Horley & District Show Society

This was a blisteringly hot day where temperatures reached 34C and even a building at the venue caught fire which needed the fire brigade to attend. There was also little shade to be had. The heat definitely affected some dogs more than others. Some toplines were sagging and pasterns looked slack. Dogs I have previously done well or admired from afar just didn’t perform and thus, had to pay the price. Many congratulations to new secretary Sandie Tadd and her band of merry helpers for such a great show and thank you to my steward Adam Hawkins for keeping my ring running smoothly and efficiently.

English Setters

Junior (1 entry)

1st. Silvermoon Storm Shadow A quality boy with a lovely head and eye of good pigment. He had well laid shoulders, a level top line, good depth of chest and a well angulated rear with good width of second thigh. Moving, he was a little erratic. His handler told me she was new to the hobby and was very nervous but really didn’t need to be as the dog is very nice indeed. Flagged at the end or most definitely would have won RBOB.

Post Graduate (2 entries, 1 absent)

1st & BOB Bryant, Bryant & Hollis’ Silvamoon Storm Trooper for Phenset JW An upstanding boy in lovely condition. I see now that he is the litter brother of my junior winner and many of the same comments apply. He is well constructed all through. Moved well, covering the ground efficiently. Well handled.

Open (1 entry) 1st & RBOB Passey & Collis’ Richecca Fallen Angel A 6 yr old bitch. I’d prefer a bit more depth of muzzle. Good neck into well laid shoulders. Good bone and feet. Moves well in profile and didn’t stop performing which earned her RBOB today.

Golden Retriever Puppy (6 entries, 1 absent)

1st & BP Todd’s Toddrosa Oasis Charm Won this class by a country mile. She is balanced, well constructed and stands on good bone and feet. In super condition and moved absolutely beautifully.

2nd. Brimley’s Qumaara Summer Breeze Similar in type to my winner. Lovely head, dark eye and melting expression. Well angulated fore and aft. Just not as accurate on the move as my winner.

3rd. Purvis’ Tonara Primrose

Junior (4 entries, 1 absent)

1st. Jones’ Parlickview Amazing Grace at Roskerry A pretty bitch who wasn’t exaggerated in any way. She is nicely constructed though from just looking at her, gave the impression of a high tail set but when I got my hands on her, found it was just excess coat on her croup. She carries it correctly when moving. A positive mover who covers the ground well. In lovely condition.

2nd. Kinchella’s Honeymill Elder Warrior Really lovely, handsome head and a kind expression. He has a good front and a well angulated rear however, he is a little front loaded which makes him appear unbalanced. A stylish mover.

3rd. Smith & Hill’s Serendipity Dog Viejo Duende Sabio Con Rosgar (Imp Esp)

Special Yearling (1 entry)

1st. Jones’ Parlickview Amazing Grace at Roskerry

Post Graduate (6 entries)

1st & RBOB Smith & Hill’s Serendipity Dog Principe Jame con Rosgar JW (Imp Esp) A quality boy who is well constructed. He won this class as he had the best front with excellent return of upperarm. He has a strong level topline and a well angulated rear. He moved really well.

2nd. Stallard’s Maplerose All Tuckered Out On the initial stack I thought this boy was going to be my winner. He is impressive in profile. He doesn’t have the length of upperarm of my winner and on the move was hanging his head low which spoilt the overall picture. I think perhaps one of the dogs that the sun affected.

3rd. Jolly’s Leititia Anzhelika

Open (6 entries, 1 absent)

1st. Kinchella’s Wynrita Scandalmonger A joy to judge. So balanced and nicely put together. Well laid shoulders, correct topline, well angulated rear and demonstrated super accurate ground covering movement. Presented in excellent condition.

2nd. Todd’s Toddrosa Sprinter Sacre Another very nice example of the breed. Handsome, well constructed and in lovely condition. Sound enough just lethargic on the move here.

3rd. Jolly’s Leititia Angeiolina JW

Hungarian Vizsla

Junior ( 3 entries, 2 absent)

1st Mills’ Karrouki Wildfire There is lots to like about this boy. He needs maturity to finish the picture but is nicely constructed with a lovely head. Moved well from all angles. In hard, fit muscular condition.

Open (8 entries)

Absolutely disgusted with the poor sportsmanship of some of the exhibitors here. The vizsla is a breed which is required to be “gentle mannered”, some of the owners could learn from that – there is no room in our hobby for this kind of behaviour.

1st & BOB Barrett’s Karaszy’s Glorious Legacy A handsome head with eyes of good colour. He has good length of upperarm, a firm topline and his ribs are well back with a short loin. Well angulated muscular rear and good feet. He was one of the few dogs here today (not just this breed) who seemed oblivious to the heat and he really went round the ring like he owned it. Delighted to award him BOB and later Grp 4. I hear that shortly afterwards he picked up his 2nd CC at a champ show – congratulations. Quality always wins through.

2nd & RBOB Wallington’s Nicael Blue Diamond among Ohanava I really loved the shape of this bitch. She has a lovely head, well laid shoulders with good length of upperarm. Plenty of heartroom, ribs well back and a decent rear. For balance, I actually preferred this girl but on the move, whilst sound enough she couldn’t match the showmanship of my winner.

3rd Mills’ Karrouki Wildfire

Labrador Retriever

Puppy (2 entries)

1st BP & RBOB Metcalfe’s Baileydale Miss Tiggywinkle A quality pup who didn’t put a foot wrong all day. She is balanced, well constructed, compact and has a coat of excellent texture. Moved superbly for one so young. I was very tempted to give her BOB.

2nd. Smith’s Hollymanor Duddleswell Sky A really nice pup who was extremely unsettled as she arrived late and nearly missed the class. She is well constructed, short-coupled and has excellent bone and feet. Another with a lovely coat. Moved erratically and with her tail carried high (though the tail set was correct) but I think this was more to do with the exuberance of being shown by a flustered and late handler.

Junior (3 entries, 1 absent)

1st. Hammond’s Davricanby Pitch Perfect at Littleeden Won this class as he had the better front movement. Pleasing in outline and in excellent condition.

2nd. Digweed’s Marlyford Valentino at Willokin A well constructed boy but while he is in gleaming condition, he has a little too much of it which made him appear loaded over the shoulders and though he moved soundly, he was rolling.

Special Yearling (5 entries, 3 absent)

1st. Rees’ Eremos Moment in Thyme A nice bitch with a pleasing head. A little short in upperarm but otherwise nicely put together. She has a good width of second thigh and moved well.

2nd. Digweed’s Marlyford Valentino at Willokin

Open (3 entries, 1 absent)

1st & BOB Metcalfe’s Carromer Jack Flash to Baileydale JW Bel Jnr Ch Handsome, well constructed, short coupled and has strong bone and good feet. He moved well here and with the overall picture deserved to take BOB. When it came to the group, he was noticeably flagging.

2nd. Rees’ Eremos Perfect Pascali This girl was very obviously feeling the heat as it really showed on the move. She is a lovely shape though and really happy with tail a’wagging. Nice head.

Welsh Springer Spaniel

Junior (2 entries, 1 absent)

1st & BOB Barkley’s Chanangel Mr Whodat at Cherryheath Really smart boy with the most gorgeous head. He has well laid shoulders and good length of upperarm. Correct topline, good tailset and carriage and he has a well angulated rear. He has decent bone and feet. Presented in excellent condition. He moves superbly, really covering the ground efficiently. I understand this BOB gave him his last open show point and at his next champ show he got his final points for his JW. Congratulations. I’m sure he’s got a bright future.

Post Graduate (4 entries)

1st Waller’s Isfryn Lady Godiva at Fireglow JW Won this class as she was the only one with accurate front movement coming towards me plus she didn’t flag in the heat at all. She is well constructed all through and in lovely condition, just couldn’t match the junior today for showmanship in the final challenge.

2nd. Ferguson’s Taihang Scherezade at Teaselwood A smart bitch in profile with a pleasing head/expression. She has a good depth of chest with ribs well back and a well angulated rear. She looked great in profile movement too but was pinning in front.

3rd. Gough’s Julita Rukester

Open (2 entries)

1st & RBOB Tubb’s Slapestones Tidal Wave for Alsutu Another who won his class on movement. The biggest in the entry, so very well made with good angles fore and aft. I liked his head with eyes of good colour and ears set on correctly. In super condition. Just couldn’t match the showmanship of the junior winner in the final challenge.

2nd. Jones’ Julita Rumours at Trosley A happy girl who was a delight to judge. Loved her head, she is a nicely constructed girl of correct size. Good bone and feet. Moved well in profile but was toeing in as she came towards and thus had to stand second today.

AVNSC Gundog

Junior (3 entries, 1 absent)

1st & RBOB Coldwell’s Lucoru Summer Breeze Italian Spinone. Brown roan that isn’t too dark. Lovely head with divergent head planes. She has a moderate length of neck into well laid shoulders and good length of upperarm. Correct topline. Thick skin and coat of good texture. Enough angulation behind and good tailset. She moved a little erratically at first but settled to show some really decent spinone movement, covering the ground effortlessly and accurately. One of the few in the entry who didn’t seem to be feeling the heat.

2nd. & BP Shutt’s Mourama Cordaba So much to like about this 6 month old SWD who was in full coat. Lovely head, eyes of good colour and nicely constructed all through. Unfortunately spooked by something he didn’t like at the ringside so was moving erratically.

Open (3 entries)

This was the hardest class of the day to judge as all three were quality exhibits. My decision came down to performance.

1st & BOB Sladden’s Tyrbechgyn Believe You Will at Canemamans Super bracco italiano that I’ve done well before. He has a lovely head with divergent planes, strong neck into well laid shoulders with good return of upperarm. His chest is deep and his topline is correct. Well muscled, well angulated rear. His skin is thick with good elasticity. He won this class on his movement. Here, totally unaffected by the heat, he strode around the ring with tremendous reach and drive. Unfortunately, the weather had obviously taken it’s toll by the time I got to see him again in the group and so he had to go unplaced.

2nd. Braine’s Grenetrest Canterbury Bell JW A very nice GSP with a lovely head. No denying his sex, he is all male. He is well made and stands on good bone and feet. Coat of decent texture. He is so very sound but just wasn’t moving today as I know he can.

3rd. Thorogood’s Sh Ch Winhampton Over the Yardarm of Harrifield JW ShCM

AV Gundog Junior (12 entries, 7 absent)

1st Mills’ Karrouki Wildfire

2nd. Horn’s Droveborough’s Smooth Mover A shapely Pointer with a lovely head with good dish. Super in outline and presented in hard, fit muscular condition. Moved soundly just not with the showmanship of my winner.

3rd. Williamson’s Bluesprings Picture This

Open (11 entries, 5 absent)

1st. Hutchison’s Quills Mint Julep with Waverton JW (AI) (Imp Swe) Quality FCR who won this class as she was the most precise mover in it. Lovely head and expression. Correct dentition. Good neck into well laid shoulders. Standing, her topline was sagging slightly but I think it was the heat as this class was at the hottest point of the day. It certainly wasn’t when she was moving. A well angulated rear. She is balanced and correct.

2nd. Barham’s Kenwardgold Minnie Me A smart pointer with a good head. I’d prefer a little more lay of shoulder but she has a good return of upperarm. Ribs well back, short loin and a well angulated rear. Moved well, just not as accurate in front as my winner.

3rd. Perren’s Penbro Killer Queen at Mistin

Gundog Group

1 – Pointer – Norbury & Adams’ Medogold Bamalam at Heartbury JW ShCM Simply didn’t put a foot wrong. This girl is so well constructed, presented in tip top condition and she moves as you’d expect with such good conformation, she covers the ground accurately and with style. She had to take the top spot in this group and I was delighted, but not surprised, to hear she went on to win BIS.

2 – FCR – Strudwick’s Flatcharm Miss Lotsa Love for Burpham I had “lotsa love” for this quality girl too. There is so much to like about her and she moves beautifully. She just got pipped to group one by a more mature dog.

3 – WSS – Barkley’s Chanangel Mr Whodat at Cherryheath

4 – Hungarian Vizsla – Barrett’s Karaszy’s Glorious Legacy

Gundog Puppy Group

1 – Labrador – Metcalfe’s Baileydale Mrs Tiggywinkle

2 – Weimaraner – Tranquada’s Stormdancer Cherry Chip at Castanho (AI) Loved her head & expression. Good neck into well laid shoulders and correct topline. Well angulated rear. Good depth of chest. She looks good stood and even better on the move where she covers the ground with reach and drive.

3 – Pointer – Welch’s Hookwood Cupid

4 – FCR – Hutchison’s Waverton Illusion