"Joint Irish Setter Clubs' Championship Show"

JOINT IRISH SETTER BREED CLUBS

Hosted by IRISH SETTER CLUB OF WALES

Thursday 18th August 2022

My thanks to the hard working committee of the Irish Setter Club of Wales for the invitation to judge the bitches for them at this show. My thanks, also, to those who did me the honour of having the opportunity to assess their dogs, this is never something I take lightly.

There is no doubt that, due to Covid striking, many really good Irish who were just coming into their prime will have suffered and could not be shown in their prime, while others will have benefitted from the 2 plus years to allow them to mature.

On the whole I found the ladies to be excellent quality throughout and, in my entry at least, noted with delight that toplines were correct, feet much improved and overall balance, leg length to height and body length giving the correct “racy” outlines. We do not have a height standard in our breed for very good reason as our forebears realised that the correct overall racy balance would be achieved by correct proportions.

Minor Puppy Bitch: (4:1)

1st: Hughes: ALOLFRANA QUEEN OF HEARTS AT BRYNTWRW: Such a poppet!. Lovely outline and proportions, pretty head with good foreface and skull shape, well shaped eye and raised brows. Good bone and super feet, developing a decent front assembly. Well ribbed back showing some depth. Nicely developing hindquarters. Moved soundly and showing her enjoyment. B.P.B.

2nd. Mugford: LYNWOOD RATHER SCRUMPTIOUS: Mature lady . Shown in good condition with lush, dark coat. Good neck into shoulder line, deep, well sprung ribs, well developed fore chest. Strong bone, well arched feet. Moved out well. Just preferred the overall balance of 1st.

3rd. Gyedu: DARIS FLAME OF FAITH.

Puppy Bitch: (6:1)

1st. Holley: GWENDARIFF THISTLE BE JILLS: Her outline is very balanced and racy. Pretty head with good proportions of foreface to skull showing occiput, well shaped, dark eye, . Clean in neck and smooth through to well laid back shoulders and return of upper arm. Deep, well sprung ribs carried back to strong, loin. Nicely balanced hindquarters to front angulation. Moved well.

2nd: Mugford: LYNWOOD RATHER SCRUMPTIOUS (repeat)

3rd: Hart: GWENDARIFF THE HANDMAID’S TALE.

Veteran Bitch: ((4:2)

1st: Webb: REDESHKA SWEET GYPSY ROSE : This 9 years young, girl has good balance of height to length with correctly proportioned leg length. Balanced head with good length to foreface and correct lean skull. Crested neck, good ribs and strong loin . Wide hindquarters, with moderate angulation through stifle joint. Moved soundly. B.V.B.

2nd: Lewis: TARANDELL MADDISON DREAM: Another lady holding her years well. Lovely head and expression, good length of neck, deep well sprung ribs a little longer in loin than I prefer and not quite as accurate on the move as 1.

Junior Bitch: (2:0)

1st: Parker & Stevens: GWENDARIFF PINK CHAMPAGNE (IKC): Super, stylish, racy bitch presented here today in excellent order. Good head planes with correct finish to muzzle and well chiselled foreface. Crested neck into clean shoulders and good return of upper arm together with deep well sprung ribs, giving well filled prosternum. She stands on good bone and decent feet. Nice finish to crop and well angulated hindquarters reflecting her front angulation. Moved with drive and reach holding her topline. I’m sure she has a bright future.

2nd: Lelinska: MADRIGAL RED ELYSIUM (Imp. Pol): This young lady has good head planes with proportionate balance to foreface and skull. Good, well shaped bone. Clean through neck into decent layback of shoulder but would prefer a less steeply angulated upper arm. Deep ribs carried well back and strong in loin. Hindquarters well-muscled. Moved okay.

Yearling Bitch: (6:1)

1st: Heather: SIXOAKS MY FAIR LADY: Pretty girl with balanced outline and gently sloping topline. Correctly proportioned head-piece with dark eye and raised brow. Clean through neck into shoulder line, good length of rib to portionate loin. Well angulated hindquarters with short rear pasterns allowing good drive. Moved soundly.

2nd: Bye: BLUEBYEYOU LOVE IN A MIST: Balanced outline with pleasing head and expression. Good eye shape and colour. Correct bone although feet could be neater. Good layback to shoulder and return of upper arm. Deep, well sprung ribs would like them carried a little further back and loin a shade longer than I prefer but well-muscled and decent hindquarters with enough angulation. Moved okay.

3rd: Armitage: GWENDARIFF PHANTASTIC PHANNEY.

Maiden Bitch (2:1)

1st: Shepherd: CASACHARED DANCING QUEEN: Good head proportions with good back skull. Lovely low set ears, strong neck and good proportions of scapula to humerus. Good ribs and wide hindquarters. Moved cleanly.

Novice Bitch (3:0)

1st: Mugford: LYNWOOD RATHER SCRUMPTIOUS.

2nd: Hadfield: COVARNEY TIME AFTER TIME FOR MARZANNE: Well-proportioned foreface to skull with low set ears, would prefer cleaner finish to flews. Moderate neck into good front assembly. Deep, well sprung ribs carried well back to strong loin and enough hindquarters. Good feet and well shaped bone. Moved soundly.

3rd: Shepherd: CASACHARED DANCING QUEEN.

Undergraduate Bitch (4:1)

1st: Mugford: LYNWOOD RATHER SCRUMPTIOUS;

2ND: Shepherd: GLENVARNA COVER GIRL: Head was a little strong for my preference but she has lovely dark eyes and low set ears. Well-developed neck into decent front assembly. Ribs deep and carried well back to a strong loin and wide hindquarters. Good bone and feet. Moved soundly.

3rd: Hadfield: COVARNEY TIME AFTER TIME FOR MARZANNE.

Graduate Bitch ((5:2)

1ST: Douthwaite & Wharfe: QUENSHA BEAUTIFUL STRANGER OF GRACEWOOD: Pretty head of good proportions. Expressive, dark, well shaped eye and brows. Clean through neck into good layback of shoulder and return of upper arm together with deep ribs giving well filled prosternum. Ribs well sprung and carried well back. Good through her hindquarters with moderate bend of stifle and strong rear pasterns. Move out well showing reach and drive.

2nd: Childs: REDCLYST FLORAS SECRET: Pleasing head proportions good through back skull. Smooth through neck into good front assembly which was balanced through to her rear angulation. Just a little short through her body properties for my preference. Moved okay.

3rd: Bentley: TREDURA ROSELYN AT PENCLIPPIN.

Post Graduate Bitch (4:0). Two excellent bitches headed this class. Both conveyed the overall racy outline and both were proportionally well balanced.

1ST: Longbottom: GWENDARIFF WE’LL BE PHAME US (Ire): Pretty balanced head piece with equal length of foreface to skull. Nice chiselling through foreface with dark, well shaped eye and raised brows. Crested, clean neck fitting smoothly into good layback and return through her front assembly combined with deep, well sprung ribs providing good fill in prosternum. Ribs carried well back to strong proportionate loin. Wide hindquarters, well turned stifles and short rear pasterns. Decent feet. Moved out accurately and well holding her topline.

2nd: Milligan-Bott & Bott: THENDARA STRICKLY SAMBA; Many of the above remarks apply equally to this quality lady who presents a lovely racy outline and stands over a good amount of ground. She has a well-proportioned head with dark eye and raised brow with a real mischievous look. Clean, nicely muscled neck into well laid back, long scapula and equally proportioned upper arm. Standing on quality bone and feet. Deep ribs, carried well back to strong loin and wide hindquarters. Strong rear pasterns. Moved out well just a little less settled in the down and back than 1st.

3rd: Heather: SIXOAKS LEADING LADY.

Mid Limit Bitch (2:0)

1st: Bougen: GWENDARIFF HOT TICKET JW: My notes begin with: “Racy, elegant, well balanced lady”. Really desirable head and expression with well finished muzzle and good proportions to foreface and skull. Well shaped dark eye and raised brow. Good finish to back skull set cleanly into strong neck which flowed to super front assembly and deep ribs carried well back to strong proportionate loin. Good finish to croup and wide hindquarters with well-turned stifles and short strong pasterns. Decent feet and quality bone. She moved, as her construction dictated, smoothly, covering the ground with easy strides.

2nd: Hadfield: COVARNEY ESTEE AVEC MARZANNE JW: Another quality lady who has good overall balance and a clean, racy outline. A little plainer in head than 1 but well-proportioned foreface to skull and good finish to back skull. Crested neck, runs smoothly into decent front assembly. Good leg length to body height and deep well sprung ribs. Strong loin and good width to nicely angulated hindquarters. Moved out well on the down and back just a little less front reach on the around than winner.

Limit Bitch (5:0)

1st: Holley: GWENDARIFF LOOK THIS WAY TO WYNJILL: I last judged this lady as a puppy at Crufts in 2019 and she excited me then with her promise. Today she did not disappoint and I was delighted to see that she has fulfilled that early promise. She is now the “finished article”. She has the most eye catching, dark well-presented coat and racy, outline with required gently sloping, smooth topline. Her head is balanced and well-proportioned with lots of work in her foreface and correct finish to muzzle. Dark well shaped eye and raised brow with an every changing look from sweet to full of mischief!. Her well finished back skull and crested neck of proportionate length set cleanly into long, well laid back shoulders and equal length to upper arm. Deep, correctly shaped ribs all combine to give well filled prosternum. Those ribs are well sprung and carried back through to strong loin. Very good finish to her croup and wide, well bent hindquarters. Short, strong rear pasterns and quality bone and decent feet. She really came alive on the move, accurate on the down and back and sparkling on the around showing a zest for life without losing her reach and drive or topline. Her ever wagging, correctly carried, tail finishing a true Irish picture. This was the final piece of the jigsaw which just gave her the edge over the beautiful R.C.C. winner. Delighted to reward her with C.C. and subsequently, on referee’s decision, B.I.S. Her handsome young son having achieved Best Puppy Dog under my co-judge and with total agreement B.P.I.S. A family affair to be sure.

2nd: Edwards: GWENDARIFF IT’S NUMBERO UNO AT BONHOMIE: Another quality lady from this famous kennel. Build on a bigger mould but still maintaining that required racy, balanced outline. Pretty head and good finish to foreface and skull. Dark, expressive eyes and lean well shaped skull with good finish. Clean through her neck into well laid shoulders and front assembly. Deep, well sprung ribs, strong loin and good finish over her croup. Wide hindquarters and adequate bend of stifle, well-muscled throughout and stands on good short rear pasterns allowing good drive. Quality throughout she presents a flowing picture. True moving on the out, back and on the around carrying herself well. Just not the drive, verve or finish of the winner.

3rd: Jones: GWENDARIFF CHILLI POWDER:

Open Bitch (4:2)

1st: Mugford: SH.CH. LYNWOOD ABRACADABRA JW: She is a most worthy Champion and another who I fell for at Crufts. Delighted she has fulfilled her promise. She presents a racy balanced outline with well-proportioned leg length to height. The most beautiful head-piece with all the work you could ask for in her foreface. Her dark well shaped eye and raised brow finished with lean cheeks and low set ears give her a super expression. Well balanced throughout she has a nicely arched neck flowing into well-made front assembly, quality bone and decent feet. Deep ribs well sprung and carried back to strong loin. Wide, powerful hindquarters with good finish to croup, well bent stifle joints. In excellent muscular condition and moved true up and back and on the around. She portrays every inch the quality lady she undoubtedly is. She filled my eye and it was a very close decision between her and the eventual C.C. winner who just stole it on the move. I had no hesitation in awarding her R.C.C.

2nd: Bougen: GWENDARIFF LILY THE PINK: Super, racy lady who stands on a very good outline of balance and proportion. Well balanced head with good proportions throughout and a clean finish to her back skull, leading into arched neck and cleanly into very good front assembly. Another showing correct balance of leg length to height. Deeply ribbed back with good spring and a proportionately shorter loin. Wide hindquarters with moderate bend of stifle allowing her to move well on the out and back and on the around. She has much to commend her. Unlucky to meet 2 other ladies in such form today.

        Magi Henderson