Flatcoated Retriever Society

The Flatcoated Retriever Society Championship show - Bitches

2nd April 2023

Thank you to the society for this invitation to judge this prestigious show. I was generally pleased with the quality of the exhibits, though there is some concern with the number of short straight upper arms and overly long fibula which totally unbalances the dog and results in an exhibit that, contrary to the breed standard, can neither move with reach or drive and has a terrier front action. That said was delighted with my line up which was very consistent in type and quality. Thank you to my two stewards Jerry and Izabela for their hard work and keeping me in order.

Veteran Bitch 9 (2) 1) Branscombe’s Torinmill Gaelic Aurora KCWGC, Medium sized bitch presenting a clean balanced outline. She has a feminine one piece head with dark almond shaped eye and soft expression. Her neck is of good length with reasonable lay of shoulder. Good depth chest and correct gradual spring of rib. Her loin is short and square and she is strong through her topline. Moved well in profile and pushed hard for BVIS. 2) Simons’ Gwenadillo Montesori Coedylan VW. Another bitch of the correct size and type. Love her classical well moulded head with dark eye and correct length and depth of muzzle. She has a lovely well laid shoulder and corresponding length and return of upper arm with well-defined fore chest and moderately angulated hind quarters. Just preferred the movement of 1. 3) McDonnell’s Laurvic Ciao Bella. Up to size but balanced all through, she is in profuse coat which does tend to hide her positive attributes. Good head with dark eye and the softest expression. Correct gradual spring of rib and optimum length of loin. She has lovely bone and the best of feet. Moved ok.

Special Veteran Bitch 1 (1)

Minor Puppy Bitch 7 (0)

Super class of babies. 1) Douglas’ Kalexas Upper Class at Greenbayhill (imp Nor) beautiful chunky 7 month old baby with happy outgoing disposition. She is extremely well balanced for her age with super one piece well moulded head and the darkest of eyes with sweet expression. She has a well laid shoulder and good length and return of upper arm. Good depth of chest and gradual spring of rib and short square loin. She is a baby and therefore still needs to strengthen in her hind quarters, however that said she moved beautifully around the ring with excellent front extension. 2) Clarke’s Earlseye Star in The Skye. At just six months she is very much a baby but she has so much quality and breed type. Love her beautiful head with dark soulful eye and expression. Good reach of neck and super front construction with lovely oval bone and neat well arched feet. She has a good depth of chest and is well ribbed up with correct short loin, strong topline and correct well set tail. She has moderately angulated hind quarters and hocks well let down. Moved very well. I understand this was her and her handlers first ever show. They did exceptionally well and I hope they continue as both show lots of promise. 3) Brant’s Earlseye Oh You Pretty Thing. Litter sister to 2 and she had many similar qualities, just not quite as together at the moment. She has a good head and sweet expression and is balanced fore and aft with strong topline and good bone and feet. Moved well but not quite the accuracy of 1 and 2.

Puppy Bitch 13 (1)

1) Tagg’s Oiyou Double Espresso. At 11 months this bitch presents a beautiful outline. She has a lovely well moulded head with good length and depth of muzzle, lovely dark eye and naughty expression. Her shoulder is well laid with corresponding length and return of upper arm and super depth of ribcage and correct length of loin. Good moderately angulated strong hind quarters which enable her to drive around the ring. She is strong through her topline with correct tailset and carriage. She stands four square on good bone and feet. Moving beautifully in profile with excellent reach to complete the picture. BPB. In the challenge for Best Puppy I felt she had the better forehand construction and moved with more reach and drive BPIS. 2) Joyce’s Stranfaer One Fell Swoop Loved this bitch’s lovely soft well moulded head with gentle expression, good fill in and neat well set ears. As with one she has lovely front construction with super fore chest and the best of bone and feet, just felt that one had the better balance at the moment. She has a strong topline and correctly set tail, moderately angulated hind quarters and in super coat and condition. Moved very well particularly in profile. 3) Douglas’ Kalexas Upper Class at Greenbayhill (imp Nor)

Junior Bitch 10 (2) 1) Warrington’s Woodavens Frozen Flame. Loved this young ladies size and type. She has a lovely well moulded head with good fill in and dark almond eye and sweet expression. Her chest is deep, moderately broad with well-defined fore chest. She is well ribbed up with correct length of loin and moderately angulated hind quarters. Super bone and neat well arched feet. Beautifully presented and in super coat and condition. Moved well particularly in profile where she excelled in reach and drive. 2) Lutner’s Telurn For Your Eyes Only. Slightly taller than one and at that ‘in between’ stage bitches at this age so often are. Lovely classical one piece head with dark eye and soft expression. She is moderately angulated all through with excellent strong topline and well set tail. Correct quality oval bone and super neat feet. At the moment not in the best of coats but she moved very well.

3) Prior’s Blacktoft Avelino. At just 12 months she is just starting to mature and is very balanced all through. Really like her size and type. Her head is long and well moulded with correct dark eye and sweet expression. She is strong through her topline with good tailset. She needs to make a little more of herself when standing but moved beautifully in profile.

Yearling Bitch. A super class. 1) Racic & Weber’s CH/BIH Dantaran May I Be Your Sweetheart JCH/CRO JCH/SLO JCW. This bitch gave me goose bumps when she moved around the ring. She is elegant and racy with a beautiful feminine classical one piece head, dark almond eye and sweet expression. Super reach of neck and lovely well laid shoulder and length and return of upper arm, lovely bone and feet. She has well defined fore chest and good depth of brisket, lovely gradual spring of rib and closely coupled. Her topline is strong and level with well set constantly wagging tail. Strong hind quarters with correct moderate bend of stifle and hocks well let down. Beautifully presented in super coat and condition. She flowed round the ring with reach and drive. Considered her for top honours. 2) Kitching’s Selloana Callisto Nymph. Lovely workmanlike bitch of the correct size. Good head with dark eye and the softest expression. Her shoulder is well laid with strong topline and correct short square loin. She has good depth of chest and is well ribbed up. A little out of coat at the moment and therefore not quite the finish of one. 3) Warrington’s Woodavens Frozen Flame

Novice Bitch 17 (3) Lovely class of super young bitches 1) Tagg’s Oiyou Double Espresso 2 Joyce’s Stranfaer One Fell Swoop 3) Kitching’s Selloana Callisto Nymph

Graduate Bitch 8 (2) Two lovey young bitches headed up this class. 1) Simon’s Coedylan Bambino JW. Beautifully feminine young lady of the correct size and type. She is so well balanced and without exaggeration. Her head is of good length, well moulded with good fill in and super dark eye with soft expression. Lovely well laid shoulder into strong level topline, short square loin and correctly set gently wagging tail. She had a super depth of chest and gradual spring of rib and good length and return of upper arm, which moves cleanly over her ribs. Her hind quarters are strong with correct moderate turn of stifle and good width of thigh. She stands four square on neat well arched feet. Still some maturing to do. Moved well. 2) Bellamy’s Moontorn Better Half of Me JW. Elegant feminine bitch , just slightly longer cast than one and therefore not quite the balance. She has a long well moulded head, dark eye and neat well set ears. She has an adequate lay of shoulder and is strong through her topline. Her hind quarters are moderately angulated with good width of thigh and well muscled. Moved well in profile. 3) Rees’ Braemist New Moon for Eskwinds. Like this girls classical head with super soft expression. She has a well laid shoulder and good length of upper arm, but would prefer a little more return. Her rib is of good depth and moderately sprung but for me she is slightly long in loin which effects her overall balance. Moved a little close behind.

Post Graduate Bitch 6 (0) 1) Milton’s Manteauplat Black Pippin. Four year old bitch who is just coming into full bloom. Love her beautifully soft well moulded one piece head with super dark eye. She has excellent depth of chest and is well ribbed up with strong topline. The best of bone and feet. Moved well in profile but could be a little tidier coming and going. 2) Perring’s Bumblyn Jasmin at Gladfyl. Good head but would prefer a darker eye. She is strong through her topline with correct short square loin and good tailset. Correct moderately angulated hind quarters. In reasonable coat and condition. Moved ok. 3) Rees’ Ravencrag Jump over the Moon to Eskwinds. A very busy young lady who likes to make her handler work hard. Lovely feminine well moulded head with dark eye and the naughtiest of expressions. Good depth of chest and gentle spring of rib. Slightly longer in loin and 1 & 2. Strong topline. She moved ok when settle but a little close behind.

Mid Limit Bitch. 6 (0) 1) Walker’s Lizzlog Nun on the Run. This kennel consistently produces dogs of excellent quality and breed type and this young lady is no exception. At four years old she still has some maturing to do, that said she presents a clean well balanced outline free from any exaggeration. I like her head which is feminine and well moulded with good fill in. She has a good reach of neck and excellent well laid shoulder. Her topline is strong and level and she is correctly coupled. She has a lovely length and return of upper arm, quality oval bone and the most gorgeous cat like feet. Her hind quarters are strong and moderately angulated with lovely short hocks. On the move she is powerful but still elegant, with lovely reach and drive. RBCC and in agreement with my co-judge RBIS. 2) Colson’s Blacktoft Dancing on Ice with Windyhollows (AI) Slightly longer cast than 1 and finer all through. Really like her head which is very feminine. She had a good reach of neck and well laid shoulder. Reasonable depth and moderate spring of rib. Strong topline and well set tail. Moved well in profile but a little untidy coming and going. 3) Stevenson’s Blacktoft Caress of Steelriver JW. Really like this girl’s size and type. She is clean in outline and balanced throughout. Lovely soft feminine head with correct dark almond eye and slightly naughty expression. She is strong through her topline with well set tail. She stands four square on lovely neat feet. Tends to move a little wide in front and a little close behind.

Limit Bitch 18 (2) – what a class! Could have easily given the first three girls a 1st. 1) Warrington’s Bochilbarley Heaven Sent to Woodavens. This bitch just oozes quality and breed type. She is of medium size and most definitely bright and active! Her outline is feminine, balanced and free from exaggeration. She has the most beautiful well moulded one piece head with lovely dark almond eye and mischievous expression. Her neck is of good length and flows into a lovely well laid shoulder. Her front construction is textbook with well defined fore chest good depth of brisket, correct length and return of upper arm. She has quality bone and straight forelegs with the most beautiful neat strong feet. Her ribcage is moderately sprung and she is strong through her topline with correct couplings and well set ever wagging tail. She excels in hind quarters which are strong, moderately angulated and well muscled with lovely short hocks. Watching her move around the ring was a delight, she has a lovely free flowing action with exceptional reach and drive. Was delighted to award her the BCC without hesitation and in full agreement with my co judge BIS 2) Calverley’s Gwenadillo Tweetie Pie. Really like this bitch’s size and type. She has a beautiful feminine head with dark eye and slightly naughty expression. Her outline is balanced and clean with a super topline and tailset and she is moderately angulated all through and presented in good hard condition. Moved beautifully in profile. 3) Jones’ Braemist Witches Fire very similar in size and type to 1 & 2. She is feminine all through with a lovely well moulded head and sweet expression. She is carrying a little bit of weight at the moment which makes her look a little short in neck, but hands on confirms that she does have a good length of neck and well laid shoulder. Her ribcage is of the correct depth, with gentle spring and of the correct length and Strong well-muscled hind quarters. Super bone and feet.

Open 4 (0) 1) Tagg’s Empire Glory Brianta at Oiyou (imp CZE) JW Mature well balanced bitch who stood out in this class. She is of medium size with good head and alert expression. Good reach of neck into well laid shoulder, strong level topline and correctly coupled. Lovely moderately angulated hind quarters which are well muscled, and hocks well let down. In super coat and condition, moved with drive. 2) Ford’s Lussac Yawl of Percuil JW, at just two years old this young lady still has some maturing to do. I liked her feminine one piece head and expression. She is very balanced fore and aft with adequate bone and feet. Her topline is level with good depth and sprig of rib and short loin. Moved very well both coming and going and in profile. I look forward to seeing her when she has matured. 3) Bellamy’s Moontorn Goddess of Love. Mature bitch who presents a lovely picture when standing with strong level topline and constantly wagging well set tail. She has a good head with correct length of muzzle and dark eye. When moving she does tend to swing her front legs which spoils the overall picture.

Champion Bitch 1 (0) Kiddell’s Multi Ch/Int Sh Ch Hameldowntor Midsummer Night’s Dream TAN). Elegant six year old bitch with a clean feminine outline. She has a pretty head with dark almond eye. Good reach of neck, well laid shoulder and strong level topline. Good depth and spring of rib and strong hind quarters. Moved well with constantly wagging tail.

Field Trial Bitch 0

Special Liver Open Bitch. 5 (2) 1) Hollingdale’s Aylawbrook Noones Perfect. Medium sized liver bitch with balanced profile and strong level topline. She has a good head with hazel eye and neat well set ears. Presented in good hard condition with lovely bone and feet. Moved well. In the challenge for best liver just felt that the dog had more drive. 2) Durrant’s Glenturret Gyspy Tart another dark liver bitch in good coat and condition. Feminine head with sweet expression, slightly lighter in eye than 1. Good reach of neck and strong level topline with well set constantly wagging tail. Moved well. 3) Bishop’s Lyneholme Painted Lady. Mature six year old bitch a little strong in head. She is well angulated fore and aft . Good bone. Moved ok

Special Shooting Dog Certificate Bitch 3 (3)

Gill Smitherman