Crufts

Crufts 

NEC

Birmingham 

9th March 2023

Golden Retriever Bitches

It was a privilege and an honour to be invited to judge Golden Retriever Bitches at Crufts after judging this breed for thirty years at Championship show level. Thank you all for this wonderful quality entry which I greatly enjoyed judging, many of the classes had such a depth of quality hairsplitting decisions had to be made. A big thank you must go to my ring stewards for keeping me and the ring in order through out the day. I have judge this wonderful breed at many top quality shows in many countries, but this Crufts bitch entry was a judging experience I will always remember.

Veteran (42/19a)

Outstanding class with such a depth of quality 

1st Sh Ch Linirgor Violets Are Blue JW 

Have judge this top quality female back in 2017 when I awarded her the CC, such a pleasure to have the opportunity to judge her now as a veteran, love her feminine balanced head with true soft expression, she is well angulated fore and aft has excellent overall balance with a firm level topline, just loved her effortless ground covering movement with reach and drive. RCC and with my co judges full approval BVIB.

2nd Ch/Int/Pt/Esp Ch Jakos Tribute To Lar De Casanova Wv22ew16ejw15Ptch

Top quality rising 9 year old female who looked the complete picture stood and on the move, she has a feminine balanced head, lengthy neck into well laid shoulders, a strong level topline, is short coupled, with well turned stifles, she was presented and handled to perfection.

3rd Sh Ch Fergusglen Dancing Queen At Lamancha JW ShCM

Another top quality 9 year old female with great overall balance and super construction, she too also looked good on the move in her excellent coat and condition.

Minor Puppy (3/0a)

1st Terra Di Siena Tokio Blues

Elegant young lady with the most feminine head and expression, superb reach of neck into correct lay of shoulder, short coupled, adequate turn of stifle, looked so good on the move to take this competitive class.

2nd Cherrygold Storytellen

Lovely female who was giving her handler such a very hard time especially on the move, loved her feminine head and expression, she is nicely balanced with good angulation, was in excellent coat and condition.

3rd Warrentor Nohkalikai

Another lovely youngster also giving her handler a hard time, shame she left the ring with out a critique. 

Puppy (12/2a)

1st Drumkilty Yours Truly 

Loved this youngster overall balance and construction, she has the loveliest of feminine heads on clean lengthy neck, straightest of fronts, is short coupled with correct rear angulation, her movement was so sound and true for one so young, showing great promise, pleased to award her BPB and with my co judge BPIB.

2nd Wynrita Smoke’n Mirrors

Balanced young lady with most lovely feminine head, adequate length of neck into well placed shoulders, correct topline and tail set, good rear angulation, another who moved positive and true.

3rd Alibren Majestic Dawn

Compact youngster with lovely feminine balanced head on adequate length of neck, level topline into correct tail set, short coupled, well turned stifles, another very sound positive mover which she produced to win undergraduate.

Junior (29/5a)

1st Haydengold Gossip Girl JW

Balanced female of lovely type, she has a well proportioned feminine head with gentle expression, strong level topline, good spring of rib, is short coupled, with excellent turn of stifle, she moved with reach and drive, shown in excellent condition, moved sound and true.

2nd Tullochmohr Shooting Star At Glynerva JW

Well constructed female with excellent overall balance, well proportioned feminine head typical in expression, clean neck into well placed shoulders, short in loin, well angulated quarters, looked good on the move, handled to perfection, close call with one.

3rd Xanthos Whistle Dixie

Another balanced female with lovely feminine head, she has clean reachy neck into well laid shoulders, level topline, good turn of stifle, moved out very sound and true but just lacked the coat of the first two on the day  

Special Yearling (39/5a)

1st Linirgor Nine To Five

Stunning well balanced young lady with the most loveliest of heads, she has a lengthy neck into well placed shoulders, good length of upper arm, is short in loin with excellent rear angulation, moved so well from her strong quarters.

2nd Olvinglay Varenna

Another stunner who was so similar to one, she has a well proportioned head on clean neck, excellent construction both fore and aft, a firm level topline which she held on the move, just loved her clean overall balance.

3rd Thornywait Starstruck With Lovissa JW

Another quality feminine who excels in overall balance, she is well constructed with excellent angulation, looked so sound and positive on the move.

Undergraduate (26/6a)

1st Alibren Majestic Dawn

(3rd in puppy)

2nd Hameldowntor She Loves Me

Sound moving female with lovely balanced feminine head typical in expression, straight forelegs, level topline deep chest, excellent turn of stifle with neat hocks, moved true with drive.

3rd Goldmarker Xenobia (ai)

Compact female with lovely chiselled feminine head, she has straight front is short coupled with adequate rear angulation, looking good on the move.

Graduate (21/5a)

1st Olvinglay Gloria Dei

Top quality feminine bitch with well proportioned feminine head on clean lengthy neck, she has excellent angulation both fore and aft, has a firm topline which she held on the move, I just loved her clean overall balance, looking a complete picture on the move with her ground covering movement, I considered her for top honours.

2nd Ashbyglen Enchantee JW

Another of top quality female shown in excellent coat and condition, she has a balanced feminine head, good reach of neck, excellent level topline, good spring of rib, is well angulated front and rear, looked excellent on the move, unlucky to meet one on top form.

3rd Pinkerly Jones Legend

Balanced girl typical in head and expression, firm level topline, deep chest, short in loin well rounded quarters, another who looked excellent on the move.

Post Graduate (19/4a)

1st Ambersun Heart Of Gold 

Well constructed female with ultra feminine head and soft gentle expression, she is well angulated fore and aft with strong quarters, is short coupled, looking so good on the move with her excellent reach and drive to take this competitive class.

2nd Linirgor Beauly

Quality female with lovely head and expression, clean lengthy neck into good lay of shoulder, level back into correct tail set, excellent rear angulation, good width of quarters, moving so sound and true.

3rd Quakerhall Flare By Pandora

Another lovely feminine balanced headed girl, clean in neck, level topline, well ribbed, short coupled, strong well angulated quarters which produced her excellent driving movement.

Mid Limit (27/7a)

1st Linirgor Misty Mornings At Strathlon JW

Beautifully balanced bitch of high quality, she has a balanced head with gentle expression, reachy neck into well placed shoulders, excellent topline, is well angulated fore and aft, she is short coupled, has well angulated quarters with good second thigh, her movement was so sound and true, considered for top honours.

2nd Shearstone Riff Raff JW

Sound moving female with balanced feminine chiselled head, lengthy neck into a good lay of shoulder, straight forelegs, deep chest, strong quarters, covering the ground so well on the move.

3rd Contemporary Beguile Again Via Siatham 

Quality female of lovely type, feminine head with good dark eye, well laid shoulders, deep chest, firm topline, well turned stifles, just a shade longer than the first two, moved out sound and true.

Limit (19/10a)

1st Sundaula Kiss From A Rose (ai) JW

Lovely headed girl with melting expression, she is well balanced, excellent in front, neck and shoulders, deep chest, short in loin, moved out soundly from well angulated quarters of good width.

2nd Strathlon Sweet Sensation JW

Balanced female similar to one in size and shape but just a shade longer in loin, loved her feminine chiselled head on lengthy neck, she to moved out soundly with drive from her strong quarters.

3rd Rosinante Morwenna

Another with good overall balance, feminine head with good dark eye, correct tailset, deep chest, good width of quarters, sound on the move, but not quite as positive as the first two.

Open (32/7a)

1st Sh Ch Thornywait I Spy (ai) 

My outstanding star of the day who was an instant winner for me in this quality filled class. Presented in superb coat and condition looking the complete picture today, loved her most beautiful feminine chiselled head with gentle soft expression, she has such excellent overall balance, is so well constructed with correct angulation both fore and aft, just loved her effortless free flowing movement. CC & RBOB.                                                                                                                                                     I would have had no problem in sending her into group, but our final decision was to award the quality male BOB.

2nd Ir Sh Ch Abinvale Arrieta (ai)

Another star of the day who I consider for top honours, excellent feminine well proportioned head on reachy neck, well angulated at front and rear, firm level topline, such lovely overall balance, she looked excellent on the move covering the ground so well.

3rd Sh Ch Lovehayne Biljou Among Fairwinds JW

One I’ve had the pleasure of judging before, she’s such a quality female who is beautifully constructed with excellent angulation, she has a feminine balanced head with lovely expression,her movement today was OK but not so positive as the first two

Special Working Gundog (12/2a)

1st Pearly Irresistible Dust Du Bois Da La RayereTop quality girl who was Reserve in the Mid Limit class, she is nicely balance with good overall angulation, is feminine in head with good dark eye, she certainly moved well to win this class.

2nd Grain Of Gold Arwen Of Amilone (Imp Swe) SGWC

Another quality female new in this class, very similar to one in size and overall balance, she has a most lovely feminine head and expression, she too moved out very well, close call with one.

3rd Pl/ro Ch Trubliss All About That Bass Pl Jr Ch

Another feminine girl with lovely well proportioned head, she has good overall angulation and balance but not the coat of one and two, she was also new to this class.

Good Citizen Dog Scheme (29/13a)

1st Mossburn Golly Miss Molly JW

Such a lovely balanced female with the most loveliest balanced feminine head, she has a lengthy neck into well laid shoulders, level topline into a correct tail set, deep chest, is short coupled, with adequate turn of stifle, she moved covering the ground so well to take this class with ease.

2nd Catenae Candy Floss At Salako

This girl was VHC in the Graduate class, good size female with lovely feminine head and expression, clean in neck, level topline, good rear angulation, moved with good drive at the rear just a shade loose in front.

3rd Aymsbury Ashisha JW

Another lovely feminine headed girl, with good overall balance and angulation, she also had good driving movement at the rear but was also loose in front, was unplaced in a very strong Veteran class. 

Ray Strudwick. (Judge)