Irish Water Spaniel Association

IRISH WATER SPANIEL ASSOCIATION CHAMPIONSHIP SHOW

19.10.25.

It is always a pleasure to judge this breed with their jolly temperaments and sporting owners. This is a breed like no other and they always make you smile! My thanks go to the officers and committee for their invitation and hospitality and to Kirsty Biggs who not only stewarded so wonderfully but saved my life when I arrived with a locked iPhone that she miraculously sorted out in minutes!

This was an interesting entry to judge. Whilst I was rather disappointed in the depth in the male classes I found the bitches to be much stronger with some hotly contested classes and Open Bitch was a joy to behold.

JUNIOR DOG (2) 1. Bradley’s Nyllaup Oregon Sunstone, 15 months, full of character and of excellent overall type, very well balanced making a compact overall picture. Well-proportioned head with typical expression, good length of neck but needs to fill out in forechest which should come with maturity. However he already has excellent spring of rib and is short coupled with firm loin, excellent angulation front and back with a firm topline. Altogether very promising with movement that is sound and steady and well textured coat. 2. Davies’ Stanegate Sweetest Thing at Shelseivad, 13 months and slightly different in general stamp being rather more rangey and longer coupled than 1 with not so much spring of rib at present. Quality head and expression, full of spirit and character, moving with great reach and drive but needs to tighten a little in front. Promising coat.

POST GRADUATE DOG (1) 1. England’s Cuboglach Thistle Forrester, excellent overall basic type with quite well-balanced head and typical expression but the topknot is a little woolly. Well bodied with good spring of rib but could have a little more angulation, particularly behind. Holds himself well in profile but moves a little close going away.

LIMIT DOG (2) 1. Green’s Brown Snout, handsome and upstanding, so well balanced in outline. Quality head with appealing eye and expression, correct length of neck, firmly bodied and moderately angulated with good spring of rib. He is well coupled with typical coat in good condition and moved steadily, covering ground with ease. Good value for the Reserve CC. 2. Foody’s Cairteila Roll Of the Dice, slightly different in general proportions being a little longer and lower than 1 with a slightly softer topline. Quality head of good proportions but needs to fill out in front and his coat was a little sparse in places. Excellent angulation front and back and moved with impressive reach and drive.

OPEN DOG (4) 1. Latheron & Trenchard’s Sh Ch Fynder Reacher ShCEx, the opening paragraph of the Breed Standard says “smart, upstanding, strongly built, compact” and he certainly ticked those boxes. Yes, he is up to size but has so many valuable breed characteristics that are impossible to ignore. Beautifully schooled and handled slickly but calmly, he created a very impressive overall picture, totally balanced and in wonderful condition with excellent muscle tone and a correct coat. Beautifully moulded head of perfect proportions with kind, intelligent eye and very typical expression. Excellent to go over as his basic conformation is first class with ample length of neck flowing into well-laid shoulders, firm topline, well filled front, strong bone, great spring of rib, short coupled with optimum angles of front and rear, everything fitting and flowing. On the move he was light on his feet showing great reach and drive and when he posed he never stood wrong. Gave me the impression of a dog that could do a day’s work and yet is the consummate show dog. For me he was the dog of the day and so richly deserved the CC & BIS. 2. Hackett & Williams’ Sh Ch Curlyco My Hot Rockstar, holds his almost eight years very well and has many valuable breed points. Well balanced head with typical expression, not quite the overall balance of 1 being a little shorter on lag but he is well ribbed, strongly made behind, has a decent coat and made the absolute best of himself on the move. Best Veteran Dog. 3. Smith’s Sh Ch Goldenacre Jubilee Lord of Leonardston.

VETERAN DOG (1) 1. Sh Ch C. My Hot Rockstar.

SPECIAL WORKING DOG (1) 1. Brown Snout.

GOOD CITIZEN DOG SCHEME DOG (1) 1. Brown Snout.

PUPPY BITCH (1) 1. Barnes-Moss’ Tullamore Dew, clearly inexperienced 10 months baby who was a little overawed to begin with but she gradually settled to display obvious qualities. Lovely head type, feminine throughout but still had ample substance for her age and sex. Well balanced in outline with enough neck, good angles front and back and she has a promising coat. She has a tendency to pace which she needs to be trained out of but the potential is there so I hope her handler will persevere with her as they could both have a lot of fun. Best Puppy In Show.

JUNIOR BITCH (1) 1. Stirk’s Nyllaup Akoya Pearl for Grakar, she may have stood alone but as soon as she glided into the ring I had one of those goose-bumps moments that make judging so worthwhile. She has star quality and charisma in spades and although at 15 months she still has a rawness about her from nose to tail she thrilled me. Whilst she was impeccably schooled she still displayed character and that little bit of naughtiness that is so appealing. Feminine head full of expression but in no way snipey and her conformation is first class. She is a joy to handle with ample bone, big rib and even at this young age has excellent muscle tone and a high-quality coat. Sound and steady on the move with so much style, she is an absolute star in the making. In the challenge I had mentally narrowed it down to her and the excellent Open Bitch winner but in the final run-off she just reminded me of that phrase in the Standard, “endearing sense of humour” when she larked about momentarily and that did it for me! Consequently she won the CC with what turned out to be her dam taking Reserve. At this age I assumed this was her first ticket but then was told that she had already won a CC under Judith Carruthers no less and I could certainly live with that! She also won Reserve BIS behind the spectacular mature male. I loved her!

SPECIAL BEGINNERS BITCH (1) 1. T. Dew.

NOVICE BITCH (1) 1. T. Dew.

GRADUATE BITCH (3) 1. Busby & Busby-Alner’s Stanegate Sweet Dreams at Zakby, 13 months so with an understandable rawness about her but she is beautifully balanced, extremely well-constructed and a great combination of breed type with feminine quality. Very well proportioned head with typical expression, good length of neck leading into well laid shoulders, already good spring of rib and her forelegs are set well under her. Excellent angulation throughout and she moved soundly having great style in profile. With maturity should gain her crown. 2. McBurnie’s Bogbairns Sweet Afton, excellent breed type all through just not quite as compact as the winner. Pleasing basic head type with typical expression, well put together if not quite as much neck as 1 but she is well boned and ribbed and carries herself very well up, down and around. 3. McCafferty’s Malanis Beatrice at Coleraine.

POST GRADUATE BITCH (1) 1. Foody’s Cairteila Look At Me Now, much higher quality than you tend to expect in Post Graduate, this is a beautiful bitch full of breed type with excellent head proportions and typical expression. Forechest is filling in well and at two years of age she has wonderfully sprung ribs, is short coupled and has a quality coat. Her movement going away is exemplary, could be a little tighter coming on but the profile is extremely impressive.

LIMIT BITCH (2) 1. Foody’s Kendenner Louisa at Cairteila, absolutely lovely breed type all through, classically headed with sufficient length of neck, firm back line, excellent bone, great spring of rib if she could have a smidgen more height to balance the outline but the angulation is spot-on and this is reflected in her exceptional movement. 2. Hardy’s Cuboglach Tufted Skipper, lots to like about her as she is fit and hard with a well-balanced head and kindly expression. Enough bone but not quite the exceptional spring of rib of 1 and she is a little more rangey in general type. Well angulated rear, the coat texture is quite pleasing and she moved with some scope.

OPEN BITCH (7) the strongest class of the day 1. Bradley’s Sh Ch Stanegate Stage Debut (AI) ShCEx, excellent overall type with an essentially typical head and expression and very much all of a piece. Compact, sturdily built, well boned with great spring of rib and short coupled. Moderate angulation front and back with firm topline, quality coat and she holds it all together on the move. Won this strong class well but when it came to the challenge I just could not resist the Junior bitch’s personality so she had to be content with the Reserve CC behind what turned out to be her daughter … so she could have a proud mummy moment! 2. Stirk’s Sh Ch Stanegate Hey It’s Bianca JW ShCEx OSW, pushing hard as she has great ring presence, so much breed type and was in the most impeccable condition. She has a very attractive head with typical expression and was wonderful to go over but I just found 1 to be a little more compact and slightly shorter coupled however she made the absolute best of herself on the move; these are two beautiful bitches more than worthy of their titles. 3. Murray’s Ir Sh Ch Donncara Precious Jewels IrJCh AnCh.

VETERAN BITCH (2) 1. Andrews & Blades’ EldarrahDream Of Spring, almost 9 years old but could pass for half her age, she is in wonderful condition and still has lots of spirit. Well balanced head and excellent overall confirmation with strong bone, well filled front, excellent spring of rib, good angles throughout and she still holds a firm topline. Quality coat and very coordinated on the move, going soundly and with style. Best Veteran In Show. 2. Weaving’s Ir Sh Ch Kandalin Golden Storm CW23, almost 8 years of age and again many breed characteristics, just not quite as together in overall picture as 1. Feminine essentially typical head, enough bone, well angulated front and rear and reasonable coat texture. Moves soundly if not quite with the aplomb of 1.

SPECIAL WORKING BITCH (2) 1. Hempstead’s Ch Riverforest Irish Eider at Cuvana SWGC, in remarkable shape for 10 years of age so obviously working has done her no harm! Upstanding, full of personality and in hard condition with correct coat, she has a quality head with expressive eye, is strongly boned with moderate angles throughout and still holds a firm topline, going around with ease and covering the ground well. 2. Hempstead’s Scrumpy Dabinett at Cuvana WGC, a little shorter on leg than her kennelmate but the basic construction is excellent. She also has a pleasing head and eye, just didn’t quite have the scope on the move of 1 but two excellent bitches.

GOOD CITIZEN DOG SCHEME BITCH (2) 1. M. Beatrice at C., excellent overall type with a basically pleasing head, good length of neck but could have a little more angulation front and back yet she is fundamentally balanced, makes the best of herself on the move and has a good coat. 2. Andrews’ Famous Crowd’s Secret Parade at Mudlarks (Imp DK), a little bit longer coupled than 1 and she goes closer behind but the breed type overall is excellent. She has a good coat, well angulated rear and plenty of rib.

BRACE (2) 1. Hempstead’s. 2. Weaving’s.

PROGENY (1) 1. Sh Ch F. Reacher ShCEx.

ANDREW H. BRACE