Scottish Kennel Club

SKC May 2018 Gundog Group Judging critique

Group 1: SH CH ANNILANN MISS SING JW Breed: Spaniel (Cocker) (MISS S J WHITING)

Group 2: SH CH/IR SH CH GWENDARIFF NUTS ABOUTU GLENAVNA JW Breed: Irish Setter (MRS C MCLARNON)

Group 3: SH CH BARLEYARCH PLAYTIME (AI) JW Breed: German Shorthaired Pointer (MRS S HARRIS)

Group 4 VALENTISIMO'S BRIANNA Breed: Spanish Water Dog (NB & BJR & MRS JC EGGINTON)

I was delighted to be invited to judge the Gundog Group at SKC. There was a full complement for me to judge and I was very pleased with my shortlisted dogs and the final four. From my shortlist of the Bracco Italiano, German Shorthaired Pointer, Irish Setter, Italian Spinone, Pointer, Chesapeake Bay Retriever, Golden Retriever, American Cocker Spaniel, Cocker Spaniel and Spanish Water Dog, I finally chose the Cocker Spaniel, Whiting’s Sh Ch Annilann Miss Sing JW as my group winner. I was thrilled to watch her go on to win Reserve Best in Show. This bitch really oozes Cocker Spaniel and is so soundly made throughout with the best of fronts comprising an excellent forechest and well laid-back shoulders combined with a good turn of upperarm. She has an excellent depth of chest and a fantastic well-rounded ribcage, going well back to a short, strong loin. She has a good bend of stifle with well-developed upper and lower thighs and well let down hocks. On the move, she really strode out covering the ground, keeping a tight topline and with a lovely merry tail action, so desired in this breed. My runner-up was the gorgeous Irish Setter, McLarnon’s Sh Ch/ Ir Sh Ch Glendariff Nuts Aboutu Glenavna JW shown in excellent quality coat and muscular condition. I considered him to have a very attractive head with lots of work in it and a lovely intelligent expression. I was very impressed by his front assembly with a lovely forechest and good return of upperarm. He is soundly constructed throughout and this was confirmed by his true movement coming and going and the way he covered the ground effortlessly with each stride. My third place was the beautiful German Shorthaired PoInter, Harris’ Sh Ch Barleyarch Playtime (AI) she really impressed me with her typical outline with good angulation infront and behind, displaying sufficient strength yet remaining feminine. She has the best of heads, so expressive and feminine with lots of work around the eye but not overdone in the zygomatic arches. Excellent depth of chest of sufficient width and well-muscled broad upper and lower thigh. She moved soundly on well-arched, compact spoon-shaped feet really reaching out infront and driving well from the rear. My group four choice was the exquisite young Spanish Water Dog which I loved when I judged her as a young puppy and she has really fulfilled her early promise. I was delighted to learn that she had won her crowning third CC here. She has a beautiful head with a lovely eye and expression and a strong foreface which is correctly shorter than the length of skull. Her skull is flat of sufficient width. She has excellent angulation throughout with a good depth of chest, well rounded ribcage, strong loin and well let down hocks. She displayed the required brisk powerful movement and has a quality coat with correct woolly texture. One to watch for the future.

Kathy Gorman

Judge