American Cocker Spaniel Club Of Great Britain

First of all I would like to say how much I was looking forward to this appointment, to judge your own breed club show is something you can only dream of and I feel incredibly lucky and honoured to have been given the appointment. Thank you to the committee for the invitation and for looking after me, also to my wonderful steward who kept me right!

Secondly to all the exhibitors who gave me an entry, I know it gets harder and harder to justify entering shows so your entry was very much appreciated by me. I tried to give everyone time and attention, it is not easy to present an American Cocker for the show ring and I wanted to allow everyone the opportunity to show their dogs to their best advantage.

Overall I was pleased with my entry and with my main winners, although a few areas of note; I found a large number of level mouths and small teeth. Also a distinct lack of spring of ribs and the ribs going far enough back. Finally, chiselling around the eyes is not as common as it used to be and is essential is creating that all important expression.

Class 1. Veteran Dog/Bitch (1/2)

Marsh’s SH CH/IR SH CH NASAILLEEN SECRET AFFAIR. 8 yr old. Black bitch of excellent shape who stood alone but was absolutely deserving of BVIS. Lovely head, plush muzzle, round dark eyes, with roundness to topskull and correct ear placement. Excellent large, white and CLEAN teeth! Good front and chest, nice ribs into a strong loin with good angulation behind, good tail set and carriage on the move, moved with drive holding a correctly sloping topline. She was considered in the challenge.

Class 2. Special Working D/B (1/0)

Thompson’s ARTEMIS TO THE MOON AT LUNARTAILS. brown + tan 18 month with a very happy personality! Decent head with large eyes and large nose, would like a bit more chiselling around the eye area and is a little flat on topskull but the expression is correct. Mouth ok underneath nice plush lips with width to jaw. Ear set was ok. Decent neck and front into ok ribs, I would like a little bit more spring to them and he was slightly longer cast than I would prefer. Tail set a fraction low but carriage was ok. He moved straight and true going away and back, although he was pacing some on the go around.

Class 3. Baby Puppy Dog

N/A

Class 4. Minor Puppy Dog (1/0)

Marsh’s LITTLE LIFE BRIGHT POWER FLOW.Just six months old buff boy. Up to size but all in proportion. Caught my eye immediately with his overall profile, he had a correctly proportioned head leading into a long neck and a well constructed body. He had nice tight flews on his plush lips and wonderful expression set off by lovely dark pigmentation and a large nose. To be picky I would like a bit more chiselling around the eye area to complete his expression, but he scores in topskull and correct ear set. Lovely clean long neck into a good front which still needs to fill out but it is all there. Nice large ribs into a short loin with good width throughout already. Excellent angulation throughout allows him to move so effortlessly and freely on a loose lead, and it was this that got him the RCC+BPIS. A correct tail set and carriage finishes him off. I thought him very nice for one so young.

Class 5. Puppy Dog (1/0)

Niessen’s LITTLE LIFE ZIMPLY CHAMPAGNE. Silver Buff of 10 months old, slightly longer cast in profile. His head is nice but I would like a bit more width and plushness to the muzzle and underjaw and slightly more roundness in topskull. His ear placement was good and he has excellent dark pigmentation which stood out against his silver buff coat. Decent front into nice ribs, fraction longer in loin that I would prefer although he has a strong loin and topline on the move, if a bit level. His angulation is ok behind and he stood on strong hocks. He was well presented and had coat of excellent texture .

Class 6. Junior Dog (1/1)

Jennings ALIBAMA QUINTESEENTIAL. Buff 18 month old. Good shape when stacked, he has a nice head, I would like slightly more topskull for me although he has nice plush lips, chiselling around the eyes and nice dark pigmentation, mouth was ok. Coat presented beautifully of the correct texture. His topline is nice and short and correctly slopes on the go round. He has decent ribs but would like more spring to them and fill throughout his body. His shoulders are a touch upright so he just didn’t have the reach in front for me. He did however have good angulation behind on nice strong hocks giving him plenty of drive. I found his tail carriage too high and it spoilt his outline for me.

Class 7. Novice Dog (1/1)

Mould’s UNE CERISE NOIRE VIGIE DU CLOS DES ABYSS DE PROVENCE (IMP FRA). black dog 12 months old.A plainer head on this young boy, he doesn’t quite have the chiselling I would like to see. His mouth was ok, nice plush lips with tight flews but would like a bit more width throughout his head and shape to his topskull to help finish him off. Decent neck into ok shoulders which were a touch upright so he didn’t quite have the reach in front, although he drove well from behind on short strong hocks. His ribs were ok but would like a bit more width to his them and to go back further. Tail set was a fraction low although the carriage was ok.

Class 8. PG Dog

absent

Class 9. Limit Dog (4/0). This was a tough class with differing types.

Bedding + Jennings ALIBAMA KNOCKOUT. 18 month old. The most beautiful face and expression on this black + tan boy, and groomed to perfection. He has beautiful large eyes with the required chiselling, correct ear set and topskull, lovely plush lips and a large dark nose. His tan is bright and in the correct places. Decent neck, his shoulders are ok but would like them slightly further back to allow him full extension on the move. He has decent ribs into a short loin but again, would like them with just a bit more spring and to go further back to give him the body underneath his fantastic coat. He has good angulation behind on short hocks allowing for plenty of drive on the move, his topline was firm into a correctly set tail, although another who carried it a touch high for me.

Dummett + Vikhrova NOVA STORY BOOGIE WOOGIE (IMP MNE). Tri dog, 18month old. He has a good outline on the stack, his head is a bit plain for me and he carried a fraction too much flew on his lips although in profile the proportions are correct and he had width throughout. He had a Lovely low ear set and a decent topskull, his expression is there, would just like a bit more chiselling around the eyes to complete the picture. Nice clean neck and ok front, he had a large rib cage going well back but was a fraction longer in loin than I would prefer and on the move he wasn’t quite as strong in topline as one.

Morris’s MYCALLEYS SIROCCO. B/t 20months, plainer in head and more upright in front meant he was pinching at the shoulder, he had excellent well sprung ribs into a short loin but not quite the shoulder in front for full extension on the move and his tail carriage spoils his outline. He had a plethora of well presented coat of good texture.

Class 10. Open Dog (5/2)

This was another difficult class full of differing types.

Kirton , Stanton + Dackombe SABISABI IROQUOIS EYOTA. R/w 3 year old. Excellently presented. Very nice in profile both stacked and on the move. Nice head to this boy, yes he does need a bit more width in muzzle but the overall shape in profile is there and his expression is correct, he has correct ear set and excellent dark pigmentation. He is excellent in body shape, with a good clean neck with nice arch, very nice spring of ribs and correct angulation fore and aft which is what won him the class and ultimately the CC. Smooth and effortless on the move, shown on a loose lead with excellent tail set and carriage he really asked for the win today.

Jennings SH CH AFTERBLOW BAMBAM WITH ALIBAMA. Buff 2 year, Nice head on this boy, he has good dark pigmentation and expression with correct chiselling around the eye. Good neck into a decent front, excellent ribs into a short loin that is strong. He holds a strong sloping topline on the move, just not quite reaching in front enough and his tail carriage spoils his overall outline for me.

Dummetts LETJASHAJA PITTA SAINT PIERRE AT ALMONDSBURY (IMP RUS). Tri dog with a lovely head, lovely work around the eyes and plushness in his muzzle - his tan points only serve to accentuate. Good neck into a decent front. He had one of the largest ribs cages of the day and was short and strong in loin. Fraction straight behind which didn’t allow him to move as freely as the others and this cost him a higher placing.

Class 11. Baby Puppy Bitch (4/0)

Lintons AFTERGLOW DOMINICAE. tri bitch, excellent shape on the move and in profile, nice head which will need to break. Excellent tail set and carriage, she was a bit unsure at this stage but it is all there.

Glover’s YANKEETANK PRINCESS IDA AT MICKCALS. B/t bitch, excellent head and markings , nice shape going fore and aft she enjoyed her day out, I loved her fun personality!

Sumter + Pinchen KENOULA NO REGRETS. A smaller b/t bitch with a sweet head, tan markings there but not quite as obvious. Nice outline.

Class 12. Minor Puppy Bitch (1/0)

Franklin’s DREAMCAST ELYSIUM. b/w 7 months old. What a showgirl! Very pretty in head with lovely shape to her topskull, correct ear placement and nice eyes, needs to fill out all over but that will come as she is so young. Nice arch to neck into good shoulders, with ribs that went well back into a nice short loin. Excellent tail set and carriage on her, she drove around loving the big ring on short hocks, I really liked her! Considered for top honours but lost out on maturity to the older puppy, I will watch her future with interest.

Class 13. Puppy Bitch (2/0)

Morris + Langton. ARROWBIEN NINA RICCI FOR JENNOBAR. tri 9 month old. Nice body shape in profile and nice shape to her head with correct shape and expression. Good shape to topskull and correct ear placement. Decent neck into good shoulders, she has a nice rib cage and short well muscled loin, tail a fraction low set but carriage is ok, she got better and better the more she moved around the ring on a loose lead, although presentation needs to be watched to prevent any further staining. RCC.

Archers ZARCREST AFTER CUT AT TALLISBAY. B/w 11month old. Finer throughout, decent shape to head but her muzzle needs to be a bit wider for balance and I would prefer more chiselling in the face to give her the true expression. Decent topskull and ear carriage, nice neck into ok shoulders, she is fraction longer in loin than 1 and carried a level topline. Tail carriage was a bit too high for me and spoilt her outline on the move.Excellently presented in brilliant white coat.

Class 14. Junior Bitch

Absent

Class 15. Novice Bitch (1/0)

Colliers SABISABI APACHE TADITA. r/w. Unfortunately carrying a lot of weight, nice dark expressive eyes with excellent pigmentation throughout. Decent topskull and ear placement, nice width to muzzle, a tad short in neck and upright in shoulder means she can’t quite reach out in front, not helped by her weight. Large ribs and a short loin into good rear angulation on short hocks. Lovely personality.

Class 16. PG Bitch (1/0)

Kirton + Dackombe SABISABI APACHE CATORI. B/w. Bitch who had a handler and was unsure of herself in the ring. Decent head, a touch plain and needs more chiselling to complete the picture but she has correct proportions. Clean neck into an ok front, she had one of the the best ribs and tight elbows of the day! Large ribs went well back into a short strong loin. Good angulation behind but she doesn’t have the front to really stride out on the move.

Class 17. Limit Bitch (4/0).

Morris + Jefferson’s MYCALLEYS KOKO. b/t 20 months old. Nice head, with plushness and width, her topskull could be slightly rounder to help finish it off. Decent neck into shoulders which were a touch upright. Nice large ribs into a short loin, she has good angulation behind, although her topline was slightly soft on the go around and the tail carriage was too high for me.

Sunter + Pinchen KENOULA RIFF RAFF. Black 2 1/2 year old. Nice type with a good head, with soft expression and plush muzzle, decent neck and shoulders, she had a good shape on the go round. Nice tail set and strong hocks.

Kirton + Dackombe MIRANDA FLOWER IZ MAZHORNOGO LADA AT SABISABI. 5 year old cut down bitch so all to see! Nice shape when stacked with a nice shaped head in profile, would like just a bit more width to it. nice expression and good pigmentation. Good width throughout and well angulated to allow her to move freely.

Class 18. Open Bitch (1/3)

Lynns SH CH AFTERGLOW IMPOSE. Black 2 year old. Outstanding presentation, a real master at work here. Excellent in profile on the stack and the move - she stays the same shape throughout. Beautiful head on her, would like her eyes a fraction darker to be very very picky but otherwise proportions are excellent, lovely plush muzzle with clean flews and width and depth to it which was lacking in so many! Excellent expression and chiselling around the eyes. Correct ear placement and roundness to topskull. Lovely neck into good shoulders with lots of forechest. Large ribs that go well back and one of the few with the correct tight elbows. She has a short strong loin into good angulation behind on short hocks, because of all of this she moved a dream. Couldn’t be denied BCC and BIS.