Birmingham Dog Show Society Ltd

May I begin by thanking the committee for inviting me to award my first set of CCs in Gordon Setters.  My grateful thanks also to the two most efficient stewards deployed to my ring who kept me in order throughout the day.    I was incredibly pleased with my entry and I wish to thank all of the exhibitors both for their entries and for their sportsmanship on the day.    I would like to preface my critique with a few remarks that I think need to be considered for the best future of the breed.  I was concerned with some very heavy coats with overly long feathering, personally I don't like it on a Gordon but if it is there please take care with grooming, especially in males where I found a few tangles.  The breed standard has specific areas for tan to be present and whilst a little black is OK on some dogs there was quite a lot.  Finally, I was looking for a Gordon who could, if required, do a day's work and I wanted to find a well muscled dog with a good economical but driving stride – there were a lot of dogs hampered by their handlers!    MPD: (2,1 abs)  1: Roberts Cairacailie Spice of Life, a raw 6 month old baby, with a correct head, soft expression and dark eyes.  Profile movement was good bit loose on the front maintained a level topline when he moved correctly – I'm sure he will improve with age and ringcraft.      PD: (4, 0 abs)  1: Harker's  Hernwood Achilles at Ettrick, 12 months with a sparkling future ahead.  Had a lovely head with a kind expression and correct dark brown eyes, well set on ears. Good lay of shoulder. Probably top side of height but balanced all through, good flat bone and well muscled throughout.  Moved out really well on a good stride keeping a level topline.  I see he is a son of my CC winner, delighted to give him BP and to see he gained Puppy Group 4.    2: Sandiford & Lewis' Hernwood Apollo, litter brother to 1, my notes say same remarks as 1 but lost out on movement on this occasion and not quite so mature in my eyes. I will be looking out for both of these youngsters as they mature.    3: Michalak's Kyuna Dream Merchant    JD: (4,0 abs)  1:Harker's Hernwood Achilles at Ettrick    2: Millar's Yennadon Benriach, smaller stamp than winner & unlucky to meet him.  A good looking dog with a good head and expression, dark eyes.  Well balanced & correct fore & aft, would prefer a bit more 2nd thigh.  Moved out well.    3: Hamilton-Smith's Kilnrae Signature    YD: (7, 2 abs)    1: Mitchell's Roydack Ruby Hidden Gem at Brobruick,a good sized dog with a masculine head.  Good length & breadth to head with correct dark eye & kind expression.  Pleasing in overall construction with nothing overdone.  Moved out well keeping a good topline on the move and standing, like his well developed second thigh.  Just needing a little more time to mature into the finished dog.    2: Woodhouse's Birchgarth Bill Bayley at Halbadier, another nice sized dog with a correct masculine head, similar to one but missed out both on the move and standing – didn't quite give the presence of 1.    3: Wrigley's Kattandale Canterbury    ND: (0)    GD: (1, 0 abs)    1: Woodhouse's Birchgarth Bill Bayley at Halbadier    PGD: (6, 2 abs)    1: Ford's Liric Fusilier with Shillay JW Sh. CM, a masculine dog showing a lovely head and expression, good neck leading into correct shoulders, well balanced throughout and kept a level topline whilst on the move using a decent stride.  Handler needs to learn what a straight line is as spoiling the dog with erratic lines.    2: Horn's Lignum Master Marlin at Keaswood JW, apart from handler remarks this was the next best mover in the class but slightly lighter in type.  Quite happy with overall assembly and look of the dog just preferred 1.    3: Grigg's Beechlake the Dreamer    LD: (9,0 abs)    1: Gunnery's Clohass Flyn Ace, a decent sized masculine dog, with a good head both in breadth and depth with kind expression and lovely dark eye.  General overview is very good with a decent bend of stifle, well muscled and kept a good topline on the move which he did on a decent stride.  Good coat and colour, handler needs to move a wee bit faster to get him at his best which she did in the challenge resulting in RCC!    2: Warren's Benbuie Secret Agent, my notes say similar remarks to 1 although with more coat.  Well assembled throughout with good second thigh.  Moved out well.  Just splitting hairs between the 2.    3: Hall's Melview Moving Time JW    OD: (5, 0 abs)    1: Alcorn, Baddeley & Crowther's Sh Ch Lourdace Fulcrum JW, my notes say perfect for me!  This dog owned the ring from the minute he entered it, expertly handled (other handlers take note) this boy just stormed round the ring without fault.  Just loved his total look, everything fitted the breed standard completely for me, his lovely head with a correct dark eye gave into a melting expression, correct ears leading into a good neck and front assembly, decent length of body, with correct rear end, nice bend of stifle and well muscled.  A coat of reasonable length and beautifully presented.  I've seen this dog from afar and wanted hands on............... delighted to award him CC & BOB & wish him even more success for the future.    2:Smith's Glenkinchie Soul Drifter, another good example of the breed with a typical masculine head, slightly smaller stamp than 1 and will have to live in his shadow. A good & not profuse coat but a little more black in the tan than I would prefer. However, good 2nd thigh and he covered the ground well maintaining a good level topline, just not quite the finish of 1.    3: Michalak's Sh Ch Kyuna Calypso    VD: (3, 0 abs)    1: Tong's Liric Special Tribute to Kellizlot (ai) JW.  This was the youngest in the class and fulfilled the bill as a good example of the breed.  Liked his head and overall construction both in profile and on the move.     2: Robson's Sh Ch Laurelhach Limited Edition at Yohenoak, a bigger dog than my class winner who missed out on the day on his movement not being quite as positive as 1.     3: Danks' Liric Tuxedo Rag    I found a mixed bag of handling with the bitches to the extent I had to ask that they were moved on loose leads where possible, those who did reaped the rewards on offer, those who didn't need to look at their handling skills/ringcraft training & deal with it accordingly, as many nice dogs were spoiled by handlers!  MPB: (3, 0abs)    1: Sandiford's Hernwood Buffy Summers, baby puppy moved out well for one so young. A typical baby with good tan, should grow up nicely.    2: Brown's Caircaillie Chianti, little between the 2 was nit picking as more black in tan on this one, can see both developing into promising youngsters.    3: Roberts' Caircaillie Sugar n Spice    PB: (5, 0abs)    1: Justice's Ludstar La La Land to Liric (imp) there was little to choose between my first two in this class, just preferred one on the move.  Both had lovely feminine heads and are well bodied, movement on my first was a little better than second.    2: Roberts' Caircaille English Rose, lost out to 1 on the move, liked her equally apart from movement.    3: Davies' Hernwood Athena at Herrera    JB: (1, 0abs)    1: Seymour's Pegasett Mis Guydance, a feminine bitch of good size. Liked her colouring.  Well put together she moved well enough for her place.    YB: (8, 2 abs)    1: Melville's Tsruhnaova Tarkheena JW, I found this a difficult class to judge with several of similar stamp but each with points that I wasn't happy with, finally came down to this young lady who was of good size with a pleasing head and expression, moved out ok on a decent stride.    2: Roberts' Birchgarth Be Bop for Mirkwood, similar remarks to above and I'm sure they will change places many times.    3: Tong's Benbuie Rose Quartz with Kellizlot    NB: (1, 0 abs)    1: Marsh's Lignum Black Lightning at Kilnrae,top side of standard for me with much lighter tan than I prefer.  Moved OK but she was feeling the warmth and I didn't feel it fair to ask for too much movement in the heat.    GB:(5, 2 abs)    1: Justice's Liric Nostalgia, very much top end of size for a bitch for me and a little less feminine than I prefer but nevertheless the best mover in the class with a good coat.  Decent body with good muscles, would benefit with having one handler to run her that she can become one with in order to get her best movement.    2: Tong's Benbuie Rose Quartz with Lellizlot, a pleasant bitch and she moved out reasonably well, just preferred the whole picture of one.    3: McNeil's Lachmor Sincerely Yours at Barrabrae (imp)    PGB: (10, 1 abs)    1: Phillips & Watkins Flaxheath Top Model at Glenmaurangi, appealed in head and feminine expression, in decent coat and a fair bend of stifle.  Moved well and kept a good topline both on the move and standing    2: Seymour's Pegasett Scotch Fern, similar remarks to 1 but this young lady had more coat, still a good shape and a decent bend of stifle.  Moved across the ring on a decent stride and maintained a good topline at all times.    3: Yates' Dunfionn Sanda for Gailiech JW    LB: (10, 1 abs)    1: Evans, Burroughtof Dark Amber von Langstrumpf, I liked this bitch a great deal, a pretty feminine head and soft expression with a good coat and tan acceptable (to me) She moved out well and even better when asked to go on a loose lead, too many of the bitches were strung up and handlers weren't seeing the dreadful movement that it caused.  Pleased me enough to award her the CC in the challenge.    2: Osborn's Amscott Sienna Spice JW, another quality bitch that I really rated in this strong class.  Loved her for size, coat and tan with a lovely head and feminine expression.  Covered the ground on a good stride and maintained a good topline both on the move and standing (as did many in this quality class)    3: Nagaty's Forester's Xclusive Edition of Darkmoor at Marlbec        OB: (5, 1 abs)    1: Inger & Glover's Liric Blu Magic, another good class with me it picking in my decisions.  This girl pleased me with a good size and with a lovely feminine look about her.  Not over done with coat and a correct head and soft expression, she moved out well across the ring on a good stride.    2: Sandiford & Lewis' Sh Ch Hernwood Calypso Goddess JW, Sh Cm, another quality bitch from this kennel, lost out mainly on the heavy coat and black in tan but if this was ignored her movement was first class and handled beautifully.    3: Smith's Glenkinchie Soul Star    VB: (2, 0 abs)    1: Seymour's Pegasett Black N'Tantrum, both of these young ladies were 7 years old but 1 excelled in coat and moved extremely well.  Loved her head and expression, she was of a good size and in the challenge gave her the RCC, still time on her side for me.    2: Upton-Lovett's Roydack Blazin a Trail, another lovely girl just a bit too much on her toes today giving her handler a bit of a hard time.  Well off for coat but very similar to 1 although I'd query the black in the tan ( a pet hate for me) If I could ignore that then very little to choose between the two girls.    Michele Day (Judge)