Three Ridings Labrador Club

THREE RIDINGS LABRADOR CLUB OPEN SHOW SUNDAY 23RD SEPTEMBER 2018

It was so refreshing to be so warmly welcomed and to experience such friendly and excellent hospitality at a very well organised Breed Open Show. The entry was strong both numerically and in terms of quality and sportsmanship amongst exhibitors was exemplary. A huge thank you for a fabulous and very rewarding day, I had a thoroughly enjoyable experience judging one of my favourite breeds, a breed in which I find that I never stop learning. I was delighted to see that there were many here today who could quite easily do a day of hard work in the field as well as showing themselves off to best advantage in the show ring.

BEST IN SHOW was a very close-run thing, down to the wire, between a young and enthusiastic yellow dog and a seriously exquisite black female so full of breed type. It was the male whose non-stop showing himself off took the top spot, HALSHIMOOR PITCH BATTLE AT SHANORRELL, still a junior but so full of promise. I loved him in almost every respect, classically male in head-piece, with no coarseness with a very kind and expressive eye. He is so free and accurate coming and going, showing some lovely reach in front with real fluidity and drive. He was in tip-top, hard muscled condition; he holds a strong top-line, has a lovely otter tail and uses it to advantage. He presents a picture of total balance and handled to maximum advantage, he just edged the equally pleasing bitch into the runner up position.

BEST BITCH AND RESERVE BEST IN SHOW was, BURNTHORN MISTY. My notes say ‘quite a find!’ and the more I looked at her the more she impressed me. She has a truly cracking head-piece, so feminine, with the darkest and most intelligent and appealing eye. Her front assembly, I thought just pipped the dog for angulation and this showed in her correct and effortless front extension.. She too was in gleaming coat and condition, well-bodied throughout with a truly excellent tail. She was positive both ways, using her well-muscled hindquarters to advantage. She wasn’t quite as enthusiastic in the final challenge and didn’t quite match the male for strength of top-line and had to settle for runner up today. (Shown outside or in a bigger and more spacious ring, it may well have been a different story!) Nonetheless, I absolutely loved her for her true ‘old-fashioned’ breed type and outstanding quality.

BEST PUPPY IN SHOW went to a very mature black bitch, FOXRUSH OLD TIME DANCING. She simply cannot be ignored, exuding wonderful breed type and outstanding quality. She was presented in the pinnacle of condition; her lustrous black coat was gleaming. She is sturdily built and had the best front construction of the entire entry with well-laid shoulders and a long and well-angulated upper arm which allowed her to cover maximum ground accurately and with minimum effort, so sadly and so often not apparent in so many of this lovely breed. She is strong enough for me in head-piece, and to be hyper critical could perhaps do with just a fraction more length to muzzle. She presents an excellent outline and simply flowed from nose to tail plus she has really fantastic feet. This quality youngster really did impress me and I was delighted to award her BPIS.

DOGS:

MINOR PUPPY (7,1) 1. STELAINROS WESTPOINT, raw 6 months black whose head needs to break, but he has the most appealing and expressive dark and almost mesmerising expression. He presents the perfect outline on the stack, has a lovely forehand assembly with a strong top-line and excellent overall balance with a lovely tail, set and carriage. Not overdone in any way, he moved with real accuracy both ways and just needs to grow into his feet and his frame and should do well. I liked him a lot in this very good quality and hard to split opening class. BEST PUPPY DOG. 2. MEADOVILLABS BLACK ONYX, a very good young male head here, another with the loveliest of eyes and expression. He has a great front and excellent bone and also presented a good compact and balanced outline. On the move although accurate he was just a touch proud of his tail. He was well handled to maximise his qualities. 3. TESSHOLLY’S EXPLORER WITH ALLENIE, excellent breed type here, completing a trio of really promising but very raw babies.

PUPPY (2,1) 1. SUNDYKE SECRET CODE, he has a good breadth to back-skull and a good dark eye, but perhaps could do with just a bit more depth to muzzle for my taste. He has the very best of tight feet, a frim top-line and is well ribbed. In gleaming jacket he moved OK, a touch proud of his tail.

JUNIOR (2) 1. HALSHIMOOR PITCH BATTLE AT SHANORRELL. BEST DOG & B.I.S. 2. HANNABEE NORTH STAR, a different type to the winner, particularly in head-piece. He is well-ribbed and in gleaming coat and condition, he was so full of himself and didn’t quite settle down to the job in hand, thus not showing quite the freedom of the first. He was proud of his tail.

YEARLING (1) 1. H NORTH STAR NOVICE (2,1) 1. H NORTH STAR UNDERGRADUATE (2,1) 1. SHORK’S NORDMAN AT GODURU, a strong headed male with a very dark and clean eye and excellent otter tail. Shown in very well-muscled condition, he was just a touch closer than ideal going away and a wee-bit pinning in front coming.

GRADUATE (4,1) 1. H PITCH BATTLE AT S 2. AMOROZZO IN EXTREMO MARDAS, great breed type with a lovely male head-piece. A touch unsettled on the move, once he stopped pacing and moved at the correct speed and got his act in gear, he was more fluid and more accurate coming and going which gave him this spot in this class. 3. THIRLMERE ECHO FALLS JW.

LIMIT (5,1) 1. SHAROUNS TALK OF THE TOWN JW, Reserve Best Dog, he was a clear winner for me in this class on movement. I loved him for head-piece and great balance although a little wider than ideal in front he was so very accurate and fluid in profile with a very good otter tail. He was exceptionally well-muscled and really drove away using his quarters maintaining a lovely firm top-line. 2. MEADOWLINE MI CHICO, another fabulous head-piece and a superb expressive eye. He too had great flow and overall balance, just a touch out of jacket and not quite as fluid as the winner. 3. RAMSAYVILLE REFLECTION OF MUSUBI JW.

OPEN DOG (ABSENT)

BITCHES

VETERAN BITCH (4,3) 1. BURNTHORN ECLISPE, a really lovely headed bitch with an appealing expression, superb tail and usage and she was in hard, muscular condition. Showing her age a bit on the move as to be expected but in lovely bloom and condition, she is a real credit to her family.

MINOR PUPPY (5,1) 1. STELAINROS WESTHAVEN STORY, Chocolate, litter sister to the young black minor puppy dog and very similar remarks apply. I really liked her; she is full of quality, free-flowing in outline and fluid on the move with an excellent tail, set and carriage and the same appealing & mischievous eye. 2. SHAROUNS ALICE SPRINGS AT SERENEDALE, a touch less settled but she shows huge potential, a touch finer throughout but very feminine and totally balanced. She was spot-on moving coming and going and showing excellent fluidity in profile. 3. FLYENPEG WHERE YA BIN

PUPPY ( 8,2) 1. FOXRUSH OOPS A DAISY, superb breed type here, she truly does excel in every aspect of the breed standard, if just a touch stronger in head-piece than ideal for my personal taste. In the challenge for BP she wasn’t quite as settled as her litter mate, but I am sure that they will be battling it out as they continue their show careers. She headed a lovely class of youngsters. 2. ALLENIE’S TAMPA BAY D’ORTA, another excellent prospect, if a touch less mature and giving quite a bit away. I adored her for head-piece over the winner, but she was just so wiggly and not so positive, but is most definitely another who has the world at her feet. 3. SIDELOCK SCARLET FOR SHAROUNS

JUNIOR (10,1) The strongest class of the day. 1. MEADOWLINE MAY MIST, an ultra-feminine bitch with a glorious head and eye and superb ears. Her top-line is spot-on; she has superb tight feet, a lovely otter tail, perfect tail-set and carriage and was faultless on the move. In OK jacket, she showed very good fluidity, easy reach and drive in profile and I would love to see her again as she matures on, she was close up for top honours. 2. BURNTHORN BARLEYTWIST, another sound and ultra-feminine bitch with lovely flow and total balance. She too was good on the move with a lovely tail, set and carriage. 3. HALSHIMOOR PITCH PERFECT WITH SHANORRELL, completing a super line up.

YEARLING (4,2) 1. DYLSONLEIGH MISS MUFFET, unplaced in the previous strong class, this black youngster scores for me in type, head-piece, ears top-line with a lovely conditioned coat. Today I felt that she was a touch closer than ideal going and little unsettled in front coming towards me. 2. STELAINROS AMBIENCE, yellow with lots to like on the stack. She appealed for type and overall shape. She didn’t, however, like the inside ring or the mats, and she never got going and unfortunately paid the price.

NOVICE (7,2) 1. FOXRUSH OLDTIME DANCING. BPIS 2. HALSHIMOOR PERFECT TIMING WITH SHANORELL, third in the strong Junior class, she is of great breed type but just far too flamboyant today and not so accurate on the move as I am sure that she can be. I preferred her head-piece but she didn’t quite match the winner for feet. 3. ANNAKAY SERENITY WITH NICHOLCHRIS

UNDERGRADUATE (5) 1. F OLDTIME DANCING 2. GULSARY GRAND OPERETTA AT DANRU, very feminine with good balance and a strong top-line. She moved out well showing some extension and drive with accuracy and good footfall. 3. WILLOW OF WYTHERN AT EBESHB

GRADUATE (6,2) 1. BURNTHORN MISTY, BEST BITCH & RES BIS. 2. OAKHOUSE OH ROCK YOU OF DANRU, a great moving bitch all ways with a good body and tail-set, just out of jacket and a touch stronger in head-piece than the winner. Well-handled. 3. BENELDYS MOONLIGHT SHADOW

LIMIT (10,5) 1. MEADOWLINE MARIABELLA FOR RALYVILLE, this bitch was a clear winner for me. I liked her for breed type, head-piece, top-line and her honest accuracy in all directions on the move. I would like to see her again when she is in tip-top condition. 2. BESKERBY SINGSONG, another with lots of appeal with a very kind head and eye and a firm top-line. She was out of jacket and not showing quite the precision of the winner on the move. 3. MEADOWLINE MON AMOUR FOR AUGHTONCHASE

SPECIAL CHOCOLATE (2) 1. WILLOW OF WYTHERN AT EBESHB, a good moving and more mature bitch who was handled to advantage. She has superb tight feet, a firm top-line and was well muscled throughout. 2. EBESHB NIAMHS LIGHT, daughter of the winner and very raw but has a very feminine head and lovely expressive eye. She needs some hill-work to tighten and muscled up her quarters and has time on her side.

OPEN (6,2) 1. SH CH SHANORRELL SOIREE AT HALSHIMOOR, Reserve Best Bitch, she is a more contemporary type to the Graduate winner but she also appeals to me in many ways. I loved her head-piece and her total overall balance and flow. She is a very good mover who showed real propulsion from behind and very good extension in front, holding her top-line at all times. In excellent condition she was close-up. 2. M MARIABELLA FOR R 3. LOUGIN SECRET SPY AT SUNDYKE JW.

JONATHAN B DALTREY (JUDGE)