South Western Golden Retriever Club

South Western Golden Retriever Championship Show, 19th March 2023.

Golden Retriever, dogs.

First of all I would love to thank the SWGRC committee for inviting me to judge at their well organized show. The showground was very lovely, big rings and the atmosphere amongst the exhibitors was pleasant and relaxed. To judge in the UK is always an honour but to judge at a Breed Championship Show is even more special. It was lovely to judge together with Henric, who has taught me everything as my mentor in Golden Retrievers. We had no difficulties to agree in the afternoon in the Best in Show awards judging. I have to say I was somewhat disappointed and concerned about the overall quality in the younger classes. The quality was very mixed, I even had to withhold in the Minor Puppy Dog class, this was not something I wanted to do, but had to do for the sake of the breed. The lower quality might just have been at this particular show, but as it is the future of the breed it is good to keep an eye on this. There were many lovely dogs in the older classes, both in dogs and the few bitches I have seen during the day, so the breeding material is there.

VD (7,1) 1. Joy Mrs M SHARDANELL JUST LIKE THAT What a lovely veteran shown in fantastic condition. He stood out with the most pleasing head and kind expression, excellent muzzle and well chiselled. Good reach of neck with a solid topline which he kept on the move. Balanced angulations fore and aft, deep in body with excellent substance. Strong bone and nice feet. He really moved like a youngster with excellent lengthy footfall in front and drive behind with lovely tailaction. Very nice coat and condition, a real pleasure picture to look at and we had no hesitation to award him Best Veteran in Show. It was lovely to read that he was also the father of my Best Puppy Dog.

2. Trinder Mr A SH CH THORNYWAIT SAN VALENTINO JW ShCM Another lovely veteran with excellent size and proportions. Very nice masculine head with lovely expression, good strength in muzzle, excellent set of neck, strong topline and correct tailset, very well angulated both ends, good depth in body with adequate substance, strong bone and good feet. Moved out really well, correct coat and texture and such a pleasant ringpresence.

3. Gerhold Mrs J SH CH JAYMARDY INDIGO PACIFIC JW

MPD (2,0) 1. Withheld, 2. Withheld

PD (9,2) 1. Henson Mr K CINDERBANK MOVE IT A very promising young lad, who kept coming back in three different classes and ended the day winning all of them. Beautiful type and so well balanced in his outline. Lovely masculine well chiselled head with a little bit cheeky expression, you could see the joy in his eyes which captivated me. Correct set of neck and solid in topline on the stack. Adequate frontassembly with straight frontlegs and pasterns, well angulated hindquarters, excellent depth in body with good spring of ribs, short coupled. He moved with balanced reach and drive and kept a good topline on the move. Very nice puppycoat, he had lots of it, very nice temperament. He became my Best Puppy Dog.

2. Kinmond Mr LD & Mrs CS FERNWYCHE RAY OF SUNSHINE Nice puppy, excellent size, masculine head that still needs time to break, kind expression, enough neck, good topline, a bit straight in shoulders, excellent upperarm, excellent hindquarters, excellent deep body with good spring of rib, nice bone and feet, moved out really well with great action and attitude. Beautiful coat and condition.

3. Murray Mrs K SHEBELTA SWEET TALKIN' GUY JW

JD (10,0) 1. Henson Mr K CINDERBANK MOVE IT.

2. Robertshaw Mrs VA & Miss C AKENSCALES BEAU BARON Beautiful up to size boy with lots to like about him, masculine head that still needs time to break, dark eyes, excellent set of neck, correct laid back of shoulder, solid back, just a touch sloping in croup on the move, balanced angulations, solid bone, strong and powerful body, powerful mover, immaculate coat and condition, just like to see a bit more attitude.

3. Kinmond Mr LD & Mrs CS FERNWYCHE RAY OF SUNSHINE

YD (11,2) 1. Kipps Mr G & Mrs L WHEATCROFT RAINBOW, WOW what a superstar in this young class. This young fellow just stood out in the class and completes my expectations when I think of the word balance. He ticked so many of “my boxes” when I think of a topclass Golden Retriever. Excellent size and proportions. Beautiful head and an expression that captivated my eye. Fantastic set of neck into textbook lay back of shoulder, solid topline which he also kept on the move, balanced angulations in front and excellent hindquarters. Good depth in body with excellent spring of rib, short coupled, strong bone, lovely feet. He moved with such ease and groundcovering movement and could have kept going on for hours and I could have watched him doing it all the time. Very nice coat and texture, coming into full bloom. In the line up for the challenge my eyes kept being drawn to him despite his young age. But since he just presented the next most balanced dog I was looking for, I award him the RCC and I have no doubts we will hear lots from him in the future. I certainly will keep my eye on him, since I especially got excited about this young boy.

2. Haines Mr D LEIGHSHAM TULLAMORE JW Very nice young boy with lovely masculine head and expression, correct set of neck, solid topline with correct tailset, well angulated quarters fore and aft, excellent spring of rib, just a touch long in loin, solid bone and neat feet, very nice silhouette being stacked, moved out with good reach and drive, lovely glamourous coat and condition.

3. Rideout Miss L GABLECROSS MEET ON THE LEDGE

MD (7,3) 1. Kinmond Mr LD & Mrs CS FERNWYCHE RAY OF SUNSHINE.

2. Kirkup Dr SE & Highman Mr AP COLDHARBOUR CANDY CANE A young boy coming forward from another class where he was 4th. Nice size, well shaped masculine head, a bit short in neck, good topline and tailset. Enough angulation in front and ok hindquarters, just needs to develop in forechest and settle in hocks on the move. Good dept in body, short coupled. Adequate coat and condition, lovely temperament.

3. Cope Mrs J DECHAMBAEU DREAMER

ND (5,1) 1. Henson Mr K CINDERBANK MOVE IT

2. Robertshaw Mrs VA & Miss C AKENSCALES BEAU BARON

3. Kinmond Mr LD & Mrs CS FERNWYCHE RAY OF SUNSHINE

UGD (6,1) 1. Gulliver Mrs S TONARA MOON WALK Very compact male, rather broad in skull, very good foreface and dark eyes. Enough length in neck, excellent topline and tailset, a bit straight in frontangulation, well angulated hindquarters, excellent body and substance with good spring of rib. Moves with excellent sidegait, just needs to settle in front, good coat and texture, lovely temperament. 2. Hurrell Mr & Mrs A KADAKA KAOS AT GILLANSGOLD Smaller sized male, rather strong in overall appearance. Masculine, quite strong head, a touch light in eye, good muzzle, excellent set of neck, strong topline and good tailset, balanced angulations, lovely body and substance, good bone, moved out with good reach and drive, good coat.

3. Gargan Mrs G SIAGAR SINATRA

GD (11,2) 1. Baxter Miss BM & Riley Mr NP BERMARY CAPTAIN HASTINGS JW , Male of excellent size, just a touch plain in head, kind expression, excellent set of neck, good laid back shoulder, excellent upperarm, strong hindquarters, lovely body and substance, powerful bone, moved with excellent sidegait with a solid topline, glamourous coat and condition.

2. Carter Mrs S & Mstrs E & A & Mr J KADAKA KAULDRUN JW Compact male of very good type, strong masculine head, rather pronounced cheeks, good expression, good neck and solid topline with correct tailset, balanced angulations, good depth in body with strong loin, moved with enough drive and good reach in front. Lovely coat and condition and nice temperament.

3. Brown Mr MR & Mrs S IPCRESS ORACLE

PGD (9,2) 1. Gerhold Mrs J NAVILIS NOUVEAU VENU (IMP UKR) JW , Rather compact male, strong overall outline, a touch round in skull, soft expression, excellent muzzle, lovely set of neck flowing into to a strong topline and correct tailset, adequate frontassembly, well angulated hindquarters, good depth in body with excellent spring of rib, strong and powerful bone, moved out with excellent reach and drive, put up a very energetic performance, lovely coat and condition.

2. Layland Mr ML & Mrs T & Miss LA APPLECOTE HEARTS DESIRE Lovely male with excellent size, well shaped head and kind expression, enough neck, good topline on the stack, balanced angulations, lovely body and substance, just a touch long in loin, excellent bone and feet, moved out well with good reach and drive, just could be a bit more solid all over. Very nice coat and condition.

3. Taylor Mr P LAURENLEY LEON

MLD (7,3). 1. Bawden MBE Miss CL BALSAMINA BEACHCOMBER AT DARTHILL JW Beautifully, balanced well presented male, a pretty picture to look at. Very nice head and kind expression, correct set of neck, strong topline and tailset, Excellent shoulders and angles in upperarm, strong hindquarters, good bone and substance, adequate bone. Moved with lovely reach in front, could do with a touch more drive behind, glorious coat and condition, very nice temperament.

2. Bates Mr J & Mrs H AKENSCALES WATERLOO Very nice male of excellent type, excellent size, well shaped masculine head, good reach of neck, adequate frontassembly, strong hindquarters, lovely body and substance, nice bone and good feet. Moved with power and drive, just not in tiptop coatcondition on the day.

3. Norris Mrs S FENPINQUE MAGNUM OPUS AT MOLESTREAM JW

LD (7,1) 1. Clarke-Gear Mrs VB OUSEVALE TOBERMORY JW Beautiful well made boy with lots to like. Lovely masculine well shaped head with kind expression, textbook angulations, correct set of neck, lovely topline and tailset, excellent body and substance, moved out with excellent reach and drive, very good coat and condition on the day, he certainly was in my mind for top honours, just unfortunate on the day to meet the others, but I am sure we will hear from him in the future.

2. Clarkson Mrs FM DRUMKILTY QUEST FOR STARDOM (RE IMP) Up to size male with a lovely outline, very nice masculine head with lovely expression, good set of neck, solid topline, good tailset, just a bit proud of his tail on the move. Fantastic frontassembly, enough hindquarters, strong and powerful body with excellent spring of ribs, strong bone, moved with great extension in front, enough drive in hindquarters, very nice coat and condition.

3. Keene Mr JC & Mrs EM SHINEHILL SNOW PATROL

OD (10,4) 1. Kipps Mr G & Mrs L SH CH CADWST FLASH FLAME TO WHEATCROFT Ask me to describe my ideal Golden Retriever and I will tell people to take a look at this dog. My eyes were drawn to him like a magnet as soon as he entered the ring with such confidence, happiness and never put a foot wrong despite being handled during the day by two different people. He is so balanced, he just showed himself with the least effort of any of the handlers. He stands for size, balanced and correct proportions shown in absolutely immaculate coat and condition. He has the most pleasing head and expression, the look in his eyes made me smile, excellent set of neck and solid strong topline, so balanced in his angulations and perfect body and substance, strong bone. It is on the move where he shines like a star, he simply couldn’t be overlooked and his will to please was so obvious since he managed to pull the same performance with any of his handlers. I was so please to award him the CC and together with Henric we decided he was the absolute best Golden Retriever on the day! I am honoured I could judge him and whenever I think of him still today, I get a smile on my face.

2. Savage Ms K CH/IR SH CH WEISFORD GUILTY AS SIN A very well balanced true Golden Retriever, well made with a nice outline. Masculine head with very kind expression, enough chiselling throughout, excellent set of neck, super topline and tailset, balanced angulations, lovely body and substance, moved out with excellent sidegait and shown in glorious condition, such a lovely temperament with lots of will to please.

3. Archibald Mr FP & Mrs E & Miss EL SH CH ABINVALE FIRESTORM (AI)

SBD (5,0). 1. Hurrell Mr & Mrs A KADAKA KAOS AT GILLANSGOLD

2. Kirkup Dr SE & Highman Mr AP COLDHARBOUR CANDY CANE

3. Moore Miss S PURBARN FRIENDS TOGETHER

Sjoerd Jobse

Sweden