Crufts

CRUFTS LABRADOR BITCHES

Judge: Mr G Spagnolo [Australia]

I considered this assignment a great honour and one of the highlights of my judging career. To be officiating at Crufts surrounded by the breed about which I have been so passionate for many years was a real thrill and I thank the exhibitors who provided what was apparently the largest entry in the entire show. There were some huge classes with no shortage of quality and heartfelt thanks go to my stewards who helped so much in keeping the ring flowing.

Overall I felt that the entry suggested that the breed is in a fairly healthy state and in some classes I was spoilt for choice.

My co-judge Dave Wilmshurst and I agreed that the bitch should be BOB and I was proud of her in the big ring where she did great credit to the breed, taking Second behind a spectacular Lagotto who went on to win Best In Show from a superb lineup.

Veteran Bitch (35, 9 absent)

1st Park’s Sh Ch Ramsayville Rhubarb Rock at Kinchyle, yellow approaching her 8th birthday and beautifully conditioned. Pleased in head and expression, well angulated front and rear with a good flow of neck into shoulder and excellent spring of rib. In great coat she has a typical tail which she used well. So much type all through and a very satisfying mover.

2nd Lennox & Morgan’s Sh Ch Wilenmory Collabro, another yellow 8 years old, again with a kind expression, fundamentally well-constructed and of excellent breed type. Coat and tail pleased and whilst she was satisfyingly sound on the move 1 just had the edge in carriage.

3rd Ganney’s Mardas Black Silk.

Minor Puppy Bitch (1)

1st Rowe’s Rochevale Palm Reader, 9½ months black with a lot of promise. Liked her head and expression, well boned and bodied with pleasing coat and tail. A little long coupled but holds a firm topline and her movement can tighten up with maturity.

Puppy Bitch (13, 2)

1st Metcalfe’s Baileydale Hello Sailor, 11 months yellow, happy and full of character. Quality head with soft, feminine expression. Well angulated front and rear, excellent bone and feet, nicely sprung ribs and her coat texture and tail are just right. Moved with enthusiasm. Best Puppy Bitch.

2nd Druggan’s Balladoole It’s Amore, almost a year old this black has the most appealing eye and expression, good bone and feet, is well ribbed with firm topline and correct tailset. Excellent coat and tail, moved steadily.

3rd Miles’ Llanstinan Black Satin.

Junior Bitch (32, 13)

1st Dudek’s Labramarine Fancyng, young yellow full of quality and obviously not yet fully mature. Well-proportioned head with kind, soft expression, excellent balance of outline with satisfying construction, good bone and well ribbed. Really opened up on the move.

2nd Hopkinson’s Zigic Pearl Shades to Rocheby, yellow with pleasing head, eye and expression and good length of muzzle. Strong bone, neat feet, excellent coat and tail. Not as short coupled as 1 but moved out well.

3rd Barberi’s Rodstar Rocks Vittoria.

Yearling Bitch (34, 11)

1st Schmidt’s Wallwein's Bare Foot, I really liked this dark chocolate bitch who is all Labrador, combining optimum substance with feminine quality. Beautiful head and expression, conformation was first class and her tight jacket fitted her so well. On the move she was dead true and in the challenge she pulled out all the stops to take the Reserve CC behind the exceptional yellow.

2nd Bradley’s Nancy's Special Treasure, quality black of good overall type, pleasing head, excellent bone and feet, quality coat and typical tail. Well angulated if a shade longer coupled than 1. Moved steadily.

3rd Baron’s Landebec Crazy in Love.

Undergraduate Bitch (38, 7)

1st Mclellan’s Saranden The River, yellow of good overall type, pleased in head and expression. Clean neck flowing into well laid shoulders, moved true out and back.

2nd Hodge’s Naiken Glass Slippers, well balanced chocolate of excellent type, in good coat and moving well. Well-proportioned head with kind expression.

3rd Terry & Downes’ Ellukine So It Begins.

Graduate Bitch (32, 6)

1st Mills’ Jaybec Winter Wispa, well balanced yellow, feminine with very pleasing head and expression, good bone and feet, ample depth of chest, firm topline and she moves true using her hocks. Coat and tail were excellent.

2nd Stoker’s Madgack Morella, well balanced chocolate who pleased in head, well boned and bodied with good spring of rib. Typical coat, well-constructed throughout, moved soundly but preferred the tail carriage of 1.

3rd Percival’s Wynfaul New Years Eve.

Post Graduate Bitch (29, 9)

1st Hopkinson’s Rocheby Serenity, well bodied yellow, happy and energetic with lots of substance but no shortage of quality. Nicely proportioned head with typical expression, good bone and feet, well ribbed if she could be a little shorter coupled. Moved well, covering the ground with ease.

2nd Baron’s Mariank Vanity Fair at Landebec, yellow who has so much type about her. Quality head, very well put together with good bone, big ribs and excellent coat and tail. A little shorter coupled than 1 but didn’t quite have her scope on the move.

3rd Percival’s Wynfaul Dancing Flame.

Mid Limit Bitch (24, 11)

1st Mills’ Trendlewood Day Dreaming, yellow full of quality with a look of real class. Loved her feminine head and sweet expression, well textured coat, great tail, excellent bone and feet and her angulation helps create a typical, well balanced outline. Opens up well in profile and is fundamentally sound.

2nd Williamson’s Likav Academic at Sharouns, another yellow of classic type who pushed hard. Excellent head with kind expression, ample bone and substance if a little heavier in front than 1 Strongly made with ample neck, firm topline and optimum angulation. Again a steady mover.

3rd Wallace’s Tiaja Love in The Sun.

Limit Bitch (20, 4)

1st Luomanen’s Tweedledum Time After Time, black of excellent overall type, strongly built and well ribbed with pleasing head and expression. Well angulated front and rear, short-coupled with excellent coat and tail. Moved soundly when she calmed down and her tail never stopped.

2nd Wood’s Sundyke Secret Steps, another black of pleasing basic type, maybe not quite as short-coupled as 1 but lots to like. Pleasing head, solidly built, well-constructed with all the breed essentials.

3rd Meissner & Gajda-Meissner’s Saorsa Polar Star.

Open Bitch (40, 12)

1st Casey & Jayes’ Sh Ch Lapema Masquerade at Sandylands, this 2 year old yellow really filled my eye and was a joy to judge. Full of quality, she is my idea of optimum breed type, having a beautifully balanced head with the kindest expression, the correct neck and shoulder with well filled front and the desired spring of rib. Excellent bone and in the peak of condition with a true Labrador coat and tail, she moved dead true out and back and never lost her outline. I would happily have her in my kennel and she won the CC comfortably, also pleasing my co-judge when it came to BOB and later went on to G2. A classic Labrador bitch.

2nd Geschwindt Eriksson’s Se U Ch Wahnahnish Crazy in Love, well balanced yellow who did well to place so highly in this strong class. In overall type she is not dissimilar to 1 and she has a look of great quality. Head is typical and pleasing in expression, she is well put together and moved accordingly. Coat and tail were excellent and she gave a good account of herself on the move.

3rd Allen, Hess, Jordan & Elliott’s Am GCh Ch Tampa Bay & Eagle Pond's Kisses Sweeter Than Wine.

Field Trial Bitch (11)

1st Dyson’s Ft Ch Copperbirch Cabernet of Tallamelie,

2nd Newcombe’s Lyebreach Golden Plover of Galicombe,

3rd Wilkinson’s Edenmoss Willow of Dalerwa.

Special Working Gundog Bitch (21, 4)

1st Hodge’s Ch Naiken Etoile, chocolate of excellent type, compactly built with very impressive construction throughout. Well-proportioned head with appealing expression, first class coat and tail whilst her overall balance is correct. On the move she is dead sound and displayed such a joyful temperament.

2nd Coode’s Warringah's Gulwarra, mature chocolate and again fundamentally pleasing in type, if a fraction longer cast than 1. Impressive head, expression and general forehand, optimum angulation all through and she made the best of herself on the move.

3rd Bartosova’s Ch Everyday´s Miracle Attika for Aldamity.

Good Citizen Dog Scheme Bitch (12)

1st Rowe’s Rochevale Fairytale, wholly typical yellow with a lovely head and expression whose construction and overall balanced impressed. In good coat she has an excellent tail, holds her topline firmly and moved freely.

2nd Platt’s Newhorizon Special Edition, 10 year old black in marvellous condition for her age, feminine head, neck flows cleanly into her shoulders and she is basically well angulated in front and behind. That said, she is slightly long-coupled and consequently gave away a little in topline but still moved soundly.

3rd Horton’s Flyenpyg Shut Ya Pie Hole at Stormymeg.

GUY SPAGNOLO (Australia)