Cotswold & Wyevern Labrador Retriever Club

Cotswold and Wyevern Labrador Retriever Club Championship show 5th July 2023.

It’s always a real pleasure to judge a breed club show and I thank the officers and committee for the invitation to do so. My stewards were the dream team of Barbara Gentleman and Dianne Rourke-Knights who are so capable and great company too, thank you. I was delighted with the quality and numerically high entry, many thanks to every exhibitor for entering and for accepting my decisions so generously. There was real quality and depth in the bitches and the higher classes were thought provoking, where exhibits looks promising standing but were untidy on the move and hence they went further down the line. Judging is a whole package. My co-judge, John Thirwell, and I were in complete agreement with all our joint decisions.

Minor Puppy bitch (4,1)

1 Wallace’s DREAMAKE FOR TIAJA (IMP DNK). Yellow bitch just turned 7 mths who took a while to settle. She has a pretty and feminine head, well grown for her age, well angled fore quarters with good ribbing and lovely otter tail, moved well. BMPIS.

2 Ganney’s DARRABOL AMPHITRITE. Another yellow, of 7 mths a little more mature, pretty head, loved her clean reach of neck, well-constructed through the body with strong hind quarters, this puppy moved steadily.

3 White’s LUNARPET TAILS OF THE RIVER.

Puppy bitch (13,5)

1 Bishop’s THE GIRL IS FUN FROM LINJOR. Liked the balance of this puppy, very together for her age, she has a sweet head with lovely expression, another with good reach and clean neck, well off for bone and she stands on good legs and tidy feet. Strong through the quarters and moved off with drive for a youngster. BPB.

2 O’Neill’s RAMSAYVILLE GIGI AT TALIGAL (AI). Attractive black of almost 11 months, she is built on a larger frame and longer cast than 1, head is promising with plenty of time to mature, not quite the angulation in fore-quarters at this stage, attractive on the move covering ground with ease. Particularly liked her coat and texture.

3 Park’s KINCHYLE BEDAZZLED.

Junior bitch (12,4)

1 Coode’s WARRINGAH’S PIPPINGARA. This was a class full of quality promising youngsters. Loved my winner for her overall balance, she has a lovely head, correctly angled in shoulder, good reach of neck, liked her barrel ribs and strong hind-quarters, best mover of the class.

2 Braddon’s TRENDLEWOOD TIGER LILY. Different type here, am sure these two have met many times, well-made all through, head not as feminine as the winner however it’s well balanced for skull to muzzle ratio. Good through the body and built on a smaller frame with correct length of loin. Liked her coat texture. Moved well.

3 Cary’s LANGANHOE LIBERTY BELL IN AQUADELL.

Yearling bitch (14,5)

1 Charlton’s FOXRUSH JANE AYRE JW. This yellow is full of breed type. She is balanced right through, although her head could be more feminine, she has a lovely eye shape and colour giving that kind expression, she is of correct size, and is balanced in profile, strong legs, well off for bone and stands on tight feet, best mover in the class to complete the picture.

2 Baron’s LANDEBEC CRAZY IN LOVE. Very attractive young yellow who I liked a lot. Not quite the animation of 1 but many breed points to admire. She has a good head, with strong fore and hind-quarters, super top line on this youngster. Moved well. Both 1 & 2 in good coat today.

3 young’s POTTERZURI CORAL FANTASY.

Maiden bitch (7,3)

1 Young & Parkes’ POTTERZURI MYSTIC ZENA. Liked this black for her shoulder angulation and excellent coat and texture. Could have more work in her head but still a young bitch and plenty of time to come. Great otter tail too.

2 Phillips’ ROCHEVALE GYPSY AT SHEENARON. This yellow at an awkward age but lots to admire, bitch built on a larger frame than 1 she is longer cast, she has a feminine head with good expression, covered ground on the move.

3 Manning’s OVERMARSH SEVENTH HOUR.

Novice bitch (15,4)

1 Lambert’s MATTAND MARGAUX. Youngster of 15 months in excellent coat of good texture, liked her balance through her body, correct barrel ribs and good over the loin, angulation at rear giving a balanced picture. Moved well.

2 Bishop’s THE GIRL IS FUN FROM LINJOR. As PB.

3 Braddon’s TRENDLEWOD TIGER LILY.

Undergraduate bitch (9,1)

1 Hodge’s NAIKEN GLASS SLIPPERS. Half-sisters the winners here. Very similar in type and not much to separate the two. The winner a lovely bitch with the edge on coat today, she has a smaller frame but so good over top line and loin, she has a lovely kind head and expression. Just a little more positive on the move.

2 Hoban’s MEADOWEIGH TURN BACK TIME. Liked this bitch very much, she has really good angulation in shoulder and rear quarters, strong but feminine, correct barrel ribs, lovely make and shape, not quite the coat of 1 today.

3 King & Johnson’s CREMINO COUNTRY CHARM.

Graduate bitch (17,7)

1 Braddon’s TRENDLEWOOD SHAPE OF YOU. Lovely glass of promising bitches. This bitch was in excellent coat which just gave her the edge, feminine head, good reach with clean neck, correct angulation in shoulder, balanced all through, legs sitting well under her body, better in second thigh than 2, moved well.

2 Lavelle’s CROSSCROYDE CHEKY EMMA. Really attractive feminine bitch who had definitely left her coat at home which affected her look in profile, however I found her to made well in construction on closer inspection. Loved her head with that beautiful kind eye and expression, superb reach of neck flowing into correct shoulders, she has plenty of time for maturity and am sure will be worth waiting for.

3 Mills’ JAYBEC WINTER WISPA JW

Post Graduate bitch (13,4)

1 Deane’s ABBEYSTEAD GLAMOUR AT TANRONENS. Another class of great bitches. My winner, a yellow of rising 4 years, was presented in great condition and fitness today. Lovely balance from nose to tail, she has a great head with good eye colour and shape, correct length of muzzle, clean in neck and good shoulders, of correct body length with good ribs and balanced hind-quarters, moved steadily to and fro covering the ground effortlessly. Coat of correct texture. RBCC. Congratulations.

2 Percival’s WYNFAUL NEW YEARS EVE JW. Attractive black whom I have admired from the ringside. Smaller package than 1 and she has the most lovely head and melting expression, preferred the fore-quarters of 1 but this bitch is great through her body. Found her coat texture to be a little soft today but she wasn’t in full coat. Nonetheless, a classic black, very attractive. Worthy placing.

3 Frazer’s SILMARILLION GONDOLIN.

Mid Limit bitch (14,4)

1 Edwards’ KIMBAJAK MISS JAZZ SWINGER JW. Another class where I was spoilt for choice. I found this yellow of two years to be on top form today. She presents a beautiful picture, while not always using her ears, when she does it tops off her feminine head and expression. She has correct skull to muzzle proportions, she has a great reach of neck going into well placed shoulders, barrelled ribs, very good over the loin being of correct body length, level top line and all this topped off by strong hind quarters with good second thigh. Moved well covering the ground with great reach and drive. Very pleased to award her the BCC, and later RBIS & BOS with the agreement of my co-judge. Congratulations.

2 Bradley’s NANCY’S SPECIAL TREASURE. Liked the overall balance of this bitch, she was in good coat (so many weren’t today) but just felt my winner was a touch more feminine in head and better on the move. This bitch however, has great balance with good angulation in shoulder and rear end. Good bone, she stands on legs placed well under her body and has tidy feet. Would prefer tighter wrapping to her tail.

3 Long’s CARPENNY PHEYA AT BALDEVS.

Limit bitch (16,6)

1 Percival’s WYNFAUL DANCING FLAME JW. More lovey bitches and thought provoking decisions. Another top class bitch from this breeder, I can see why she has done so well. Very typical of the breed, she has a super head, it’s feminine with a kind eye, she presents a great outline as she is balanced, good fore-quarters, a tad more angulation would make them better still, good angulation in hind-quarters with second thigh and straight hocks. Steady easy and clean mover.

2 Minchella’s ABBEYSTEAD PSION OF HASELORHILL. This black is built on a larger frame, she has a feminine head, not quite the angulation to her hind-quarters or as good in second thigh hence 1 had the edge. Lovely clean reach of neck, she has a good top line and moved easily coming and going. Typical Labrador disposition.

3 Baron’s MARIANK VANITY FAIR AT LANDEBEC.

Open bitch (12,3)

1 Harvey-Major’s HIT OF HIT CHOICE FOR VITA SOLARE AT LINJOR (IMP UKR) RU/UKR JCH. More tough decisions and some good bitches were cardless in this class. Attractive bitch who benefitted from settling in the class. She presents a good outline, gives a complete picture with her feminine head and expression, liked her strength in top line and over her loin as she is of correct body length, moved out well.

2 Minchella’s ABBEYSTEAD HOPE. Different in type to winner, this bitch was the best mover in the class, more moderate in construction, she has a gentle head and expression, liked her lay of shoulder. A true steady Labrador.

3 Stafford, Creamer, Beal & Creamer-Allison’s AM CH BELQUEST CONCLUSION PAPARAZZI (IMP USA).

Veteran bitch (12,7)

1 Coode’s WARRINGAH’S GULWARRA JW. Lovely to see the veterans enjoying their day out and these bitches were in very good form. My winner of 8 years, looking really well, very classic bitch, lovely head with good eye and kind expression, clean in neck she was fit and well-muscled, another who moved steadily both coming and going.

2 Shirton’s WOOLMAN PROPER CHARDONNAY. This yellow also of 8 years was a lovely old fashioned type, whilst out of coat it didn’t distract from her merits, she too has a lovely head, good length of muzzle, loved her overall balanced and she moved true and steady.

3 Jones’ LEMBAS FAITH AT SERENJAR

Field Trial bitch (0)

Special Working bitch (2,1)

1 Hodge’s CH NAIKEN ETOILE (AI). Another lovely bitch from these breeders. This bitch was looking well, although she may benefit from losing a kilo as found her to be a little heavy in neck and shoulder. Despite this, she has a truly feminine head with lovely eye shape and colour, very complimentary to her coat colour. Good strong bone, she stands on strong legs with tidy feet, super otter tail and she moved true and positively.

Lucy Kent.