Minehead & District Canine Society

Minehead & District Canine Society

Wednesday 27th July 2022

Many thanks to Minehead & DCS for inviting me to judge. After being postponed from 2020 due to the pandemic it was lovely to finally get to judge at one of our favourite shows in the South West. Thank you also to my stewards who kept the ring moving. I hope all of my exhibitors enjoyed their day as much as I did!

Retriever (Golden)

Puppy (4, 2a)

1. Richardson’s Stormhayes Midnight Sky. 6 month bitch growing a mid gold coat. She’s at the right stage of maturity for her age with everything in the right place. She has a feminine head with a good reach of neck, held a level topline and stood straight when viewed from front and rear. Having the correct front angulation balanced with her hindquarters meant she could move freely and hold her profile. I’ll look forward to seeing how she matures - good luck for the future. RBOB, BPIB, Puppy Group 3.

2. Moore’s Purbarn Friends Together. Golden dog of 6 months with a kind expression. He has a great reach of neck into well angled forequarters. He held his topline and stood straight front and rear which he maintained well on the move. I would like to see him drop more into his stifles which would give him more drive. 

Special Yearling (6, 3a)

1. Callow’s Kidston Priddy With Cassatess. Mid gold bitch of 15 months with a clean outline. Her head is well balanced and feminine on plenty of reach of neck. Well laid back shoulders with a level topline which was held well. Well bent stifles, stood straight both front and rear. Moved well coming and going - a touch more length in upper arm would allow her more reach.

2. Richardson’s Aristonicus Jasmine. A mid gold bitch of 12 months. Stronger in head than 1 but still balanced, well chiselled and feminine. Good reach of neck into super front construction which is balanced with her rear. She comes into her own on the move which she does with reach and drive. With a bit less weight she would present a cleaner outline. I believe her handler is quite new to showing and did a fab job - well done.

3. Herring-Reed & Reed’s Furian Tissaia De Vries.

Graduate (5, 3a)

1. Carter’s Kadaka Kauldrun JW. Mid gold dog of 21 months quite mature for his age. He caught my eye with his overall balance. Masculine head with a kind expression, good reach of neck, well laid back shoulders with his legs under his body. He held his topline level throughout. Strong hindquarters. Stood straight front and rear. Moved freely with drive and well handled. Hope he has a good future ahead. BOB, Group 3.

2. Perry’s Stormhayes Spring Willow. 2 year old mid gold bitch. Balanced head with deep muzzle set on a good reach of neck into well angulated forequarters. Level topline held well on the move into great tailset. Moved well but I felt some more ringcraft practice would help get the very best out of her.

Post Graduate (3, 2a)

1. Johnson’s Palton Party On Dude At Niallgold. 2.5 year old gold dog who’s maturing nicely. He has a well chiselled masculine head with a kind expression. Correct reach of neck for his proportions. He stood straight from front and rear and held his level topline well. Despite pacing, over the few strides I saw he did move well. I’d have preferred him to be a touch slimmer.

Open Dog (0)

Open Bitch (2, 1a)

1. Perry’s Stormhayes Spring Willow. 2nd in Graduate.

Retriever (Flatcoated)

Special Yearling (4, 2a)

A difficult class to judge as these two young ladies were of very different types yet both within the breed standard and quite equal in merit so I have no doubt they may regularly swap places.

1. Stevenson’s Feldkirk Rose N Roses. 11 months old black bitch who took my eye with her flowing, balanced outline. Quality girl with plenty of substance for her age. Typical head which was one-pieced with dark almond shaped eyes. She has a good reach of neck into well laid back shoulders. Her balanced, correct angulation allowed her to move freely and accurately whilst maintaining her racy outline. Looking forward to watching her mature - good luck for the future. BPIB.

2. Gale’s Willowswind Fayetta (AI). Just over 12 month old black bitch more classical in type. Her head is where she scores - it’s one pieced with dark eyes with an intelligent expression. She has plenty of reach of neck into good shoulders. Loved the moderation in her hindquarters which she used well to drive around the ring. I would’ve preferred more forechest and upperarm for complete balance which separated 1 and 2 today. Again, I look forward to seeing how she continues to mature and good luck for the future.

Graduate (2, 1a)

1. Stevenson’s Caci’s Born To Be Miss Universe (IMP SWE). 3 year old black bitch maturing well. She has a one-piece head with plenty of reach of neck. She scores in forehand construction which is balanced with her rear. She held her topline well, her croup falls a little too much for me but carries her tail accordingly. Moved around the ring well with a great profile.

Post Graduate (2, 1a)

1. Moxey’s Lussac Xpress Yourself At Dymexe (AI). I loved this 2 year old bitch’s type - racy but workmanlike. Her head is gorgeous - one piece with dark eyes and well filled out. Plenty of reach of neck in well laid back shoulders. Standing she held her topline well. Well bent stifles into well let down hocks. Moved freely and soundly around the ring. Very close to BOB but she tends to drop her topline on the move - I’d prefer a touch more length in upperarm.

Open (4, 2a)

1. Gale’s Willowswind Nette Lark JW. 6 year old bitch, unmistakenly the dam of 2nd in SpY. This bitch really took my eye. Now at full maturity in full coat. She has a feminine one piece head with good reach of neck. Super front construction well balanced with her rear which stands out on the move which she does soundly and accurately with drive. Stands and moves straight at front and rear and maintains her level topline which leads into a well set tail completing the picture. BOB

2. Stevenson’s Bonnyhilbrae Calypso. 6 year old bitch with good substance. Stronger in head than 1 but still one piece and feminine. She has plenty of reach of neck which flows into her strong level topline. Balanced moderate angulation front and rear which abled her to move freely around the ring. Couldn’t not notice her super round and strong feet which complete her balanced, racy outline. Lacking a little enthusiasm today but it was warm! 

Junior Handling

A huge well done to all of the juniors today! All of you were well presented, polite and showed so much potential so thank you and good luck for the future. There’s always something to improve on which is the beauty of handling - the main point I noted today was to make sure the judge can see the dog’s teeth easily and clearly without covering the dog’s nose as it often unsettles the dog which in turn unsettles you as the handler.

6 - 11 years (4, 0a)

1. Texas-Lee handling a Norfolk Terrier. A smartly dressed, polite young lady who came into the ring quietly with confidence which was great to see. She was unassuming so kept an eye on my positioning throughout the class. Her dog didn’t give her the easiest time on the table but kept calm and showed the teeth the cleanest. The patternwork was tidy and Texas-Lee encouraged her dog well throughout the class. Overall a super performance. Well done and good luck for the future!

2. Charlotte Reece handling a Miniature Smooth-Haired Dachshund. Another young handler who was smartly dressed and came in quietly and unassuming. She was very polite and her dog was in totally in tune with her. This team moved well around the ring together using the space with good lead control. I was really surprised when Charlotte told me after placing that this was her first time in a handling class so well done! Good luck for the future!

12 - 16 years (5, 2a)

All 3 of these handlers showed they had strong rapports with their dogs which really showed in their performances and was great to see.

1. Elayna Mitchell handling a Jack Russell Terrier. Elayna impressed me more as the class went on - she’s another quietly calm and collected handler who fades into the background, letting the dog do the talking. The dog wasn’t the easiest on the table but Elayna politely asked to reset which was done quickly, efficiently and proceeded to show the teeth well. She kept an eye on my positioning at all times and her patternwork was tidy. Very smartly dressed to complement her dog. Well done and good luck for the future!

2. Harriet Duffield handling a Wire-Haired Dachshund. It was very close between 1 and 2 here. Harriet came into the ring confidently and professionally. She had great control of her lead throughout the class. Her table work was excellent and she used the ring well on the move, keeping an eye on my position. Being picky between 1 and 2, I’d have preferred ‘Wire-Haired’ mentioned when asked what breed Harriet was handling and for the dog to have been placed on the floor next to the table and walked to my feet to set off on her triangle rather than placed infront of my feet, but as above - tiny points to split hairs between two excellent performances. Well done and good luck for the future!

Meaylee Lewis (Fairwinds)