Cheshire Agricultural Society

The Royal Cheshire County Show Premier Open Show

Tuesday 20th June 2023 (Day 1) 

Miss M Lewis (Fairwinds)

Retriever (Golden), Adult Handling Association (Sporting) & Junior Handling (Sporting) critiques

Golden Retrievers

Puppy Dog (1)

1st Liggins & Hodges SWANAVLY’S POPSY’S LEGACY AT NUNSBROOK (IMP SRB) NAF. A well proportioned, cream dog aged 11 months. He has a lovely soft expression with dark pigmentation and a good reach of neck. Level topline and short coupled with a good depth of chest. Stood straight all around and moved accurately. Best Puppy Dog.

Junior Dog (4, 2a)

1st Liggins & Hodges SILVER PASSION GLAM FASHION AT NUNSBROOK (IMP DEU) JW. This cream boy has a lovely head, well balanced with good pigment. His length of neck is well in proportion with his body. Good forechest and well sprung ribs. His topline flows into his well set tail which gives this dog a great profile on the move which he did with drive.

2nd Reid SYBITON GINGER NUT. A 15 month old gold dog with a very clean outline. Well laid back in shoulder with good return of upper arm. Strong in his topline with well sprung ribs. Nicely angled hindquarters. Moved powerfully around the ring, though I would’ve preferred him to be more accurate behind.

Post Graduate Dog (6)

1st Kipps WHEATCROFT RAINBOW. A 2 year old dog with a cream coat and clean outline. Well balanced, masculine head with soft expression and dark pigment. Correct reach of neck into well laid back shoulders and good forechest. Stood level in his topline, flowing into his tail which he carried well on the move. Strong in his hindquarters. Moved freely. Reserve Best Dog.

2nd Burrows DILWORTHY SECRET SANTA. A 2 year old dog, a little more mature in body with lovely dense cream coat. Very soft expression with dark features. Good neck and super forechest, standing with his legs well under his body. Level topline with well sprung ribs and correctly set tail. Accurate on the move.

Limit Dog (2, 1a)

1st Riley WYLLOH LOST IN TRANSLATION JW. A 3 year old dog, well feathered in his gold coat. Well chiselled head with soft expression. Lovely reach of neck into well laid back shoulders and his level topline. Good length and spring of rib. Nicely angulated hindquarters with strong feet. Moved steadily but accurately around the ring.

 Open Dog (3, 1a)

1st Gerhold NAVILIS NOUVEAU VENU (IMP UKR) JW. A 2.5 year old dog in a profuse light gold, wavy coat. Masculine in head with a soft, happy expression and dark pigment. Well balanced all round from his neck to his forechest, to his depth of ribcage and short coupling, to his hindquarters. I liked his substance and he stands straight on strong feet. Moved with good drive and accuracy which won him Best Dog & BOB.

2nd Reid SYBITON GINGER NUT. 2nd in Junior Dog.

Puppy Bitch (3, 2a)

1st Rodgers AMBERSUN PASSIONE OF ODARLA. A cream bitch of nearly 10 months. Feminine all through with great body for her age. Well balanced head with dark pigment. Good reach of neck with correct shoulders and forechest. She has a nice depth of chest and strong, nicely angled hindquarters. Stood on neat feet. Moved with drive around the ring. Best Puppy Bitch & BPIB.

Junior Bitch (3, 1a)

1st Trafford ASTLEYFOLD SPRING PRIMROSE. A mid gold bitch of 14 months in lovely condition with good substance. She has a pretty head, set on her good reach of neck. Stands straight with her legs well under her body. Level in topline with correct tailset. Nicely angulated hindquarters. Moved well when settled. Reserve Best Bitch.

2nd Harvey SHEBELTA SWEET CHARLOTTE. A cream bitch approaching 15 months who I think may have left her coat at home. She is feminine all through and has a balanced head. Well laid back shoulders into a solid topline. She has nicely angulated stifles and stands straight on neat feet. Moved freely.

Post Graduate Bitch (10, 7a)

1st Staniland JOHANNSON SAINT BEATRICH. A mid gold bitch approaching 9 years old in good condition. Well chiselled head with good pigment set on a correct reach of neck. Level in topline with a nice tailset and she carried both well on the move. Nicely laid back shoulders. Stood straight all around. Moved freely.

2nd Wyard BERMARY AGATHA CHRISTIE AT BRANDELLE. A 2.5 year old bitch in lovely cream coat. Correct reach of neck flowing into her level topline with good tailset. Nice depth of chest. Good bend of stifle and width of second thigh. Stood straight all around on catlike feet. Would prefer her head to have more of a stop.

 Limit Bitch (6, 2a)

1st Nelson CADWST ETERNAL FLAME. A nearly 4 year old gold bitch who’s nicely angulated in both her fore and hindquarters. She has a well proportioned head with plenty of neck. Her shoulders sit back flowing nicely into her level topline and tailset. Stood straight on neat, strong feet. Moved accurately with drive which resulted in her being awarded Best Bitch & RBOB.

2nd Trafford WYNRITA MISTI DAZE AT ASTLEYFOLD. A gold bitch approaching 5 years old. Loved her substance and overall balance. She has a well chiselled head with dark pigment. Correct forechest and good spring of rib with a level topline. Good bend of stifle. Moved well in profile but not as accurate as 1st.

Open Bitch (4, 2a)

1st Trafford WYNRITA MISTI DAZE AT ASTLEYFOLD. 2nd Limit Bitch.

2nd Staniland TERRA FIORA VLANTI DELIMAR (IMP RUS). A 6 year old cream bitch, nicely feminine in head with strong neck and good forechest. She has well sprung, deep ribs with a short coupling. She stood straight on strong feet. Moved soundly but needed some more drive - not helped by the poor weather which she really wasn’t keen on.

Adult Handling Association

17 - 30 Years (7, 5a)

1st Georgina Mellor handling a Flatcoated Retriever. I was looking for handlers who quietly and calmly get the best out of their dog in a way that would be typical for the breed and this is what Georgina did. She communicated with her dog all the time and kept a close eye on my position in the ring. Her Flatcoat was always freestood well and moved at a good pace with tidy corners. The teeth were shown clearly and this handler was dressed smartly to complement her dog. Best Adult Handler - well done.

2nd Ellen Higginbottom handling a Whippet. Similarly to 1, Ellen communicated well with her dog which showed in their free flowing performance. This handler dressed smartly to complement her dog and was very polite. The teeth were shown well and Ellen moved her dog at a good pace whilst making use of the ring space.

31 - 45 Years (8, 4a)

1st Lisa Ellams handling a Whippet. A tidy, polite handler who ensured her dog took centre stage throughout the class with nice encouragement and showed the teeth neatly. Moved at a steady pace around the ring with a lovely straight up and down, returning a nice distance away from me.

 2nd Leigh Gleave handling a Lakeland Terrier. Another very smart, polite handler with very little to separate from 1 other than a slight tendency to overstretch the dog. Leigh moved her dog at a great pace and used the size of the ring well with tidy lines. She also showed the teeth clearly and communicated positively with her dog throughout.

46 - 60 Years (5, 2a)

1st Janine Wilkinson handling a Whippet. A calm and quiet, very neat performance is how I’d summarise this lady’s handling today. Her Whippet was always well stacked and the teeth were shown well. Moved steadily with good corners. Dressed smartly in colours which complimented her dog.

2nd Kirsty Watts handling a Chesapeake Bay Retriever. A very good handler who got the best from her dog with good communication. Moved at the right pace for the dog and showed me the teeth very clearly. I would have preferred the lead to be held inside the palm of the hand instead of being wrapped around but otherwise a very nice job!

61 Years and Over (11, 7a)

1st Judith Davidson handling a Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla. A smartly presented handler who stacked her dog accurately and sympathetically. On the move, the dog was gaited at the right pace and Judith moved along straight lines so I had a good view of the dog’s front and rear action. Kept an eye on my position in the ring and shadowed lightly when needed.

2nd Alison Handley handling a Whippet. Another gentle handler who communicated with her dog well throughout the class. Alison stacked her dog gently and accurately and made nice use of the ring space on the move. Lines were not quite as straight as 1.

Junior Handling (Sporting)

6 - 11 Years (9, 4a)

1st Darcie Fleming handling a Whippet. A very polite and smartly dressed handler to complement her dog. She stacked her dog very nicely and didn’t obstruct my view of her dog at any point. The teeth were shown clearly and Darcie’s triangle and up and down were very neat with tight corners. Her performance flowed calmly but efficiently, well done.

2nd Gosia Buchwald handling a Whippet. A polite handler who stacked her dog sympathetically. The teeth were shown very nicely and Gosia moved the dog at the right pace whilst making nice use of the ring space. She kept an eye on my position throughout and listened well to everything I asked of her with a lovely rapport with her dog, well done.

12 - 16 Years (4, 2a)

1st Maddie Buchwald handling a Whippet. A great handler, smartly dressed in a red suit which complemented her dog well. Her dog was stacked very neatly with a gentle approach. Nice lead control throughout the class and the dog’s teeth were shown clearly. On the move Maddie made nice use of the ring space with straight lines and neat corners. Best Junior Handler.

2nd Avaline Daniels handling a Cocker Spaniel. A gentle handler who had a great rapport with her dog. She stacked her dog very neatly with good control of the lead. Although her dog was a little reluctant on the move at times, she kept calm and encouraged him along to a good pace.

Judge: Miss M Lewis (Fairwinds)