Border Counties Gundog Club

Border Counties Gundog Club 26/01/2020

Labrador Retrievers Thank you to the exhibitors for such a quality entry, with this long damp winter coats were a bit of a challenge I’m sure on another day they would have shown more of the desired thick undercoat and unfortunately this was the difference in some placings.

Puppy Dog (3, 1abs) 1st Macleans Afinmore Amsterdam. Handsome 7 month black dog who has a lovely outline, Balanced in head with good length to foreface, a kind dark eye and plenty of width to his skull. Pleasing angulation front and rear with good bone and tight feet. Steady movement for one so young, I just found his coat was a little open.

2nd Wilkinsons Antonine Abercrombie. A bit more at the inbetween stage at the moment and not quite as balanced in outline. Gentle head with a soft eye of good colour. Good layback of shoulder with enough body and substance, strong powerful rear which gave plenty of propulsion

Junior Dog (3, 1abs) 1st Cooks Serengoch It’s Madness in Exelby (AI). My notes say character, personality and exuberance and this 13 month chocolate dog had plenty of all 3. Strong, masculine head with good width of skull and well set ears, firm through the neck and shoulder with plenty of forechest. Good bone and tight feet, firm in topline with a broad rump that gave a powerful driving action. He is certainly one I will keep an eye on in the future. Reserve Best Dog

2nd Mallin & Mallins Elisabetta Red Teddy. Gorgeous fox red with a classic head having the best of pigmentation. Sturdy through the neck with a good layback of shoulder, he was a little short in upperarm and tended to move slightly wider in front than the ideal. Deep well sprung rib and excellent width of thigh

Graduate Dog (3, 1abs) 1st Mullett & Mulletts Shaymiloney Schinus Afinmore. Mature black dog who has depth and substance. Broad in skull with just enough foreface and a gentle eye.Well made throughout with forechest and depth of chest. Still has finishing to do but moved out cleanly In good coat, just a little open.

2nd McDonalds Darmilye Dalmuir Afinmore. Chocolate dog looking a little raw today. He has a lovely head of balanced proportions with well set ears, Strong in topline with balanced angulation, very much out of coat . Moved steadily

Limit Dog (1) 1st Mallin & Mallins Afinmore Adair. Substantial chocolate with plenty of width and depth. Nicely made head which really came alive when he brought his ears up, powerful through the neck and shoulder with a firm topline and muscular rear. Showed plenty of drive on the move

Open Dog (3) 1st Parkers ShCh Poniel Reason to Believe at Bruadarach Shcm. Quality black dog nothing flashy or overdone and built on clean lines. Classic head with kind and gentle expression, correct reach of neck, well constructed throughout with a good spring of rib and firm in topline leading to a well set otter tail. Well developed muscular quarters. In good coat and condition. Presented a balanced outline and moved out strongly especially in profile Best Dog RBOB

2nd Hibbs Poniel Eildon Sunrise. A very similar dog to 1st and was not surprised to learn after that he was his sire. Another with a typy head of correct proportions and grave expression. Good layback of shoulder with a complimentary return of upper arm, he has depth and spring of rib and a well turned thigh. He moved out cleanly just not quite the drive of the younger dog.

3rd Roberts Stormrose Golden Fortune JW Shcm

Puppy Bitch (5, 3abs) 1st Macleans Afinmore Akara. Very much a baby but with excellent balance showing a true outline. Pretty feminine head of correct proportions. Lovely front assembly with forechest and enough depth of brisket for age. Level topline with correct tailset. Excellent bone and feet. Moved so well displaying a flowing action which gave her the edge in the challenge for BP

2nd Macleans Afinmore Azeldana. Chocolate bitch of a similar type to my winner just not as forward at the moment and not quite as ring confident. When she used her ears she had lovely head and expression. Excellent front with good layback of shoulder and a well made rear. Moved steadily off good legs and feet.

Junior Bitch (2) 1st Roberts Stormrose Sweet Wishes. So good to see correct pigmentation on these yellows, it is something that has been in short supply in recent years. Pleasing head with correct eye and good width of skull, still needs a bit of finishing as I would expect at this age. Well made all through with correct angulation and nicely balanced with flowing classic lines. Deep through the chest, correct coat and otter tail, she really drove around the ring with plenty of power.

2nd Cooks Exelby Teddington. I liked this bitch a lot she was just not as forceful in movement as my winner today. Lovely head and expression another with the correct eye colour and shape. Not flashy but Labrador all though. Good coat and otter tail. Strongly boned showing good construction and balance all through.

Graduate Bitch (5) 1st Crook & Cross Cooks Balrion Weathertop Heather. This black caught my eye for her strong overall profile the more I saw of her the more I liked her. She is very typical with a soft eye, perhaps her stop could be a little less to make her expression a shade more feminine. Correct flowing lines throughout her length of back, rib and loin was excellent. Well angulated front and back with good bone and feet giving excellent reach on the move. In really decent condition

. 2nd Cooks Exelby Charleigh. Yellow bitch of a very different type to my winner, longer in foreface just needing a touch more depth to balance her out. Soft expressive eye and good width of skull. Laid back shoulders flowed into a firm topline with a strongly made rear. Moved with a clean stride and correct footfall.

3rd Parkers Newhorizon Sing it Again at Bruadarch

Limit Bitch (2) 1st Roberts Bronia Yokanga Gold. What an absolute cracker, super yellow bitch with the most impressive outline showing strength and substance yet feminine with beautiful body lines, nothing is out of place all flowing seamlessly to the next part.. She has the most appealing head, clean cut, balanced in foreface and broad in backskull, with soft brown eyes. Her neck just flows into a strong topline and down to well set on otter tail. She has strength through the body, with a good spring to the ribs and short coupling leading to broad stifles and width of thigh which she certainly used on the move showing power reach and drive. Best Bitch BOB and delighted to hear she took BIS

2nd Macleans Afinmore Amiable. Chocolate of lovely type, feminine head not quite the work in it as my winner, nice width to skull with good use of ears, strong neck into well made front quarters, deep in chest & body with a clean outline and strong rear quarters, moved out straight and true with plenty of propulsion which gave her Reserve Best Bitch

Open Bitch (2) 1st Mitchell Afinmore Ardmore. Well up to size chocolate bitch but balanced with the correct amount of bone. Very well balanced all through with a pleasing head and eye. Laid back shoulder with a lovely forechest and firm topline. Good length of leg to body ratio, tight feet, moved and showed well.

2nd Roberts Stormrose Sweet Memories. Really lovely yellow, different in type to the winner. Beautiful head and expression, feminine throughout. Loved her strong outline, good ribbing and correct depth of chest, broad in thigh with strong bone and neat feet. She was over enthusiastic on the move which spoilt her front action as she was pulling into the lead.

Judge Carol Moore (Gadhelic)