Welsh Springer Spaniel Club Of South Wales

Welsh Springer Spaniel Club of South Wales

Open Show 12/02/2023

I was thrilled to be invited to judge and had the most enjoyable of days, thank you to the extremely hard working Committee and stewards and to the generous exhibitors for giving me such a memorable day. Temperaments on all the dogs was fantastic with lots of enthusiastically wagging tails, I found it difficult to stop smiling at their sheer joie de vivre.

Veteran Dog (8:3)

What a wonderful first class

1st Ellis’s SH CH Shannara Total Eclipse SHCM. 7 years old in cracking condition, loved his classic outline and balanced head. Gentle eye of the correct colour, a good width of backskull with a nicely shaped ear leading on to a firm neck. Good layback of shoulder, firm topline which he held well on the move, Strong rear gave driving action and an ever wagging tail, finished off in a beautiful silky coat. BVIS

2nd Blackford’s Amblelight Galatea Substantial 8 year old with good head planes and length and depth of muzzle. Strong through the neck to a well shaped front, deep through the rib and a broad rump. Moved out straight and true.

3rd Barkley’s SH CH Cherryheath's Mr Mischief JW SHCM VW

Puppy Dog (1)

1st Clarke’s Tigerrock Tick Tick Boom Precocious 9 month old full of life and enthusiasm, he was certainly out to have fun but behaved with a bit of gentle handling. Good length to muzzle which was balanced out by the backskull, bright, nicely set hazel eye , flowed through the neck and shoulder, enough front for his age, good bone and feet. He was all in proportion and once settled showed drive and a lovely profile action. BPIS

Junior Dog (2)

1st Clarke’s Tigerrock Tick Tick Boom (repeat of puppy)

2nd Stone’s Kidenoan Mark Time for Merrem JW. 16 months and at a bit of a rangier stage today, a touch more weight might help him balance out. Typical head with a well shaped skull and kind expression, flowed well through the neck and topline with balanced angulation. Strong bone and good feet gave a positive movement.

Yearling Dog (2)

A difficult class as both were needing to mature and finish

1st Evans’s Glenbrows Born to Be. I liked his masculine head with an alert expression and well shaped ear, Clean neck leading to a firm topline just needs to mature in rib. Pleasing bone and a nice strong foot. Settled on the move with plenty of drive.

2nd Hillard’s Benoveor No Easy Way Out. I found this boy to be a bit raw all through for me today, he is nicely shaped and has everything in the right place but needs to strengthen and mature and put his mind to the task of showing which I’m sure he will do with time.

Novice Dog (3:1)

1st Clarke’s Tigerrock Tick Tick Boom (repeat of puppy)

2nd Bennet’s Cerysan Crusader. 22 months he was a little shorter in overall length than I prefer but had good bone and rib and a firm topline which he held on the move.

Post Graduate Dog (2)

1st Piggot’s Hudolus Sealkiss Strumble Well made dog with a kind eye, for me he is a little broader in skull than my ideal but he has a good length of foreface and good underjaw. Strong through the neck and shoulder with deep, well sprung rib. Firm through the topline held well on the move with a pleasing rear action.

2nd Jones’ Trosley Tamoshanter. Not quite as balanced in overall length as 1st, he has a kind, masculine head and a firm neck flowing through to a good topline. Strong rear quarters but tended to crab a little on the move

Limit Dog (2)

1st Gough’s Julita Rukester Two very different types in this class and this boy was more to my taste, kind in head and eye with a soft expression, just a touch heavier in ear. Strong neck which flowed well into his topline, good depth and spring of rib leading to a broad rump. A touch proud of his tail on the move but showed good drive.

2nd Bennet’s Helgen Romeo The Lover for Flyboron Balanced in head with a gentle eye and a well shaped ear. Deep in chest with good bone and feet, pleasing width of thigh with strong propulsion on the move

Open Dog (2)

1st Williams’ SH CH Isfryn Spot the Difference Trebettyn Such a classy dog, I cannot deny he is a dog I have liked in the past but today I looked at him with a totally fresh eye and for me he certainly fit the brief of what I look for in a WSS. He has lovely head proportions and a bright, cheeky eye just full of personality. From nose to tail he just flows with depth and spring of rib, so balanced in angulation with lovely bone and feet. He has excellent reach and a great profile action finished with drive from the rear. He was undeniably on the best form today BD and BIS

2nd Clarke’s Tigerrock Magic Woundabout JW SHCEX A glamorous young boy who pushed the winner hard, put down in fabulous condition with a masculine head and bright, kind eye. He has a good length of muzzle with a balanced amount of backskull. Strong, clean neck and shoulder with plenty of rib under a firm topline and a well muscled rear. Clean and true on the move RBD and RBIS

Class 10 - Special Beginners Dog (4)

1st Woodham’s Tobermyn Minstrel Boy 10 year old, a touch heavier than my ideal but still maintained strength in his topline. Kind head and eye with a tidy well shaped ear. Moved well off strong bone and tight feet.

2nd Piggot’s Hudolus Sealkiss Strumble ( repeat of Pgrad)

3rd Bennet’s Cerysan Crusader

Special Working Dog (3:1)

1st Smith’s Isfryn Peeping Tom JW In rock hard condition with fabulous muscle but not overdone in any way. I loved his classic head which had balance and depth. Strong through the neck and shoulder with deep ribs and an excellent topline. Cracking reach and drive on the move he was in serious consideration for top honours just tended to straighten his stifle when standing.

2nd Barkley’s Cherryheath's Mr Mojit Another in great condition, you could certainly tell this was a working class, I really liked his rich colour and balanced outline, good length of muzzle with a well shaped eye. Strong neck and shoulder, plenty of rib topping off good bone and feet. Showed true movement.

Veteran Bitch (2)

1st Barkley’s Cherryheath's Miss Velocity JW. Well built 7 year old bitch with a feminine balanced head and a sweet eye.Sturdy through the neck and shoulder with a deep chest and good bone. Broad in rump with a strong driving movement, just lost her topline a little on occasions.

2nd Mcilwaine & Reynolds’ Glenbrows Loyalty To Benoveor (AI). A finer bitch than my winner with a very pretty head and sparkling eye.Clean neck leading to laid back shoulders, not quite as strong in front as my winner. I liked her spring of rib and well shaped feet. She showed a good profile action but not as balanced on the fore and aft.

Junior Bitch (1)

1st Blackford’s Amblelight Adhara Charming little bitch with a very feminine, balanced head, just a touch heavier in ear. Lovely front assembly with enough bone and well shaped feet. Still a little raw at this time and this showed on the move but once she settled she showed a pleasing profile.

Novice Bitch (1)

1st Blackford’s Amblelight Adhara (repeat of Junior)

Post Graduate Bitch (3)

1st Morgan’s Benoveor Endless Love A lot of colour on this girl means you have to look that bit harder at her but she is really well made with a pleasing outline. Kind head with work in it, just needs to finish. Clean through the neck and shoulder flowing well into a strong topline. Enough depth of rib with clean bone and feet. She struggled a little on the move but once she relaxed she showed her true movement.

2nd Lockie’s Benoveor Truly to Gwirgariad. Pleasing in head with a well shaped eye, balanced in outline with depth of body and firm muscling. Broad thigh and good bone. A little reluctant on the move but settled on the final go around

3rd Ferguson’s Julita Raindance At Teaselwood

Limit Bitch (4:1)

1st Mcilwaine & Reynolds Benoveor Can't Buy Me Love This bitch certainly gave her handler a hard time, if they could learn to work together they would present a great picture. She has lovely breed type with good head planes and a tidy ear. She flowed through the neck and shoulder with plenty of rib and clean bone. My notes say pocket rocket on the move and she certainly had lots of drive but does let herself down a little running into her lead as it spoils her outline. She has so much to like she earned herself RBB.

2nd Williams’ Crimicar Stand by Me for Bodlon Not quite as balanced in head as my winner but she has a kind eye with good backskull. Strong in neck with a deep chest just a touch longer in coupling. Excellent bone and feet with a broad rear. Move well just not quite as firm in topline.

3rd Johnston’s Nalydris Hakuna Matata

Open Bitch (4)

1st Clarke’s SH CH Crimicar She's Electric with Tigerrock JW I just loved this girl for size and shape. The sweetest of heads with a sparkling eye, she flowed through the neck and shoulder with all the right angles and a strong topline. She has a lovely deep chest with plenty of rib and the best of legs and feet. Kept her topline well on the move with a lovely profile, when it came to the top honours I felt for me she was carrying a fraction too much weight so the boys just edged her. BB and BOS

2nd Jones’ SH CH Julita Rumours at Trosley A beautiful bitch with a really great outline, so feminine in head with a sweet expression. Lovely reach of neck flowing cleanly into her shoulders and on through her topline. She has lovely angles front and rear and I was very taken with her but she was a little unbalanced on the move and on looking at her rear on she was not quite evenly muscled.

Class 21 - Special Beginners Bitch (1)

1st Morgan’s Benoveor Endless Love (repeat PGrad)

Judge Carol Moore (Gadhelic)