Boston & District Canine Society

BOSTON CHAMPIONSHIP SHOW 2020

GUNDOG GROUP

Boston being the first general championship show of the year, it has a special atmosphere of old and new friends meeting up after Christmas, hence the day goes by so quickly that before you have time to finish catching up, it is time for the group. An interesting group with a good mixture of young and old. Here there are quite a few breeds without CCs but this did not affect the quality of the BOBs that came through for me to see, in fact 3 out of 4 of the placed breeds came from non-CC breeds, giving up and coming judges a chance to go over some lovely well filled classes to add to their experience.

After a good look at their profile movement as they all came into the ring, it was down to business and before I had judged the first dog, the missing breeds had been able to join except for the Large Munsterlander. After another look round to confirm my thoughts I was able to shortlist, unfortunately dogs I have admired from the ringside had to be left out, as on the day the following caught my eye.

The Gordon Setter, Hernwood Neptune Sea, still young and I have given both his parents top awards in the past. He did not disappoint for type & profile movement. The Hungarian Vizsla, Karaszy’s Glorious Legacy, another from the top drawer who really showed off his good points & correct proportions to advantage. The black Labrador bitch, Sh Ch A Sense Of Pleasure’s Ylvi at Alkamhurst, I only had to look at her head & outline & I knew that if she could move, I would be hooked! Needless to say, her precise movement, head & tail carriage won her her place here. The Welsh Springer, Sh Ch Taimere’s Twister Round Nyliram, again one I have given top honours too & today did not disappoint, put down in excellent condition & muscletone.

From the moment the Lagotto, Rozebottel’s Porthos, went round the ring, I just knew this 10 months old boy would be the one to beat. I never thought I would give a group to a youngster, let alone one from this breed but he gave me goosebumps with his body proportions, head carriage, strong topline & correct tail carriage, excellent coat & well boned legs & feet, his white coat was gleaming. This quality dog still needs to finish but what a prospect for the future.

Group 2 went to the Cocker bitch, Sh Ch Annilann Miss Zing, no CCs for this breed today but what a fabulous entry for the judge & to come up with this typical girl, how lucky was I that she came through. Another I have admired before & see no reason to change my view, she was put down in excellent coat & condition & is so very feminine in outlook. Excellent ribcage & topline with a well set tail, profile movement was copybook.

Group 3, yet another without CCs but again an old favourite of mine, the English Springer Spaniel, Sh Ch Art-Waves Standing Ovation for Allenie, this Swedish import has only got better with age, as all good gundogs should. Again presentation was first class, as was the handling, no rushing along for he has nothing to hide, kept the correct head carriage, strong topline & tailset with precise footfalls to win his place.

Group 4, the evergreen GSP bitch, Sh Ch Valger Odette, belies her 8 years with her fabulous profile movement, so she is going grey but this just adds to her charms & reminds me what a long living breed the GSP is. Put down in hard muscular condition, with a correct head & expression, lovely neck & shoulders, strong topline held set up & moving, hammy quarters missing in so many today which she really used to power round the ring. I would take her out working any day.

Thank you so much to the society for giving me the opportunity to go over such a good selection of dogs & to all those who stayed to watch – thank you, hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.

PAM BLAY