEVER CLUB

Wednesday 8th August

Flatcoated Retriever

It was honour and a privilege to be invited to judge the Flatcoats at the United Retriever Club this year and one I thoroughly enjoyed. I must thank the exhibitors for a very good entry and a supportive ringside atmosphere. In the bitch classes I was surprised and disappointed at the number that lacked muscle tone, with poor close rear movement but there again some of the better movers I considered too strong to fit the medium size required by the standard.

VD 9/2 A good class to start the day.

1st Fox’s ShCh Steelriver Blazin Hot at Blacktoft JW Lovely balanced dog, well up to size. Superb head with dark eye and intelligent expression Very good bone, short coupled, moved with great drive holding a firm topline and level tail carriage BV and Best Veteran in Show

2nd Laird’s ShCh Branchalwood Tamdhu of Daicheil JW ShCM Another very nice dog correct angulation fore and aft moved well but not quite the drive of winner.

3rd Warrington’s ShCh Woodavens Water Archer JW Very active nearly 9yr old, again correct for size and construction so well balanced with good bone and feet.

MPD 3 Three very young puppies under 6 ½ mths

1st Bright’s Hopevalley Morning Twister. Excellent bone and good feet, lovely head and eye, very mischievous expression. Steady on the move. BP

2nd Fox’s Satinbaze Cracksman for Blacktoft Another with a lovely head and eye, not such a balanced picture at this point very steady showing and moving.

3rd Reading’s Hopevalley Morning Sun at Sabarka Litter brother of 1st and definitely out of the same mould. Giving his handler a hard time, so was very difficult to assess.

PD 6

1st H. Morning Twister

2nd Williams Wistaston Jet’s Legacy. Smart upstanding dog not long out of MP lovely head and exceptionally good feet deep body but rather erratic on the move.

3rd Hart’s Wistaston Love Minus Zero. litter brother of above but at a leggy stage so not so balanced, moved better.

JD 4

1st Hewison’s Casblaidd Island In The Sky. Rather larger than I’d prefer but nonetheless a good balanced dog in strong fit condition. Good head, neck, shoulders and rear angulation. Exceptional strong driving action.

2nd Whittaker’s Bramatha Steve McQueen. Slightly smaller and the same comments apply apart from a rather high tail carriage which spoilt his profile,

3rd Robb’s Blacktoft Polar Ice at Meldorfer This dog was more the correct size and has very good angulation front and rear and a very energetic powerful mover with constant tail action but I much preferred the heads and expressions of the other two.

YD 2

1st Whittaker’s Bramatha Steve McQueen

2nd Robb’s Blacktoft Polar Ice at Meldorfer

ND 2

1st Hewison’s Cassblaidd Island In The Sky

2nd Whittaker’s Bramatha Steve McQueen

GD 4/1

1st Joyce’s Stranfaer Get Over It JW. Exactly the right size and substance therefore so well balanced such a beautiful head with dark eye and kind expression very fit with strong powerful rear action on the move. Best Graduate one to watch.

2nd Staff’s Bonnyhilbrae Royal Flush. Taller and not the depth of body of winner has a lovely head and expression. Coming up to 3yrs old has some maturing to do but will most probably not be his best until nearly a veteran.

3rd Salt’s Toccata Of Harlaston with Wetnoses JW ShCM. Not as balanced as the winners good angulation but didn’t drive so well from behind.

PGD 10/3

1st Savory’s Hopevalley Morning Arizona. This is a very good dog Correct size and so well balanced, good bone and angulation, very good feet, firm topline, short straight tail, exceptionally hard muscular condition and consequently a very strong mover ResCC

2nd Pingree’s Castlerock Burning Love to Heatheridge JW. Another of correct size and balance with good bone and feet preferred the head and expression of winner but he did put in a good performance on the mover.

3rd Strudwick’s Burpham Millon Love Songs JW. Another very good dog with all the right credentials but was short of coat and has some maturing to do to match the winners but nonetheless a very good mover.

LD 8/2

1st Jones’ Blacktoft American Smooth at Braemist JW So correct in all aspects, size and balance. Lovely head with melting expression Everything just oozed quality. In very good company in the challenge I was more than happy to award him the CC. Apparently his all important third. Well Done.

2nd Enticknap’s Bochilbarley Ballabriggs with Tessra Another well balanced dog of correct size, good neck, shoulders, body and rear angulation, moved well.

3rd Smith’s Castlerock First Glance at Whirleymere A slightly larger, stronger edition of those above. All proportions and angles correct. Loved his attitude and powerful movement.

OD 4

1st Creasy & Gale’s Willowswind Orions Stars A lovely dog that I liked a lot full of good qualities, rather disappointed he lacked drive in the challenge.

2nd Walker & Roberts’ ShCh Gloi Dubh Fingal JW ShCM A dog I have often admired when stewarding. Correct for size and construction good bone and feet and powerful movement

3rd Laird’s Seaheart Archibald of Daicheil JW The immature one of a very good trio. Same attributes of the other two just lacks a little length of foreface.

SpWork 3/1

1st Bowen’s Ch Candiliz Black Admiral for Clandrift JW ShCM A little above standard size but a very well made dog everything about him is balanced. Strong bone exceptional feet very powerful on the move.

2nd Hewison’s Casblaidd Island In The Sky (from Junior)

SpShowW 3/1

1st Bowen’s Ch Candiliz Black Admiral for Clandrift JW ShCM

2nd Jacobs & Holmes’ Charming Melvin Oasis Of Peace (imp) JW ShCM Mature liver dog. Unfortunately his coat is on the turn and with a liver there is no hiding that fact, but underneath that coat is a well made substantial dog.

VB 9/1

1st Colson’s Eskwinds Driving Miss Daisy to Windyhollows Lovely balanced bitch, good head, neck angulation bone and very good feet.

2nd Ashcroft’s Braidwynn Bizzie Bee at Gunoak A very fit bitch another well balanced animal with good moment.

3rd Walker’s Lizzlog Kiss And Tell JW Completed a trio of very good veterans but not so accurate on the move of those above.

MPB 5

1st Kearton’s Hopevalley Morning Dew at Ravenhall Lovely balanced baby puppy Sweet head and expression, very good bone and feet and good steady mover.

2nd Powell’s Bonnyhilbrae Love Of Joy Slightly taller and finer than the winner, good length of neck good angulation front and rear, not the feet of the winner.

3rd Romeo-Dieste’s Hopevalley Morning Rainbow. Litter sister of the winner and absolutely out the same mould with same good movement. Eyes today were rather loose but I’m sure this is only a passing phase.

PB 4

1st Powell’s Bonnyhilbrae Love Of Joy

2nd Romeo-Dieste’s Hopevalley Morning Rainbow.

3rd Williams’ Wistaston Frozen Love Larger type but correct in all aspects but couldn’t match the movement of those above.

JB 7

1st Knight & Jacobs’ Gemswin Make Believe. Well grown liver, with plenty of bone and good feet. Correctly made front and rear and good movement.

2nd Colson’s Blacktoft Frozen In Time by Windyhollows Lovely bitch with good head and dark give pleasing expression. Good body but not quite the bone of winner.

3rd Jones’ Caehaidd Lets Go Crazy with Braemist Only two days out of puppy so very much at a disadvantage against two much more mature animals. Loved her head and expresson and a steady mover.

YB 9

1st Jury’s Torwood Soft Phocus Liver of correct size with substance to make a beautiful balanced bitch. Super eye and kindly expression and a good steady mover.

2nd Watson’s Rainesgift Heaven Forbid Lovely for size, darkest of eyes with gentle expression good bone, not quite the topline or drive of the winner.

3rd Colson’s Blacktoft Frozen In Time by Windyhollows

NB 5/1

1st Knight & Jacobs’ Gemswin Make Believe. Best Novice.

2nd Bellamy’s Moontorn Goddess Of Love Stylish black bitch slightly larger, good steady mover.

3rd Harley’s Blouet Noelle at Arrowhill

GB 10/3 Topped by a trio of lovely bitches all of correct size and profile any of the three could have won the class.

1st Ashcroft’s Gunoak Solar Wind JW. A really well made bitch in superb hard condition, so well balanced, she just lacked some feathering to complete the picture but it was her constant wagging tail, firm topline and powerful movement that would go all day and be ready for another day tomorrow that made her the winner.

2nd Gale’s Willowswind Nette Lark JW From the ringside this bitch may have looked the winner for she presented a very pleasing profile with coat and presentation. She had a lovely dark eye and moved well but not quite as powerful as the winner.

3rd Hutchison’s Quills Mint Julep with Waverton (Imp) JW On first inspection I thought this was my winner here but had not the accurate movement of the first two and carrying a little too much condition over her shoulders.

PGB 15/5

1st Whittaker’s Bramatha Lets Get Pickled A lovely, honest to goodness traditional Flatcoat, good body, bone and very good feet, loved her head and expression. A true workman like bitch.

2nd Watson’s Rainesgift Bide Your Time Another absolutely spot on for size with superb eye and expression and so well balanced with good bone and exceptional feet as always from this kennel.

3rd Warrington’s Bochilbarley Jasmine by Woodavens Slightly larger but by no means big, just preferred the head and expression of the first two all were strong accurate movers

LB 13/2

1st Casblaidd Queen Bee at Waverton JW Liver with so much to like about her, presents a good balanced picture. Lovely head with a very good eye for a liver Good bone, feet and body with firm level topline and consequent strong movement with distance between her hind leg footfall.

2nd Romeo-Dieste’s Yonsaff Vienna by Hopevalley Beautiful bitch that is just that little bit finer all through. In full gleaming coat

3rd Savory’s Ghilgrange Puzzle Pieces One that is that little bit too big for my ideal, won on her condition and strong movement.

OB 11/3

1st Joyce’s Stranfaer Solitaire JW A lovely stylish bitch, well made with super head, eye, and expression. Good neck, shoulders, body, topline and rear quarters.

CC & BOB This was her fourth CC and has KC conformation of show champion status.

2nd Jones’ ShCh Seaheart Anneliese by Benvellyn A bitch I have always admired so correct in every aspect, just preferred the head and eye of the winner. ResCC & Res BOB

3rd Hutchison’s Highammill Calypso for Waverton. Very active bitch whose enthusiasm resulted in rather untidy movement and also slightly heavy over the forequarters.

SpWork 2

1st Hewison’s Donascimento Danilo from Casblaidd Good hard muscled balanced bitch with good bone and lovely head and expression. As expected very powerful mover.

2nd Harley’s Blouet Noelle at Arrowhill

SpShWork 4/1

1st Holmes & Knight’s Wiccansage Virtue at Rydanah As with the winner of the other working class another fit well muscled bitch similar in all respects this one had the slightly better feet.

2nd Hewison’s Donascimento Danilo from Casblaidd

3rd Hutchison’s Quills Mint Julep with Waverton (Imp) JW

Afterwards several people pointed out that my Best Veteran is the sire of the ResDCC and the DCC sire of the Minor Puppy winners.

Graham Lambert Judge