Gundog Club Of North Wales

Gundog Club of North Wales – Open Show – 18 November 2018

My sincere thanks to the Officers and Committee for their kind invitation for me to judge at this show. I had a memorable day and was particularly struck by the sporting atmosphere which prevailed throughout the day. Judging BIS is always a great honour and I was very pleased with the depth of quality in both breeds. Thank you to everybody for your entries and my stewards for keeping my ring running so well.

Hungarian Vizsla

Puppy (2)

1st Rollings & Verity. Vizslanya Szellem Es Sors. 9 months old. Good overall balance. Correct head proportions with noble expression. Clean neck. Excellent layback of shoulder. Deep chest. Well ribbed back with slight tuck up. Well boned. Correct topline and tailset. Moved well fore and aft with good open side gait when viewed in profile. In good coat and condition. BP

2nd Hardcastle, Green and Bradley. Vizslanya Sziena By Viszaset. Litter sister to the winner but not as finished at the moment. Excellent head and expression. Not quite The shoulder placement as the winner. Good bone. Nails could be shorter. Moved well. In good coat and condition.

Graduate (3)

1st Wall’s Piroseg Mandarin of Perllanside. 17 month. Excellent overall balance. Typical head with distinguished expression. Excels in forehand construction. Good depth and width of chest. Well ribbed back with correct topline and tailset. Moderate tuck up. Strong, well muscled hindquarters. Excellent bone and feet. Good coat and condition. Moved well on loose lead - accurate both fore and aft and showing good forward reach when viewed in profile. BOB

2nd Vizslanya Szellem Es Sors

3rd Vizslanya Sziena By Viszaset

Open (1)

1st Piroseg Mandarin Of Perllanside

Italian Spinone

Graduate (2, 1)

1st Pugh. Sunsanna All That Jazz At Gellini. Well built with good overall balance. Lean head with divergent planes and well defined zygomatic arches. Short neck leading to good lay of shoulder and return of upper arm. Deep chest. Correct topline. Well ribbed back. Coat of good texture. Strong hindquarters. Moved well. Good bone and big round feet.

Open (6,4)

1st Challands Sh Ch Mistyayre Gigolo For Annilann ShCM. 5 year old dog. Well made all through. Lean head with good divergent planes and large spongy nose. Short, strong neck. Well laid shoulder and corresponding return of upper arm. Deep chest. Correct topline and tailset. Well ribbed back. Strong hindquarters. Moved true fore and aft and showed excellent length of stride when viewed in profile. In excellent coat and condition. BOB

2nd Gill’s Teazeldown Moonwalker at Jocagil JW ShCM. Good overall balance and he had the slightly squarer outline however today was carrying a little overweight which caused him to roll slightly on the move. Good head and expression. Well laid shoulder and deep chest. Good bone and feet. Excellent coat texture.

Lagotto Romagnolo

Thank you to all for this wonderful entry of Lagottos

Puppy (4, 1)

1st Mort. Radiva Baby Oh Cherrie (Imp Svk).7 months. Good outline. Head of correct 3/2 proportions. Short neck. Correct shoulder angulation. Forelegs of good length with elbows close to chest. Well ribbed back. Correct hindquarters. Short hocks square to ground. moved well with good drive. Good coat with enough curl. BP

2nd Gilder & Blunden’s Mikette Mini Mi Milioni. 6 months. Well balanced. Head correctly proportioned being longer in skull than muzzle. Short neck. Good forehand construction with forelegs of correct length for age. Well ribbed back. Well made hindquarters with good length of stifle and square hocks. Really drove along on the move. Excellent coat texture.

3rd. Whittick’s Moonreed Warbler

Post Graduate (4)

1st Nelson, Ferguson & Barker’s Mizani Dioro Over Saavio. 15 months. Excellent outline – square with robust appearance. Good head correct proportions with moderately broad skull and strong muzzle. Short, muscular neck leading to moderately laid back shoulder and corresponding length of upper arm. Well ribbed back leading to short loin. Correct topline and tailset. Strong well muscled hindquarters. Low hocks. Moved well when settled with good driving gait. Excellent coat texture. Pushed hard for BOB - just lacked maturity of open winner but his day will come.

2nd Kempson’s Nelbekio Classi Carina at Chadsmoor. 16 months. Good square outline. Pleasing head of correct skull to muzzle proportions. Strong neck. Deep chest. Well ribbed back. Little flat on croup. Well angulated hindquarters. Good coat. Not quite driving movement of winner.

3rd. Bridge’s Radiva Baby Ocean

Open (5, 1)

1st Nelson’s Faesten Zippy Zingo At Nelbekio. 7 year old dog. Excellent overall balance with true breed outline. Head of correct proportions, moderately broad skull with high set ears and strong muzzle. Short, slightly arched neck leading to moderate layback of shoulder and matching length of upperarm. Correct length of foreleg with elbows close to brisket. Well ribbed back with short loin. Strong well muscled hindquarters with square well let down hocks. In excellent coat and condition. Moved well with drive to win BOB and later in the bigger ring really showed what he could do which earned him Reserve Best In Show.

2nd Gilder & Blunden’s Fullforce Free Horizons Con Mikette ShCM. Well balanced all through with square outline. Head of correct proportions. Slightly arched neck with correct forehand angulation. I would like a little more moderation in rear angulation. Good coat texture. Moved with drive.

3rd Nelbekio Classi Carina at Chadsmoor

Any Variety Gundog

Special Working (3, 1)

1st Teazeldown Moonwalker at Jocagil JW ShCM (Italian Spinoni - 2nd Open)

2nd Long’s Baldevs Mystic Meg (Labrador). Well balanced with good head and expression. Good layback of shoulder and return of upper arm. Level topline. Not quite the driving movement of the winner.

Special Crufts Qualified Open (7, 5)

1st Gosling’s Glasarian Amethyst. (Weimaraner). Well balanced. Excellent head and expression. Clean neck leading to good layback of shoulder. Deep chest. Well ribbed back. Level topline and strong hindquarters. Moved accurately fore and aft and displayed good length of stride when viewed in profile. In good coat and condition. Nails could be shorter.

2nd Adshead’s Llantrussa Twist of Fate. (Flatcoated Retriever). Well balanced and of the correct size. Pleasing head and expression. I would prefer more layback of shoulder. Well boned all through. Movement could be tidier coming towards. In excellent coat and condition.

Special President’s Open Stakes (8, 3)

1st Moore’s Elgert China Girl For Gadhelic. (Field Spaniel). Excellent overall balance and of correct height to length ratio. True head with noble expression and well chiselled beneath the eyes. Long neck leading to good layback of shoulder and corresponding length of upper arm. Correct rib to loin proportions. Well muscled hindquarters. Moved well on a steady but driving stride.

2nd Hastings’ Yorkham Yule Love It At Bardings (Sussex Spaniel). Quality bitch of correct size. True head with well defined stop and frowning expression. Strong neck leading to well laid shoulder. Long ribcage with strong loin. Coat of good colour and texture. Moved well - just not quite holding her topline as well as the winner but a close call between the two.

3rd Adshead’s Afonbach Winter Is Coming JW (Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever)

Veteran (8, 5)

1st Wheeler’s Tayowen Touch Of Elixir. (Field Spaniel). Excellent overall balance. True, noble head with good chiselling beneath the eyes. Well laid shoulder with corresponding length of upper arm. Deep chest with elbows tight to the brisket. Level topline. Well ribbed back. Strong hindquarters. Moved well.

2nd Wakefield’s Sh Ch, Bel & Ned Ch Norriss Northern Cassandra (Sussex Spaniel). Excellent head with true stop and frowning expression. Excels in her forehand construction. Good bone but slightly slack in pasterns. Correct ribcage. Well muscled hindquarters. Moved well at the correct speed.

3rd Blythin’s Castlerock Marksman Avec Julesville (Flatcoated Retriever)

Minor Puppy (12, 7)

1st Radiva Baby Oh Cherrie (imp Svk) (Lagotto) - See 1st in breed

2nd Bowley’s Valdine Field Of Dreams (Field Spaniel). Good overall balance. Typical head with noble expression. Clean neck cleaning to well angulated forequarters. Correct rib to loin proportions. Well made hindquarters. Moved steadily.

3rd Ormes & Halpin’s Danehaven Ottertail (Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever)

Puppy (7, 5)

1st Vizslanya Szellem Es Sors (Hungaria Vizsla) - see 1st in breed

2nd Powell’s Bonnyhilbrae Love of Joy (Flatcoated Retriever). Well balanced. Excellent one piece head with smooth cheeks and soft expression. Rather lacking in forehand angulation. Good topline and well made hindquarters. Could be tidier in front movement coming towards.

Junior (10, 7)

1st Davey’s Eald Village Scandal JW. (Sussex Spaniel) Good overall balance. Scores in head with correctly defined stop and true frowning expression. Well laid back shoulder and corresponding return of upper arm. Well ribbed back with no sign of wastiness. Good coat texture. Moved on correct stride.

2nd Adshead’s Afonbach Dance With Dragons. (Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever). I really liked this dog - he has excellent breed type. Well balanced with good outline. Correct head. Excels in forequarters. Deep chest and well ribbed back. Good quality bone and the best of feet. Very unsettled on the move and was almost trying to outrun his handler - just needs to settle down in this department.

3rd Bonnyhilbrae Love Of Joy

Post Graduate (4, 2)

1st Afonbach Dance With Dragons - see previous class

2nd Clarke’s Tigerrock Let’s Rock N Roll (English Springer Spaniel). Well balanced. Pleasing head and expression. Clean neck leading to good lay of shoulder. Well ribbed back. Scores in hindquarters. Excellent bone and feet. Not quite the drive of winner.

Open (3, 2)

1st Adshead’s Danehaven Vermillion For Afonbach. (Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever). Good overall balance. Pleasing head and expression - I would like a little more length of muzzle. Slightly short in neck. Well laid shoulder. Correct ribcage and strong hindquarters. Moved well in profile. A little close going away.

Brace (7 ,2)

This class was pure entertainment - thank you to all that participated and in such a sporting manner. It is debatable who laughed the most - myself, the participants or the spectators!

1st Moore’s Field Spaniels. The one pair dogs that were always perfectly in step - stride for stride. Very well matched - I see from my catalogue they have the same dam. They put on a sterling performance.

2nd Davey’s Sussex Spaniels. A mother daughter pair who were in step most of the time. Very alike in make and shape with good colour and coat texture

3rd Adshead’s Nova Scotia Duck Tollers. Very well matched. Their aim was to entertain and they did so with style. Congratulations to their owner for keeping them within the confines of the ring and for being so sporting.

Best In Show

From a nearly complete group I shortlisted 8 dogs, Cocker Spaniel, GSP, Curly Coat, Sussex Spaniel, Field Spaniel, Welsh Springer Spaniel, Lagotto and Italian Spinoni.

BIS: Welsh Springer Spaniel. Clarke’s Ferndel High Fidelity with Tigerrock ShCM. This dog is so true to type. Well balanced all through. Head with melting expression. Clean neck leading through to well laid back shoulder. Well ribbed back with slight rise over the loin. Strong, well made hindquarters. Moved at one with his handler and pulled out all the stops to take this award.  

RBIS: Lagotto - Gaesten Zippy Zingo At Nelbekio

BIS3: Cocker Spaniel - Morris’ Riondel Candyman. True square outline. Lovely head and expression. Big ribcage and strong hindquarters. Really drove on the move with excellent tail action.

BIS4. Sussex Spaniel. Way’s Eald Village Poacher For Shuvick JW. Very typical with excellent head and true frowning expression. Scores in his forehand construction. Deep chest with correct ribcage. Strong, well muscled hindquarters. Excellent coat colour. Moved with drive at correct speed.

Best Puppy In Show

BPIS Sussex Spaniel. Hastings’ Bardings Bypolar Bear. I totally fell for this puppy. He is such a showman but in no way flashy. Correct size for his age. His head is copybook with a well defined stop, strong muzzle and frowning expression. Strong, slightly arched neck leading to well laid shoulder and return of upper arm. Chest of correct width and depth for age leading to long, deep ribcage. Well developed hindquarters and good tail action on the move. He moved accurately both fore and aft and on a good stride when viewed in profile.

RBPIS Flatcoated Retriever. Fox’ Satinbaze Cracksman For Blacktoft (AI). Quality puppy with true head and expression. Good layback of shoulder and return of upper arm. Deep chest and good spring of rib. Short loin. Well made hindquarters. Moved well both fore and aft and on a good stride maintaining his topline when viewed in profile.

BP3 Golden Retriever. Gowland & Gibbons - Tamara Von Schnellenberge For Remington. Well balanced all through. True head with soft expression. Excels in her forehand construction. Level topline with correct tailset. Moved on a good stride. In good coat and condition.

BP4 Pointer. Scholes’ Wilchrimane Tea For Two With Rossgilde. Loved the outline of this puppy. Excellent head with dish faced appearance. Clean neck leading to well laid shoulder. Good through ribcage. Strong hindquarters. Excellent bone and feet. Moved with good drive.

Becky A Johnson

Judge