Kooikerhondje Club Of Great Britain

What can I say? What a privilege and an honour to judge the very first Championship Show for this lovely breed. I have been associated with the Kooikerhondje ‘family’ since they first got classes, a special group of dogs and a lovely group of people.

A lovely entry today of 32 dogs making 39 entries with only 4 absent, but Chris Bexon must take credit for that as he was supposed to be judging. Chris, if you are reading this, we were thinking of you and hope you are feeling better.

I have judged the breed and seen it change over the years and each time I judge they are getting more uniform. We still have a variety of shapes but it is still early in their development in this country and with careful selective breeding, consistency of type should come.

It is a shame that here in the UK we have be struggling to get bitches into whelp but that seems to be changing and some new litters on the ground bodes well for the future, and they are needed with so few youngsters being shown.

Overall, quality is good and I was very pleased with both my line-ups and my top winners.

JD (1,0)

1st. Davies’ Twybrook Bärenhäuter.A lovely way to start the day with a 12mth super typey youngster. Correct through head and skull with dark eyes and well set ears. Really liked his overall shape overall shape. Very good forequarters with well laid shoulders and return of upper arm and chest of sufficient depth. Good bone and feet with a straight front. Level back to a correct tailset to a well angled rear. He moved with a straight front and showing good reach and drive. Considered him for the RCC which he only just lost out on. His day will come very soon.

YD (1,0)1st. Harvey’s Kerfkooiker Gynn.2yr old with a pleasing head and a cheeky expression, dark eyes and correctly set ears. Has well made forequarters with a good lay of shoulder and a return of upper arm giving enough forechest. Finer through the body and needs his ribs to spring a little more, has a level back through to a well set and well carried tail. Moderate rear angles and moves true with good reach and drive.

PGD (1,0)

1st. 21. Purser’s Twybrook Charming Prince A 2yr old masculine dog of good shape and proportions. Broad head and skull with lovely dark eyes with correctly set and well furnished ears. Good forequarters with well laid shoulders and a straight front. Ribs of correct spring and depth. Level topline through to a well set tail and a moderately angled rear. In good condition, well muscled. Free flowing mover with a well feathered tail carried up.

LD (2,0) Two nice but very different dogs.

1st. Hearson’s Gladsheim Acer At Jumasue.Liked the outline on this 5yr old, super head with dark eyes and another with a cheeky expression. Good length of neck with good ruff. Super forequarters with well laid shoulders and return of upper arm but I would have liked more forechest. Correct depth and spring of rib, lovely level back and short loin. Moderate rear angles and well muscled. Personally, I am not a fan of his tail carriage. On the move he is true with good reach and drive

2nd. Gutteridge’s Benitin Trojan Of Geduld This 4yr old presented a lovely outline on the stand with a well proportioned head with dark eyes and well set ears with lovely ‘ear rings’. Good length of neck into well made forequarters. Level back over correct spring of rib. Muscular rear with correct angles.Today he was just not ‘feeling it’, head down but with good reach and drive but not as tidy coming and going as the winner. Lets hope he was just having an off day.

OD (4,0) A close run contest between 1 & 2 today.

1st. Davies’ Millhanger Kemboy. Really taken by this 5yr old today. Loved his outline, his head, his movement and his attitude. Today he brough his A-game. Head of correct shape and proportions, dark eyes and lovely ‘ear rings’. Good length of neck into well laid shoulders with good return of upper arm and sufficient forechest. Good bone and straight front. Deep chest and correct spring of rib. Lovely rear angles, well muscled. On the move he is positive, moves with attitude, with lovely reach and drive. A true showman and today he kept producing to win the CC and followed that with Best In Show.

2nd. Wallis’ Gladsheim Veritas A 3yr old and another dog that takes your eye. Correct through head with dark eyes and well set ears with good ‘ear rings’. Lovely forequarters with good return of upper arm and straight front. Level back over well sprung ribs to a correctly angled rear. Super mover, true and with attitude. A close call between 1 & 2 so had to come back to challenge for and win the RCC.

3rd. Guy’s Gladsheim Eleodoro At Kerelkoor.

Res. Groome’s Sammy At Middanwinter (IMP NLD)

VD (4,1)

1st. Williams’ Cairnbraid Onwaba Lukimbi Of Gladsheim. 9yrs old with a lovely clean typey outline. Correct through head with dark eyes and well set ears with good ‘ear rings’. Teeth and bite still good. Well made forequarters with well laid shoulders and return of upper arm, straight front. Correct depth to chest and ribs nicely sprung, short loin through to a moderately angled and well muscled rear. Still a lovely mover showing the youngsters he can still strut his stuff.

2nd. Guy’s Gladsheim Eleodoro At Kerelkoor 3rd in the open class behind my eventual winners. Shorter in foreface but with dark eyes and lovely ears. Well made forequarters, level topline and a well angled rear. Moved well when not distracted.

Res. Marsden’s Gladsheim Apollo.

SBD (1,0)

1st. Harvey’s Kerfkooiker Gynn. 1st Yearling

YB (2,0)

1st. Folan Murphey’s Mooiekooi’s Dizzy Delta. Headed up a very interesting class of 2 litter sisters who are quite different. I chose this smaller B as my winner for her overall shape and type. Built on smaller lines but balanced in outline and well made. Pretty head with dark eyes and lovely ears. Well made forequarters with depth of chest and a good spring of rib. Short coupled to moderate rear angles. When she concentrated, she moved well especially in profile.

2nd. Cambridge’s Mooiekooi’s Dolly Dodge. A taller longer version of her sister so presenting a different outline on the stand. Lovely dark eyes and well set ears with good ‘ear rings’. Well made with well laid shoulders and enough depth of chest. I would like more return of upper arm. Tends to rise a little over the loin on the stand and has correct rear angles. Moved ok but a little distracted by the scents on the ground.

NB (2,0)

1st. Folan Murphey’s Mooiekooi’s Dizzy Delta. 1st Yearling

2nd. Jones’ Gladsheim Savanna at Maplecoombe Another who has a foxy expression from her shorter foreface but with lovely dark eyes and well fringed ears. Well laid shoulders but I would like a bit more length and return in upper arm. Level back, good depth and spring of rib through to moderate rear angles. A little erratic on the move but carrying her tail nicely.

GB (1,0)

1st. Stewart’s Twybrook Sweet Princess Rl1ex This young 2 yr old has plenty of attitude and gave her handler a hard time. Another up to size but with a pleasing head shape with dark eyes and well set ears with correct ‘ear rings’. Well made forequarters with enough forechest. Rising a little over the loin on the stand. She has enough rear angulation and good tailset and carriage. Moved well in front but a little close behind. Good reach and drive.

PGB (1,0)

1st. Mar-Gerrison’s Valkira Whispering Hope 2yr and another foxy head with a short foreface. Dark eyes with cheeky expression and full of mischief. High set ears with good ‘ear rings’. Well made forequarters and good forechest, correct overall shape and level back & enough rear angles. She was distracted by the smells on the ground today which spoilt her front and profile movement. True going away.

LB (4,0)

1st. Skjonberg’s Mooiekooi's Bitzy Brilliant A very smart 6yr old of good breed type, shape and si ze. Lovely head of good proportions, dark eyes and well set ears with good ‘ear rings’. well laid shoulders & return of upper arm. Level back over well sprung ribs of correct depth through to moderate rear. Correct tail set and carriage. Super mover when she concentrates, true with reach, drive and attitude.

2nd. Stewart’s Duckhills Thistledown Dance Of Emmi over Twybrook (Imp Swe) Rl4 This 7yr old is a slightly larger and more substantial B than 1st but of good overall shape and proportions. Pleasing head of correct shape with dark eyes and lovely ears. Well made forequarters with well laid shoulders and return of upper arm. Correct spring and depth of rib. Level back to moderate rear. True on the move with lovely reach and drive.

3rd. Jones’ Valleyrise Inspiration at Maplecoombe

Res. Dunford’s Millhanger Victoria Plumb.

OB (7,1)

1st. Johnson’s Valleyrise Illustration. A mature 5yr old who excels in breed type. Love her head shape and her cheeky expression, dark eyes and well set ears with lovely ‘ear rings’. Super forequarters with well laid shoulders and return of upper arm giving sufficient forechest. Good spring and depth of rib under a level back. Strong loin and a moderate rear. Correct tailset and carriage. Best of movers on a lovely loose lead. Showed her class in the challenge to win the CC then later RBIS and BOS

2nd. Lux Ch Qunack’s Favor Light for Twybrook (Imp NLD) RL1EX A very nice, typey 4yr old who caught my attention. Liked her overall type and shape, feminine head of correct proportions with dark eyes and well set ears with lovely ‘ear rings’. This one always seemed to be smiling. Super forequarters with straight front, well laid shoulders and return of upper arm giving some forechest. Level back through to correct rear angles. A fluid true mover with good reach and drive but just not the showmanship of the winner today so had to settle for the RCC.

3rd. Guy’s Cirtap's Prinses Bynton Ida Rose MK (Imp Swe)

Res..Williams’ Gladsheim Arunika

VHC. Mar-Gerrison’s Gladsheim Willow At Valkira

VB (6,1) These mature ladies can still show the youngsters how to do it.

 1st. Guy’s Cirtap's Prinses Bynton Ida Rose MK (Imp Swe)  Now 12 yrs old I remember her when she first came into the country. She has matured like a fine wine and belies her years but had to give way to the younger girls in the open class where she came 3rd. Of good size and shape with a pleasing head of good proportions and still has a correct bite with all her teeth. Another with very good forequarters with well laid shoulders and return of upper arm giving good forechest. A straight front, correct spring and depth of chest, strong loin through to a moderate rear. On the move she is still a joy to watch, true all round and striding out ahead of her handler as if to say “come on mum, keep up”. Could not be denied BVIS

2nd. Skjonberg’s N Dk Uch Ach Nordv-18 Ea Evana 10 years and another still looking and moving like a youngster. Smaller frame than the winner but love her proportions and overall shape, very feminine all through with a lovely head. Again, lovely forequarters with correct forechest. Level back to a correctly set tail carried level on the move. Another lovely mover, true with correct reach and drive.

3rd. Williams’ Daniella Vom Thyrowberg to Gladsheim ShCM

Res. Johnson’s Sensation Vom Tespelkooi Of Valleyrise VW

VHC. Stewart’s Duckhills Thistledown Dance Of Emmi over Twybrook (Imp Swe) Rl4

SBB (1,0)

1st. Folan Murphey’s Mooiekooi’s Dizzy Delta. Yearling and Novice Winner.

Judge – Ray McDonald