Birmingham Dog Show Society Ltd

Critique for LABRADOR males

Birmingham National

9th May 2024

It was a pleasure to judge this entry. Thank you to the exhibitors for the pleasure of judging your dogs, all shown in good condition. We couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful day weatherwise and the big, well mown rings with the in/out arrangements. Thank you to the committee of this go-ahead society for their hospitality.

Judging with Tony Floyd, who officiated over the bitch entry, was nostalgic as Tony was my co-judge 32 years ago at the WELKS when I awarded CCs for the first time. I was delighted to judge his bitch CC winner (now a veteran but only in age!) again as I awarded her a CC and BIS several years ago at a club show. She was in great form and is so totally correct all-through. She thoroughly deserved to be BOB and looked well in the group where she was shortlisted.

Class 327 SBD (6 Entries) Abs: 2

1st: 1184 EDWARDS, Mrs Alison Frewlings Justin Rose At Bearstone, black of 7 months, pleasing overall shape and balance, pleasing head, coat and tail, adequate bone, good topline and an extrovert showman, needs to settle on the move and could be more positive behind;

2nd: 1250 MACMILLAN, Mr Paul & MACMILLAN, Mrs Georga Ebeshb Call To Arms, nearly 4 years chocolate with excellent topline, coat and tail, good bone and substance but a little long in loin and plainer in head;

3rd: 1209 FOSTER, Mr Mark Rochevale Beal

Class 328 MPD (10 Entries) Abs: 1

There were several promising puppies here, but I thought 1 and 2 stood away. They both show lots of promise and it will be interesting to see how they develop.

1st: 1264 MCLELLAN, Mr & Mrs D & S Saranden I'm On Fire, yellow of just over 6 months, he came in with quiet confidence and was always standing right when I glanced across at him, on closer examination he has a pleasing head with good eye and length of muzzle, is well made in front with excellent bone and feet, good rib and short loin, excellent topline and very well angulated hindquarters with width of thigh, has a real double coat and correctly shaped tail, drives off the hocks and covers the ground in profile, narrowly defeated his litter sister for BP;

2nd: 1182 DRUGGAN, Miss K Balladoole Black Tie, this very promising black pushed hard and it was a close call, he has style and quality with a pleasing head and eye shape/colour, super coat and tail, excellent topline and tailset and adequate bone, covers the ground in profile and is already a confident showman, another one to watch;

3rd: 1297 SHARP, Mrs Allison H B Alliemhor Midnight Harmony

Class 329 PD (3 Entries) Abs: 2

1st: 1271 METCALFE, Mrs J & METCALFE, Mr A Baileydale Rocket Man, strong, masculine, handsome, well-grown yellow with good length of leg, very good body and rib, short loin, strong topline and well angulated hindquarters, although losing his coat it was clear that he had a double coat, confident showman and moved well in profile;

2nd: 1165 CHARLTON, Mrs J Foxrush Hot Gossip, well balanced yellow with clean neck, good bone and feet, body and rib, good width of thigh to his strong hindquarters, just preferred the side profile movement of 1;

Class 330 JD (5 Entries) Abs: 2

1st: 1284 PERKINS, Mrs S Mcfarwin's Grey Legacy By Keeninspires, upstanding, balanced yellow shown in good condition, strong topline, short coupled body, could be more coordinated on the move;

2nd: 1320 YOUNG, Ms Emma & PARKES, Ms Evie Potterzuri Mister Mufasa, yellow of similar type, pleasing size and substance, well bodied with good topline, didn’t quite cover the ground as 1;

3rd: 1254 MACMILLAN, Mr Paul & MACMILLAN, Mrs Georga Ebeshb Vision Shared

Class 331 YD (7 Entries) Abs: 2

1st: 1232 HOPKINSON, Mrs Marion Rocheby Squadron Leader, quality, medium sized yellow who is built in one piece, masculine head without a hind of coarseness, correct eye shape and colour, clean neck leading to good shoulders, adequate bone and pleasing feet, barrel rib and short loin, strong topline and well angulated hindquarters, moved straight and true;

2nd: 1307 TULLOCH, Mrs Diana Binnaig Bonnach For Tullochmohr, this young yellow also appealed and pushed hard, he is an extrovert showman who has scope and who presents an imposing outline on first glance, kind head, good legs and feet, super topline and tailset, good coat and tail, very good hindquarters that he uses to drive off well, just preferred the shorter loin of 1;

3rd: 1302 SMITH, Mrs S Meadowline Heartbreaker JW

Class 332 MD (4 Entries) Abs: 0

1st: 1297 SHARP, Mrs Allison H B Alliemhor Midnight Harmony, third in MPD, pleasing type with pleasing head and eye with good length of muzzle, correct coat with the right amount of bone, moved soundly;

2nd: 1192 EDWARDS, Ms Caroline M Kimbajak Royal Mint, yellow with pleasing outline, short coupled body with good topline, just needs time for head to develop;

Class 333 ND (8 Entries) Abs: 0

1st: 1206 FARRAR, Miss C J Henissy Truffle Trifle, black of pleasing type, shown in lovely condition, fit and well muscled which contributed to him being the best mover here;

2nd: 1290 REARDON, Miss Laura Rumhill Gladiator Of Othamcourt, upstanding black shown in good condition, pleasing head, deep ribbed body, less coordinated on the move and not quite the hindquarters;

3rd: 1267 MERRISON, Mrs Jennifer Oakenholt Altan

Class 334 GD (9 Entries) Abs: 1

1st: 1270 METCALFE, Mrs J & METCALFE, Mr A Rumhill Bertie Wooster By Baileydale JW, chocolate of pleasing size, make and shape, pleasing head shape with good length of muzzle, strong neck into good shoulders, correct bone and tight feet, strong level topline and very well angulated behind, double coat and pleasing tail shape, would just prefer a darker eye but still a junior so may darken with age;

2nd: 1158 BAMBROOK, Mrs Karen & BAMBROOK, Mr Carey Winsleywood Waghorn At Ravoakar JW, pleasing quality yellow with good head and kind eye, short coupled body, good topline, adequate bone and a sound mover, good topline that he holds on the move, not in full coat but evidence of being a double coat;

3rd: 1256 MCFAULL, Mrs Jennifer & MCFAULL, Mr John Bogarie Gunner

Class 335 PGD (5 Entries) Abs: 2

1st: 1222 HALLGARTH, Mrs E Amberstope Gold Label At Chapelmanor (ai), extrovert yellow of pleasing size and overall shape and type, well boned, decent front construction, big ribs and short loin, very good hindquarters from which he drove off well, good topline and tailset, moved freely;

2nd: 1203 FALSHAW, Mrs Tracy & FALSHAW, Mr David Lonicerium Jack Sparra, liked the head and eye of this yellow, he has a kindness to his expression, very attentive and shown in great condition, short coupled, good ribs and well-muscled hindquarters;

Class 336 MdLD (5 Entries) Abs: 0

1st: 1231 HOPKINSON, Mrs Marion Rocheby Havana, very typical, medium sized yellow who is masculine without a hint of coarseness, has a most pleasing head and eye shape giving him a kind expression, good length of muzzle, strong neck, well boned legs, short coupled, barrel ribbed body with short loin, good double coat of good texture, drove off his hindquarters, one who would make a worthy title holder and a pleasure to award the RCC;

2nd: 1233 HUGHES, Miss Janine Cinders Salty Sea, good type black shown in superb condition and really gleamed with well-being, pleasing head with correct eye colour and length of muzzle, good barrel rib, short loin and well muscled hindquarters, moved soundly, not quite the balance overall of 1;

3rd: 1283 PERKINS, Mrs S Carromer Teguila By Keeninspires

Class 337 LD (7 Entries) Abs: 2

1st: 1176 DIGWEED, Miss J Willokin's Whistle Blower, this honest, good type yellow has a look of quality, he has a kindness to him, pleasing size, kind head and eye, well boned legs and pleasing feet, short coupled, deep ribbed body, pleasing hindquarters, not exaggerated in any way, shown in good condition and moved soundly;

2nd: 1289 POWELL, Miss K Seatallan Chilli, black of pleasing type, medium size and a good showman, good length of muzzle, pleasing legs and feet, very good short coupled body with barrel rib, strongly muscled hindquarters and very good double coat of correct texture, pleasing tail shape, sound mover who has a good stride in profile;

3rd: 1208 FINNEY, Miss L Carpenny Kipling

Class 338 OD (4 Entries) Abs: 0

1st: 1227 HODGE, Mr & Mrs & Miss Arv & R Sh Ch Ir Sh Ch Naiken Elite Envoy (ai) JW Ir J Ch, this is a very good Labrador who is full of type and has a look of style and class about him, no mistaking his gender but not a hint of coarseness, masculine head, pleasing eye shape, very good legs and feet, super body properties having a barrel rib and short loin, strong topline held on the move at all times and really good hindquarters with well let down hock, his coat is a proper double Labrador coat with correct texture and he has a very good, otter-like tail, shown in super musculature and condition, he was as hard as nails, strong mover who comes into his own in side profile where he maintains his outline at all times and covers the ground effortlessly, pleasure to add to his collection of top honours, CC;

2nd: 1261 MCLELLAN, Mr & Mrs D & S Saranden Pensacola, chocolate who I have judged before, smaller than 1 but still well balanced, pleasing head, very good dark brown eye colour, short coupled, deep ribbed body, good topline, correct coat and tail, well-muscled hindquarters, moved soundly;

3rd: 1172 DAWSON, Mr R & DAWSON, Mrs Pamela & DAWSON, Miss M Beskerby Pageant

Class 339 VD (2 Entries) Abs: 0

1st: 1278 MULLETT, Mrs T A & MULLETT, Mr M J Shaymiloney Schinus Afinmore

2nd: 1225 HASLAM, Ms Linda Manorwell Buckskin At Lynquest JW

David R Craig (Judge)