Plymouth & District Kennel Association

Plymouth & District Kennel Association - 12 November 2022

I would like to thank the committee for their kind invitation to judge some of the gundogs and gundog group at this well organized and friendly West Country show. The weather was kind to us and the judging took place outside in a good sized ring.

Spaniel (English Springer)

PG – 1 Ainsley & Nicklin’s Daerneys Dream of Spring at Dexenella, 10 month old bitch with appealing head of the correct shape with well set ears. Good length of neck into strongly constructed front. Pleasing depth of body and well let down rear with nice turn of stifle. In good coat, she really excelled on the move. BP & PG2; 2 Stevens’ Saturnii Cartoon’s Be My Valentine at Bumblecorn, pretty 13 mth old bitch with feminine head and lovely expression. Soundly made all through with quality bone. Sympathetically handled, she was looking for her owner but everything is there she just needs time. O 1 Ainsley & Nicklin’s Daerneys Blood of the Dragon, 3 year old dog who demands your attention, in full coat. Correctly proportioned masculine head with pleasing depth of muzzle. Strong neck of good length into well laid shoulders. Muscular hindquarters and quality bone. Sound moving. BOB & G4.

Retriever (Nova Scotia Duck Tolling)

PG – 1 Phelps’ Redfoxtor Blystra Bay, 3 year old bitch from a smaller mould. Feminine head with intelligent expression. Strong neck into well put together body with correct depth. Sound moving with good tail carriage. RBOB; 2 Hughes’ Abacot Into The Unknown, 19 mth old dog in full coat with masculine head and good length of neck. Pleasing angles fore and aft but could not match the movement of 1 today. OD – 1 Hipkiss’ Erikachen O’Ruadh for Deltandamba JW ShCM SHCEX VW, 8 year old dog who is balanced and of an ideal size. Masculine head with alert expression and well set ears. Clean neck into soundly constructed body with the correct depth. In fine fettle and moving with reach, drive and correct tail carriage. BOB; 2 Ward’s Melanitta Palmata, 4 year old dog with lovely head and expression. Well put together body and in good coat he lack the drive of the winner on the move. OB – 1 R Blystra Bay; 2 Hughes’ Eusanit Gem Stonwse at Abacot, 5 year old bitch. Appealing head with alert expression and well set ears. Much to like and in good coat she did not match the movement of 1.

Hungarian Vizsla

PG – 1 Roe’s Rarog Ruda Szata for Pierspont (Imp Pol), dog of 15 mths with masculine head of the correct proportions with well squared muzzle. Strong neck and forequarters, level topline which he held on the move and pleasing rear angles. Quality bone and sound moving tight feet. BOB; 2 Challis’ Vizslanya Vizi, 6 mth old puppy with noble head, strong neck into well soundly constructed body with the correct depth. Quality bone and tight feet. Moved soundly once he settled. PG4. O – 1 Hughes’ Ambravittoriya Oskar at Listerlo, 2 year old dog medium sized dog with appealing head, correct eye shape and colour. Presents an impressive picture standing and is moderate all through as called for in the standard. Covered the ground moving. Just felt the front for BOB was tighter today. RBOB; 2 Challis’ Vizslanyla Aragonia JW, 4 year old dog with girls on his mind. He does not have the ring presence of 1 but is soundly made all through and with much to like. He was erratic on the move today.

Retriever (Curly Coated Retriever)

O – 1 Courtier’s Maycourt Stairway to Heaven; 2 Edworthy’s Maycourt Heartbreaker, quality littermates, the bitch being liver and the dog black. There is little to choose between them both having a correctly shaped head with eyes toning with their coat colour. Necks of medium length into well laid shoulders and corresponding upper arm. Good depth of body and strong rear quarters. Both were in good coat and hard condition. I preferred the expression of the bitch who was BOB.

AVNSC – G 1 – Stirk’s Stanegate Hey It’s Bianca JW (Irish Water Spaniel), smart & upstanding this girl demands your attention. Feminine head with correctly shaped eyes and low set ears. Good length of neck into well laid shoulders, well sprung ribs and good turn of stifle. Her coat is of great quality. She moves freely with reach and drive. BVNSC & G1; 2 Heller’s Arcticbreeze Hopscotch to Floreydown (Lagotto), 11 mth old enchanting bitch with Feminine head and intelligent expression. Well put together all through, in good coat and free moving. BP

O – 1 Mortimer’s Scodinzolare Philomen (Italian Spinone), 2 year old bitch with kind expression and well proportioned head. Good reach of neck into well laid shoulders. Balanced with strong rear angles, quality bone and correct coat she maintained her topline whilst trotting. RBOB; 2 Willcock’s Dynarkaraky Deuces are Wild (Field Spaniel), sound moving and well presented with appealing head. Good length of neck into soundly made front. She was in full coat and fine fettle.

Gundog Group – This was a quality group standing but some exhibits’ movement was disappointing. G1 IWS, G2 Trotter’s Flatcoated Retriever Lussac Winter Wizard, dog of the correct size, masculine head with dark eye and neat well set ears. He is unexaggerated all through, I have seen him move better than he did today; G3 Bedding & Jennings’ American Cocker Alibama Now or Never JW, this dog was presented to perfection and sympathetically handled, so soundly put together under his coat. He moved as if he owned the ring; G4 ESS.

Gundog Puppy Group – PG1 McCabe Bell’s Cocker Zheridon’s Zephyranthes at Grandtully, 9 mth old golden bitch presented to advantage, she presents a beautiful shape stacked and is so well constructed and sound moving. RBPIS; PG2 ESS; PG3 Kennett’s Labrador Magnavalleys Moon Dance, well grown 7 month old bitch with feminine head and pleasing angles for and aft. She was really came to life on the move; PG4 Hungarian Vizsla.

AV Gundog – P 1 Griffin’s Griffial Make it Count, very typy blue roan Cocker Spaniel with beautiful head and good length of neck into well made shoulders. Correctly balanced in good coat and moving on tight feet; 2 D Dream of Spring at D. V 1 Sweet’s Bondadosa Beach, beautiful 9 yr old Spanish Water Dog in good coat, who presents the correct shape stacked and is well put together and sound moving; 2 Nicoll’s Benoveor The Guardian for Anthreth, 7 year old Welsh Springer, a well presented and very typical dog with kind expression. He was sound moving and handled to advantage.

Mike Lewin