Cheshire Agricultural Society

ROYAL CHESHIRE COUNTY SHOW, 22 JUNE 2022

COCKER SPANIELS. My thanks to the committee for inviting me to judge my first love breed at this prestigious, well organised show on a scorching hot day and to the exhibitors for a great entry of 57 dogs. Thanks also to my efficient stewards Aaron Price and Jacqui Davies, who kept the classes moving through. There were some lovely dogs to judge and I would have taken any of my main winners home. Disappointed to find 4 level bites and a few snipey heads, lacking stop. Having not been around the Cocker ring for some years now, all the exhibits were new to me. DOGS. PD (6, 2). 1. Platts’ Northworth Quarter Note (Imp Fin) TAF. 8m golden. A small, very raw baby at his first show, though promising in type and shape. Melting dark eyes, sweet head, moved happily, well presented and handled. He needs more time and to grow on and fill out a bit. BPD. 2. Norris’s Joaldy Mr Happy at Amaranth. 10m black of nice size and type with decent head and neck , good topline and tail set. He objected strongly to me handling him, which made him hard to assess and cost him the class. This needs to be addressed and then he could do well. 3. Pendlebury’s Rockllocers Coconut Husk at Sandabys. JD (0). PGD (5) 1. Steele’s Rayol Caught You Looking in Zienne. 2.5y blue roan of lovely type, and shape. Exactly what I was looking for. Masculine, quality head with good neck into sloping, well angulated shoulders. Good bone, straight front, cobby with well sprung rubs and short loin. Well coated and presented and handled to good effect. Really drove around the ring from the rear with purpose and energy. Delighted to award him BD & BOB. Will watch his progress with interest. One I’d love to own. 2. Edwards’ Manlinson Prince Phillip. Dark blue of similar type to 1. Quality head and eye. Not quite the front assembly of 1. Nice bone and rib, short coupled. Moved well. Would benefit from reducing the amount of coat on the front of his forelegs and over the hocks. 3. Terry’s Shaggylands Desperate Dan. LD (4). 1. Linton’s Lujesa Starry Knight over Ludzska. Upstanding, handsome black d with a quality head. Good neck and shoulders, full coated but presented well. Moved OK with a happy tail and level topline. RBD. 2. Collier’s Pepperbox Back in Time. Blue d of nice type, fair head, neck and shoulders. Well ribbed and coated. Low hocks, moved well. 3. Mason’s Sandlauga Soul Man. OD (3,1) 1. Beever’s Snowgate Parti over to Dandyjan. 6y dark blue. Not the best of heads here today, dark eye. Good bone, well coated, although rather short and dry on the body. Moved and handled well. Won on maturity over 2. Bingley’s Kings Spirit Lives in You. Transferred after missing the puppy class. 7m blue baby. Nice head with a dark eye. Good bone and rib, though would prefer shorted coupled. Moved quite well for a youngster. BITCHES. PB (11,3) A lovely class but with some real babies. 1. Morris’s Riondel Blu Savana. 9m dark blue. Sweet, feminine head of quality, with dark eyes. Good length of neck into well laid back shoulders. Cobby shape, good rib and short coupled, level topline. Moved out really well. Well presented and handled. BBP & BP. Pleased to see she went PG2. Should do well. 2. Tavernor’s Cassom Blue Muse at Regaltav. Very similar in type to 1 and same remarks apply. Moved happily, though carrying a bit to much puppy fat over the loin for my taste. Would prefer more sympathetic stripping of the neck for best effect. 3. West’s Sheigra Super Secret. JB (9, 2) Sinclair’s Chataway Dress Tartan at Duclarus JW. 17m black b of quality. Sweet head with lots of work in it, dark eye with melting expression. Good bone and topline. Full coated with good front and rear, moving out really well with some drive. Put down to perfection. 2. Henderson’s Pendledell Cosi Celeste. A difficult decision. Smaller black b of super type. Just beautiful head, eye and expression. Great neck and shoulders, level topline, spring of rib and well coated. Her presentation was faultless, having the lost luxurious, silky coat. Such a shame that she has a level bite, as this will always hold her back. 3. Tavernor’s Regaltav Moonbeam. PGB (10, 3) 1. Tavernor’s Cachel in The Moonlight at Regaltav. Cobby dark blue b 2.5 yrs. Sweet head, eye and expression. Cobby, short coupled, square outline with correct shoulders, well sprung rib and level topline. Would prefer less hair on the forelegs for neatness. RBB. 2. Terry’s Shaggylands Jessica Jay. Similar type dark blue. Sweet head, slightly throaty. Nice cobby type, with good front assembly, good spring of rib and short coupled. Nicely presented, though again would benefit from less hair on the forelegs and over the hocks. 3. Henderson’s Pendledell CC. LB (7,2) 1. Collin, Eyres and Wildman’s Oktumi Opalescence. Not seen before but what an exquisite dark blue, 2 yr old b. Sweet head, with dark eye, long neck into well laid back shoulders. Cobby, well ribbed body, short coupled, with level topline. Good bend of stifle, providing drive from the rear. Moved around the ring with a happy, wagging tail, a real “merry Cocker”. Handled sympathetically and put down to absolute, gleaming perfection. A comfortable BB and RBOB. Just ever so narrowly edged out by the dog’s driving movement and pizazz. Should make up. 2. Prydderch’s Rockllocers Blissful Blush. Dark blue, solidly made. Nice head, eye and expression. Good bone, with elegant neck into well laid back shoulders. Sound rear end. Well coated, though again would benefit from the removal of some excess hair on the forelegs. 3. Hughes’ Dandyjan Partigift. OB (6,2) 1. West’s Sheigra Simply A Star JW. Cobby black b coming up 5 yrs. Dark eye and expression. I thought her slightly upright in shoulder. Well bodied and in full coat, moved OK. 2. Prydderch’s Rockllocers Happy Hints. Another dark blue. Good bend of stifle and moved well. Preferred the presentation of 1. 3. Henderson’s Pendledell CC.

Judge: JOHN GOODWIN (Serendel/Diggle)