Driffield Championship Dog Show

Driffield Championship Dog Show (20/09/2019)

Chesapeake Bay Retriever

My sincerest thanks to the committee for inviting me to fulfil my first Championship Show appointment without CC’s. How fitting it is that this appointment was for the breed that introduced me to showing 11 years ago! Many thanks also to my two very friendly and capable stewards on the day.

I was thoroughly impressed with my entry of 21 and only 1 absentee! Many thanks to everyone who attended and I hope you enjoyed your day as much as I did; your sporting ringside manner was most refreshing.

Veteran Dog (0,0)

Puppy Dog (0,0)

Junior Dog (2,0)

1) Rigby’s, Chesepi Waco. This 13 month old brown is obviously new to this game, but with a little more training to tame his enthusiasm I reckon he has a bright future. Scored in his breed typical outline and obvious balance. His head is well proportioned, strong with a most pleasing expression complimented by the darkest of eyes and well set & sized ears. He has a good reach of neck with a very good forehand assembly and well developed forechest. Straight, well boned limbs with good feet and pasterns. Very mature in body for his age. His underline has the desired tuck up with the correct bend of stifle. His croup is of good length but a little steep. Once he settled, he was correct both coming and going with a balanced side gait showing plenty of reach. Excellent coat with the correct oily texture. A very promising young prospect. RBD, congratulations!

2) Driver’s, Arnac Bay Huntsman. Another 13 month old brown that was just not as forward in body as 1. Pleasing outline with compact proportions. Appealing head shape with correct proportions and desired gradual tapering to muzzle. Ears high set and well sized. His angulation both fore and aft was a little more moderate but symmetrical. Strong topline with an excellent tuck up. Another who is in pretty good coat. Steady and sound coming and going with a balanced, active side gait.

Post Graduate Dog (3,0)

1) Smith’s, Oakmarsh Elkton. A well sized 2 year old brown possessing such an excellent coat! I liked his proportions and outline in profile. His head is strong with a decent stop and good eye colour. His ears are neat and high set. Very good reach of neck onto an excellent shoulders and return of upper arm with a well developed forechest. Straight, well boned legs and good feet. Liked his firm topline and well tucked up underline. Excellent spring of rib. Corresponding hind angulation with lovely breadth over his fore and rear quarters. I preferred his hind action which won him the class, correct coming towards with an easy side gait. Needs to be a little less proud with his tail.

2) Crewe’s, Chesarab Saltmarsh (Imp USA). A 3 year old brown from a more compact mould. His head is of great appeal being correctly proportioned with a good stop and tapering to muzzle. His ears are high set and correctly sized. His forehand assembly and forechest are excellent. Excellent maturity in body with well sprung ribs and super topline and tuck up. I would prefer a little more hind angulation to correspond with his front. A different type of coat to 1 but still very correct of the correct density and texture. He is so precise coming towards but, today, he went away a shade wider than I’d prefer. Such an athletic and determined mover in profile.

3) Rigby’s, Chesepi Ulysses.

Open Dog (1,0)

1) Griffin-Woods’, Migwell Soloman’s Puzzle (ai). 2.5 year old brown has such excellent breed type and proportions. Strong, well proportioned head but would prefer slightly tighter lips to be critical. Lovely dark eyes and the neatest of high set ears. Liked his breadth over his front and rear quarters. Very good forehand assembly with correct forechest. Well sprung ribs with a short loin onto an excellent tuck up and strong topline. Liked his length and lay of croup with a correct tail set and corresponding hind angulation. Absolutely precise both going and coming with a super, athletic side gait. He had left his best jacket at home but what he has is close fitting and of excellent texture. Very happy to award him Best Dog, just lost out on Best of Breed to a more ‘finished’ bitch.

Special Beginners Dog (1,0)

1) Crewe’s, Chesarab Saltmarsh (Imp USA).

Good Citizen Dog Scheme Dog (2,0)

1) Smith’s, Oakmarsh Elkton.

2) Crewe’s, Chesarab Saltmarsh (Imp USA).

Veteran Bitch (2,0)

1) Playle & Thomas’, Sh Ch. Riptide Beaver. An 8 year old brown that is in such fit condition! She possesses excellent breed type with a refined combination of strength while still being feminine. Her head proportions were correct but I would prefer a little more stop and her ears to be one size smaller. Her forehand angulation is excellent with superb forechest. Very well sprung ribs with a short loin. For me she has a little too much hind angulation for ideal balance but possesses excellent width over her quarters. Well defined tuck up and a firm topline. Precise going and coming with good reach in profile. Not in her best jacket today but what she had was of good quality, Best Veteran in Breed.

2) Barker’s, Chesepi Pensacola. This 8 year old brown was just carrying a bit too much condition compared to 1. Loved her very feminine head and expression with correct stop and dark eyes. Her angulation both fore and aft is balanced with a good topline. Her underline could be a little more defined and I would prefer slightly more leg length. Coat is dense with good texture. Liked her precision both going away and coming towards. She showed balanced reach in profile and used her tail well.

Puppy Bitch (1,0)

1) Hutt’s, Penrose Narcissus. A very raw 6 month old brown, her ringcraft still needs a little more fine tuning. At present, she is slightly longer cast and rangier all through but has plenty of time to settle. Very sweet, appealing head with good eye colour and ear set. Lovely reach of neck onto a very good forehand assembly and decent forechest for age. Topline needs to firm up with time but has a very good underline already. Would not want anymore hind angulation. Once she got her act together she showed glimpses of sound, driving movement from all angles. In good coat for age, Best Puppy in Breed.

Junior Bitch (2,0)

1) Madden’s, Arnac Bay Hawthorn. This 13 month old brown has very good breed type. Her head is ultra feminine of correct proportions and gradual tapering to her muzzle. Very good reach of neck onto good shoulders and return of upper arm. I would prefer her a little shorter in leg for ideal balance. Well bodied up for age with a strong topline and excellent tuck up. Corresponding hind angulation and in a super quality coat. Once she settled she showed correct front action coming towards but was a shade close going away. In profile, once she relaxed, she carried herself well with good reach.

2) Hutt’s, Penrose Narcissus.

Yearling Bitch (1,0)

1) Hewitson’s, Melseed Sky’s The Limit. This 18 month old brown presents such a compact, neat and obviously feminine picture on first appearance with very good proportions. Her head is very pretty with well set ears, correct stop and gradual tapering to her muzzle. I liked her balance of front and rear angulation with a strong topline and correct tuck up. I would prefer just a little more of her all over to give her a more robust and athletic appearance. On the move she is very light on her feet in profile with great showmanship while also being true coming towards, just a shade close going away. In a full, thick coat but I would just prefer it a little harsher in texture.

Post Graduate Bitch (9,1) – This was such an excellent class numerically and in quality, thank you all for coming! Coat and performance on the day were the deciding factors.

1) Barker’s, Chesepi Vienna. This 2 year old brown headed an excellent class of quality bitches. For me, she ticked all the boxes today. She is athletic and exudes breed type with an excellent outline and obvious balance of proportions and angles. Her head is so well proportioned with dark eyes, high set ears and gradual tapering to the muzzle. Strong neck of good length with lovely shoulder placement, return of upper arm and forechest. Gun barrel straight forelegs with super feet and pasterns. Very well sprung ribs with a short, strong loin. Her topline is strong with her rear slightly raised. Her underline is correct with the desired tuck up. Plenty of breadth over her front and rear quarters. Her hind angulation is symmetrical to her front with short hocks. On the move she was precise, easy on the eye and balanced from any angle. All of these great qualities wrapped in an excellent coat with the desired texture, density and oiliness. Delighted to award her Best Bitch & Best of Breed.

2) Rahman’s, Chesepi Umbagog Lake TAF. This 3 year old athletic deadgrass really appealed for her for medium size, good type and shape. Liked her head shape with good stop and eye colour, just wanted her to use her ears better. Her angulation is very well balanced fore and aft with excellent maturity through her body. Her ribs are well sprung, topline is firm and her tuck up is pronounced. Her movement is where this girl really excels; she goes with such gusto and power she is hard to ignore on the go round! She is also precise both going and coming. Her coat is thick but would prefer the texture to be just a little harsher. It was her consistently steady performance on the move that ultimately gained her Reserve Best Bitch.

3) Lowther’s, Wild Goose Chaser.

Open Bitch (2,0) – Two lovely bitches!

1) Coppin & Davies-Jones’, Dallandor Jocasta. This 3 year old ash appealed for her strength, proportions and shape. Her head is strong but still feminine with a lovely expression, correct stop and well sized & set ears. Very good lay of shoulder with good return of upper arm, excellent bone with good feet and pasterns. Lovely maturity through her body with well sprung ribs and a short strong loin. Her topline is also slightly raised in rear with good tuck up. Her hind angulation is excellent with lovely short hocks which ultimately won her the class. Once she settled into her stride she had such a long, ground covering side gait and was sound both coming and going. She just lacked the consistency in her performance throughout the challenge, slightly out of coat but of decent texture.

2) Pont’s, Sh Ch. Penrose Hash Brown. 3 year old brown who was on an equal footing with 1 in the coat department, a little out of coat but of decent texture. Really pretty head which such a kind expression aided by good eye colour and a high ear set. Her front angulation is very good with straight legs and feet. Would prefer a touch more forechest. Excellent spring of rib with a slightly raised rear. Good tuck up. I would prefer a little more hind angulation for ideal balance compared to 1. On the move she was sound both ways and carried herself well in profile.

James Newton (Patamoke)